JPH05253807A - Flexible transfer machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it easy to change stages, by providing holding members for height-controllably holding cylindrical parts, gripping means for locating and holding center parts, etc., in the case of processing several kinds of work having the cylindrical parts extended from both sides of the bowl-shaped center part, sequentially in a plural number of processing stations. CONSTITUTION:In the case of processing a work 1 such as a rear axle housing having a bowl-shaped center part 2 and two cylindrical parts 3 extended from both sides of the center part 2 in the opposite directions to each other, a transfer locater 33 for locating and holding the work 1, is provided. This transfer locater 33 comprises two cylindrical part holding members 42 for holding the cylindrical parts 3 from the underside, and capable of freely adjusting their heights by height changing means, and a gripping means 68 for gripping and locating the center part 2 by moving a plural number of claws. A work clamper 34 comprising two cylindrical part holding means 70 which can be freely changed in their horizontal positions by a position changing means 71, and a center part gripping means 90, is also provided. Each locater 33 is moved forward and backward to and from a machine tool 31 by an accepting and delivering means 35.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a transfer machine for sequentially transporting a workpiece to a plurality of processing stations each equipped with a machine tool and processing the workpieces at the processing stations. Also, the present invention relates to a machine suitable for machining a work having two tubular portions extending in opposite directions from both sides of its central portion, and more particularly to a flexible transfer machine adaptable to a plurality of kinds of works.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a work as described above, for example, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3, there is a banjo type rear axle housing 1 which is a kind of rear axle housing that houses the rear axle of an automobile and is commonly used for a rigid type rear suspension. The banjo type rear axle housing 1 is a differential gear. A bowl-shaped central portion 2 for accommodating the mechanism, and two tubular portions 3 extending in opposite directions from both sides of the central portion for accommodating left and right rear axles and rotatably supporting those rear axles. The tubular portion 3 is provided with a support bracket for a suspension spring, a coupling bracket for a suspension arm, and the like.

However, when machining mounting holes and the like in each part of the banjo-type rear axle housing, it is easy to ensure the accuracy of the machining position, and in general, the tubular parts 3 are integrated on both sides of the central part 2. Conventionally, for example, a transfer machine shown in FIGS. 13 to 16 is used as a machine tool that efficiently performs such machining after the mechanical coupling.

This conventional transfer machine conveys and processes a work while being mounted on a pallet.
It is a so-called pallet feed type and has a plurality of processing stations 5 each equipped with a machine tool 4 as shown in FIG. 13, and in FIG. And a machining station 5 for adjoining the banjo-shaped rear axle housing 1 as a workpiece to the pallet 7 in which two fixing jigs 6 positioned back to back are installed adjacent to each other. And a work removing station for removing the rear axle housing 1 which has been machined from the above from the fixing jig 6 of the pallet 7, and further, a transfer bar 8 extending through these stations is provided between adjacent stations. Only the reciprocating movement of the pallet 7 to the workpiece mounting station Each station is provided with a transfer carrying device for sequentially carrying tact from the work station to the workpiece removing station, and each station is provided with a pallet locator 9 for positioning and fixing the stopped pallet 7.

In such a transfer machine,
First, the banjo-shaped rear axle housing 1 before processing is mounted on the two fixing jigs 6 one by one at the work mounting station, so that two pallets 7 are held in a positioning state for each pallet. Then, the pallet 7 is tact-transferred to the plurality of processing stations 5 in sequence by the transfer transfer device reciprocating the transfer bar 8, and the pallet locator 9 is transferred to the processing stations 5. By positioning and fixing the pallet 7,
The two rear axle housings 1 held by the pallet 7 are positioned and fixed at predetermined positions of the processing station via the fixing jigs 6 of the transfer bar 8
The machine tools 4 located on both sides of the machine perform machining such as drilling in the rear axle housings 1, and then the transfer carrier further conveys the pallet 7 to the work removing station, and the work removing station finishes the machining. The two rear axle housings 1 are removed from the fixing jig 6 of the pallet 7.

[0006]

By the way, since the fixing jig 6 erected on the pallet 7 holds the banjo type rear axle housing 1 in a positioned state,
As shown in FIG. 14, a tip end portion of a tubular portion that holds the tip portion of the tubular portion 3 between the tip portion of the lever 12 driven by the screw shaft 11 screwed with the nut 10 and the V groove of the fixed portion 13. Clamping mechanism 14 and Fig. 15
As shown in FIG. 3, a cylinder that holds the base of the cylindrical portion 3 between two movable blocks 17 that are respectively driven by nuts 16 that are respectively screwed into mutually opposite threaded portions formed on the drive shaft 15. 16, a plurality of cam shafts 20 are driven up and down through a rack and pinion mechanism, a gear transmission mechanism, and a lever mechanism 19 by a screw shaft (not shown) screwed with a nut (not shown). The pressing pins 21 of the book are moved back and forth in the axial direction of the central portion 2 (left and right in FIG. 16), and the pressing pins 21 and the upper end are pivotally attached to the frame of the jig while the lower end is operated by lever operation. It is provided with a fixing member 22 that is locked to the frame by a lock pin protruding from the central portion and a central portion clamping mechanism 23 that clamps the central portion 2 at the work mounting station and the work removing station. With operating the bar,
By rotating the nut 10, the drive shaft 15 and the like by a nut runner device to operate the clamping mechanisms 14, 18, 23 for clamping or releasing, the rear axle housing 1 is attached to and detached from the fixing jig 6 of the pallet 7. There is.

However, in such a conventional pallet feed type transfer machine, the positions at which the tubular portion 3 of the tubular portion distal end holding mechanism 14 and the tubular portion base holding mechanism 18 of the fixing jig 6 of the pallet 7 are held. And a cylindrical part 3 that can be clamped
Has a fixed thickness, and the position at which the pressing pin 21 of the central portion clamping mechanism 23 projects is also constant, so the dimensions such as the thickness and length of the tubular portion 3 and the size of the central portion 2 are different. When processing a plurality of types of rear axle housings 1, a plurality of types of pallets 7 having fixing jigs 6 in which the arrangement of each holding mechanism is changed according to their dimensions of the rear axle housing 1 are prepared, and the work Empty pallet 7 from the removal station to the work loading station
It is necessary to provide a setup change station in the middle of the transfer route, and the operator needs to perform the setup change work in which the pallet 7 to be sent to the work mounting station is changed according to the type of the rear axle housing 1 to be processed next. Therefore, there has been a problem that the man-hours of the worker are increased and the setup efficiency is reduced because the setup change work takes time.

Moreover, in the structure in which the fixing jig 6 for positioning and fixing the rear axle housing 1 is provided on the pallet 7 that moves together with the work as described above, the rear axle housing 1 can be changed with high accuracy by changing the arrangement of the holding mechanisms.
It was difficult to automatically perform the setup change corresponding to the type change.

[0009]

The present invention adopts a direct feed type which directly conveys a work without using a pallet, instead of the pallet feed type.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a transfer machine that advantageously solves the above-mentioned problems of the conventional device, and specifically, a flexible transfer machine of the present invention has a bowl-shaped central portion and a central portion thereof. A plurality of types of workpieces having two tubular portions extending in opposite directions from both sides are sequentially conveyed to a plurality of processing stations each equipped with a machine tool, and processed at those processing stations. Two tubular part holding members for respectively holding the two tubular parts from below, a holding member height changing means for changing the heights of the tubular part holding members, and the central part in the radial direction thereof. A central transfer means for gripping and positioning by moving a plurality of claws, and positioning and holding the work in such a posture that the two tubular parts extend in the horizontal direction A CAT, two tubular portion holding means for holding the two tubular portions respectively, a holding means horizontal position changing means for changing the horizontal positions of the tubular portion holding means, and the central portion. It has a fixing central portion grasping means for grasping and positioning by moving a plurality of claws in the radial direction at a position where it does not interfere with the conveying central portion grasping means, and is installed at each processing station, A work clamper that positions and fixes the work piece at a predetermined position with respect to the machine tool in a posture in which a cylindrical portion of the book extends in the horizontal direction, and each of the transfer locators is supported by the work clamper. A plurality of transfer means for moving the transfer locator forward and backward with respect to the machine tool between a predetermined transfer position and a predetermined transfer position, and a plurality of transfer means between the processing stations. A transfer conveyor means for moving the, is characterized in that it comprises a.

[0010]

In such a transfer machine, first, the transfer transfer means positions each transfer means at the processing station in front, and each transfer means positions each transfer locator at the transfer position, and at that transfer position, The holding member height changing means moves the tubular portion holding member upward so that the tubular portion holding member holds the tubular portion from below, and the transport central portion gripping means holds the central portion in a plurality of radial directions. By grasping and positioning by the movement of the claws, each transport locator positions and holds the work in such a posture that the two tubular parts thereof extend in the horizontal direction after receiving the work from the work clamper, and then After each transfer means retracts each transfer locator to the transfer position, the transfer transfer means moves each transfer means to the next processing station, Here, after each transfer means advances each transfer locator to the transfer position, the holding member height changing means lowers the cylindrical part holding member to open the cylindrical part and the transfer center gripping means moves to the center. Each transport locator opens the work by opening the part by moving a plurality of claws in the radial direction.

In combination with the opening operation of each transport locator, the tubular portion holding means holds the tubular portion at each processing station, and the fixing center portion holding means holds the transport center portion. By gripping and positioning the center part by moving a plurality of claws in the radial direction at a position where it does not interfere with the means, each work clamper receives a work from each transport locator, and the two cylindrical parts Position and fix the machine tool at the processing station at a predetermined position in a posture that it extends in the horizontal direction, and then each transfer means retracts each transfer locator that transferred the work to the work clamper to the transfer position. Then, the machine tool at each processing station processes the work.

While the machine tool is processing the work, the transfer conveying means moves the respective transfer means back to the front processing station, and when the processing of the work is completed, the respective transfer stations are finished. , Each transfer means advances each transport locator to the transfer position, and then the tubular portion holding means opens the tubular portion and the fixing central portion gripping means moves the central portion in the radial direction of the plurality of claws. Each work clamper releases the work by releasing the work clamp, and in cooperation with the opening operation of the work clamper, each transport locator advanced to the delivery position receives the work from each work clamper as described above. ..

By repeating the above steps as one cycle, according to the transfer machine of the present invention, the central part of the bowl shape and the two cylindrical parts extending in opposite directions from both sides of the central part are formed. It is possible to sequentially convey the workpieces to the plurality of processing stations and process them.

Further, in the flexible transfer machine of the present invention, the holding member height changing means changes the height of the cylindrical portion holding member, and the conveying central portion gripping means moves in the radial direction of the central portion. Since the center part is gripped by the movement of multiple claws, the transfer locator can position the work at a predetermined position regardless of the thickness and length of the cylindrical part of the work and the size of the center part, and the horizontal position of the clamping means can be changed. The means changes the horizontal position of the tubular portion holding means, and the fixing central portion gripping means grips the central portion by moving the plurality of pawls in the radial direction of the central portion, so that the work clamper also holds the tubular portion of the workpiece. The workpiece can be positioned at a predetermined position in the processing station regardless of the thickness and length of the workpiece and the size of the central portion.

Therefore, according to the flexible transfer machine of the present invention, when a plurality of types of works as described above are processed, those works can be automatically conveyed and positioned without any step. So
It is possible to reduce the man-hours of the worker and improve the production efficiency.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 is a front view showing one processing station in an embodiment of a flexible transfer machine of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the processing station, and FIG. 3 is a side view showing the processing station. 1 shows a banjo-type rear axle housing as a work as in the conventional example. The rear axle housing 1 has a bowl-shaped central portion 2 for accommodating a differential gear mechanism, and extends in opposite directions from both sides of the central portion. And two tubular parts 3 that accommodate the left and right rear axles and rotatably support the rear axles.

The transfer machine of this embodiment for processing the rear axle housing 1 is of a so-called direct feed type which directly conveys a work without using a pallet, and as shown in FIGS. Machine tools such as machining centers that operate by numerical control 31
A plurality of processing stations 32, which are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 1, are arranged adjacent to the start end and the end of the row of the processing stations 32, and are conveyed by, for example, a conveyor. A work loading station for loading the banjo-shaped rear axle housing 1 to be processed into the transfer machine by, for example, a handling robot, and a rear axle housing 1 processed at the processing station 32 to the outside of the transfer machine by, for example, a handling robot. And a work unloading station for unloading the work. Here, the symbol C _M in the drawing indicates the central axis of the transfer machine that extends horizontally in the alignment direction of the stations, and the symbol C _S in the drawing is spaced from each other by a predetermined pitch P, The central axes of the respective stations, which respectively extend horizontally so as to be orthogonal to the central axis C _M , are shown. The rear axle housing 1 is located at each machining station 32, and the central portion 2 is located concentrically with the central axis C _S. At the same time, the cylindrical parts 3 on both sides of the cylindrical part 3 are connected to the central axis C _M.
It is positioned and fixed at a predetermined processing position such that it is positioned concentrically with.

Further, in the transfer machine of this embodiment, in order to carry and position the rear axle housing 1, the rear axle housing 1 received at the previous station is held during transfer between the stations and handed over to the next station. The number of transfer locators 33 provided is one less than the number of stations, the work clampers 34 installed in each processing station for positioning and fixing the rear axle housing 1, and the rear axles between the transfer locators 33 and work clampers 34. In order to enable the delivery of the housing 1, a set of the transfer locators 33 is supported, and the transfer locators 33 are supported and moved forward and backward. The transfer device 35 as the transfer means and the transfer devices 35 are reciprocated between the stations. Transfer means for And a transfer transfer device 36.

4 to 6 are a front view, a plan view and a side view showing the transfer locator 33. The transfer locator 33 in this embodiment has a rear axle housing 1 whose two cylindrical portions 3 are horizontal. The box-shaped body frame 40 is used to position and hold it in a posture that it extends in the direction.
On the front surface of the main body frame 40, two arm members 42 as a tubular portion holding member for receiving the two tubular portions 3 of the rear axle housing 1 by the V grooves 41 and holding them from below, Each is supported so as to be able to move up and down through a normal guide structure portion 43, and a cam plate 45 that has two cam grooves 44 of the same shape on the main body frame 40 and extends horizontally in the left-right direction in FIG. A cam case 46 that is movably accommodated in the extending direction is fixed, and further, two rocker arms 47 in the main body frame 40 are horizontally arranged in parallel with the movable direction of the cam plate 45. Each is pivotally supported via 48.

The tip ends of the forearm portions 49 of the two rocker arms 47 are engaged with the two arm members 42, respectively, and serve as cam followers provided at the tips of the upper arm portions 50 of the rocker arms 47. The roller 51 of the cam plate
The cam plate 45 is fitted in each of the two cam grooves 44 of the camshaft 45, and the cam plate 45 has two rollers 51 and two rocker arms in the two cam grooves 44 due to the reciprocating movement in the extending direction. Swing each 47 around the support shaft 48,
The two arm members 42 can be moved up and down between the small diameter raising position shown by the solid line in FIG. 6 and the descending limit position shown by the phantom line in FIG. Further, a step portion is formed in the cam groove 44 of the cam plate 45. When the cam plate 45 is stopped at an intermediate stop position such that the roller 51 is located at that step portion, the step portion of the roller 51 is The swinging can be stopped in the middle, and the two arm members 42 can be stopped at the large diameter rising position shown by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 6 which is slightly lower than the small diameter rising position.
Two air cylinders 52 and 53 are provided on both sides of the cam case 46 in parallel with the movable direction of the cam plate 45 in order to cause the reciprocating movement of the cam in the extending direction and the stop at the intermediate stop position. , And are fixed so as to face each other.

Here, in FIG. 4, the piston rod 54 of the air cylinder 52, which has a long right stroke and a long stroke, stands on the shaft member 55 and the cam plate 45 which are fastened to the tip end of the piston rod 54. It is connected to the cam plate 45 via a bracket 56 that is installed and fits into the shaft-like member 55. On the other hand, in FIG. 4, the tip end portion of the piston rod 57 of the air cylinder 53, which has a short left stroke and a large thickness, is thicker. When the piston rod 57 advances, the shaft-shaped member 58 that is in contact with the shaft-shaped member 55 and specifies the movement limit position of the cam plate 45 to the left in FIG. 4 is the intermediate stop position is fastened. As a result, the thinner air cylinder 52 is replaced with the thicker air cylinder 53 by the piston rod 57.
In the retracted state, the two arm members 42 are moved up and down between the small-diameter raising position and the lowering limit position, and when the thicker air cylinder 53 advances the piston rod 57, the two arms are moved. The member 42 can be moved up and down between the large diameter raising position and the descending limit position, so that the members such as the guide structure portion 43, the cam plate 45, the rocker arm 47, and the air cylinders 52, 53 described above are provided. Here, an arm member elevating mechanism 59 is configured as a holding member height changing means.

Further, in the central portion of the front surface of the main body frame 40, three swinging claws 60 radially arranged with respect to a predetermined central axis line C _L penetrating the central portion of the main body frame 40 horizontally in the front-rear direction. However, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the support shaft 61 extending in the tangential direction of a circle centered on the central axis line C _L thereof.
The is supported respectively swingably through, also in the front center of the body frame 40, so as to be moved forward and backward in the extending direction of the central axis C _L on the center axis C _L, the cam pin 62 Are supported concentrically with the central axis C _L via a sleeve 63, and the cam pin 62 is adjacent to the central axis C _L of the three rocking pawls 60 around the front end portion on the left side in FIG. An annular groove 64 is formed so that the rear end portions of the cam pins 62 are swingably engaged with each other. With such a configuration, the cam pin 62 swings the three swinging claws 60 around the support shaft 61 based on the forward and backward movement thereof. , The tip ends of the rocking claws 60 can be moved so as to approach and separate from each other in the radial direction with respect to the central axis line C _L , whereby the rocking claws 60 are moved at their tip parts in FIG. As shown by the phantom line, the outer peripheral surface of the central portion 2 of the rear axle housing 1 By gripping from the side of the center portion 2 it is possible to concentrically positioned with the central axis C _L, it is possible to open the central portion 2.

In order to move the cam pin 62 forward and backward, an air cylinder 65 is fixedly installed at the center of the rear surface of the body frame 40 so as to be concentric with the central axis C _L. Of the piston rod 66 inserted into the body frame 40
The cam pin 62 is connected to the rear end of the cam pin 62 through these members, and thus the swinging claw 60, the cam pin 62, the air cylinder 65, and other members constitute a central portion gripping mechanism 68 as a transporting central portion gripping means. ing. A bracket 69 for temporarily holding the central portion 2 of the rear axle housing 1 from below is also provided at the lower center of the front surface of the main body frame 40.

On the other hand, the work clampers 34 installed at the respective processing stations are arranged on both sides of the central axis C _S of the processing station and sandwich the two cylindrical portions 3 of the rear axle housing 1 respectively. Two tubular portion holding mechanisms 70 as the portion holding means, and a holding position moving mechanism 71 as the holding means horizontal position changing means for changing the horizontal positions of the tubular portion holding mechanisms 70, respectively. Here, as shown in FIGS. 8 to 11, the tubular portion holding mechanism 70 has two laterally-oriented V-grooves 72, of different sizes.
V block 74 having 73 in two upper and lower stages, and the V block 74
A small diameter pipe that fits the ordinary guide structure 75 that supports the V and the V block 74 into the smaller V groove 73 on the lower side is positioned concentrically with the central axis C _M of the transfer machine. The phantom line in FIG. 10 in which the upper limit position shown by the solid line in FIG. 10 and the large-diameter pipe that fits in the larger V groove 72 on the upper side are concentric with the central axis C _M of the transfer machine. The air cylinder 76 that moves up and down between the lower limit position and the support shaft 78 that can swing the clamp claw 77 with respect to the V block 74, and the lever 79 fixed to one end of the support shaft 78. The clamp claw 77 is driven as shown by solid lines and phantom lines in FIG.
A rodless air cylinder 80 that holds and releases the tubular portion 3 between the clamp claw 77 and the V block 74 by swinging the block 74 is provided.

Here, the holding position moving mechanism 71 is
As shown in FIG. 12, a guide member 82 fixed to the bed 81 of the machine tool 31 and extending parallel to the central axis C _M of the transfer machine is slidably fitted into the guide member 82 and A moving member that supports the tubular portion holding mechanism 70.
A ball screw shaft 85, which guides the horizontal movement of 83 and is screwed with a ball nut 84 fixed to the moving member 83, is appropriately rotated by a servo motor 87 via a timing belt 86, so that the moving member 83 and thus the cylinder The section-holding mechanism 70 can be horizontally moved to a position at an arbitrary distance with respect to the central axis C _{S of the} station.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the work clamper 34 is arranged on the central axis C _S of the processing station so that the central portion 2 of the rear axle housing 1 is connected to the central portion gripping mechanism 68 of the transport locator 33. A central portion gripping mechanism as a fixing central portion gripping means for gripping the swinging claw 60 so as not to interfere with it, and positioning and fixing it concentrically with the central axis C _S thereof.
The center gripping mechanism 90 includes a machine tool 31
The bed 81 shown, are arranged radially with respect to the center axis C _S, and three gripping claws 91 which are movably supported in a radial direction with respect to the central axis line C _S, which is accommodated in the bed 81 A cam member (not shown) that is driven forward and backward by an air cylinder to move the gripping claws 91 outward and inward in the radial direction with respect to the central axis C _S, and the bed 81 with the central axis C _M of the transfer machine. Holding arm member 92 swingably supported about parallel axes, and the holding arm member
And an air cylinder 93 for swinging 92.

Each transfer device 35 here is paired with each transfer locator 33 as described above, and is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 3, a moving base 94 that supports the transport locator 33,
The movable table 94, and by extension, a normal guide member 95 for guiding the movement of the transport locator 33 in the extending direction of the central axis C _L , the movable table 94 is _{arranged in} the extending direction of the central axis C _L. 1 and FIG. 1 which are sufficiently separated from the machine tool 31 and the work clamper 34, and the delivery position (not shown) in which the rear axle housing 1 held in the positioned state by the transport locator 33 is moved to the machining position. A drive mechanism (not shown) configured by a ball screw shaft driven by a servomotor and a vowel nut, which moves the transport locator 33 forward and backward between the transport position shown in FIG. It will be equipped.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the transfer transfer device 36 in this case extends along the central axis C _M from the work loading station to the work unloading station over the entire length of the transfer machine. Two guide rails 96 and their guide rails
A guide structure portion 98 that guides the movement of each of the transfer devices 35 between the stations by a slider 97 that is movably fitted to the 96, and a distance between the stations at an interval equal to the pitch P by the distance plate 99. The delivery devices 35 are separated from each other and connected to each other, and a delivery drive motor (not shown) that drives the delivery devices 35 forward and backward through a rack 100 provided below the distance plate 99 and a pinion (not shown) that meshes with the rack 100. it comprises a, each transfer device 35 by such a configuration, the position of the two stations, the central axis C _L of the central axis line C _S in the transport locator 33 of the previous station matches the adjacent, the next station center Transport locator 33 on axis C _S
Can be reciprocated to and from a position where the central axis line C _L of the same matches.

In the flexible transfer machine of this embodiment constructed as described above, first, the transfer carrier device 36 positions each transfer device 35 at a front station which is a work loading station or a processing station. , Each transfer device 35 positions each transfer locator 33 at the transfer position, and at the transfer position, the arm member elevating mechanism 59 moves the two arm members 42 upward so that the V grooves 41 of the arm members 42 form a cylinder. The central gripping mechanism 68 grips and positions the outer peripheral surface of the central part 2 with the three swinging claws 60 while receiving and holding the shaped part 3, so that each delivery device 35 processes each of the rear axle housings 1 by each process. The two cylindrical parts 3 are received from the work clamper 34 at the station 32 and from the handling robot at the work carry-in station. Serial central axis C _M and the center portion 2 is the central axis as well as located concentrically C _S, C _L
It is positioned and held in a posture of being concentric with.

Next, here, after each transfer device 35 retracts each transfer locator 33 to the transfer position, the transfer transfer device 36 moves each transfer device 35 together with each transfer locator 33 holding the rear axle housing 1. , The processing station 32 or the next station, which is a workpiece unloading station, where each transfer device 35 advances each transfer locator 33 to the transfer position again, and then the arm member lifting mechanism 59 moves the two arm members 42. Is moved downward to open the cylindrical portion 3 and the central portion gripping mechanism 68
By opening the central portion 2, each transport locator 33 opens the rear axle housing 1 at its delivery position.

In combination with the opening operation of each of the transport locators 33, the tubular portion holding mechanism 70 in each processing station 32 has the tubular portion 3 with its clamp claw 77 and the V block 74.
The central part gripping mechanism 90 holds the central part
Each work clamper 34 receives the rear axle housing 1 from each transport locator 33 by gripping and positioning the central portion 2 with the three gripping claws 91 from the inside so as not to interfere with the three swinging claws 60 of 68. , The two cylindrical portions 3 are positioned concentrically with the central axis C _M, and the central portion 2 is positioned and fixed at the working position concentric with the central axes C _S , C _L, and At the work unloading station, the handling robot receives the rear axle housing 1 at a predetermined work unloading position corresponding to the machining position, and then each delivery device 35 delivers the rear axle housing 1 to each work clamper 34 and empties it. Each of the transport locators 33 that have become
The holding arm member 92 swung toward the central portion 2 presses the central portion 2 against a predetermined fixed wall surface to securely fix it in the direction of the central axis C _S , and then the machine tool 31 of each processing station The rear axle housing 1 is processed.

While the machine tool 31 is processing the rear axle housing 1, however, here, the transfer transfer device 36 moves each transfer device 35 together with each empty transfer locator 33 back to the front station, and thereafter When the processing of the rear axle housing 1 is completed, at each processing station, first, the central gripping mechanism 90 swings the holding arm member 92 away from the central part 2, and then each transfer device 35 moves each transport locator 33. The work clamper 34 is moved forward to the delivery position, and then the tubular portion holding mechanism 70 opens the tubular portion 3 and the central portion holding mechanism 90 retracts the holding claws 91 to open the central portion 2 so that each work clamper 34 is opened.
Opens the rear axle housing 1, and at the work loading station, the depalletizer positions the rear axle housing 1 at a predetermined work loading position corresponding to the machining position, and further opens the work clamper 34 and positions the depalletizer. In conjunction with this, each transport locator 33 advanced to the delivery position receives the rear axle housing 1 from the work clamper 34 at the processing station 32 and from the depalletizer at the work loading station as described above.

By repeating the above steps as one cycle, the transfer
According to the machine, a rear axle housing 1 which is a work having a bowl-shaped central portion 2 and two tubular portions 3 extending in opposite directions from both sides of the central portion 2 is loaded into the machine at a workpiece loading station. From there, it can be sequentially conveyed to a plurality of processing stations 32, processed at those processing stations 32, and carried out of the machine at a work loading station.

Further, in the flexible transfer machine of this embodiment, the arm member elevating mechanism 59 changes the rising height of the two arm members 42 by the intermediate stop of the cam plate 45, and the central gripping mechanism 68 is changed. Since the central portion 2 is gripped by swinging the three swinging claws 60 in the radial direction, the transport locator 33
Corresponds to the difference in the two kinds of thickness and the length of the tubular portion 2 to a certain extent, and to the difference in the size of the central portion 3 to a certain extent, a plurality of types of rear axle housings 1 having different dimensions are provided. It can be positioned at a predetermined position, and the two tubular portion holding mechanisms 70 change the position of the V blocks 74 in the height direction, and the holding position moving mechanism 71 moves the tubular portion holding mechanisms 70 in the horizontal direction. Since the central portion gripping mechanism 90 grips the central portion 2 by changing the positions and the three gripping claws 91 move in the radial direction, the work clamper 34 also
A plurality of types of rear axle housings 1 having different sizes are processed corresponding to the difference in the two kinds of thickness and the length of the tubular portion 2 and the difference in the size of the central portion 3 to some extent. It can be positioned at 32 predetermined processing positions.

Therefore, according to the flexible transfer machine of this embodiment, when a plurality of types of rear axle housings 1 are processed, those rear axle housings 1 are automatically set up without any special setup work. Since it is possible to carry and position and process, it is possible to reduce the number of man-hours of the worker and to improve the production efficiency.

Although the present invention has been described above based on the illustrated example, the present invention is not limited to the above example. For example, the work to be processed may be something other than the banjo type rear axle housing 1 of the above example, and each means. Also, it can be appropriately changed within the scope of the present invention.

[0037]

As described above, according to the flexible transfer machine of the present invention, a plurality of types of workpieces having a bowl-shaped central portion and two tubular portions extending in opposite directions from both sides of the central portion are machined. In this case, since these works can be automatically conveyed and positioned without any step and processed, the man-hours of the worker can be reduced and the production efficiency can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing a processing station in an embodiment of a flexible transfer machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the processing station.

FIG. 3 is a side view showing the processing station.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the transport locator in the above embodiment with a part thereof cut away.

5 is a left half portion showing the above-mentioned transport locator, A- in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A, and the right half is a plan view showing the transport locator.

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the transport locator.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the transport locator.

FIG. 8 is a front view showing the tubular portion holding mechanism in the above embodiment with a part thereof cut away.

FIG. 9 is a plan view showing the tubular portion holding mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a side view showing the tubular portion holding mechanism with a part thereof cut away.

FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional view taken along line BB of FIG. 8, showing the tubular portion holding mechanism.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a holding position moving mechanism in the above embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a front view showing one processing station in an example of a conventional transfer machine.

FIG. 14 is a front view showing the pallet and the fixing jig in the above conventional example with a part thereof cut away.

FIG. 15 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a side end portion of the fixing jig.

FIG. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the central portion of the fixing jig.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Rear axle housing 2 Central part 3 Cylindrical part 31 Machine tool 32 Machining station 33 Transfer locator 34 Work clamper 35 Delivery device 36 Transfer transfer device 42 Arm member 59 Arm member lifting mechanism 60 Swing claw 68 Center part gripping mechanism 70 Cylindrical part Clamping mechanism 71 Clamping position moving mechanism 90 Central gripping mechanism 91 Grip claw

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of types of workpieces (1) each having a bowl-shaped central portion (2) and two cylindrical portions (3) extending in opposite directions from both sides of the central portion are respectively machine tool (31). )
A flexible transfer machine for sequentially transporting to a plurality of processing stations (32) equipped with, and processing at those processing stations, in which two tubular portions are held to hold the two tubular portions from below respectively. The member (42), a holding member height changing means (59) for changing the height of the cylindrical portion holding members, and the central portion are gripped by moving a plurality of claws (60) in the radial direction. A transport locator (33) for positioning and holding the work in a posture such that it has a transport central portion gripping means (68), and the two tubular portions extend in the horizontal direction; Two tubular portion holding means (70) for holding each tubular portion of the book, and a holding means horizontal position changing means (71) for changing the horizontal positions of the tubular portion holding means, respectively.
And a fixing central portion grasping means (90) for grasping and positioning the central portion by a movement of a plurality of claws (91) in the radial direction at a position where it does not interfere with the conveying central portion grasping means. A work clamper (34) installed at each of the processing stations for positioning and fixing the work in a predetermined position with respect to the machine tool in such a posture that the two tubular portions extend in the horizontal direction. A plurality of transfer means (35) for supporting the transfer locator and moving the transfer locator forward and backward with respect to the machine tool between a predetermined transfer position and a predetermined transfer position at the processing station; A flexible transfer machine comprising: a transfer transfer means (36) for reciprocating the means between the processing stations.