Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23Q—DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
  • B23Q7/00—Arrangements for handling work specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools, e.g. for conveying, loading, positioning, discharging, sorting
  • B23Q7/14—Arrangements for handling work specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools, e.g. for conveying, loading, positioning, discharging, sorting co-ordinated in production lines
  • B23Q7/1426—Arrangements for handling work specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools, e.g. for conveying, loading, positioning, discharging, sorting co-ordinated in production lines with work holders not rigidly fixed to the transport devices
  • B23Q7/1431—Work holder changers

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for the re ⁇ placement of pallets used in a vertical spindle machine tool for fastening of workpieces, wherein a pallet to be replaced is fastened in a horizontal position between the fastening and positioning means mounted on a bed-on the machine tool table.
• the in ⁇ vention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method, said apparatus comprising a bed on the machine tool table, said bed being fitted with fasten ⁇ ing and positioning means for fastening a pallet there ⁇ between.
• An object of the invention is to provide a pallet handling system, which not only facilitates handy and quick replacement of pallets in a machine tool but also adapts itself to handling of pallets in various stages of operation and to carrying pallets to various stages of operation.
• the pieces to be worked can be fastened during working hours to a plurality of pallets, the apparatus of this invention facilitating the replacement of pallets in a machine tool even night time or during weekends either fully automatically or by employing temporary labour with no special skill required.
• the apparatus is relatively inexpensive in view of the price of a machine tool, the latter can be redeemed by means of an apparatus of the invention at a rate substantially more rapid than before.
• FIG. 1A - F illustrate the operation of. an. apparatus of. the invention in: various working stages.
• Figs. 2A - F are. schematical. views of various stages of operation of the apparatus in connection with a pallet replacement.
• Figs. 3A - C show a pallet replacement trolley in side, plan and end. view, respectively.
• Figs. 4A and B show a pallet carrying trolley in side and front view, respectively.
• Figs. 1A and 1B show a. vertical-spindle working unit 1 whose table 1a can be displaced in two directions per ⁇ pendicular to each other.
• a vertical spindle 1b, fitted with a tool, can be displaced in vertical direction.
• Mounted on table 1a is a rigid bed 5 whose one end is fitted with a rotary table 6 having its table section rota able around a horizontal axis, the other end of bed 5 being fitted with a centering plug 7.
• a pallet 8 for fastening of workpieces is mounted between rotary table 6 and centering plug 7. By turning, said rotary table 6, pallet 8 can be rotated around its longitudinal axis quickly and accurately to any angular position.
• the tool can approach workpieces from different directions and a plurality of workpieces can be machined without having to remove and re-fasten a pallet in the meantime.
• the present invention offers a pallet handling system for replac ⁇ ing pallets- in a machine tool and also for handling them in other working, stages outside a working unit as flexibly as possible, with small human labour force or fully automatically.
• Fig. 1 illustrates the replacement of a pallet.
• a separate mobile pallet, replacement trolly 9 is coupled fast with the edge of. bed 5.
• a pallet carrying trolley 10 is pushed inside said pallet replacement trolly 9 and linked therewith.
• The. swinging brackets mounted on pallet replacement trolly 9 take hold of a pallet delivered on carrying trolly 10 and by swinging the re ⁇ placing brackets said pallet is conveyed to the machine tool between rotary table 6 and centering plug 7 which, by means of e.g. pneumatic actuators, move the fasten ⁇ ing and positioning means into engagement with the ends of pallet 8.
• Also shown in fig. 1 is a separate carrying trolley 10, on which a pallet fitted with finished workpieces has been placed in the preceding stage of operation by means of pallet replacement trolley 9.
• Fig. 1B illustrates a situation where working unit 1 effects a work according.to a. program set therein on all workpieces mounted on pallet 8. Trolleys 9 and 10 are pushed aside for the working period so as not to block access to the working unit.
• Trolley 10 on which a pallet fitted with finished workpieces is mounted, is then forwarded to desired further treatment steps.
• Fig. 1C shows a washing machine 2 for effecting the washing of a pallet and finishded pieces mounted on carrying trolley 10.
• Fig. 3D illustrates a measuring machine 3, in which a pallet and its associated workpieces can be placed from carrying trolley 10 by means of pallet replacement trolley 9..
• a .pallet is mounted and aligned between rotary table.6 and centering plug 1 , said rotary table 6. being used for determining ex- actly the. same positions for a pallet as in connection with working.
• other auxiliary measures can be effected without removing the pieces from a pallet.
• Fig. 1E shows the replacement of workpieces into a pallet mounted on carrying trolley 10.
• Fig. 1F shows a pallet, supply 4 into which pallets can be carried from carrying trolleys by means of pallet replacement brackets similar to those on pallet re ⁇ placement trolley 9.
• pallet supply 4 is not necessary but, instead, pallets can be stored when mounted on carrying trolleys 10.
• Figs. 3A, B and C illustrate the design of a pallet re ⁇ placement trolley.
• the frame 9a of a trolley 9 is weld ⁇ ed of a square tube and supported on castors 9b for moving trolley 9 on the floor.
• On vertically adjust ⁇ able elements 34 is mounted a body, section 35 (Fig. 3C) , to which is journalled a member 11 pivotable around a horizontal axis.
• a member 11 Connected integrally with member 11 are plate-like brackets 13, provided with two parallel and spaced slide bars 14.
• the direction of slide bars 14 is the same as that of the axis of rotation of member 11.
• Around slide bars 14 are mounted slides 15, slidable along said bars 14.
• Slide elements 15 are fitted with pallet replacement brackets 16, the pins at the ends thereof being engageable in the holes made in lugs 18 of pallet 8.
• Fixed to the. side edge of bed 5 on the working unit table are. attachment lugs 30, provided, with recesses for receiving guides 31 on trolley 9.
• plugs .32 can. be driven into, holes 32a in attach ⁇ ment lugs ' 30 (Figs. 3C and 3A) .
• a brake motor 12 swings through a reduction gear 12a said member. 11 together with its pallet replacement brackets 16.
• FIGs. 2C, D and E illustrate an element 22, mounted on the rotatable table section of rotary table 6 and provided with a pull rod 24 driven by a piston- cylinder device 23, said pull rod gripping a pallet end element 20.
• the conical face 25 of element 22 effects centering with the corresponding conical face of element 20 and pins 26 entering the holes of element 20 prevent pallet 8 from rotating around its longitudin ⁇ al axis relative to element 22.
• Said centering plug 7 carries a centering point 27 driven by a piston- cylinder device 28, said point being engageable in the centering recess of end element 21 of pallet 8.
• pallet 8 is mounted on.a carrying trolley between fastening means 36 and 37.
• the holes in attachment lugs 18 of pallets 8 will be aligned with plugs 1.6a on brackets 16.-
• brackets 16. are pulled away from each other by means of piston-cylinder device 17.
• Stoppers 14a at the ends of. slide bars 14 prevent slide elements 15 from slipping off. slide bars 14.
• Stoppers 14a at the right- hand end of slide bars 14 also take up ' the force exerted by spring 19 on a unit consisting of brackets 16, piston-cylinder device 17 and slide elements 15.
• stoppers 14a serve also as a limiter which de ⁇ termines the gripping position of brackets 16 and, thus, also the proper position, of pallet 8 relative to rotary table 6 and carrying trolley 10..
• Fig. 2B shows a situation where piston-cylinder device 17 has been retracted for forcing brackets 16 into engagement with lugs 18 of pallet 8.
• Fig. 2C illustrates a situation where fastening means 36 and 37 of carrying trolley 10 are disengaged from end elements 20 and 21 and pallet 8 is ready to be placed in a machine tool.
• pallet 8 By driving motor 12 to turn member 11 together with its brackets 16 approximately 180°, pallet 8 will be conveyed to the position shown in fig. 2D between rotary table 6 and centering plug 7 in a machine tool.
• the table section of rotary table 6 is rotated into the position where pins 26 of said table-mounted element 22 find their way into the corresponding holes in end element 20.
• This is follow ⁇ ed by fastening and positioning of pallet 8 by retract ⁇ ing shaft 24 by means of piston-cylinder device 23 until conical face 25 is tightly pressed around the conical face of element 20.
• Piston-cylinder device 28 is used to push the centering point 27 into the centering recess of end element 21. Pallet will be fastened to a machine tool, as shown in fig. 2E.
• pallet replacement brackets 16 are. removed from pallet 8 by means of piston-cylinder device 17. Brackets 16 can now be returned in unload- ed condition to the position of fig. 2A and replacement trolley 9 is disengaged from bed 5.
• Removal of a pallet from a machine tool is effected by performing the above, stages of operation in reversed order, i.e. by coupling the replacement trolley with . bed 5, by fastening brackets 16 to the pallet lugs 18 (fig. 2E) , by disengaging fastening and positioning means 22-28 from pallet 8 (fig. 2D) , by swinging the disengaged pallet between the carrying trolley fasten ⁇ ing means 36 and 37 (fig. 2C) , by securing said carry ⁇ ing trolley fastening means 36 and 37 (fig. 2B) and by disengaging brackets 16 from a pallet (fig. 2A) , where ⁇ after the pallet carrying trolley together with its pallet and finished workpieces can be conveyed for further treatment.
• a carrying trolley shown in figs. 4A and 4B is a push cart fitted with castors.
• a pallet 8 can be mounted manually between fastening means 36 and 37.
• a carrying trolley 10 can also be made self-mobile, with steering effected e.g. along a magnetic pilot track. In this case, the replacement of a pallet can be effected in a fully automated fashion.
• the arrival and coupling of carrying trolley with a pallet replace ⁇ ment trolley activates a. state of readiness with pallet replacement actions beginning as soon as a machine tool provides an impulse indicating that the working is finished.
• the invention offers a universal pallet handling system, which, as such, is adaptable to various types of vertical--spindle working units.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Feeding Of Workpieces (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8518564

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Families Citing this family (1)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 1984
  • 1984-02-17 FI FI840648A patent/FI840648A/fi not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1985
  • 1985-02-15 WO PCT/FI1985/000015 patent/WO1985003660A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1985-02-15 EP EP19850901011 patent/EP0172860A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events