Patent Abstract:
An adjustment and/or alignment arrangement positions a toolholder ( 10 ) relative to a toolholder mounting ( 12 ) in machine tools in a pivot movement. An adjustment part ( 30 ) cooperates with a setting part ( 32 ). The setting part ( 32 ) is provided with a mounting housing ( 40 ), in which, counter to the effect of an accumulator ( 34 ), a guiding part ( 36 ) for the adjustment part ( 30 ) is guided longitudinally slidably. The guiding part ( 36 ) can be controlled by an operation part ( 38 ). The adjustment and/or alignment arrangement is of simple construction, and consequently, is of low cost, while to a great extent facilitates the desired adjustment simply and operationally securely.

Full Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an adjustment and/or alignment arrangement for the positioning of a toolholder relative to a toolholder mounting in machine tools. More particularly, the present invention relates to such arrangement involving a pivotal movement, with an adjustment part which cooperates with a setting part. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Toolholders, such as spindleheads having drivable or rotatably processing tools, are constructed in the turrets of turning machines, lathes or drills, for example, to facilitate off-center machining of turning parts on a turning machine, such as a machine tool. The interface or cutting point for that processing is determined between spindleheads and tool disks of tool turrets by the DIN 69880-11 (publication September 1994, page 305ff) standard. With such spindleheads, in which the tool axis of the drivable or rotatable cutting tool is identical with the central axis of the mounting bore according to the aforementioned DIN standard, and the bore is aligned parallel to the normal or vertical axis of the turning machine, it is not necessary to adjust the cutting tool. An adjustment is necessary, however, in the case of spindleheads in which the tool axis is not identical with the central axis of the mounting bores as in the aforementioned DIN standard. In these cases, for precise machining, the tool point must be aligned first along the normal or vertical axis of the machine tool, especially of a turning machine. Similarly, with the so-called counter-rotation of the spindle, the central axes of the mounting bores are arranged in a star arrangement on the tool disk of the tool turret, whereby the interior processing tools are first to be aligned parallel to the rotary axis of the turning machine. 
     A toolholder, for example in the form of a spindlehead, can be centered with the aid of the mounting bore, as in the cited DIN standard. Although it can be centered in axial alignment, it cannot be aligned relative to another axis extending perpendicular to the bore central axis. In that case, there are other known adjustment and/or alignment arrangements. With a known adjustment and/or alignment arrangement, such as in DE 39 29 802 C1, the toolholder includes two set screws arranged opposite one another serving as setting members. The set screws work together on an adjustment part which is arranged on the toolholder mounting. This solution has the drawback that any toolholder with any arrangement in the associated toolholder mounting is to be adjusted in the selected setting by means of the setting or adjustment screws. Modifications of the adjustment and/or alignment arrangement occur with multiple removals and insertions of the toolholder, which lead to inaccuracies. Also, the adjustment process by means of manipulation of two set screws separately from one another is not simple and is correspondingly time-consuming. 
     To overcome the drawbacks of this state of the art, DE 195 48 151 A1 discloses providing associated adjustment parts as an adjustment and/or alignment arrangement on both the toolholder and the toolholder mounting. The adjustment parts, upon their interconnection as form-locking elements, engage in one another without play. However, the accurate and precise fitting in one another without play requires high manufacturing cost for production of the arrangement, so that this solution turns out to be very costly. 
     A toolholder insert disclosed DE 31 50 355 C2 is especially for drill rods or the like with a shaft-like toolholder for a cutting insert. An adjustment sheathing is screwed onto an exterior threading of the toolholder. The adjustment sheathing engages the tool holder with a flange on the one side of a stationary collar, and with a spring ring or the like mounted on the adjustment sheathing. The toolholder is supported on the one hand on the other side of the collar and on the other hand on a collar-like detent of the adjustment sheathing. Axial tightness between structural parts is produced by the spring ring. Relative positioning by pivoting the toolholder cannot be attained with the known axial adjustment mechanism. Furthermore, the known arrangement is complicated in set-up and is expensive in production because of the plurality of parts. It is also difficult to handle. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Objects of the present invention are to provide an adjustment and/or alignment arrangement which is of simple construction and consequently of low cost, while to a great extent facilitates the desired adjustment simply and operationally securely. 
     The foregoing objects are basically obtained by an adjustment arrangement for pivotally positioning a toolholder relative to a toolholder mounting in a machine tool, comprising an adjustment part and a setting part coupled to the adjustment part. The setting part has a mounting housing, a guiding part receiving the adjustment part and being guided for longitudinal sliding motion in the mounting housing, an accumulator biasing the guiding part in one longitudinal direction of the sliding motion of the guiding part, and an operation part controlling the guiding part in an opposite longitudinal direction of the sliding motion of the guiding part. 
     With a relatively few simple structural components according to the present invention, an operationally secure adjustment and/or alignment arrangement can be realized. Highly precise, costly adaptations between the adjustment part and the setting part can be dropped. Furthermore, the setting and adjustment procedure can be undertaken effectively by means of one single operation part, which remarkably simplifies manipulation of the adjustment and/or alignment arrangement, especially in subsequent operation on the processing machines. 
     With the adjustment and/or alignment arrangement according to the present invention in the same type and direction of operation, the pivot adjustment movement can be carried out for the relative positioning between the toolholder and the toolholder mounting in such a manner that precise adjustment of the driving axle with the machine tool main axle, for example, the normal or vertical axis, is possible. 
     In one preferred embodiment of the adjustment and/or arrangement according to the present invention, the adjustment part is mounted securely on the toolholder mounting and the setting part is securely mounted on the toolholder. Furthermore, the setting part can be configured as a sliding block having an engagement point for the adjustment part. Thus, the sliding block together with the adjustment part can assume a stationary position; and the setting part with the mounting housing is moved together with the toolholder around the relevant stationary structural group. The basic machine structural parts, such as spring-biased sliding blocks provided guided in housings, are described for a tool changing device described in De 33 18 603 A1, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     Having the accumulator formed of at least one compression spring, particularly a disk spring, has been proven to be particularly operationally secure. The spring can engage on one side of the sliding block; and the operation part in the form of an operating screw can engage on its other side. 
     Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, disclose a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring to the drawings which form a part of this disclosure: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view in section of a toolholder arranged in a toolholder mounting in the form of a wedge-like spindlehead according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partial top plan view in section of the wedge-like spindlehead taken along line I—I of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view in section of the adjustment and/or alignment arrangement of FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The adjustment and/or alignment arrangement of the present invention serves for positioning of a toolholder  10  relative to a toolholder mounting  12  in machine tools, especially turning machines (not shown). Toolholder  10  can be in the form of a wedge-shaped spindlehead with a first driving axle or axis  14 . In order to drive a cutting tool (not shown), first driving axle  14  drives a second driving axle or axis  16  extending perpendicular to the first axle. The aforementioned cutting tool is conventional, and thus, is not described further, and can be inserted over the tool mounting  18 , driven by driving axles  14  and  16  for a manufacturing process. The first driving axle  14  is guided rotatably in a toolholder shaft  20 , provided with teeth  22  around the exterior periphery in a conventional manner. If toolholder  10  is inserted through its toolholder shaft  20  into the associated circular toolholder mounting  12 , corresponding teeth  26  of a clamping  24 , according to a position shown in FIG. 2, engage teeth  22  toolholder shaft  20 , and thus, affix the wedge-like spindlehead tightly on toolholder mounting  12 . For the release of clamping member  24 , it is moved back along its longitudinal axis  28 , whereupon the teeth  22  and  26  are disengaged with one another and toolholder  10  is released. 
     In the case of rotary processing, first driving axle  14  can extend along the normal or vertical axis of the turning machine. Consequently, second driving axle  16  is at a right angle to driving axle  14 . With counter-rotation of the spindle, the arrangement of toolholder  10  is such that second driving axle  16  is aligned parallel to the vertical axis of the turning machine and first driving axle  14  is perpendicular thereto, transverse to the turning machine vertical axis. In both cases, however, the tool point of the cutting tool, and consequently the second driving axle  16 , is aligned exactly in relation to the vertical axis, in order to avoid inaccuracies. For this purpose, the adjustment and/or alignment arrangement has an adjustment part  30  which cooperates with a setting part indicated in it entirety as  32 . As is shown particularly in FIG. 3, setting part  32  has a mobile guiding part  36  guiding adjustment part  30  counter to the effect of force accumulator  34 , whereby guiding part  36  can be controlled by operation part  38 . 
     As shown particularly in FIG. 1, adjustment part  30  is mounted securely on toolholder mounting  12 , and setting part  32  is in turn securely mounted on toolholder  10 . Setting part  32  is provided with a mounting housing  40 , in which the guiding part  36  in the form of a sliding block  42  is longitudinally slidably guided. Guiding part  36  incorporates an engagement point for adjustment/alignment part  30 . Accumulator  34  is formed of at least one disk spring or a plurality of disk springs arranged one behind the other in series. As is particularly clear in FIG. 3, these disk springs engage with their one free end on the one end  44  of sliding block  42  and are supported with their other end on the interior of mounting housing  40 . For the formation of a specific contact surface for accumulator  34  in the form of the disk spring arrangement, sliding block  42  has a shelf-like ledge  46  at the associated end. The shelf-like ledge of the disk spring arrangement is at least partially surrounded. Shelf-like ledge  46 , however in any case, is at sufficient distance from the interior of mounting housing  40  that the open spring path of the disk spring arrangement is not blocked. Besides, with the shelf-like ledge  46 , there is a detent capacity relative to mounting housing  40  in case of overload or breakdown of accumulator  34 . 
     The other side  48  of sliding block  42  engages operation part  38  in the form of an operating screw  50 . Screw  50  has an interior hexagonal cutout for the engagement of a operating tool (not shown), for example, an interior hexagonal wrench. Operating screw  50  is guided into and out of mounting housing  40  by means of its exterior threading  52  and interior threading  54  of the housing. A separate structural part strikes with a detent part  56  on the other end  48  of sliding block  42 . Under the effect of accumulator  34 , sliding block  42  is pressed on the detent part  56  of operating screw  50 . Interior threading  54 , which opens into the environment, is cut in such a manner into a length of mounting housing  40  that the entire pivot path provided for second driving axle  16  and consequently for toolholder  10  is obtained. 
     Sliding block  42  has a middle bore  58  as an engagement point. The diameter of bore  58  is greater than the diameter of adjustment part  30  in the form of an adjustment pivot pin  60 . As shown particularly in FIG. 1 pivot pin  60  is received and fitted tightly in a shaped bore  62  in toolholder mounting  12 . Within middle bore  58 , in turn, a detent surface  64  for pivot  60  is provided and is part of a detent screw  66 . Detent screw  66  extends through the middle of the disk spring arrangement and is screwed into sliding block  42 . The free end of detent screw  66  is guided movably in the wall of mounting housing  40 , and can be secured by means of a traditional Loctite connection within the interior threading of sliding block  42 . At the free end of detent screw  66 , an engagement point for an operating tool (not shown) is present for moving detent screw  66  within sliding block  42 , to limit the free space within middle bore  58  of sliding block  42 . 
     An anti-torsion member  70  (FIG. 3) is provided so that with such a setting process, sliding block  42  cannot be turned within its guide  68 . Anti-torsion member  70  has a set screw  72  which is threadedly engaged in mounting housing  40 . One free contact end of set screw  72  is engaged in a longitudinal groove  74  of sliding block  42 . Thus, on the one hand an effective anti-torsion member  70  is supplied. On the other hand, the longitudinal mobility of mounting housing  40  relative to sliding block  42  is guaranteed, the same as before. Also, set screw  72  can be clamped permanently by a traditional Loctite connection within mounting housing  40 . 
     Mounting housing  40  has a flange-like extension  76  on both mounting housing sides in the area of the engagement of set screw  72 . Each extension is penetrated by a clamping screw  78 , which serves (FIG. 2) for subsequent clamping of setting part  32  on toolholder  10 . In order to be able to attain a certain tolerance equalization for this clamping, clamping screws  78  extend through enlarged bores  80  within flange-like extensions  76 . Consequently the distance between the clamping screws  78  can be varied. 
     As shown in FIG. 1, adjustment part  30  projects position-centered over the specific bearing surface  82  of toolholder mounting  12 , i.e., defines a center position for the apparatus and can be overlapped by setting part  32  in extension of contract surfact  84  of toolhholder  10  for engagement. Bearing surface  82  and contact surface  84  are made to provide in exact plane-parallel contact of toolholder  10  on toolholder mounting  12 . Setting part  32  engages on the side of a projecting shelf-like ledge  86  of toolholder  10 . Shelf-like ledge  86  is at a slightly greater height than setting part  32  when viewed in alignment with adjustment part  30 . 
     The adjustment and/or alignment arrangement according to the present invention is now described in greater detail by one exemplary, practical adjustment procedure. First the middle bore  58  of sling block  42  is adjusted with detent screw  66  for diameter adjustment to relate to the diameter of adjustment pivot pin  60 . Then, mounting housing  40  is clamped by means of clamping screw  78  onto toolholder  10 , especially at its projecting shelf-like ledge  86 . Since the diameter of pin-like adjustment pivot pin  60  is of very narrow tolerance, the basic setting preferably occurs only one time during the tool manufacture. In the later operation, on site, the basic setting can be corrected upon the appearance of spots of wear on adjustment pivot pin  60  or with modification of the angle setting. 
     Toolholder  10  is then set in the mounting opening of toolholder mounting  12 , for example, of a set-up theory or pattern. Approximately 10 to 25% of the maximum clamping force is clamped/tightened over clamping member  24 . However it is also possible to undertake the setting on the machine directly. Subsequently, toolholder  10  and consequently both driving axles  14  and  16  are set in their angular settings, while operating screw  50  thrusts sliding block  42  against the force of the disk spring arrangement (accumulator  34 ). Thus, toolholder  10  can be rotated, first of all around first driving axle  14  and in such a manner as to carry along second driving axle  16  in a pivotal direction, which stands in alignment in FIG. 1 perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. FIG. 2 indicates the possibility of deflection of second driving axle  16  in both directions around its midpoint indicated by arrows  88 . 
     The force of the spring arrangement is preferably set so that it is in any case greater than the processing forces of the cutting tool of toolholder  10  effecting the angle setting. Basically, sliding block  42  remains in its clamped position on adjustment pivot pin  60 . With operation of operating screw  50 , mounting housing  40 , projecting shelf-like ledge  86  and toolholder  10  are moved around a path preterminable by first driving axle  14 . If the operating screw  50  is driven in the clockwise direction, second driving axle  16  likewise pivots in the clockwise direction and vice versa, so that the operator effectively finds an adequate operation for the angle adjustment. 
     While a particular embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8