JPS61136751A - Automatic tool exchanger - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the whole constitution by transmitting the shift of a machine tool body on replacing a tool as the revolution movement onto a tool magazine body, thus omitting a tool replacing arm. CONSTITUTION:A machine tool body 2 is equipped with a transfer base shiftable in the X-aixs direction on the upper surface of a bed 3, transfer column 5 shiftable in the X-axis direction on the transfer base 4, and a head 6 shiftable in the Y-axis direction on the front surface of the transfer column 5. A tool magazine body 13 is supported by a support 14 installed onto the bed 3 and a frame 15. Further, a revolution transmission mechanism is equipped with a hook engaged with the engaging pieces 24 and 25 of the machine tool body 2. In other words, these hooks are supported in slidable ways in the direction of each axis line in the state where the hook crosses at right angles to a frame 15.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically changing tools in a machine tool body.

Prior art This type of automatic tool changer is generally equipped with a tool change arm between the spindle on the machine tool body side and the tool magazine, and the rotational movement of this change arm causes the tools on the machine tool body side to be exchanged between the tool magazine and the spindle on the machine tool body side. Automatically exchange tools between. In these conventional devices, in addition to the drive device for driving the tool change arm, the drive device for indexing and rotating the magazine to the tool removal position is separately provided, so the installation conditions for the drive device are The number of devices increases, making it difficult to downsize and synchronously controlling them.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to use the movement of a numerically controllable machine tool body to perform a tool exchange operation, and also to use the movement of the machine tool body as a drive source for a tool magazine. , thereby omitting the drive device for the tool exchange arm and the tool magazine, thereby simplifying the structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention provides a tool magazine body rotatable about the same direction as the spindle of a numerically controllable machine tool body, and directly moves the spindle to a predetermined position in the tool magazine. In addition to the exchange, the tool magazine is indexed and rotated by a predetermined amount using the motion of the machine tool body.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The automatic tool changer 1 of the present invention is premised on the existence of a machine tool main body 2 that can be numerically controlled. This machine tool body 2
is a movable base 4 movable in the X-axis direction on the top surface of the vent 3, a movable column 5 movable in the X-axis direction on this movable base 4, and a movable column 5 movable in the Y-axis direction on the front surface of this movable column 5. It is equipped with a head 6. These are controlled to move in the X-axis direction, the X-axis direction, and the Y-axis direction by the respective feed motors 7.8.9 by the numerical control device. The head 6 includes a spindle 10 extending in the X-axis direction, and a drive motor 11 applies rotational motion for cutting to a tool 12a of a tool holder 12 held by the spindle 10.

On the other hand, the automatic tool changer 1 includes a rotatably supported tool magazine body 13.

This tool magazine body 13 is supported by a support 14 and a frame 15 mounted on the bed 3. In other words, the rotation axis 1 of the tool magazine body 13
6 is the frame 1 in parallel with the spindle 10.
It is rotatably supported on a bearing 17 of No. 5. The tool magazine main body 13 has an equilateral triangular shape as a whole, and each side thereof holds a plurality of pairs of tool holding claws 18 and 19 as tool holding claw means. One of the pair of tool holding claws 18 is fixed to the tool magazine body 13, while the other tool holding claw 19 is rotatably supported by a pin 20 and biased in the closing direction by a compression spring 2I. has been done. Note that a stopper 22 for preventing tool rotation is provided between the tool holding claws 18 and I9.

The automatic tool changer 1 of the present invention has, as its most characteristic feature, a rotation transmission mechanism 23 that transmits the movement of the machine tool body 2 during tool exchange to the tool magazine body 13 as a rotational motion. There is. That is, the machine tool main body 2 is provided with engagement pieces 24 and 25 for imparting movement of the machine tool main body 2 to the rotation transmission mechanism 23 at a movable portion thereof, such as a portion of the moving column 5.

On the other hand, the rotation transmission mechanism 23 has these engagement pieces 24.
It is provided with hooks 26 and 27 that engage with 25. That is, these hooks 26 and 27 are supported by the frame 15 so as to be slidable in each axial direction in a state perpendicular to each other, and are engaged with each other by engagement grooves 28 and 29 formed at the tips. It is designed so that it can be engaged with pieces 24 and 25 respectively. Note that these hooks 26 and 27 are prevented from rotating by grooves 32 and 33 formed in the axial direction, respectively, and rotation prevention pins 30 and 31.

The hook 26a carved on the hook 26 is engaged with the gear 3 attached to the intermediate shaft 36 via a one-way clutch 37 that transmits rotation in only one direction. 27a is a one-way clutch 4 of the intermediate shaft 36 by a gear 40 attached to the intermediate shaft 39 and a worm 4I attached to the intermediate shaft 39.
It meshes with a worm wheel 43 attached to 2.

The one-way clutches 37 and 42 are both attached to the intermediate shaft 36, but only transmit rotations in different directions to the intermediate shaft 36. Note that this intermediate shaft 36 is rotatably supported inside the frame 15 by a bearing portion 44 at an end.

The rotation of the intermediate shaft 36 is transmitted as an intermittent rotational movement to the Geneva gear 46 by the Geneva crank 45 at the tip. This Geneva gear 46 is supported by a support shaft 47 with respect to the frame 15, and meshes with a gear 49 fixed to the rotating shaft 16 by a gear 48 on the outer periphery. The index position of the rotary shaft 16 can be detected by a limit/throat switch 50 provided at the rear end.

action of invention Next, the operation of the automatic tool changer 1 will be explained.

The machine tool body 2 is positioned by a numerical control device,
The drive motor 11 of the spindle 10 rotates the tool holder 12 at its tip, and the tool 12a performs necessary cutting on the workpiece. When such cutting is completed, the machine tool main body 2 returns the spindle IO to the original position, which is the reference position for machining, and waits for the next operation.

-3. When exchanging tools, the movable base 4 moves in the direction of the tool magazine main body 13 and approaches the tool magazine body 13 according to a command from the numerical control device, and holds the used tool holder 12 attached to the tip of the spindle 10 in a predetermined tool position. The tool holder 12 is inserted and retracted between the claws 18 and 19, and then the clamping device (not shown) inside the spindle 10 is opened to unclamp the tool holder 12, and then the moving column 5 moves to Z! l! The operator moves backward in one direction, pulls out the tool holder 12 from the spindle 10, and causes the tool holding claws 8 and 9 to grip the tool holder 12.

Then, when the tool holder 12 to be newly mounted on the spindle 10 is in the same position, directly corresponding to the spindle 10, no indexing movement is required with respect to the tool magazine body 13. Therefore, the head 6 moves in the X-axis direction in response to a command from the numerical control device, and the spindle 10
The tool holder 12 is mounted on the spindle 10 by moving toward the position of the tool holder 12 to be mounted from the rear, and then moving the moving column 5 forward in the Z-axis direction. In this state, when the tool clamp is performed by the clamp device inside the spindle 10, the tool holder 12
is attached to the spindle 10. After doing this, the machine tool main body 2 retreats in the Z-axis direction and pulls out the tool holder 12 from the tool magazine main body 13, returns to the original position 7, and prepares for the next cutting process with a new tool 12a. It turns out.

By the way, if the tool holder 12 to be newly mounted does not correspond to the take-out position of the spindle 10, indexing motion of the tool magazine body 13 in the forward or reverse direction is required.

Therefore, in the present invention, after the used tool holder 12 of the spindle 10 is stored in a predetermined position of the tool magazine body 13, indexing motion is applied to the tool magazine body 13 by movement of the machine tool body 2. For example, when rotating the tool magazine body 13 in the normal rotation direction, the moving column 5 approaches the tool magazine body 13 and the spatula 6 descends, causing the engagement piece 24 fixed to the head 6 to engage with the hook 26. Engage with the matching groove 28. By moving the moving table 4 to the right by a predetermined amount in the X-axis direction, the engagement piece 24 is also moved in the X-axis direction. In this way, the movement of the hook 26 causes the gear 38 to rotate, and the rotation is transmitted to the intermediate shaft 36 via the axial clutch 37.
Furthermore, Gene)<crank 45, Geneva gear 46, gear 4
8.49 gives the rotating shaft 16, that is, the tool magazine main body 13, a rotation amount of 120 degrees in the normal rotation direction.

On the contrary, when the tool magazine body 13 needs to rotate in the reverse direction, the movable column 5 approaches the tool magazine body 13 and the head 6 rises, so that the tool magazine body 13 is fixed to the head 6. The engaging piece 25 engages with the engaging groove 29 of the hook 27. The machine tool body 2 is located at the Z position of the moving column 5.
By retreating a predetermined amount in the axial direction, the hook 27 integrated therewith also moves in the Z-axis direction. At this time, the gear 40 is rotated by the linear movement of the hook 27, and the intermediate shaft 3
9, is transmitted to the intermediate shaft 36 via the worm 41 and the axial crank notch 42, and is transmitted to the geneva crank 45 in the same manner as above.
, the rotating shaft 1 via the Geneva gear 46 and the gears 48 and 49.
6, that is, the tool magazine body 13 is rotated by 120 degrees in the opposite direction.

In this embodiment, the tool magazine main body 13 has a substantially triangular shape and holds a plurality of tool holders 12 on each side.
By simply rotating the tool holder 12 by 20 degrees or one step, the desired tool holder 12 can be quickly selected.

After the forward rotation or reverse rotation of the tool magazine body 13, the machine tool body 2 returns the hook 26 or the hook 27 to its original position. The rotation of the gear 38 and worm wheel 43 during this return is controlled by the one-way clutch 37.42.
It is not transmitted to the intermediate shaft 36. To select a new tool 12a, move the tool magazine body ■3 in either direction 120
It is sufficient to rotate only one step, and there is no need to rotate more than two steps.

Modification of the Invention In the above-mentioned practical example, a one-way clutch 37, 42 is interposed inside the rotation transmission mechanism 23 so that the tool magazine body 13 can be driven in any direction. 13 may be configured to be able to rotate only in either direction, and therefore one hook or one-way clutch may be omitted. Moreover, the rotation transmission mechanism 23 can also be configured using other intermittent rotation mechanisms or linear rotation conversion mechanisms instead of using the gear mechanism and Geneva gear mechanism as in the above embodiments.

Effects of the Invention In the present invention, since the tool magazine body is rotated by the movement of the machine tool body when necessary during tool exchange, a dedicated drive source for driving the tool magazine body is not required, and the entire The configuration can be simplified and the tool changing arm required in conventional devices of this type can be omitted, so there is no need for the space required for the rotational movement of the tool changing arm, and the tool changing device can be made more compact. .

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a front view of the machine tool body and the automatic tool changer of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side view of the same device, Fig. 3 is a front view of the magazine main body, and Fig. 4 is a side view of the rotation transmission mechanism. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the rotation transmission mechanism as seen from the front. ■... Automatic tool changer, 2... Machine tool body, 10
...Spindle, 12..Tool holder, 13..Tool magazine body, 18.19..Tool holding claw, 23..Rotation transmission mechanism, 24.25..Engagement piece, 26.27..Hook, 37 .42...One-way clutch, 45...Geneva crank, 46...Geneva gear. Patent applicant Nippei Toyama Co., Ltd. Figure 2

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A machine tool body whose motion can be controlled in three-dimensional directions through numerical control, and a plurality of tool holding means on the outer periphery, which are rotatably supported in a fixed position and by a spindle in the same direction as the spindle of the machine tool body. 1. An automatic tool changer comprising: a tool magazine body having a rotary structure; and a rotation transmission mechanism that transmits movement of the machine tool body to the magazine body as a predetermined amount of rotational motion. (2) The rotation transmission mechanism includes an engagement piece provided on the movable part of the machine tool body, a hook provided at a position that engages with the engagement piece, and a gear that exchanges the linear motion of the hook into rotational motion. 2. The automatic tool changer according to claim 1, further comprising a Geneva gear which transmits the rotation of the gear to the magazine main body as an intermittent rotational motion. (3) One-way clutches with different directions of transmission rotation are interposed in the rotation transmission path between the gear and the Geneva gear, and the engagement piece, rack, gear, and Geneva gear are connected to each one-way clutch. An automatic tool changer according to claim 2, further comprising: an automatic tool changer according to claim 2;