GB2126135A

GB2126135A - Robot serviced machine tool

Info

Publication number: GB2126135A
Application number: GB08225102A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Henry Cook; Melvyn Donald Hill
Original assignee: 600 Group PLC
Current assignee: 600 Group PLC
Priority date: 1982-09-03
Filing date: 1982-09-03
Publication date: 1984-03-21
Also published as: JPS6367047U; DE3329266A1; JPS5959333A; GB2126135B

Abstract

A robot serviced machine tool has a moveable access panel 14 for access to the work area by the operator and a separate access opening 20 closable by door 21 for the arm of the robot 1, a conveyor 9 being adjacent the robot for the supply and removal of work pieces. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A robot serviced machine tool Introduction Combining a robot with a machine tool such as a lathe, turning centre, milling machine or the like, is already known. The robot is used for supplying work pieces to and removing work pieces from the machine tool. It has been a natural development to combine a robot with a machine tool since robots are operated under computer control and machine tools, these days, are frequently operated under computer numerical control. Coordinating the functions of the robot and the machine tool goes a long way to automating the machining of work pieces.

The disadvantage of existing configurations of machine tool with attendant robot is that the two do not work in complete harmony with the human operator of the machine, whose presence is frequently necessary to ensure that the work is being performed correctly and to adjust and change cutting tools on the machine. It is believed that the unharmonious operation of the robot, machine tool and human operator is brought about largely by the inept configuration of the various units.

Object of the invention It is the main object of this invention to provide a robot serviced machine tool in which the interaction between the robot, machine tool and human operator is improved.

Statements of invention According to the present invention, there is provided a robot serviced machine tool having a configuration in which that part of the machine tool which receives a work piece is shielded, in part, by a moveable access panel, enabling an operator to gain access to the tool area and in which a separate access opening is provided to enable access to the tool area by an arm of the robot, there being adjacent to the robot and remote from the moveable access panel, a conveyor for the movement of work pieces to be transferred to and removed from the tool area by the robot.

The invention also includes the robot being controlled so that in its automatic condition it is operative only when the moveable access panel is in its closed position.

The separate access opening may be closed by a door, openable only when the moveable access panel is in its closed position and the robot is operated to feed or remove a work piece to or from the tool area.

The moveable access panel may be a sliding door and the separate access opening for the arm of the robot is conveniently at right angles to the plane of movement of the door.

Preferably the robot and the conveyor are sited at one side of and clear of the moveable access panel, the other side of which is a control panel for use by the operator of the machine tool.

The invention also includes a robot serviced machine tool as above in which the machine tool is a lathe or turning centre and in which the configuration is such that the robot is sited ajacent and between the drive mechanism thereof and the conveyor and in which the moveable access panel moves to its open position away from the robot.

Drawings One embodiment of robot serviced machine tool, constructed in accordance with the invention, will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a robot serviced machine tool; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the robot serviced machine tool of Figure 1.

Specific description A robot serviced machine tool in accordance with the invention, includes a robot generally indicated at 1 which is of known construction having a vertical pedestal 2 with an arm 3 carried thereby, at one end of which is a hand 4.

Within a casing 5 is a machine tool 6, which may be any type of machine tool desired, for example a lathe or the like, having a work piece holding means 7 to receive a work piece to be machined in the area generally marked at 8 in Figure 2.

The robot 1 is positioned between the machine tool 6 and a conveyor 9, which may be of any desired design so that work pieces may be fed manually or automatically at one end 10 or one side 1 1 of the conveyor and be removed by the robot 1 and conveyed to the work area 8 from the other end 12 of the conveyor.

Partly shielding the work area 8 is a moveable access panel 13 having a window 14 so that an operator may view the work area 8 while machining is taking place. The moveable access panel is shown in its closed position in Figure 2, thus prohibiting an operator from gaining access to the work area 8, but is shown in its inoperative position in Figure 1 , thus revealing an opening 15 through which an operator may gain access to the work area 8. The open position of the moveable access panel is shown in dotted lines at 16 in Figure 2.

Mounted on a fixed arm 17 is a control panel 18 for the operator of the machine and this control panel may include a visual display unit.

The warning light 19 is provided, which, when illuminated, indicates that the machine is in operation.

It will be appreciated that access to the machining area 8 is gained by the operator by moving moveable access panel 13 to the position indicated at 16 in Figure 2. Access to the machining area 8 is gained by the robot 1 through a separate access opening 20 which, as will be seen from Figure 2, is conveniently located at right angles to the plane of movement of the moveable access panel 13. The separate access opening 20 is closed by a moveable door 21 which is opened when the robot is to feed a work piece or remove a work piece to or from the work area 8.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing description, that the configuration and layout of the units is such as to minimise the floor space necessary. Also an operator may stand on the side of the window 14 remote from the work area 8 while the machine is in operation and with the moveable access panel in its closed position. The operator may view the work piece being machined with complete safety, whereas the robot 1 may have access to the work piece through separate access opening 20. Safety controls are such that the door 21 will only be opened when the moveable access panel 13 is in its closed position.

It will be appreciated also that the configuration of the layout is such that the machine tool may be operated without the use of the robot 1 in the normal way by an operator opening the moveable access panel 13 to gain access to the work area 8. When the operator has withdrawn from the work area 8 and the moveable access panel 13 has been closed, then the machine tool 6 may commence operation. Having the control panel 18 on the side of the moveable access panel 13 remote from the robot 1 enables the operator to maintain his position looking through window 14 and controlling operation of the machine tool while machining operations are taking place.

Claims (Filed on 1-7-83) 1. A robot serviced machine tool having a configuration in which that part of the machine tool which receives a work piece is shielded, in part, by a moveable access panel, enabling an operator to gain access to the tool area and in which a separate access opening is provided to enable access to the tool area by an arm of the robot, there being adjacent to the robot and remote from the moveable access panel, a conveyor for the movement of work pieces to be transferred to and removed from the tool area by the robot.

2. A robot serviced machine tool as claimed in Claim 1, in which the robot is controlled so that in its automatic condition it is operative only when the moveable access panel is in its closed position.

3. A robot serviced machined tool as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the separate access opening is closed by a door, openable only when the moveable access panel is in its closed position and the robot is operated to feed or remove a work piece to or from the tool area.

4. A robot serviced machine tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the moveable access panel is a sliding door and the separate access opening for the arm of the robot is at right angles to the plane of movement of the door.

5. A robot serviced machine tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the robot and the conveyor are sited at one side of and clear of the moveable access panel, the other side of which is a control panel for use by the operator of the machine tool.

6. A robot serviced machine tool as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the machine tool is a lathe or turning centre and in which the configuration is such that the robot is sited adjacent and between the drive mechanism thereof and the conveyor and in which the moveable access panel moves to its open position away from the robot.

7. A robot serviced machine tool substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. moveable access panel 13. The separate access opening 20 is closed by a moveable door 21 which is opened when the robot is to feed a work piece or remove a work piece to or from the work area 8. It will be appreciated from the foregoing description, that the configuration and layout of the units is such as to minimise the floor space necessary. Also an operator may stand on the side of the window 14 remote from the work area 8 while the machine is in operation and with the moveable access panel in its closed position. The operator may view the work piece being machined with complete safety, whereas the robot 1 may have access to the work piece through separate access opening 20. Safety controls are such that the door 21 will only be opened when the moveable access panel 13 is in its closed position. It will be appreciated also that the configuration of the layout is such that the machine tool may be operated without the use of the robot 1 in the normal way by an operator opening the moveable access panel 13 to gain access to the work area 8. When the operator has withdrawn from the work area 8 and the moveable access panel 13 has been closed, then the machine tool 6 may commence operation. Having the control panel 18 on the side of the moveable access panel 13 remote from the robot 1 enables the operator to maintain his position looking through window 14 and controlling operation of the machine tool while machining operations are taking place. Claims (Filed on 1-7-83)

1. A robot serviced machine tool having a configuration in which that part of the machine tool which receives a work piece is shielded, in part, by a moveable access panel, enabling an operator to gain access to the tool area and in which a separate access opening is provided to enable access to the tool area by an arm of the robot, there being adjacent to the robot and remote from the moveable access panel, a conveyor for the movement of work pieces to be transferred to and removed from the tool area by the robot.