Patent ID: 8574140

Claim:
A mechanical device for changing a laser nozzle of a nozzle mount of a laser processing machine for processing workpieces, the mechanical device comprising: a nozzle magazine having a nozzle holder having physical features configured to hold a laser nozzle; and a dedicated positioning device configured to move the nozzle holder into a stand-by position towards the nozzle mount of the laser processing machine or into a position remote from the stand-by position, wherein when the nozzle holder is empty and is in the stand-by position, the nozzle holder is able to receive a used laser nozzle from the nozzle mount of the laser processing machine, and when the nozzle holder is holding a substitute laser nozzle and is in the stand-by position, the substitute laser nozzle is able to be mounted on the nozzle mount of the laser processing machine; the nozzle magazine also having a dedicated dirt collector that lacks the physical features and that is configured to receive dirt particles produced during laser processing by forming a dirt passage through which dirt can pass and that is distinct from the nozzle holder, wherein the dedicated positioning device includes a positioning drive motor that is controlled by a numerical drive control, the dedicated positioning device thus being configured to move the dirt collector with the dirt passage formed thereby into the stand-by position in place of the nozzle holder and into a position remote from the stand-by position, wherein the numerical drive control is configured to control the positioning drive motor of the dedicated positioning device in such a way that the dirt passage formed by the dirt collector is moved into the stand-by position in place of the nozzle holder so that the dirt passage is disposed in the stand-by position when a workpiece processing operation is performed by the laser processing machine.