GB1567809A

GB1567809A - Machine tool and spindle unit transfer apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB1567809A
Application number: GB2937277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Xaver Fendt and Co
Current assignee: Xaver Fendt and Co
Priority date: 1976-07-17
Filing date: 1977-07-13
Publication date: 1980-05-21
Also published as: FR2358238A1; DE2632311B2; DE2632311A1; SE7707214L

Description

(54) MACHINE TOOL AND SPINDLE UNIT TRANSFER APPARATUS (71) We, XAVER EENDT & CO., a Kommanditgesellschaft organised under the laws of the German Federal Republic, of 31 Weitfeldstrasse, 8952 Marktoberdorf, German Federal Republic, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to apparatus comprising a machine tool and means for transferring tool units between the machine tool and a holder for the tool units.

In the case of machine tools in which the provision of a tool change device cannot be justified economically on account of too low utilisation, the tool change has to be undertaken either purely manually, or with the aid of other work means which are available in a technical undertaking. Since a purely manual exchange, especially in the case of spindle units in multi-spindle drilling machines, is impractical when the tool units are heavy andlor unwieldy a fork-lift truck is customarily employed. In the case of a multiple spindle unit the fork tines of the fork lift truck are brought beneath the spindle unit after, for example, releasing all but two retaining bolts holding the spindle unit to a drilling bell of the machine tool. The two remaining bolts are then also released so that the spindle unit is supported and received by the fork tines. After the spindle unit has been deposited in a magazine or store, the fork-lift truck is used to transport another spindle unit into position beneath the drilling bell and mounted on the drilling bell in the reverse sequence to the one already described.

In itself this method of applying and removing heavy and/or unwieldy tools is quite economical. However, no guarantee can be given that a fork lift truck will be available in the workshop just when a spindle-unit transfer operation is to be performed. Often undesirably long waiting times occur before a fork-lift truck is free for the desired purpose.

This circumstance extends the setting periods for such a machine and this is of even greater importance because the workpieces processed on such machines usually do not accrue in any great number to alleviate the effects of such delays.

A rapid and efficient changing of the spindle units, can however, also be complicated by the fact that, after the tines of the fork-lift truck have been run up closely under the spindle unit, the last screws still to be loosened are no longer accessible. Even if these difficulties are obviated, there is still the danger that the spindle unit will drop, when the last retaining bolts are released, in uncontrolled manner onto the normally somewhat-inclined fork tines and, in doing so, will be damaged. In this respect the indes-bolts or bushes are particularly vulnerable.

A further reason for relatively high setting and conversion times, particularly in the case of multi-spindle drilling machines, is that the tools, for example drills, have to be moved into the immediate vicinity of the workpiece to be machined. For this purpose a tool guidance plate is provided on the spindle unit, the plate being displaceable along several guide columns and being urged against the workpiece during the penetration of the drills into the workpiece by spring force.

In the event of the drilling tools having to be re-ground the tools guidance plate is removable after the release of various catches from the guide columns. However, since these catches also come under the spring biassing force, a release is possible only after cancellation of the biassing force.

As a rule, the removal of the tool guidance plate with production running is effected in such a way that the tool guidance plate is, as in the case of the drilling, superimposed onto the workpiece or device and then the lock is released.

If, at such a point in time, a lot is readymachined, then the no longer needed spindle unit together with tools and tool guidance plate should, to reduce the conversion time, be dismantled as soon as possible from the drilling bell.

An aim of the present invention is to provide, in combination with a machine tool, a simple carriage device and tool holder whereby the transfer of tools between the holder and the machine tool is facilitated.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus comprising a machine tool having a working member to which a tool unit is in use attached, a movable carriage adapted to carry a tool unit, and a holder, adapted to hold a plurality of such units, disposed separately, laterally and rear-wardly relatively to the machine tool, the carriage being vertically displaceable and pivotable about a substantially vertical axis so as to be movable between a first position beneath the working member of the machine tool and a second position adjacent a delivery side of the holder such that tool units may be transported on said carriage between the working member and the holder.

By providing a tool holder separate from the machine tool itself a single tool holder may be used for two or more machine tools. Especially where the machine tool is a multiple spindle device convenient operation results because the carriage for the spindle unit merely has to be swung under the drilling bell and be run up closely under the spindle unit, in order already to be in the correct position for the reception of the spindle unit which is then readily releas able on account of the better accessibility.

After the lowering to the level of the deposit location in the magazine, the spindle unit carriage merely needs to be swung back again into its other end position, whereupon the spindle unit can be pushed into the magazine.

In the case of such a procedure, the spindle unit is protected against damage at all tines The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figures 1 to 3 are perspective views of a multi-spindle drilling machine, a spindle unit carriage, and a spindle unit holder, the carriage being shown in various possible positions; and Figure 4 is a sectional view of the lower part of the drilling bell of the drilling machine of Figures 1 to 3, with tools fastened thereto.

The multi-spindle drilling machine shown in the drawings comprises a base plate 1, a post 2, and a drilling bell 4 which is displaceable along a guide 3 situated on the post 2.

The lower end of the drilling bell 4 is designed for the reception of a spindle unit 5, in which a plurality of drilling spindles 6 are mounted.

The fastening and fixing of the spindle unit 5 on the drilling bell 4 is effected by means (not shown) of screws and index bolts. Also not shown, is a table, mounted on the post 2 of the multi-spindle drilling machine, for the reception of a clamping device for the workpieces to be machined.

Apparatus for fitting and removing heavy and/or unwieldy spindle units, fastened preferably releasably by means of bolts laterally to the post 2, includes two bearing blocks 7 between which there is disposed a guide 8. A spindle unit carriage 9 is movable up and down along this guide 8 by means of a hydraulic device (not shown) such as hydraulically actuated piston and cylinder arrangement. A displacement of the spindle unit carriage 9 along the guide 8 can also be achieved without a separate hydraulic device by connecting the carriage 9 to the drilling bell 4 and displacing the drilling bell 4 by means of its own drive means until the carriage 9 lies at the desired level in the vertical plane. For this purpose high spaced connection means may be provided. In addition to an upwards-and-downwards movement the spindle unit carriage 9 may be pivoted about the axis of the guide 8. In one possible swivel end position, the spindle unit carriage 9 is swung directly underneath the drilling bell 4 and in the other swivel end position is swung in front of the charging side of a spindle unit holder or magazine 10. The magazine 10 can be formed of a simple framework construction with one or more superjacent storage points.

Within certain limits a free choice exists for the position of the magazine 10 relative to the multi-spindle drilling machine, but depending on the selected position for the magazine 10 a suitable location on the multi-spindle drilling machine for the arrangement of the guide 8 must be ascertained. The guide 8 could, for example, be fixed at its lower end to the base plate 1, the upper end being free. By suitably designing the spindle unit carriage 9 a pivotal movement of greater than 1800 may then be made possible. The magazine 10 can also be so designed that a transporting away by means of a fork-lift truck is possible.

The carriage 9 does not have to be fixedly attached to the drilling machine and in fact could be provided on its own movable carriage.

Should the arrangement of the apparatus, shown in the drawings for the fitting and removal of the spindle units 5, on the post 2 or on the base plate 1 be in the way, it can be advantageous to make the bearing block 7 easily and rapidly removable from the machine by a suitable known "per se" highspeed connection.

The spindle unit carriage 9 has a frame 11, which save for one side facing the magazine 10 when the spindle unit carriage 9 is swung out, is bounded on all three other sides by guide surfaces 13 which act to prevent the spindle unit 5 from falling and being damaged. Through a suitable shaping of the frame 11, sufficiently large bearing surfaces 12 are present, through which the spindle unit 5 is supported at its longitudinal side edges.

This region of the frame 11 and the deposit locations in the magazine 10 are, to reduce the friction between the spindle unit 5 and the frame 11, equipped with known "per se" friction-reducing roller trains, which are, however, for the sake of simplicity, not shown.

The exchanging of a spindle unit 5 on a multi-spindle drilling machine is explained hereinunder.

To begin with, the spindle unit 5 which is no longer required, has to be removed from the drilling bell 4. For this purpose, the spindle unit carriage 9 still present at an adequate spacing from the drilling bell 4 is swung out of the position shown in Figure 1 into a position below the drilling bell 4 and is subsequently raised by means of the lifting cylinder until it abuts against the spindle unit 5. Prior to the raising operation most of the bolts on the spindle units 5 are loosened or removed and after raising the carriage 9 the remaining bolts holding the spindle unit 5 are also removed whereupon the spindle unit 5 is supported by the frame 11 of the spindle unit carriage 9. After lowering of the spindle unit carriage 9 by a slight extent, it is now possible to being this latter once more into the swivel end position of Figure 1 in front of the charging side of the magaine 10 and to lower it until the spindle unit 5 is disposed, as shown in Figure 3, in the plane of the deposit location.

The conveyance of the spindle unit 5 from the spindle unit carriage 9 into the magazine 10 is effected by hand. The expenditure of force needed for this is very small, on account of the roller trains previously described. Then the spindle unit carriage 9 can be brought to the level of the deposit location in which the spindle unit 5 needed at this stage is disposed (Figure 1).

The loading of the spindle unit carriage 9 with the new spindle unit 5 is now effected in the reverse manner to that described above, also by hand. After the spindle unit carriage 9 is swung once more under the drilling bell 4 and is raised to such an extent that the spindle unit carriage 5 comes into abutment against the drilling bell 4, the securing bolts can be tightened again. After the swinging-out once more of the spindle unit carriage 9, the changeover operation is concluded.

For sake of completeness, reference will additionally be made to the usability of the proposed apparatus to reduce the changeover times in the case of a simultaneously falling-due change of the spindle unit and re-sharpening of the drilling tools. The view, shown in Figure 4, of the drilling bell 4 with the spindle unit fastened thereto can serve to illustrate what has already been mentioned in the preamble to the description with regard to this problem.

The spindle unit 5 is fastened by means of bolt bolts to the lower side of the drilling bell 4.

Several guide columns 14 of the spindle unit 5 receive a tool guidance Plate 15. the maximum distance of which from the top of the spindle unit 5 being determined by locking devices 16. Pre-tensioned compression springs 17 are arranged between the tool guidance plate 15 and the spindle unit 5. Inserted in the spindle unit 5 are a plurality of drilling 6 which in use are driven by way of universal joints 18 (not part of the unit 5). Each spindle 6 has a respective drill bit 19. The drill bits 19 extend through the tool guidance plate 15 and are, for their part, guided through bushes.

The spindle unit 5, to be exchanged after completion of a workpiece operation, can now be released in the afore-described manner from the multi-spindle drilling machine. However, before the spindle unit 5 is accommodated in the magazine 10, a fairly low roller carriage or truck with two bearing ledges suitable for the reception of the tool guidance plate 15 is placed under the spindle unit carrier 9 which is in the swivel end position shown in Figure 1.

After the lowering of the spindle unit carriage 9 and superimposing of the tool guidance plate 15 onto the bearing ledges, the locking device 16 can be released. Since the tool guidance plate 15 remains lying on the carriage or truck as soon as the spindle unit carriage 9 is raised to the deposit location of the spindle unit 5 remaining on it, the drill bits 19 are freely accessible. A removal of the drill bits 19 for regrinding is effected, however, advantageously only when the spindle unit 5 is deposited in the magazine 10. In this case, the spindle unit carriage 9 is again free and can be used for the fitting of the now needed spindle unit. When this procedure is concluded, then it is again available for the assembly of the disassembled tool set of the previously used spindle unit 5.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus comprising a machine tool having a working member to which a tool unit is in use attached, a movable carriage adapted to carry a tool unit, and a holder, adapted to hold a plurality of such units, disposed separately, laterally and rearwardly relatively to the machine tool, the carriage being vertically displaceable and pivotably about a substantially vertical axis so as to be movable between a first position beneath

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

machine by a suitable known "per se" highspeed connection.

The spindle unit carriage 9 has a frame 11, which save for one side facing the magazine 10 when the spindle unit carriage 9 is swung out, is bounded on all three other sides by guide surfaces 13 which act to prevent the spindle unit 5 from falling and being damaged. Through a suitable shaping of the frame 11, sufficiently large bearing surfaces 12 are present, through which the spindle unit 5 is supported at its longitudinal side edges.

This region of the frame 11 and the deposit locations in the magazine 10 are, to reduce the friction between the spindle unit 5 and the frame 11, equipped with known "per se" friction-reducing roller trains, which are, however, for the sake of simplicity, not shown.

The exchanging of a spindle unit 5 on a multi-spindle drilling machine is explained hereinunder.

To begin with, the spindle unit 5 which is no longer required, has to be removed from the drilling bell 4. For this purpose, the spindle unit carriage 9 still present at an adequate spacing from the drilling bell 4 is swung out of the position shown in Figure 1 into a position below the drilling bell 4 and is subsequently raised by means of the lifting cylinder until it abuts against the spindle unit 5. Prior to the raising operation most of the bolts on the spindle units 5 are loosened or removed and after raising the carriage 9 the remaining bolts holding the spindle unit 5 are also removed whereupon the spindle unit 5 is supported by the frame 11 of the spindle unit carriage 9. After lowering of the spindle unit carriage 9 by a slight extent, it is now possible to being this latter once more into the swivel end position of Figure 1 in front of the charging side of the magaine 10 and to lower it until the spindle unit 5 is disposed, as shown in Figure 3, in the plane of the deposit location.

The conveyance of the spindle unit 5 from the spindle unit carriage 9 into the magazine

10 is effected by hand. The expenditure of force needed for this is very small, on account of the roller trains previously described. Then the spindle unit carriage 9 can be brought to the level of the deposit location in which the spindle unit 5 needed at this stage is disposed (Figure 1).

The loading of the spindle unit carriage 9 with the new spindle unit 5 is now effected in the reverse manner to that described above, also by hand. After the spindle unit carriage 9 is swung once more under the drilling bell 4 and is raised to such an extent that the spindle unit carriage 5 comes into abutment against the drilling bell 4, the securing bolts can be tightened again. After the swinging-out once more of the spindle unit carriage 9, the changeover operation is concluded.

For sake of completeness, reference will additionally be made to the usability of the proposed apparatus to reduce the changeover times in the case of a simultaneously falling-due change of the spindle unit and re-sharpening of the drilling tools. The view, shown in Figure 4, of the drilling bell 4 with the spindle unit fastened thereto can serve to illustrate what has already been mentioned in the preamble to the description with regard to this problem.

The spindle unit 5 is fastened by means of bolt bolts to the lower side of the drilling bell 4.

Several guide columns 14 of the spindle unit 5 receive a tool guidance Plate 15. the maximum distance of which from the top of the spindle unit 5 being determined by locking devices 16. Pre-tensioned compression springs 17 are arranged between the tool guidance plate 15 and the spindle unit 5. Inserted in the spindle unit 5 are a plurality of drilling 6 which in use are driven by way of universal joints 18 (not part of the unit 5). Each spindle 6 has a respective drill bit 19. The drill bits 19 extend through the tool guidance plate 15 and are, for their part, guided through bushes.

The spindle unit 5, to be exchanged after completion of a workpiece operation, can now be released in the afore-described manner from the multi-spindle drilling machine. However, before the spindle unit 5 is accommodated in the magazine 10, a fairly low roller carriage or truck with two bearing ledges suitable for the reception of the tool guidance plate 15 is placed under the spindle unit carrier 9 which is in the swivel end position shown in Figure 1.

After the lowering of the spindle unit carriage 9 and superimposing of the tool guidance plate 15 onto the bearing ledges, the locking device 16 can be released. Since the tool guidance plate 15 remains lying on the carriage or truck as soon as the spindle unit carriage 9 is raised to the deposit location of the spindle unit 5 remaining on it, the drill bits 19 are freely accessible. A removal of the drill bits 19 for regrinding is effected, however, advantageously only when the spindle unit 5 is deposited in the magazine 10. In this case, the spindle unit carriage 9 is again free and can be used for the fitting of the now needed spindle unit. When this procedure is concluded, then it is again available for the assembly of the disassembled tool set of the previously used spindle unit 5.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus comprising a machine tool having a working member to which a tool unit is in use attached, a movable carriage adapted to carry a tool unit, and a holder, adapted to hold a plurality of such units, disposed separately, laterally and rearwardly relatively to the machine tool, the carriage being vertically displaceable and pivotably about a substantially vertical axis so as to be movable between a first position beneath

the working member of the machine tool and a second position adjacent a delivery side of the holder such that tool units may be transported on said carriage between the working member and the holder.

'. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the carriage is provided on a vertical guide. the carriage being axially displaceable and pivotable on the guide.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 in which the guide is fastened to the machine tool.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in wllich the guide is releasably fastened to the machine tool.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 in which the carriage is pivotable on the guide in such manner that the pivotal axis coincides with the axis of the guide.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which the machine tool is a multiplespindle drilling machine and the tool unit is a multiple spindle unit.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the carriage for the multiple spindle unit comprises a frame adapted to receive the spindle unit and having two lateral guide surfaces for the received spindle unit.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7. in which friction-reducing elements are accommodated in the bearing region for the spindle unit, on the frame to facilitate the transport of the spindle unit from and to the holder.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, in which a roller train is provided in the bearing region for the spindle unit on the frame.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9, in which means are provided for connecting the spindle unit carriage directly to a drilling bell of the multi-spindle drilling machine .

11. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the carriage is vertically displaceable by means of a hydraulic motor.

1'. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.