Abstract:
There is provided an NC processing machine in which a cleaning operation is carried out automatically, instead of a processing operation. A turret having plural tool mounting surfaces at its outer peripheral surface is supported on a tool post which is movable in the directions of a Z axis and an X axis, such that the turret is rotatable about a T axis. A gripper shaft extending along an M axis parallel to the T axis and is spaced radially from the T axis is rotatably supported on one of the tool mounting surfaces of the turret. A movable gripper capable of detachably gripping a chip cleaning member is mounted to one end of the gripper shaft. A stationary gripper capable of detachably gripping the chip cleaning member is placed such that it can transfer and receive the chip cleaning member to and from the movable gripper within the range of movement caused by composite operations of the movement of the tool post in the directions of the Z axis and the X axis and the rotation of the turret about the T axis.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a chip cleaning device in a machining tool, particularly in an NC processing machine having turning functions, such as an NC lathe and an NC compound lathe. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Conventionally, among machining tools including automatic tool replacing devices, there have been known a machining tool structured such that tools required for processing are held by a main shaft and a chip cleaning member is housed in a tool magazine during normal work processing, but, when cleaning chips scattered around the main shaft, the tools are dismounted from the main shaft and housed in the tool magazine, the chip cleaning member is held by the main shaft instead of the tools, and the main shaft is caused to perform NC operations for performing cleaning (refer to, for example, Japanese Unexamined Utility Model Application Publication Nos. 56-121543 and 55-93437). 
         [0005]    An NC processing machine having a turning function such as an NC lathe and an NC compound lathe is structured such that plural types of tools are held by a turret and, therefore, includes no automatic tool replacing device. Therefore, such an NC processing machine has not been able to cause, automatically, the main shaft to hold the chip cleaning member in the tool magazine instead of tools, and also to cause it to perform cleaning. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a chip cleaning device capable of automatically performing cleaning operations, instead of processing operations, in an NC processing machine having a turning function, such as an NC lathe and an NC compound lathe. 
         [0007]    A chip cleaning device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a chip cleaning device in an NC processing machine including a tool post movable in the direction of a Z axis and in the direction of an X axis and a tool mounting portion supported on the tool post such that it is rotatable about a T axis, the chip cleaning device including a chip cleaning member supported on the tool mounting portion and being adapted to clean a chip within a processing chamber through composite operations of the movement of the tool post in the direction of the Z axis and in the direction of the X axis and the rotation of the tool mounting portion about the T axis. 
         [0008]    A chip cleaning device according to a second aspect of the present invention includes a rotational driving means for rotating a tool mounted on a tool mounting portion and is adapted to clean a chip within a processing chamber through composite operations of the movement of a tool post in the direction of a Z axis and in the direction of an X axis, the rotation of the tool mounting portion about a T axis, and the rotation of the tool. 
         [0009]    In the chip cleaning device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the tool mounting portion may be a turret having a plurality of tool mounting surfaces at its outer peripheral surface, and the chip cleaning device preferably cleans a chip within the processing chamber through composite operations of the movement of the tool post in the direction of the Z axis and in the direction of the X axis and the rotation of the turret about the T axis. 
         [0010]    The chip cleaning device according to the first aspect of the present invention may further include a driving means for rotating tools mounted to the tool mounting surfaces of the turret and may be adapted to clean a chip within the processing chamber through composite operations of the movement of the tool post in the direction of the Z axis and in the direction of the X axis, the rotation of the tool mounting portions about the T axis and the rotation of the tools. 
         [0011]    The chip cleaning device according to the first aspect of the present invention may further include: a gripper shaft supported on one of the tool mounting surfaces of the turret; a movable gripper capable of detachably gripping the chip cleaning member, the movable gripper being mounted to one end of the gripper shaft; and a stationary gripper capable of detachably gripping the chip cleaning member, the stationary gripper being placed such that it can transfer and receive the chip cleaning member to and from the movable gripper within the range of movement caused by composite operations of the movement of the tool post in the direction of the Z axis and in the direction of the X axis and the rotation of the turret about the T axis. 
         [0012]    In the chip cleaning device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the gripper shaft is preferably rotatably supported. 
         [0013]    With the chip cleaning device according to the present invention, it is possible to enable the chip cleaning member to move over a maximum range and also to enable automatically cleaning of chips within the processing chamber in the machine, through composite operations the operations of the tool post along the X axis and the Z axis and the rotation of the tool mounting portion such as a turret on which the chip cleaning member is mounted. Here, in the case where the chip cleaning member is made rotatable, it is possible to enable the chip cleaning member to move over a further increased range, thereby further improving the ability to clean away chips within the processing chamber in the machine. When the tool mounting portion is a turret, the chip cleaning member can be constantly mounted to a surface of the turret, which enables rapid cleaning. In this case also, where the chip cleaning member is made movable, it is possible to perform cleaning efficiently. Further, by providing a gripper capable of holding and releasing the chip cleaning member and also storing the chip cleaning member at a position where the gripper can reach through the movement of the tool post along the X axis and the Z axis and the revolution of the turret, instead of mounting the chip cleaning member directly to a tool mounting surface of the turret, it is possible to mount the chip cleaning member rapidly, as required. Further, in this case, it is possible to dismount the chip cleaning member from the turret during processing, which can prevent the chip cleaning member from interfering with a workpiece and the inside of the processing chamber, during processing using other tools mounted on the turret. This can eliminate the necessity of giving consideration to such interfering, which enables provision of a chip cleaning member with a larger size for further expanding the cleaning range. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an entire NC processing machine including a chip cleaning device according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a rear view of the same; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a longitudinal and vertical sectional view illustrating mainly a tool post and a turret in the same NC processing machine along the line III-III in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view illustrating a portion of  FIG. 3  in an enlarged manner; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of a movable gripper in a chip cleaning device and a cleaning tool gripped thereby; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a stationary gripper in the chip cleaning device; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  is a plan view of the same; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  illustrates a locus of the tool post and the turret in the same NC processing machine during an NC operation. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0022]    Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  illustrate the entire structure of an NC processing machine. In the following description, the forward and rearward directions (the direction of a Z axis) are defined such that the left side in  FIG. 1  is the front side and the opposite side therefrom is the rear side, and the leftward and rightward directions are defined such that the left and right sides when viewed from the rear side will be refereed to as left and right sides (the left and right sides in  FIG. 2 ). 
         [0024]    A bed  11  is provided with a top surface which is inclined such that its right side is higher. The direction orthogonal to the direction of the Z axis along the inclination of the bed top surface is the direction of the X axis. In the space behind a partition cover  13 , there is a processing chamber formed by a cover  12  covering the bed top surface and the portion at the right thereof, an entire cover  8 , a door  9  covering the partially-cutout portion of the entire cover, and the partition cover  13 . 
         [0025]    A head stock  14  and a tail stock  15  are provided on the left-hand side of the bed top surface, such that they are faced to each other in the forward and rearward directions. The main shaft of the head stock  14  is penetrated at its tip end portion through the partition cover  13  and is intruded into the processing chamber. A tool post  16  is provided on the right-hand side of the bed top surface. The tool post  16  is movable in the direction of the Z axis and in the direction of the X axis, along the bed top surface. A turret  17  is supported on the rear surface of the tool post  16 . The turret  17  is rotatable about a T axis which is parallel to the Z axis. There are provided a plurality of tool mounting surfaces  18  at the outer peripheral surface of the turret  17 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate the tool post  16  and the turret  17  in detail. 
         [0027]    The tool post  16  has a tool-post main body  21 . The tool-post main body  21  has a front wall  22  and a rear wall  23 . The front wall  22  is provided with a horizontal front holding tube  24 , and the rear wall  23  is provided with a horizontal rear holding tube  25 , concentrically. The front and rear holding tubes  24  and  25  are arranged with an interval therebetween in the forward and rearward directions. An internal holding tube  26  is inserted through the front and rear holding tubes  24  and  25  such that it is concentric with the front and rear holding tubes  24  and  25 . The internal holding tube  26  is fixedly held at its rear end portion by the rear holding tube  25 . A horizontal hollow-shaped revolution shaft  27  is extended among the front and rear holding tubes  24  and  25  and the internal holding tube  26 . A hollow-shaft-shaped gear shaft  28  is extended along the center of the axis of the internal holding tube  26 . 
         [0028]    Above the rear holding tube  25 , a horizontal transfer shaft  31  extending in the forward and rearward directions is penetrated through the rear wall  23  and held thereby. The transfer shaft  31  is provided with transfer teeth  32  at the front portion of its outer surface. The transfer teeth  32  are engaged with a driven gear  33 . The driven gear  33  is positioned between the front and rear holding tubes  24  and  25  and is secured to the revolution shaft  27 . A transfer gear  34  is secured to the rear potion of the outer surface of the transfer shaft  31 . The transfer gear  34  is engaged with a driving gear  35 . The driving gear  35  is secured to the output shaft of a revolution motor  36 . 
         [0029]    A driven pulley  37  is secured to the rear end portion of the gear shaft  28 . The driven pulley  37  is coupled to a driving pulley  38  through a belt  39 . The driving pulley  38  is secured to the output shaft of a rotation motor  40 . 
         [0030]    The turret  17  has a hollow-case-shaped turret main body  42 . The turret main body  42  is coupled to the tool-post main body  21  through a coupling  41  and also is coupled to the front end of the revolution shaft  27  so that the turret main body  42  is rotatable about the T axis parallel to the Z axis. A housing  43  is housed within the turret main body  42 . The housing  43  is coupled to the front end of the internal holding tube  26  such that its rotation is prevented and also is supported by the turret main body  42  such that the turret main body  42  is rotatable. 
         [0031]    The coupling  41  is of a three-piece type and is constituted by a direct-acting coupling member  44 , a rotational coupling member  45  and a stationary coupling member  48 . All of these coupling members  44 ,  45  and  48  have a ring shape. The direct-acting coupling member  44  is faced to the rotational coupling member  45  and the stationary coupling member  48  in the forward and rearward directions, and the direct-acting coupling member  44 , the rotational coupling member  45  and the stationary coupling member  48  are provided, at their surfaces faced to each other, with index teeth  46 ,  47  and  49  which can engage with one another at constant angular intervals. 
         [0032]    The direct-acting coupling member  44  is secured to the front end portion of a tubular-shaped piston  52  which is fitted to the outer surface of the front holding tube  24  slidably in the forward and rearward directions, such that the direct-acting coupling member  44  is movable together with the piston  52  in the forward and rearward directions. The rotational coupling member  45  is secured to the rear end portion of the turret main body  42  such that the rotational coupling member  45  can be rotated together with the turret main body  42 . The stationary coupling member  48  is secured to the tool-post main body  21 . 
         [0033]    The gear shaft  28  is provided, at its front end portion, with a driving bevel gear  61 . The driving bevel gear  61  is engaged with a driven bevel gear  62 . A vertical clutch shaft  63  is fitted within the driven bevel gear  62 . The driven bevel gear  62  is coupled to the clutch shaft  63 , in such a way as to constrain the rotation of the clutch shaft  63  while allowing it to move in the axial direction. The clutch shaft  63  is biased in the upward direction by a spring  64 . A vertically-swayable lift arm  65  is contacted at its tip end portion with the upper end surface of the clutch shaft  63 . A horizontal lift pin  66  is contacted at its front end portion with the base portion of the lift arm  65 . The lift pin  66  is contacted at its rear end portion with the front surface of the direct-acting coupling member  44 . 
         [0034]    A tool C is mounted to a downward-facing tool mounting surface  18  of the turret main body  42 . The turret main body  42  is provided with a mounting hole  71  into which the input shaft of the tool C which is oriented upward in the vertical direction is inserted. Engageable clutch portions  72  and  73  are provided at the lower end portion of the clutch shaft  63  and at the upper end portion of the input shaft, respectively. 
         [0035]    At the side of the clutch shaft  63  which is opposite from the driving bevel gear  61 , there is provided a transfer bevel gear  74  engaged with the driven bevel gear  62 . The gear shaft  75  of the transfer bevel gear  74  is penetrated through the front wall of the housing  43  and is protruded forward therefrom. 
         [0036]    A holder  81  is secured to an upward-facing tool mounting surface  18  of the turret main body  42 . A horizontal gripper shaft  82  is rotatably supported by the holder  18 . The gripper shaft  82  is rotatable about an M axis which is parallel to the T axis. At the front end portion of the gripper shaft  82 , there is provided a movable gripper  84 , such that the movable gripper  84  can be rotated together with the gripper shaft  82  and can be opened and closed. A draw shaft  88  is fitted within the gripper shaft  82  such that the draw shaft  88  is movable in the forward and rearward directions. The draw shaft  88  is coupled at its front end portion to one end portion of the movable gripper  84 . The draw shaft  89  is biased in the rearward direction by a spring  83 . A cylinder  85  is provided in the holder  81  such that it is positioned behind the draw shaft  89 . A pusher  86  is housed within the cylinder  85  such that it is movable in the forward and rearward directions. The pusher  86  has a pusher pin  87  which is penetrated through the front wall  22  of the cylinder  85  and is faced to the rear end surface of the draw shaft  89  with an interval interposed therebetween. 
         [0037]    A driving pulley  91  is secured to the gear shaft  75  of the transfer bevel gear  74 . Corresponding thereto, a driven pulley  92  is secured to the gripper shaft  82 . A belt  93  is wound around the driving pulley  91  and the driven pulley  92 . 
         [0038]    A cleaning tool  101  is held by the movable gripper  84 . The cleaning tool  101  is constituted by a round-bar shaped handle  103  and a brush  102  implanted on one end portion of the handle  103 . 
         [0039]      FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate a state where the rotational coupling member  45  is positioned at a limit of its forward movement and the direct-acting coupling member  44 , the rotational coupling member  45  and the stationary coupling member  48  are at a coupling-OFF state. In this state, the turret main body  42  is rotatable with respect to the tool-post main body  21 . In this state, when the revolution shaft  27  is rotated by driving the revolution motor  36 , this will cause the turret main body  42  to rotate together with the revolution shaft  27 . 
         [0040]    On the other hand, the engageable clutch portions  72  and  73  are off the engagement therebetween. In this state, if the gear shaft  28  is rotated through the rotation motor  40 , the clutch shaft  63  is rotated through the driven bevel gear  62 , but the rotation thereof is not transferred to the input shaft of the tool T. The rotation of the driven bevel gear  62  is constantly transferred to the transfer bevel gear  74 , and the rotation of the transfer bevel gear  74  is transferred to the gripper shaft  82  through the driving pulley  91 , the driven pulley  92  and the belt  93 . The gripper shaft  82  is rotated together with the cleaning tool  101 . 
         [0041]    When the piston  52  is backed off through fluid-pressure means which is not illustrated, the rotational coupling member  45  and the lift pin  66  are backed off together with the piston  52 . Since the rotational coupling member  45  is backed off, the direct-acting coupling member  44 , the rotational coupling member  45  and the stationary coupling member  48  are brought into a coupling-ON state. This constrains the rotation of the turret main body  42  with respect to the tool-post main body  21 . Thus, positioning of the turret main body  42  at an index position is completed. 
         [0042]    Since the lift pin  66  is backed off, the lift arm  65  loses the support therefor, and the clutch shaft  63  is moved downward by the force of the spring  64 , thereby causing the engagement between the engageable clutch portions  72  and  73  to be ON. The rotation of the clutch shaft  63  is transferred to the input shaft of the tool T. This state is a normal processing state. 
         [0043]    Further, when the pusher  86  is moved forward by causing fluid pressure to act on the cylinder  85  through the fluid-pressure means which is not illustrated, the pusher pin  87  pushes the draw shaft  89  forward, which causes the movable gripper  84  to open. If the supply of the fluid pressure is stopped, the draw shaft  89  is backed off by the spring  83 , which causes the movable gripper  84  to close. 
         [0044]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a stationary gripper  111  is provided on the partition cover  13 . The stationary gripper  111  is biased by a spring  112  in such a direction that it is closed. 
         [0045]      FIG. 8  illustrates a locus S of the tool post  16  and the turret  17  during an NC operation of the NC processing machine, namely a locus drawn by the tool post  16  and the turret  17  during the movement of the tool post  16  in the X direction and the rotation of the turret  17  about the T axis. As illustrated by a solid line in  FIG. 8 , the position of the stationary gripper  111  is set such that the movable gripper  84  and the stationary gripper  111  are aligned with each other when they are viewed in the forward and rearward directions, in a state where the tool post  16  is positioned at the right limit and the movable gripper  84  is positioned just thereabove. By moving the tool-post main body  21  in the Z direction and opening and closing the movable gripper  84  and the stationary gripper  111  in the state where the movable gripper  84  and the stationary gripper  111  are positioned as described above, it is possible to cause the movable gripper  84  and the stationary gripper  111  to transfer and receive the cleaning tool  101  to and from each other. 
         [0046]    During normal processing operations, the cleaning tool  101  is gripped by the stationary gripper  111 , as illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . In a cleaning operation, the rotation of the gripper shaft  82  is stopped. The movable gripper  84  is moved to the position at which the stationary gripper and the movable gripper  84  face each other, namely the position at which they are aligned with each other, and then the movable gripper  84  is moved forward toward the stationary gripper  111 . At this time, the movable gripper  84  is kept opened. When the movable gripper  84  reaches a position at which the movable gripper  84  can grip the cleaning tool  101  gripped by the stationary gripper  111 , the movement thereof is stopped, and then the movable gripper  84  is closed to grip the cleaning tool  101 . In this state, if the movable gripper  84  is backed off, this will forcibly open the stationary gripper  111  which has gripped the cleaning tool  101 , against the force of the spring  112 . This causes the cleaning tool  101  to be transferred to the movable gripper  84  from the stationary gripper  111 . 
         [0047]    Then, the cleaning tool  101  is positioned at any position and further is moved, through the movement of the tool-post main body  21  in the direction of the X axis and the direction of the Z axis, the revolution of the turret main body  42  and the rotation of the gripper shaft  82 , to clean away chips deposited on the upper portion of the head stock  14  and chips deposited on the cover  12 , for example. This operation including mounting and dismounting of the cleaning tool  101  can be automatically performed by creating preliminarily programs therefor, in the same manner as for the processing operation. 
         [0048]    After the completion of cleaning, the cleaning tool  101  can be transferred to the stationary gripper  111  from the movable gripper  84 , through the reverse procedure from the aforementioned procedure. 
         [0049]    Further, while, in the aforementioned embodiment, there has been exemplified an NC lathe structured such that the T axis is parallel to the Z axis, namely the turret is revolved in parallel with the Z axis, the T axis is not limited to an axis parallel to the Z axis, and the T axis can be properly changed as required and can be, for example, a rotation axis parallel to the X axis, a rotation axis in a plane including the X axis and the Z axis or an axis rotatable about an axis orthogonal to the X axis and the Z axis. Further, there has been exemplified a turret as a member having tool mounting surfaces, the component having tool mounting surfaces is not limited to a turret, but can be any member which can be revolved about the T axis with respect to the tool post. Further, a chip cleaning member can be preliminarily mounted on a tool mounting portion such as a turret.