JPS5859742A - Tool storage unit of machining center - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the precision of tool take out positions by connecting a pair of link plates facing to each other at a distance and a pair of holder supports facing to each other in turn through a spacer to constitute a magazine chain. CONSTITUTION:An inner link is constituted by a pair of link plates 20 pierced and connected by bushings 21. An outer link is constituted by facing a pair of holder supports 23 to each other formed with a tool holder fitting hole 26 the center of which is located above the pitch line of a chain. Outer links and inner links are connected in turn with pins 22 through spacers 24. Guide rails may be arranged under the space retaining members 24 to guide individual links, or side rolls may be fitted on both ends of pins 22 so that they are pinched by a pair of guide rails from above and below to prevent links from floating. Thereby, the degree of parallelization of tools is not spoiled and the precision of tool take out positions can be maintained constant.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a chain that is used in a machining center (a multi-purpose machine tool that can perform several types of cutting functions at the same location) and is equipped with a large number of tool magazines into which various tools can be removably inserted. This relates to a type tool storage device.

For example, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the machining center 1 has a large number of tool magazines 3 in which various tools 2 are removably inserted into a chain 4 (4' is a sprocket). In the attached chain-type one-item storage device 5, the control device rotates the chain 4 and stops it at a desired position, and the positioning device 6 is activated and locked.

Next, the gripper part 8 of the gripper device 7 moves to the left in the drawing and stops by fitting the gripper 10 into the groove 9 of the predetermined tool 2. Next, the gripper 10 moves vertically upward in the drawing to remove the tool 2 from the tool magazine 3, and then the gripper part 8 moves to the right in the drawing, and the gripper 1
When the tool 2 held in the gripper 10 comes to the holder position of the main shaft 1111 by rotating the gripper 10 by 180 degrees, the gripper 10 is moved vertically downward in the drawing and the main shaft 1
Attach tool 2 to 1. Next, the gripper part 8 moves to the left in the drawing and waits at an intermediate position. Then, the main shaft 11 rotates to perform a predetermined cutting process, and after the cutting process, the above-mentioned operation is repeated to perform various cutting processes.

FIG. 3 shows a conventional chain-type one-item storage device. This device is unstable because the tool magazine 16 is installed between the two separated chains 12, 16, and 14, 15, and the parallel chains 12, 14, and 15 are unstable.
．． Tool magazine 16 due to different wear elongation of 13
This eliminates drawbacks such as the accuracy of the gripper removal position of the tool inserted in the tool magazine 16 becoming poor due to the collapse of the parallelism, etc. of the tool magazine 16.

The one shown in Fig. 4 solves the above-mentioned drawbacks, and the parallel chains 17 and 18 are integrated with a common connecting pin 19 (19' is a spacing member), but the meshing with the sprocket is difficult. In this case, two rows of tooth surfaces are required to mesh with the chain, and when two sprockets are used, it is difficult to match the pitches of the two teeth, making it difficult to pick up the sprocket. Furthermore, since there are two chains, the number of parts is large, making the device heavy and costly.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks, and embodiments of the chain type one-item storage device of the present invention will be described below based on the drawings.

In Figures 5 and 6, 20 is a pair of facing inner link plates 1 and 22 which are inserted into the bushing 21 and formed into a pair of opposing inner link plates 20 and an outer link plate. connecting pins 2 that alternately connect a pair of opposing magazine supports 23 in the longitudinal direction;
4 is the outer surface of the inner link plate 20 and the magazine support 2
A tubular spacing member 25 is loosely fitted to the connecting pin 22 between the bushing 21 and the inner surface of the bushing 21 . The magazine support 23 has a tool magazine insertion hole 26 whose center is located above the pitch line (A-AIB) of the chain configured as described above, and the tool magazine (not shown) is inserted into the insertion hole 26. The magazine support 23 is inserted into the magazine support 23 and fixedly held between the pair of magazine supports 23.

As described above, the tool storage device of the present invention is configured as a single-row chain.

Alternatively, the magazine support 27 may have a tool magazine insertion hole 28 whose center is on the pitch line (line B--B) of the chain, as shown in FIG. According to this magazine support 27, the tool magazine loaded with tools is located on the pitch line, so even near the engagement with the sprocket, the chain vibrates vertically and horizontally due to rotational inertia, etc., unlike the one shown in Fig. 5. This will stabilize the situation.

Note that it is possible to guide the chain by laying a guide rail (not shown) below the spacing member 24. Also, when taking out a tool at a position where the chain meshes with the sprocket, it is easy to provide a guide rail around the sprocket, and the accuracy of tool removal can be significantly improved.

The one shown in FIG. 8 incorporates a reinforcing link plate to provide reinforcement against tensile force during chain transmission, side force acting on the chain when inserting and removing tools, and the like. That is, a reinforcing link plate 29 is disposed between longitudinally adjacent magazine supports 23, loosely inserted and fixed to the connecting pin 22, and assembled between the magazine support 23 and the spacing member 24, and 30 is longitudinally adjacent to each other. This reinforcing link plate is disposed between the inner link plates 20 and is loosely inserted and fixed to the connecting pin 22, and assembled between the inner link plate 20 and the spacing member 24. (reinforcing link play)
One of 29.30 may be excluded.

In Figure 9, side rollers are attached to the outside of the magazine support to stabilize the running of the chain. That is, 3
Reference numeral 1 denotes a steel side roller supported by a protrusion of a connecting pin 32 protruding from the outer surface of the magazine support 23, and is made of synthetic resin or M alloy to prevent vibration and noise.
Preferably, it is manufactured from a non-ferrous metal such as a ZN alloy. Note that the side rollers 31 may be installed every few pitches or in a staggered manner.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show guide rails 33 on which the side rollers 31 run and which prevent the side rollers 31 from floating up.
34, with flat rails facing each other (
(Fig. 10) or one with a U-shaped cross section (Fig. 11).

The magazine support in the embodiments of FIGS.
Although the magazine support 23 shown in the figure is used, it goes without saying that the magazine support 27 shown in FIG. 7 may also be used.

As described above, in the present invention, since the opposing magazine supports are fixed with a single connecting pin, the entire device is stabilized, and it is also possible to easily obtain the accuracy of the opposing center position of the tool magazine insertion hole drilled in the magazine support. Therefore, the mounting accuracy of the tool magazine can be easily maintained, and furthermore, the positions of the opposing magazine supports do not shift during use of the device, and the positional accuracy of the tool removal by the gripper can be maintained constant.

Furthermore, since this device uses a single row of chains, the number of parts is small and the structure is simple, making the device lightweight and reducing costs.

Furthermore, by using a single row of chains, only one sprocket is required, so phasing is not required and sprocket assembly becomes easy.

Furthermore, even when the tool is taken out at a position where the chain meshes with the sprocket, a guide rail for guiding the spacing member can be provided around the sprocket, so the accuracy of tool removal is significantly improved.

By incorporating a reinforcing link plate, the present invention is able to withstand tensile forces during chain transmission and side forces that act in a direction perpendicular to the chain's traveling direction (perpendicular to the magazine support) when inserting and removing tools using the gripper. It has great strength and rigidity.

Furthermore, the present invention provides side rollers running on guide rails outside the magazine support, so that even if a moment in a direction perpendicular to the chain traveling direction is applied to the chain by a tool inserted in the tool magazine (second (see figure), the side rollers come into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the guide rail and are restricted from moving in the right angle direction, so the parallelism of the tool does not deteriorate and the accuracy of the tool removal position by the gripper is maintained constant. It has the excellent effect of being Furthermore, when there is a vertical part in the equipment layout, the moment from the tool acts and the chain becomes zigzag (see Figure 1), resulting in a jerky and unstable start. The zigzag state is regulated and the start is smoother, increasing the stability of the device as a whole.
When loading and unloading tools from the tool magazine, the side rollers or the side surfaces of the magazine support come into contact with the guide rails and movement in the loading/unloading direction is restricted, making it extremely easy to load and unload tools from the tool magazine. It has the following effects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is an overview diagram of the machining center, Figure 2 is the
FIGS. 3 and 4 are side views of conventional tool storage devices, respectively. FIGS. 7 is a front view, FIG. 8 is a plan view, FIG. 9 is a plan view, and FIGS. 10 and 11 are side views, respectively. - 20...Inner link plate 22.32...Connection pins 23, 27-...Magazine support 24-...Space holding members 29, 30...Reinforcement link plate 31...
Side roller 33.34...Guide rail. Figure 1 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 2 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 1I Figure

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] (1) A pair of opposing inner link plates and a pair of opposing magazine supports that are disposed on both outer sides of the pair of inner link plates via a spacing member to form an outer link plate. A machining center tool storage device that is connected alternately in the longitudinal direction with connecting pins. (2) A pair of opposing inner link plates and a pair of opposing magazine supports, which are disposed on both outer sides of the pair of inner link plates via spacing members to form an outer link plate, are connected in the longitudinal direction with a connecting pin. A tool storage device for a machining center, in which a reinforcing link plate is attached to at least one of the longitudinally adjacent inner link plates and the magazine support, which are connected alternately. (5) A pair of opposing inner link plates and a pair of opposing magazine supports, which are disposed on both outer sides of the pair of inner link plates via spacing members to form an outer link plate, are connected in the longitudinal direction with a connecting pin. Sails connected alternately and running on guide rails outside the magazine support)
A tool storage device for a machining center equipped with a 0-ra.