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
  • B23Q3/00—Devices holding, supporting, or positioning work or tools, of a kind normally removable from the machine
  • B23Q3/02—Devices holding, supporting, or positioning work or tools, of a kind normally removable from the machine for mounting on a work-table, tool-slide, or analogous part
• • 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
  • B23Q1/00—Members which are comprised in the general build-up of a form of machine, particularly relatively large fixed members
  • B23Q1/03—Stationary work or tool supports
  • B23Q1/037—Stationary work or tool supports comprising series of support elements whose relative distance is adjustable

Definitions

• the present invention relates to improvements to machining centres or machine tools, in particular - although not exclusively - for machining workpieces made of wood, plastic, light alloys, aluminium, composite materials or the like. State of the art
• machining centre or machine tool is intended in general as an aggregate of mechanical components organized and controlled to perform chip removal machining for on workpieces.
• a machining centre will therefore generically be provided with a tool head or machining head, with one or more spindles, and with one or more supports for the workpieces to be machined.
• the support and the head are movable with respect to each other according to a plurality of numerically controlled axes. Unless otherwise specified, the relative movement can be obtained by making one or other or both of the two components movable with respect to a fixed system of reference.
• Numerically controlled axis is intended generically as a system that imparts a translational movement in one direction in space or an oscillatory or rotational movement about an axis of oscillation or rotation, under the control of a program and with the use of a drive and of a servo motor.
• machining centres are provided with supports for the workpieces, which are clamped on the supports using clamping members. These members can directly clamp the workpieces to be machined, or fixtures designed to carry these workpieces.
• adjustable clamping members which can be adapted to the shape of the workpieces or of the fixtures to be clamped each time, must be provided.
• the supports with the clamping members are also used for referencing of the workpieces to be machined with respect to one or more reference surfaces, i.e. to take them to a specific position in space, to which the machining positions are referred.
• Machining centres are known, which are provided with workpiece supports in the form of tables, for example, but not necessarily horizontal and flat, which have variable dimensions, i.e. adjustable in at least one direction, to adapt to the dimension of the workpieces to be machined.
• workpiece supports in the form of tables, for example, but not necessarily horizontal and flat, which have variable dimensions, i.e. adjustable in at least one direction, to adapt to the dimension of the workpieces to be machined.
• An example of a machining centre with a supporting surface for workpieces with variable dimensions is described in EP-A-873817.
• the tables can carry manual or automatic clamping systems.
• a limited series of workpieces i.e. when limited batches of identical workpieces must be produced, frequent operations to adjust the workpiece clamping members are required, resulting in a high incidence of skilled workers and extensive machine downtime, both factors resulting in an increase in machining costs and therefore in the cost of the finished workpiece.
• US-A-5, 700,117 describes a machine for machining wooden panels by means of an operating head to carry tools, movable along numerically controlled axes of translation in a horizontal plane.
• the panels to be machined are clamped on a bench by means of clamping elements, e.g. of the suction type, which must be previously positioned in appropriate points as a function of the dimension and shape of the panel.
• clamping elements e.g. of the suction type
• the clamping members are movable on a guide system with a cross arrangement, i.e. a system of guides that allow movement of the clamping members along two orthogonal horizontal axes of adjustment.
• Movements are performed directly by the tool head, which for this purpose has an extractable rod, which engages selectively in holes associated with one or other of the various clamping members to be positioned.
• the servo motors that move the head along the two numerically controlled orthogonal axes are, therefore, in this case also used to position the single clamping members.
• To detect the position of the clamping members specific position sensors are used that determine the position of the various members.
• This known machine has some drawbacks, both from the viewpoint of costs, which in any case remain high due to the need to provide position sensors, and from the viewpoint of reliability, as the translational and positioning movement is performed using the tool head.
• an object of a possible embodiment of the present invention is to provide a machining centre or machine tool in which it is possible to reliably and rapidly adjust the workpiece clamping members or the fixture clamping members, using systems that have a low incidence on the overall costs of the machine.
• an object of an embodiment of the invention is to provide a machining centre that allows positioning, i.e. adjustment, of the clamping members with high precision without the need to use further servo motors, controlled axes, or transducers with respect to those normally required to perform machining of workpieces according to the numerically controlled axes already provided on the machine.
• a machining centre or machine tool comprising a tool head and at least one support for the workpieces to be machined, provided with a plurality of adjustable clamping members, where the head and the support are movable with respect to each other along a plurality of numerically controlled axes of translation, and wherein:
• the support is movable along at least a first numerically controlled axis, typically a horizontal axis of translation, and is provided with a plurality of clamping members adjustable in variable positions along at least one direction of adjustment, substantially parallel to one of the numerically controlled axes of translation, stop devices being provided to fasten said clamping members in the desired position along said direction of adjustment;
• a temporary constraining element associated with a load bearing structure is provided to temporarily and selectively constrain the clamping members to said structure, said clamping members being configured to be temporarily constrained to said constraining element; - the structure with which the temporary constraining element is associated and the support are reciprocally movable with a numerically controlled movement to adjust the clamping members along the direction of adjustment.
• the reciprocal movement between the structure and the support, to perform adjustment of the clamping members is controlled along one of the numerically controlled axes with which the machine or machining centre is provided to perform machining of the workpieces, to avoid the need for further controlled axes and further transducers or position sensors with respect to those already provided for the machining operations that can be performed with the machining centre.
• the head is movable along at least a second numerically controlled axis.
• the machining centre will preferably have a plurality of numerically controlled axes of translation, typically three axes, and one or more axes of oscillation or rotation, also controlled numerically. These numerically controlled movements will be allocated in part to the head and in part to the workpiece support.
• the head will be provided with oscillatory or rotational movements about one or preferably two numerically controlled axes.
• the translational movement along a vertical axis is usually, but not necessarily, allocated to the head, while a further two numerically controlled translational movements, along two substantially horizontal directions preferably approximately orthogonal to each other will be allocated to the support.
• allocation of the movements to one (head) or other (support) of the components is not necessarily binding although these are preferred configurations, also as a function of the type of machining to be performed by the machining centre.
• the direction of adjustment is a substantially horizontal direction.
• the adjustment movement can be along a vertical axis, or along more than one axis, which can be both horizontal and vertical.
• the adjustment movement can also take place along two axes preferably orthogonal to each other, which are carried in a horizontal plane, so that the adjustment movement always takes place in a horizontal direction, while during machining the support member could be oriented differently with respect to the orientation taken in the adjustment step.
• one of the two is a direction which - during machining of the workpiece - is oriented vertically, and adjustment along this direction allows the clamping members to be positioned at different heights, to allow clamping of a workpiece of complex shape, which must therefore be held using clamping members adjusted at different heights.
• the direction of adjustment is substantially parallel to a numerically controlled axis of translation of the head. In a different embodiment, the direction of adjustment is substantially parallel to a numerically controlled axis of translation of said support.
• Numerically controlled axis of translation is intended as an axis defining a direction in space, along which one of the components (i.e. the head or the support) of the machining centre performs movements under the control of a numerically controlled drive of a programmable unit.
• the head is provided with a movement according to at least one numerically controlled axis with respect to said temporary constraining element.
• the support is movable along a first numerically controlled axis, to move reciprocally towards and away from the clamping members and the temporary constraining element.
• the structure with which the temporary constraining element is associated can be an upright, on which the head is supported.
• the support and the upright are in this case provided with a reciprocal movement towards and away from each other, preferably a numerically controlled movement along a respective horizontal axis of translation.
• the head can be supported on the upright with a translational movement of its own, for example along a numerically controlled axis in a vertical direction.
• the upright is fixed, for example carried by a fixed base and the support is provided with a first movement towards and away from said upright and with a second translational movement substantially parallel to said direction of adjustment.
• the two movements of the support are performed along numerically controlled axes of translation.
• the upright is movable along a numerically controlled axis of translation and the direction of adjustment is substantially parallel to said axis of translation along which the upright is movable.
• positioning of the clamping members is performed by the upright when it translates along the direction of adjustment.
• the upright preferably carries the head, in turn movable vertically on the upright, positioning, i.e. adjustment of the clamping members is performed making use of one of the numerically controlled translational movements with which the head is provided. Nonetheless, contrary to the case of the aforesaid known systems, the head is not stressed, as the clamping members are temporarily constrained to the upright, rather than to the head.
• the support is movable along a first guide substantially parallel to said first numerically controlled axis and to said direction of adjustment, and a second guide substantially parallel to said first guide and along which said clamping members are adjustable is constrained to the support.
• the first guide is carried by the structure with which the temporary constraining element is associated.
• the structure carrying the temporary constraining element can be formed of or integral with a base with which the sliding guide of the support is integral.
• the first guide on which the support slides is produced on a carriage which is in turn movable along a third guide not parallel to the first and to the second guide, to allow the clamping members to move towards and away from the load-bearing structure with which said temporary constraining element is associated.
• the first and the third guide form a guide system with a cross arrangement, for movement according to two Cartesian axes typically lying in a horizontal plane and numerically controlled, for movement of the support of the workpieces to be machined.
• the tool head can be carried by a gantry.
• a fixed structure carrying the temporary constraining element, and associated with which is a sliding guide for the support.
• the movement of the support along the guide can be a numerically controlled movement.
• the support is provided with an adjustment guide substantially parallel to said sliding guide and on which said clamping members are adjustable.
• the machining centre is provided with a control unit of the movements along the numerically controlled axes, programmed to store the positions of the clamping members and perform adjustment and/or positioning of the clamping members on the basis of stored information concerning the position of said clamping members, thereby avoiding the need to use auxiliary position sensors or transducers.
• the clamping members are also adjustable along a second direction of adjustment, not parallel to the first direction of adjustment and preferably approximately orthogonal to the first direction of adjustment.
• the second direction of adjustment is substantially vertical.
• an advantageous embodiment of the invention provides for a control unit of the movements along the numerically controlled axes programmed to perform positioning or adjustment of the clamping members sequentially first along one of the directions of adjustment and subsequently along the other of the directions of adjustment.
• adjustment or positioning along the second direction of adjustment is performed by interaction between the head and the clamping elements, the final position of the clamping elements being defined by means of the numerically controlled position of the head along a numerically controlled axis substantially parallel to the second direction of adjustment.
• the head is provided with a movement along at least two numerically controlled axes of translation not parallel to each other, and adjustment of the clamping members along the second direction of adjustment takes place subsequent to adjustment along the first direction of adjustment, for each clamping member to be adjusted the head being positioned along one of said at least two numerically controlled axes of translation to carry a stop integral therewith to the position of the respective clamping member, and the relative clamping member subsequently being made to interact with said stop, the final position of said clamping member being determined by the position of said head along the other of said at least two axes of translation.
• Figure 1 shows a front view of a machining centre or machine tool in a first embodiment of the invention
• Figure 2 shows a plan view according to M-Il in Figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 shows a side view according to Ill-Ill in Figure 1 ;
• Figure 4 shows a side view of a machining centre according to the invention in a different embodiment
• Figure 5 shows a plan view according to V-V in Figure 4.
• Figure 6 shows a side view of a modified embodiment of a machining centre according to the invention
• Figure 7 shows a plan view according to VII-VII in Figure 6;
• Figure 8 shows a side view of a further embodiment of the invention;
• Figure 9 shows a front view of a gantry structure of a machining centre according to the invention, in which the machining head has been omitted to facilitate representation;
• Figure 10 shows a plan view according to X-X in Figure 9;
• FIG 11 shows a side view according to Xl-Xl in Figure 10 Detailed description of embodiments of the invention
• a machining centre which has a gantry structure and wherein the clamping members of the workpieces to be machined are adjustable according to two distinct directions of adjustment, one substantially vertical, the other substantially horizontal.
• the machining centre indicated as a whole with 1 , has a gantry 3 with uprights 3B and a horizontal cross member 3A, along which there are disposed guides 5 for translation of a slide 7 carrying a machining head, i.e. a tool head 9.
• the tools are indicated by way of example with U and are arranged on four electro spindles carried by the head.
• the assembly of the four spindles (indicated with M in Figure 3) rotates about a horizontal axis of rotation or oscillation A.
• the movement about this axis is controlled by a programmable control unit; therefore, this is a numerically controlled axis.
• a base 11 on which there are provided two substantially parallel horizontal guides 13, sliding along which are two slides 15 forming supports for the workpieces.
• the workpieces can be represented for example by elongated elements of chairs or other furniture components.
• One of these possible workpieces to be machined is indicated with P in Figure 1.
• Each support 15 can move independently from the other along an axis X which forms a first numerically controlled axis of translation of the machining centre 1.
• the letters Y and Z indicate a second numerically controlled axis of translation and a third numerically controlled axis of translation.
• the axes X, Y and Z are substantially orthogonal to one another.
• the movement on the Y axis is allocated to the head 9 and more precisely to the slide 7 that carries it, movable along the horizontal guide 5 on the cross member 3A.
• the movement along the vertical axis of translation Z is provided by the head 9 which translates for this purpose on guides 7A provided on the slide 7.
• each clamping member 19 comprises (see in particular Figure 1) a carriage 19A engaged by means of shoes on the guides 17 and having a brake, indicated schematically with 19B, to lock the respective carriage 19A, and consequently the clamping member 19, in a specific position with respect to the guides 17 and consequently to the support 15.
• the clamping members 19 are held in a pre-established fixed position by activating the brake 19B.
• the position along the guide 17 of the single clamping members 19 is determined by the shape of the workpiece P to be machined.
• This position is adjusted at the start of machining a specific production batch using part of the numerically controlled axes with which the machining centre 1 is provided to perform the chip-removal machining operations on workpieces P. More specifically, adjustment along the guides 17 of the members 19 is performed by making use of the numerically controlled axis X of each of the supports 15.
• a bracket 21 is fastened, integral with which is a piston-cylinder actuator 23 which forms a temporary constraining element between the load bearing structure formed of the base 11 and one or other of the clamping members 19 disposed on one or other of the guides 17. Constraint is obtained through cooperation between the rod 23A of the piston-cylinder actuator 23 and an element complementary to the rod 23A represented, in this embodiment, by a notch, seat or groove 25 produced on each of the carriages 19A.
• the brake 19B Upon reaching the desired position of the carriage 19A on the respective guide 17, the brake 19B is once again activated to fix this position and the temporary constraining element 23 is deactivated by withdrawing the rod 23A of the piston-cylinder actuator. In this way the clamping member 19 is once again integral with the support 15 having taken, with respect thereto, the new position fixed by the previous adjustment step.
• the arrangement of the elements 25, 23 and 23A can be inverted, in the sense that the temporary constraining element integral with the base 11 can be formed of a hole, a notch, a seat or another element analogous to the one indicated with 25, while each of the clamping members 19 carries (in place of the notch 25) an actuator analogous to the one indicated with 23.
• each of the clamping members 19 (two for each support 15 in the example illustrated) can be adjusted in position with respect to the support 15 using the same numerical control (X axis) with which the machining centre is provided to perform machining of the workpieces.
• the control unit can store each time the position of the support 15 and of the clamping member 19 with respect to said support so that it is able to perform, before machining of the subsequent batch, the necessary adjustment of the clamping members 19 with the procedure described above.
• each clamping member 19 is carried under the head 9 which has been or is positioned angularly about the numerically controlled axis A to place the stop 10 facing downwards, as shown in Figure 1. After reaching this position it is possible to proceed in one of the modes described below.
• the head 9 is carried to a known position along the axis Z and, by means of a piston-cylinder actuator 31 with which each of the clamping members 19 is provided, the vertically movable part indicated with 19C of said clamping member 19 is raised, if necessary until it comes into contact with the stop 10 of the head 9, or in any case to a maximum pre-established height, which can be a height of zero. Having reached this position, the head 9 is gradually lowered, with a numerically controlled movement along the axis Z, pushing the part 19C downwards, acting thereon by means of the stop 10, until the stop 10 reaches the height at which the upper part 19C of the clamping member 19 is to be carried and clamped.
• the lowering movement of the part 19C can be suitably opposed (to maintain contact with the stop 10), for example by maintaining the piston- cylinder actuator 31 under slight back pressure.
• the movement is guided along guides indicated schematically with 19D in this embodiment.
• the vertically movable part 19C of the clamping member 19 it is possible in the first place to lower, by means of the piston-cylinder actuator 31 , the vertically movable part 19C of the clamping member 19, then take the stop 10 to the desired height by numerically controlled translation along the axis Z of the head 9. After clamping the head in this position, the part 19C is raised by means of the piston-cylinder actuator 31 with a movement guided along the relative slide-guide system 19D, until reaching the stop 10. Having reached this position the brake 19E is locked to fix the position reached.
• the numerically controlled axis Z with which the machining centre 1 is provided to perform the normal machining operations to remove chips, it is possible to adjust the vertical position of each of the clamping members 19, separately from each other.
• the stop 10 is provided with shape and dimensions that allow it to act individually on each of the clamping members 19 (or more precisely on the movable part 19C thereof) without interfering with the others.
• the stop 10 could also be carried in another position, for example by the head or fork 9 as indicated by the dashed line in Figure 3 and with the reference 10A.
• the stop 10 can be carried by one or by the other of the spindles M.
• Figures 4 and 5 show an embodiment of the invention in a machining centre with a fixed upright.
• the machining centre 1 has a fixed horizontal base 11 , to which a fixed upright 103 is fastened. It would also be possible for the two elements 11 and 103 to be fixed to a common floor but not constrained directly to each other.
• the head 9 in practice has an element 9A rotating about the numerically controlled axis A, in turn supported by a component rotating about the vertical axis B.
• the element 9A carries the same number of spindles M as there are tools U, although it would also be possible to provide a different number of tools and spindles, as is the case in the example of embodiment shown in the previous Figures 1 to 3.
• the tools U can be interchangeable and for this purpose the machining centre can have a tool magazine and tool-changing members known per se and not shown.
• the base 11 is provided with guides 105 which extend along a direction substantially coincident with a numerically controlled axis Y along which a carriage or slide 121 moves guided on the guides 105.
• This carriage or slide 121 is provided with guides 113 for a support 15 which, together with the carriage or slide 121 , forms a cross arrangement of slides or carriages, i.e. movable along numerically controlled axes X and Y substantially orthogonal to each other, the axis X being substantially parallel to the guides 113.
• the support 15 is provided with sliding guides 117 for a plurality of clamping members 19 (three in the example shown in the drawing).
• Each clamping element or member 19 has a seat, in the form of a notch, hole or the like, indicated with 25, inside which there can be inserted the end of a rod 23A of a piston-cylinder actuator 23 constrained to the upright 105 and forming a temporary constraining element between the structure formed of the upright 103 and one or other of the clamping members 19.
• each clamping member 19 has two vertically movable elements indicated with 151 (upper element) and 153 (lower element).
• the workpiece to be machined is clamped by means of one or more of the clamping members 19 placing it between the elements 151 and 153, which are then closed by moving them reciprocally towards each other and holding therebetween the workpiece to the machined.
• the type of machining to perform one or other of the elements 151 , 153 can serve as a surface of reference and therefore remains fixed in a predetermined position, or is always returned to this position, while the other of the two elements 151 , 153 is movable as a result of a piston-cylinder actuator (not shown) to clamp the workpiece.
• This clamping carries the workpiece to abut against the element 151 , 153 which serves each time as surface of reference.
• This arrangement of the clamping elements 151 , 153 is known per se.
• Adjustment of the clamping members 19 along the first direction of adjustment represented by the guides 117 is performed as follows.
• the carriage or slide 121 is translated along the numerically controlled axis Y to reach the position indicated with the dashed line in Figure 4.
• the support 15 is translated along the numerically controlled axis X until the clamping member 19 that is to be positioned, i.e. adjusted along the guides 117, is in front of the temporary constraining element 23.
• each clamping member 19 is provided with a brake 19B which is released, i.e. deactivated, when adjustment of the clamping member 19 requires to be performed.
• the brake is released after, with a combined movement along X and along Y, the clamping member 19 to be adjusted has been carried between the structure shared by the upright 103 and the clamping member 19, with the seat 25 engaged with the end 23A of the rod of the piston cylinder actuator 23 forming the temporary constraining element.
• the support can translate by means of a numerically controlled movement along the axis X to reach the desired reciprocal position between the support 15 and the clamping member 19.
• the brake 19B is again activated to fix the reciprocal position reached.
• the operation is repeated for each of the clamping members 19 to be adjusted along the direction parallel to the numerically controlled axis X, i.e. along the guide 117.
• each clamping member 19 to be positioned or adjusted in the direction Z is carried under the head 9 and by means of a reciprocal movement between the head and one or other of the elements 151 , 153, with a procedure similar to the one described previously with reference to Figures 1 to 3, the vertical position of the clamping member 19 is adjusted.
• either one or other of the elements 151 , 153 can be adjustable vertically and clamped in the desired position with respect to the support 15.
• two piston-cylinder actuators, or other types of actuators, associated with one and with the other of the elements 151 , 153 and sliding guides for the latter, not shown, are sufficient.
• the head 9 (or more precisely a stop integral therewith and indicated schematically with 10 in Figure 4, indicated here as integral with the spindle casing 9A) is carried to cooperate with one or other of the elements 151 , 153, with a procedure analogous to the one described above for the elements 19C in Figure 1.
• the stop 10 can be carried by the slide 7, as indicated with a dashed line and with the reference 1OA in Figure 4.
• the arrangement of the elements 25 and 23, 23A can be inverted, i.e. an actuator can be provided on each of the clamping members 19 and a fixed element on the upright 103.
• an actuator 23 can be provided on each of the clamping members 19 and a fixed element on the upright 103.
• the embodiment shown with a single actuator 23 is preferable for obvious reasons of cost.
• the piston-cylinder actuator 23 and the respective rod 23A could also be replaced by a fixed rod, as the reciprocal engaging movement between the temporary constraining element 23 and the seat 25 is obtained with the numerically controlled movement along the axis Y of the carriage 121.
• FIG. 6 and 7 shows a machining centre similar to the one shown in Figures 4 and 5.
• the same numbers indicate the same or equivalent parts to those in the embodiment in Figures 4 and 5.
• the upright 103 is not fixed with respect to the base 11, but movable along a numerically controlled axis X, which replaces the numerically controlled axis X in Figures 4 and 5, along which in that case the support 15 was translatable along the guides 113 integral with the carriage or slide 121.
• the support 15 on which the clamping members 19 are mounted is provided with a single numerically controlled movement along the horizontal axis Y, the numerically controlled translational movement along the axis X being entrusted, as said, to the upright 103.
• the clamping members 19 have a shape substantially equivalent to that of the clamping elements or members 19 in Figures 4 and 5. Adjustment of the single clamping members 19 along the guides 217 parallel to the numerically controlled axis X takes place as follows.
• the upright 103 is taken approximately to the position of the base 11 and the support 15 is translated according to the axis Y towards the upright 103 until the seat 25 of the clamping member 19 to be adjusted engages with the rod 23A of the piston-cylinder actuator forming the temporary constraining element carried by the structure represented in this case by the moving upright 103. Having reached this position of reciprocal engagement the upright 23 is translated with a numerically controlled movement along the axis X guided by the guides 203 integral with a fixed base 205.
• the adjustment operation takes place for each clamping element or member 19 by releasing, i.e. deactivating, the brake F, reciprocally translating the clamping element or member 19 with respect to the support 15 and again activating the brake 19B when the desired position has been reached.
• adjustment of one or other or both of the vertical elements 151, 153 is performed, in the manner described above, using the numerically controlled movement of the head 9 along the vertical axis of translation Z.
• Adjustment in vertical direction (Z) takes place with the aid of a stop 10 again integral with the spindle casing or element 9A, or with the slide 7 (stop 10A indicated with a dashed line in Figure 6).
• Figure 8 shows, in a side view, a modified embodiment of the machining centre in Figures 4 and 5.
• the same numbers indicate the same or equivalent parts to those in Figures 4 and 5.
• the support 115 supports two series of clamping elements 19 opposed and mounted on an element or support 15X rotating or oscillating about a horizontal axis F, substantially parallel to the axis X and supported by the support 115.
• the letter f indicates the oscillating movement through 180° which can switch the reciprocal position of the two series of clamping elements or members 19 mounted in an axially symmetrical manner about the horizontal axis F.
• each clamping member 19 With respect to the support or element 15X and to the support 115 it is possible to rotate the element 15X about the axis F to a position rotated through +/- 90° with respect to the position shown in Figure 8 to place one or other of the groups of clamping members 19 in the same position as the clamping members 19 in Figure 4 with respect to the upright 103 and to the temporary constraining element 23, i.e. with the seat 25 oriented towards the latter. In this position it is possible to perform adjustment of the respective clamping members 19 along the axis X with the procedure described above. Alternatively, it would also be possible to place the seat 25 on the element 151 , thereby performing this first adjustment with the clamping members 19 in the horizontal position, i.e. in the angular position shown with a solid line in Figure 8.
• Adjustment of the elements 151 and/or 153 of one or other of the two series of clamping members 19 mounted in axial-symmetrical position on the support 15 along the axis X takes place with the same methods as those described above by using the head 9 which is provided for this purpose with a stop 10 making use of the movement along the axis Y instead of along the axis Z.
• adjustment does not take place according to a vertical axis but preferably according to a horizontal axis Y, arranging the clamping members 19 in the position indicated with a solid line in Figure 8 or in the position rotated through 180° with respect to the one shown, according to which group of members 19 is to be adjusted.
• adjustment of the elements 151 , 153 can take place arranging the clamping members 19 rotated through +/-90° in the position indicated with a dashed line in Figure 8, and using a stop in position 10A on the head 9 or on the spindle casing 9A, which will be rotated for this purpose through 90° about the axis A of rotation.
• a stop carried by the slide 7 and indicated with 10' can be used.
• a stop 10'" integral with the upright 103 or a stop 10" integral with a fixed structure 104, which could be part of a loader positioned at the opposite end of the base 10 with respect to the upright 103.
• Figures 9, 10 and 11 show a machining centre 1 substantially the same as the one in Figures 1 to 3 (in Figures 9 to 11 the tool head and relative elements that allow movement thereof have been omitted to simplify representation).
• the same numbers are used to indicate the same or equivalent parts to those in Figures 1 to 3.
• the machining centre 1 in Figures 9 to 11 differs from the one in Figures 1 to 3 due to the absence of adjustment along the second direction of vertical adjustment (parallel to the axis Z) of the clamping members 19.
• each of the clamping members or elements 19 is adjusted only according to a direction of adjustment substantially parallel to the numerically controlled axis X.

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