Patent ID: 7045740

Claim:
A machine tool installation for laser cutting of sheet workpieces comprising: (a) a workpiece support; (b) an elongated machine frame providing an arm extending over said workpiece support; (c) a track on said arm and extending longitudinally of said frame; (d) a motion unit suspended from said track and mounted for movement therealong; (e) drive means for moving said motion unit bidirectionally along said track; (f) a laser cutting unit mounted on said motion unit and including a laser cutting head movable thereon in an axis perpendicular to said track; (g) a loading unit at a loading station adjacent one end of said machine frame for lifting and transporting a sheet workpiece above the plane of the upper surface of said workpiece support; said loading assembly being moveable on said track; (h) an unloading unit at a parts receiving station adjacent the other end of said machine frame for lifting the cut workpieces from said workpiece support and moveable on said track and transporting them to the parts receiving station; (i) means on said motion unit for releasably coupling said loading unit and unloading unit thereto for movement therewith along said track on said machine frame; and (j) a controller operable to (i) couple and uncouple said loading and unloading units to and from said motion unit, (ii) control movement of said motion unit along said track, (iii) lift, transport and deposit a workpiece on said workpiece support, (iv) effect motion of said laser cutting head relative to a workpiece on said workpiece support to produce cut parts, (v) actuate said unloading unit to remove the cut parts from the workpiece support, and (vi) transport the parts on said unloading unit to the parts receiving station.