JPS5853982B2 - tool changer - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a tool changer for changing tools between a machine tool spindle and a tool change position, and more particularly to a tool changer comprising a pair of pivot arms reversibly overlapping about a common axis. This invention relates to an improvement of a tool changing device.

A pair of rotating arms are provided on each end of the support shaft, which are fitted together so as to rotate relative to each other, and are superimposed in a reversible manner, and the pair of rotating arms are rotated in opposite directions to grasp and release the tool. In addition, a tool changing device configured to exchange the relative positions of tools by rotating a pair of rotating arms in the same direction is well known.

By the way, in this type of tool changer, gears are generally formed on each support shaft that supports a pair of rotating arms, and the pair of rotating arms rotate in opposite directions to grip and release tools. The rotation given to one of the swing arms by the gear is transmitted to the other swing arm by converting the direction of rotation using a differential gear mechanism or an intermediate gear mechanism,
Further, the pair of pivoting arms are pivoted in the same direction for exchanging tools by moving the racks meshed with both gears at the same time by advancing the support shaft.

For this reason, the conventional tool changer of this type has a complicated structure, which results in an increase in cost.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a tool changer with a simple structure and a low profile, and in order to achieve this object, the present invention utilizes a cam to enable the pivoting motion of a pair of pivoting arms in mutually opposite directions. It was designed to be carried out.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 indicates the main body of the tool changer. A sleeve-shaped first support shaft 11 is rotatably and axially movably supported on this main body 10, and a first pivot arm is attached to the tip of this support shaft 11. 12 are spline engaged.

A second support shaft 13 is rotatably fitted in the first support shaft 11 on the same axis, and a second swing arm 14 is arranged at the tip of the second support shaft 13 so as to overlap with the first swing arm 12. It is spline engaged and is prevented from coming out by a tightening nut 15.

As shown in FIG. 2, these first and second swing arms 12.14 have a tool T1 inserted into the machine tool spindle 16 at both ends thereof, and a tool socket 17 held at the tool exchange position.
Semicircular engagement gripping portions 19 and 20 are formed to correspond to each other, and engage with each flange portion of the tool T2 inserted into the tool T2.

A cylinder 21 for advancing and retracting is formed within the second support shaft 13,
A fixed piston 22 is fitted into this cylinder 21 so as to be relatively slidable, and the open end of the cylinder 21 is connected to the second support shaft 1.
It is closed by an end cap 23 screwed onto the rear end of 3.

The main body 10 has a cam sleeve 25 attached to the support shaft 11.13.
It is supported so that it can only rotate on the same axis.

As shown in the exploded view of FIG. 4, the inner periphery of the cam sleeve 25 is continuously formed with cam portions 26a and 27a that are inclined in opposite directions and cam portions 26b and 27b that extend in the axial direction parallel to each other. Two cam grooves 26.27
is provided.

On the inner periphery of the cam sleeve 25, there is a protruding surface 11a that protrudes from the outer periphery of the first support shaft 11, and a protruding surface that protrudes from the outer periphery of the second support shaft 13 through a notch formed in the first support shaft 11. 13a are joined to each other at different angular positions as shown in FIG.

An engaging ball 28 that engages with one of the cam grooves 26 is held on the protruding surface 11a, and an engaging ball 29 that engages with the other cam groove 27 is held on the protruding surface 13a.

These engaging balls 28 and 29 are normally connected to the hook cam grooves 26 and 27.
is engaged with the starting end of.

Further, a pinion 30 is formed on the outer periphery of the cam sleeve 25, and a rack piston 31 is meshed with this pinion 30.

The rack piston 31 is fitted into a second turning cylinder 32 formed in the main body 10 so as to be slidable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the cam sleeve 25.

Further, at the rear of the main body 10 is a first turning cylinder 33.
A piston 34 is slidably fitted into the cylinder 33.

The tip of this piston 34 can be relatively rotatably joined to the end cap 23 of the second support shaft 13 via a thrust bearing.

A closing member 35 that closes the rear end of the first swing cylinder 33 is fixed to the rear end of the main body 10, and the second swing cylinder 21 passes through the piston 34 and the end cap 23 to this closure member 35. A rod 36 is formed that protrudes into the fixed piston 22 at one end of the rod 36.
are connected.

Next, the tool exchange operation of the apparatus of the present invention configured as described above will be explained.

In the state shown by the solid line in FIGS. 1 and 2, when the predetermined machining with the tool T1 inserted into the machine tool main shaft 16 is completed, pressure is applied to the rear chamber of the first swing cylinder 33 via the oil passage 41. Oil is supplied and the piston 34 is advanced.

As the piston 34 moves forward, the second support shaft 13 and the first support shaft 11 move forward, and at the same time, the first and second support shafts 11 move forward.
, 13 are pivoted in opposite directions as the engagement balls 28, 29 move along the inclined cam portions 26a, 27a of the cam grooves 26, 27.

As a result, while the first and second swing arms 12.14 move forward, the first swing arm 12 moves counterclockwise in FIG. 2, and the second swing arm 14 moves clockwise around the common axis. They are rotated respectively.

When the piston 34 is advanced to a predetermined position and each engagement ball 28, 29 reaches the terminal position of the inclined cam portions 26a, 27a, the pair of swing arms 12, 14 are moved as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. The main shaft 1 is held between the engaging gripping parts 19 and 20.
The tool T1 inserted into the tool socket 6 and the tool T2 in the tool socket 17 prepared at the tool exchange position are respectively gripped.

Subsequently, pressure oil is supplied to the front chamber of the advancing/retracting cylinder 21 via the oil passage 42, and thereby the first and second support shafts 11.1
3 are moved forward together, and the drawing tools TI and T2 gripped by the pair of rotating arms 12 and 14 are released from the main shaft 16 and the tool socket 17, respectively.

At this time, the engaging balls 28 and 29 on the first and second support shafts 11 and 13 move along the linear cam portions 26b and 27b.

When the swing arm 12.14 reaches the axial forward end, pressure oil is then supplied to the second swing cylinder 32, the rack piston 31 is slid, and the cam sleeve 25 is moved through the pinion 30 that meshes with the rack piston 31. It is rotated 1800 times.

This rotation of the cam sleeve 25 causes the cam grooves 26 and 27 to open.
The first
, second support shaft 11°13 and first and second swing arms 1
2.14 is rotated integrally with the cam sleeve 25 to transfer the tool T1 to the tool exchange position and the tool T2 to the main shaft 16 position.

After that, pressure oil is supplied to the rear chamber of the advance/retreat cylinder 21 through the oil passage 43, and the first and second support shafts IL13 are retreated to a position where they collide with the piston 34, and both tools TI,
Insert T2 into the tool socket 17 and spindle 16, respectively.

In this way, the first and second support shafts 11.13 are retracted by a predetermined amount in the axial direction, and the tool TI;
When inserted into the main shaft 16, the engagement balls 28.29 are again located at the joints between the cam portions 26b, 27b and the cam portions 26a, 27a of the cam grooves 26.27, and then the oil passage 41 is By communicating with the oil tank, the first and second
The backward movement of the support shafts 11.13 continues, and the first and second support shafts 11.13 are pivoted in opposite directions by the cam action.

Therefore, the first and second pivot arms 12 and 14 are pivoted in opposite directions and return to the original positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 while releasing the tools TI and T2.

In the embodiment described above, the pivoting movements of the pair of pivoting arms 12.14 in mutually opposite directions for gripping and releasing the tool are performed in accordance with the axial movement of the first and second support shafts 11.13. Therefore, the tool changer can normally be held at a position recessed from the spindle 16, which is extremely effective in preventing interference with the workpiece being machined by the spindle tool. The present invention is not limited to this type of tool changing device.

Therefore, another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

The inner periphery of the cam sleeve 125 shown in FIG. 5 is formed with cam grooves similar to those in the previous embodiment, that is, two cam grooves 26 and 27 having the shape shown in FIG. 4.

The cam sleeve 125 is supported so as to be able to move a predetermined amount in the axial direction, and a piston 134 fitted in a first turning cylinder 133 formed at the rear of the main body 110 is coupled to the rear end.

A pinion 130 that meshes with the rack piston 31 is formed on the outer periphery of the cam sleeve 125, and the pinion 130 is formed wide so as to maintain the meshing relationship with the rack piston 31 in the middle of the stroke of the cam sleeve 125.

A first supporting a pair of first and second pivot arms 12.14.
, engagement balls 28 and 29 are held on the second support shafts 111 and 113 as in the previous embodiment, and these engagement balls 28
．． 29 are respectively engaged with cam grooves 26 and 27 of the cam sleeve 125.

Inside the second support shaft 113 is a rod 13 of a closing member 135 fixed to the rear end of the main body 110.
A fixed piston 122 connected to the piston 6 is fitted for relative sliding movement.

Therefore, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, when pressure oil is first supplied to the front chamber of the swing cylinder 133, the cam sleeve 125 is retracted together with the piston 134, and thereby the first and second support shafts 111 , 113, the first and second pivot arms 12.14 are pivoted in opposite directions by cam action to grip the tool.

Subsequently, pressure oil is supplied to the front chamber of the advancing/retracting cylinder 121, and the first and second support shafts 111, 113 are advanced by a predetermined amount.
Remove the tool from the spindle and tool socket.

Thereafter, the rack piston 31 is slid and rotates the first and second support shafts 111, 113 and the first and second swing arms 12.14 integrally through 180 degrees via the cam sleeve 125.

Subsequently, pressure oil is supplied to the rear chamber of the advance/retreat cylinder 121, and the first and second support shafts 111, 113 are retreated by a predetermined amount.
Insert the tool into the spindle and tool socket.

Pressure oil is then supplied to the rear chamber of the swing cylinder 133 to advance the cam sleeve 125, swinging the first and second swing arms 12.14 in opposite directions to release the tool.

That is, according to this embodiment, the first and second swing arms 1
2 and 14 can be performed without any axial movement.

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, the first and second support shafts supporting the pair of rotating arms superimposed so as to be relatively rotatable with each other and the cam sleeve are disposed coaxially with each other. The first and second support shafts are engaged with cams formed on the cam sleeve, and the cam sleeve and the first and second support shafts are connected to each other.
By relatively moving the support shaft in the axial direction, the first and second support shafts are rotated in opposite directions by a cam action, and the tool is gripped and released by the pair of rotating arms. By rotating the cam sleeve, the first and second support shafts are integrally rotated via the cam, and the tool gripped by the pair of swing arms is transferred between the main shaft position and the tool exchange position. Because of this configuration, it is possible to obtain a tool changer with a simpler structure and lower profile compared to conventional ones using a general gear mechanism, and also has the feature that reliable operation can be expected due to the cam action. .

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a tool changing device showing an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a view in the direction of the ■ arrow in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the - - - line in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a developed view of the cam sleeve, and Fig. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the tool changer shown in FIG. 10... Main body, 11, 13... First,
Second support shafts 12, 14...First and second swing arms, 15...Machine tool main shaft, 17...
Tool socket, 18°19...Engagement grip part, 2
1... Advance/retreat cylinder, 25... Cam sleeve, 26, 27... Cam groove, 28.29
...... Engagement ball, 32... Second swing cylinder, 33... First swing cylinder.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A pair of reversibly rotatable first members that are arranged to overlap each other and cooperatively grip and release a tool inserted into a machine tool spindle and a tool held at a tool exchange position. , a second swing arm, first and second support shafts that are relatively rotatably fitted on the same axis and support the first and second swing arms, respectively; a cam sleeve formed with a cam disposed on the same axis so as to be rotatable and movable in a relative axial direction and engaged with the first and second support shafts, and a tool gripping;
a first swing drive device that moves the first and second support shafts and the cam sleeve relative to each other in the axial direction for release, and swings the first and second swing arms in opposite directions by the action of the cam; and an advancement/retraction drive device for advancing and retracting the first and second support shafts by a predetermined amount in order to attach and detach the tool;
and a second swing drive device that rotates the cam sleeve by a predetermined angle to rotate the first and second swing arms in the same direction in order to transfer the tool. 2. The cam of the cam sleeve consists of two cams each having a cam portion that is inclined in opposite directions and a cam portion that extends in the axial direction parallel to each other, each of which is continuously formed, and one of the cams is provided with the first cam portion. 2. The tool changing device according to claim 1, wherein an engager provided on the support shaft is engaged with an engager provided on the second support shaft.