JPS6350137B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a replacement tool magazine for use in automatic machine tools.

Recently, many machining systems (FMS) have been seen in which many machining centers are installed side by side and these machine tools are collectively controlled by a computer. As with any other tool, the tools used in this equipment must be replaced when they reach the end of their service life, break, or when the object of processing changes.

Conventional tool replacement methods include: (a) stopping the machine tool and manually replacing the tools in the tool magazine;

(b) Make the tool magazine of the machine tool replaceable and replace the tools together with the magazine.

(c) Changing tools between the machine tool tool magazine and another sub-magazine.

However, in the case of (a) above, the operating rate is low because it is necessary to stop the machine and replace the tools, and the disadvantage is that unmanned operation is not possible because it requires human labor. There is.
In the case of (b), common tools and dedicated tools are used depending on the process and object of the workpiece in general machining, but when storing them in one tool magazine, the entire magazine must be replaced. The replacement method requires a shared tool for each magazine, which is uneconomical, and requires equipment other than normal tool changing equipment, such as equipment to transport the magazine and load it onto the machine tool, as well as positioning and clamping equipment. The disadvantages are that it is necessary, expensive, and requires a large amount of space. Furthermore, in case (c), a device for transporting and indexing the sub-magazine, a device for loading the tool magazine of the machine tool, etc. are required, which, like in case (b) above, is expensive and takes up a lot of space. There are some drawbacks.

A first aspect of the present invention is to provide a plurality of tool holding mechanisms for holding the tool by allowing the tool to move in the diametrical direction and preventing detachment movement in the longitudinal direction. The magazines, which are attached radially at intervals, are placed on the frame of the tool pallet so that the length direction of the tools held in the tool holding mechanism is aligned almost parallel to the axial direction of the central axis attached to the frame, and aligned with the central axis. The center of the support body is pivotally supported, and the tool holding member is installed between the tool pallet and the magazine unit so as to be rotatable in the circumferential direction around the central axis and movable in the axial direction of the central axis. It consists of a fixing hole and a fixing pin that correspond to the mechanism and are provided in the axial direction of the central axis.The fixing pin is inserted into the fixing hole to position and fix the magazine to the tool pallet, and the magazine is inserted into the fixing hole. A positioning mechanism is provided in which the fixing pin is pulled out of the fixing hole by movement in the direction of the center axis of the magazine unit due to movement of the spindle that grips the tool held in the tool holding mechanism, and releases the fixation of the magazine unit to the tool pallet. Further, the second invention provides a plurality of tool holding mechanisms on the outer periphery of a substantially circular support body for holding the tool by allowing the tool to move in the diametrical direction and preventing detachment movement in the longitudinal direction. Single magazines installed radially at predetermined intervals are aligned with the frame of the tool pallet so that the length direction of the tools held in the tool holding mechanism is approximately parallel to the axial direction of the central shaft attached to the frame, and The center of the support body is supported on the shaft, and the support body is rotatably mounted in the circumferential direction around the central axis, and between the tool pallet and the magazine unit, there is a support body that corresponds to the tool holding mechanism and that is located on the central axis. A fixing hole and a fixing pin are provided to be relatively movable in the axial direction, and the fixing pin is moved relative to the fixing hole by being operated by the tool holding movement of the main spindle relative to the tool holding mechanism, and the fixing pin is fixed until then. The above-mentioned conventional problems have been solved by providing a positioning mechanism mainly consisting of an interlocking mechanism that pulls out the fixing pin that is inserted into the hole to position and fix the magazine to the tool pallet from the fixing hole. This is a replacement tool that does not require a dedicated tool indexing device, allows the tool to be quickly and accurately indexed to a predetermined position by operating the machine tool's spindle, and can hold a large number of long tools. The purpose is to provide magazines.
The present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an overview of a replacement tool magazine 5 and a machine tool A according to the present invention. One tool 3 can be taken out from the main shaft 4 and mounted on the main spindle 4, and the tool 3 can be removed from the main spindle 4 and returned to the dedicated tool magazine 1. An automatic pallet changer C is disposed in front of the rotary table B of the machine tool A, and the work pallet E carried by the automatic guided vehicle D or the replacement tool magazine 5 of the present invention is installed in front of the rotary table B of the machine tool A.
The tool pallet F carrying the tools can be fed onto the rotary table B through the automatic pallet changer C. The machine tool A, rotary table B, auto pallet changer C, etc. mentioned above are well known.

Figures 2 to 4 show an embodiment of the replacement tool magazine 5 of the first invention, which is made up of a pair of magazine units 7 and 8 that are integrally connected by a body 6, and a pair of magazines fixed to a tool pallet F. frame of
A pair of bearings 9 and 10 provided at the upper ends of F ₁ and F ₂
A stopper ring 25 is attached to the central shaft 11 supported by
It is fixed via the central shaft 11, and is provided so as to be movable in the axial direction and rotatable in the circumferential direction together with the central shaft 11. A plurality of individual magazines 7 and 8 (the one in the figure has 8
Guide rings 14, 15 are fixed to the inner end surfaces of the bosses 9a, 10a of the bearings 9, 10 at the positions of the tool holding mechanisms 13 on the inner periphery. A locking member 16 that moves along the outer periphery of the locking member 16 is provided. The tool holding mechanism 13 includes a claw holder 13a whose back surface is fitted into a plurality of radial grooves 12b formed on the outer end surface of the support 12 and fixed to the support 12 with bolts or the like; Groove 13 of the claw holder 13a
A pair of claws 17, 17 whose proximal ends are housed in b, are rotatably supported by the claw holder 13a by a pivot 18, and have an arcuate protrusion 17a formed on the inner periphery of the distal end. and a pair of claws 17, 1 held in holes 13c made in the claw holder 13a.
7, and the claws 17,
17, and a locking key 13d located between the tip sides of the pair of claws 17, 17 and fixed to the claw holder 13a. Then, the tool 3 is attached to the claw 17,
When the tip of the tool 17 is pushed between a pair of semi-circular claws, the pair of claws 17, 17 rotate about the pivot shaft 18 against the elasticity of the pinch spring 19, and the protrusion 17a is pushed into the tool 3. The tool 3 is held by being fitted into a holding groove 3a provided in the tool 3. Further, the lock member 16 is slidably inserted in the axial direction into a plurality of holes 33 that are radially bored in a ring 12A fixed to the outer end surface of the inner peripheral side of the support body 12 in correspondence with the positions of the claws 17. The lock member 16
and the claw holder 13a.
0 toward the center of the central axis 11,
It rotates together with the support body 12, and its inner end (more precisely, the positioning roller 21 provided at the inner end)
into the pair of positioning grooves 14a, 15a provided in the guide rings 14, 15 corresponding to the index positions of the replacement tool magazine 5, and insert the outer ends into the roots of the claws 17, 17 of the tool holding mechanism 13. The guide ring 1 is removed from between the ends to allow the claws 17, 17 to freely rotate.
4, 15, the positioning roller 2 is pressed by the pressing portions 14b, 15b formed on the outer peripheral surfaces of the guide rings 14, 15.
1 is pressed, the outer end moves upward in FIG. 3 and enters between the root ends of the claws 17,
7 and 17 are prevented from opening.

Here, the pair of magazine units 7 and 8 are connected to the support body 12 of one magazine unit 7 (on the left side in FIG. 2).
and the guide ring 14.
2 to the right in FIG. 2, and the support 1 of the other (right side in FIG. 2)
The fixing pins 23 protruding from the ring 12A fixed to the ring 12A are fixed to the intervening member 24 fixing the boss 10a of the bearing 10 and the guide ring 15, the same number as the tool holding mechanisms 13 of the pair of magazines 7 and 8. (16 pieces in the figure) are inserted into fixing holes 24a formed at equal intervals to prevent free rotation about the central axis 11.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the two single magazines 7 and 8 are supported on the central shaft 11 with the tool holding mechanisms 13 being shifted by half a pitch from each other.
The fixing pin 23 and the fixing hole 24a are arranged so that the pair of magazine units 7 and 8 can be fixed to the frame _F2 at every half pitch, and each tool holding mechanism of the pair of magazine units 7 and 8 is fixed to the frame F2. 13 at a predetermined index position (in the case of this embodiment, the central upper end position of the magazines 7 and 8). In addition, the tool holding mechanism 13 has the tips of the claws 17 facing outward, through which the tool 3 is inserted and extracted, and the rotation plane of the claws 17 about the pivot shaft 18 (perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 2). upper and lower planes)
is attached to the outer periphery of the support 12 in parallel with the support 12.

12B is a housing fixed to one of the supports 12, and a stop ring 25 pivoted therein allows the support 12 to be fixed to the central axis 11.
is fixed. 26 has a keyway 27 at the tip.
This is a sliding key that is fitted into the ring 12A to stop rotation of the lock member 16 in the circumferential direction, and is fixed to the ring 12A. Excessive movement of the magazines 7 and 8 to the right in FIG. 2 is prevented by the outer end surface of the support body 12 coming into contact with the guide ring 15.

Next, the operation of the replacement tool magazine of the present invention will be explained.

The tools 3 prepared at the tool station are held in a predetermined tool holding mechanism 13 of a replacement tool magazine 5 loaded on a tool pallet F. The computer that controls the machine tools, etc., stores the tool palette number (replacement tool magazine number), the tool number in the replacement tool magazine 5, and the tool code (absolute codes are assigned to tools). be done. The tool pallet F waits at a pallet storage location until a replacement command is received from the computer.

When a replacement command is issued according to the machining schedule, the tool pallet F loaded with the replacement tool magazine 5 is placed on an automatic guided vehicle D and transported to the automatic pallet changer C of the machine tool A, where the replacement tool magazine 5 is loaded. 5 and is drawn into the auto pallet changer C. When machine tool A is machining, tool pallet F waits on automatic pallet changer C until machining is completed.

When the machining by the machine tool A is completed, the tool pallet F is transferred onto the rotary table B of the machine tool A, and then, for example, the magazine unit 7 side is directed toward the spindle 4, and the center of the replacement tool magazine 5 is moved to the machine tool control. The axis is made to coincide with the Y-axis movement plane (the vertical movement plane of the main axis). In addition, in parallel to the above,
The tool 3 held in the spindle 4 is a tool changer 2
It is transferred to the special tool magazine 1 by the action of .

When the tool pallet F is transferred onto the rotary table B as described above, the main spindle 4 descends along the Y axis, and the center of the main spindle 4 coincides with the center of the replacement tool 3 at the top position of the replacement magazine 5. By the way, the machine stops and the chuck inside the main shaft 4 becomes open.
Thereafter, the main shaft 4 moves forward along the Z-axis and grabs one replacement tool 3 held by the tool holding mechanism 13 at the top of the magazine unit 7. The main shaft 4, which has gripped the replacement tool 3, continues to rise along the Y-axis and reaches the normal automatic tool changing position, but at this time, the claws 17, 17 of the tool holding mechanism 13 compress the pinch spring 19 and move the shaft 18 to the center. Open it to remove the replacement tool 3. When this is completed, the tool changer 2 operates in a well-known manner to mount the replacement tool that was held on the spindle 4 and taken out from the replacement magazine 5 into the dedicated tool magazine 1, and also to install it into the dedicated tool magazine 1. It is installed. One tool to be replaced is taken out and held on the main spindle 4.

The main spindle 4, which has received the tool to be replaced from the tool changer 2 in this way, moves forward along the Z-axis directly above the empty tool holding mechanism 13 of the magazine unit 7 from which the tool has been removed, and then continues to the Y-axis. The tool is pushed down between the claws 17, 17 along the axis, and the protrusion 17a is fitted into the holding groove 3a, causing the tool holding mechanism 13 to hold the tool. At this time, the key groove formed in the flange portion of the tool to be replaced and the detent key 13d of the tool holding mechanism 13 fit together. When the tool to be replaced is held in the tool holding mechanism 13, the spindle 4, which had been stopped from rotating in the circumferential direction until then, is unlocked and the tool to be replaced inserted into the tool holding mechanism 13 is held within the spindle. While holding the magazine with the chuck, move backward along the Z-axis to the left in FIG.
The fixing pin 23 is pulled out from the fixing hole 24a by moving it in the direction of the central axis 11 against the elastic force of the magazines 7 and 8, thereby allowing the magazines 7 and 8 to freely rotate in the circumferential direction. Main shaft 4
The movement of the magazines 7 and 8 is performed via the tool to be replaced, but in this case, since the protrusion 17a of the claw 17 is fitted into the holding groove 3a of the tool, the main shaft 4 moves backward along the Z axis. As a result, the tool to be replaced is not pulled out from the tool holding mechanism 13.

While holding the tool to be replaced, move backwards and insert it into fixing hole 2.
The main shaft 4 from which the fixing pin 23 has been pulled out from the Y
While moving downward along the axis, it moves laterally along the (It will move in an arc shape whose radius is the distance between the two.) Replacement tool magazine 5
is rotated around the center shaft 11 to index the next tool to the removal position. At this time, the positioning roller 21 that had been fitted into the positioning grooves 14a, 15a of the guide rings 14, 15 separates from the positioning grooves 14a, 15a, is pushed by the pressing parts 14b, 15b, and resists the elasticity of the pressing spring 20. As the locking member 16 is pushed upward in FIG. 3, the outer end (the upper end in FIG. 2) of the locking member 16 is inserted between the root ends of the pair of claws 17, 17, and the magazine unit 7, During the rotation of the tool 8, the tips of the claws 17, 17 will not be opened inadvertently and the tool to be replaced will not fall off. At the newly indexed tool take-out position, the next positioning roller 21 enters the positioning grooves 14a, 15a and temporarily fixes the magazine units 7, 8 at that position. At this time, the outer end of the locking member 16 separates from between the root ends of the pair of claws 17, 17, so the claws 17, 17 are unlocked and the replacement tool can be taken out from the tip side. .

When the next replacement tool is placed in the removal position by performing a circular arc movement, the main shaft 4 moves forward along the Z-axis and inserts the fixing pin 23 into the fixing hole 24a. That is, the magazines 7 and 8 return to the right in FIG. 2 due to the movement of the main shaft in the Z-axis direction and the action of the pressing fixing spring 22, and insert the fixing pin 23 into the fixing hole 24a to allow free rotation in the circumferential direction. It can be stopped. Thereafter, the main shaft 4 unclamps the chuck within the main shaft and retreats along the Z-axis.

The above completes one tool change, but if many tools are to be replaced, the above operation is repeated. When replacing the tool on the side of the magazine unit 8, the rotary table B is rotated 180 degrees to direct the magazine unit 8 toward the main shaft 4. However, in this case, the main shaft 4 is advanced and the fixing pin 23 is pulled out from the fixing hole 24a.

FIG. 5 shows another positioning mechanism in place of the fixing hole 24a and the fixing pin 23, in which two holes 28
A cylindrical member 28 with holes a and 28b formed in an inverted T-shape is fixed to the bearing bosses 9a and 10a, and one hole 28a has a fixing pin 29 having a roller 29a at its tip and a pressure receiving protrusion 29b at its center. is spring 3
0, the roller 29a side (supporting body 12 side)
A pressure pin 31 having a roller 31a at its upper end and a pressing slope 31b at its lower end is inserted into the other hole 28b with a spring 32.
The main shaft 4
descends and moves the pressure pin 31 downward, the pressure inclined surface 31b presses the pressure receiving protrusion 29b, causing the fixing pin 29 to retreat to the left in FIG. 5 against the elasticity of the spring 30, supporting Fixing hole (groove) 1 drilled in the body 12
The fixation of the replacement tool magazine 5 is released by removing the roller 29a from the roller 29a.

In addition, in both the first invention shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and the second invention shown in FIG. 5, the positioning mechanism operates indirectly or directly by movement of the main shaft 4. In FIG. 5, the pressure pin 31 having the pressure slope 31b and the pressure receiving protrusion 29b constitute an interlocking mechanism.

Furthermore, the above description shows a case in which the present invention is applied to a machine tool with an automatic tool changer that performs normal tool change between the dedicated tool magazine 1 and the spindle 4 using the tool changer 2. However, the present invention is not limited thereto, and can also be applied to a machine tool with an automatic tool changer that performs normal tool change directly between the dedicated tool magazine 1 and the spindle 4 without using the tool changer 2. can.

As explained above, the first aspect of the present invention is to provide a plurality of tool holding mechanisms for holding the tool by allowing the tool to move in the diametrical direction and preventing detachment movement in the longitudinal direction, using a substantially circular support. A single magazine mounted radially at predetermined intervals on the outer periphery of the tool pallet is attached to the frame of the tool pallet so that the length direction of the tools held in the tool holding mechanism is approximately parallel to the axial direction of the central axis attached to the frame. At the same time, the center of the support body is pivotally supported on the center shaft, and the tool pallet and the magazine are mounted so as to be freely rotatable in the circumferential direction around the center shaft and movable in the axial direction of the center shaft. In between, a fixing hole and a fixing pin are provided corresponding to the tool holding mechanism and facing in the axial direction of the central axis, and the fixing pin is inserted into the fixing hole to position and fix the magazine alone to the tool pallet, In addition, the fixing pin inserted into the fixing hole is pulled out from the fixing hole by movement in the direction of the central axis of the magazine due to the movement of the spindle that grips the tool held in the tool holding mechanism, and fixes the magazine to the tool pallet. The second invention is configured to include a positioning mechanism for releasing the tool, and the second invention generally includes a plurality of tool holding mechanisms that hold the tool by allowing movement of the tool in the diametrical direction and preventing detachment movement in the longitudinal direction. A single magazine mounted radially on the outer periphery of a circular support body at predetermined intervals is attached to the frame of the tool pallet so that the length direction of the tools held in the tool holding mechanism is aligned with the axial direction of the central shaft attached to the frame. between the tool pallet and the single magazine;
A fixing hole and a fixing pin that correspond to the tool holding mechanism and are provided to be movable relatively in the axial direction of the center shaft, and are operated by the tool holding movement of the main spindle relative to the tool holding mechanism to The positioning mechanism is mainly provided with an interlocking mechanism that moves the fixing pins relative to each other and pulls out the fixing pins that had been inserted into the fixing holes to position and fix the magazine to the tool pallet from the fixing holes. This makes it possible to index the tool quickly and accurately without the need for a dedicated tool indexing device and drive. Further, in the embodiment shown in the figures of the present invention, a pair of single magazines 7, 8
The tool holding mechanisms 13 of each magazine are shifted in phase by a half pitch and are arranged at a required interval, so that the tools held in the tool holding mechanisms 13 of one magazine unit 7 and the tools of another magazine unit are separated. Since the tools held by the tool holding mechanism 13 of No. 8 do not interfere with each other, there is an advantage that a large number of long tools can be held. Furthermore, the replacement tool magazine of the present invention has a configuration in which the fixing pin is inserted into the fixing hole as described above to stop the free rotation of the magazine in the circumferential direction. Even if the weight is uneven and rotational moment is generated in the magazine itself, the magazine itself can be reliably prevented from rotating freely, and the fixing pin can be inserted and removed from the fixing hole easily.
Because it is configured to perform this by moving the main axis,
In this respect as well, there is an advantage that no other drive device is required and the structure can be simplified.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view showing the relationship between the replacement tool magazine of the first invention and a machine tool, etc., Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the replacement tool magazine of the invention, and Fig. 3 is a partially cutaway view. FIG. 4 is a front view of the tool holding mechanism, FIG. 4 is a schematic front view of a pair of magazines, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the positioning mechanism for the replaceable tool magazine of the second invention. F...Tool palette, _F1 , _F2 ...Frame,
3...Tool, 4...Main shaft, 7, 8...Magazine unit, 11...Center shaft, 12...Support, 13...
Tool holding mechanism, 13a...Claw holding body, 17...
Claw, 18... Pivot, 23... Fixed pin, 24a...
...Fixed hole.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of tool holding mechanisms 13 that hold the tool 3 by allowing the tool 3 to move in the diametrical direction and preventing detachment movement in the longitudinal direction are attached to the outer periphery of the substantially circular support 12. Single magazines 8 are mounted radially at predetermined intervals on the frames F ₁ and F ₂ of the tool pallet F.
The length direction of the tool 3 held by the tool holding mechanism 13 is aligned approximately parallel to the axial direction of the central shaft 11 attached to the frames F ₁ and F ₂ , and the center of the support body 12 is aligned with the central shaft 11. The central axis 1 is rotatable in the circumferential direction around the central axis 11.
A fixing hole 24a is installed movably in the axial direction of the center shaft 11, and is provided between the tool pallet F and the magazine unit 8, corresponding to the tool holding mechanism 13, and facing in the axial direction of the center shaft 11. and a fixing pin 23, the fixing pin 23 is inserted into the fixing hole 24a to position and fix the magazine unit 8 to the tool pallet F, and the fixing pin 2 inserted into the fixing hole 24a
3 is pulled out from the fixing hole 24a by the movement of the main shaft 4 holding the tool 3 held by the tool holding mechanism 13 in the axial direction of the central axis 11 of the magazine 8, thereby fixing the magazine 8 to the tool pallet F. A replacement tool magazine characterized by being provided with a positioning mechanism for release. 2. A plurality of tool holding mechanisms 13 for holding the tool 3 by allowing the tool 3 to move in the diametrical direction and preventing detachment movement in the longitudinal direction are arranged radially at predetermined intervals on the outer periphery of the substantially circular support 12. The magazine unit 8 attached to the frame F ₁ and F ₂ of the tool pallet F is
The length direction of the tool 3 held by the tool holding mechanism 13 is aligned approximately parallel to the axial direction of the central shaft 11 attached to the frames F ₁ and F ₂ , and the center of the support body 12 is aligned with the central shaft 11. The tool pallet F and the magazine unit 8 are provided with a tool holding mechanism 13 that corresponds to the tool holding mechanism 13 and extends in the axial direction of the center shaft 11. Fixing hole 12 provided relatively movably
a, the fixing pin 29, and the tool holding movement of the main spindle 4 relative to the tool holding mechanism 13 to move the fixing pin 29 relative to the fixing hole 12a, and until then the magazine is inserted into the fixing hole 12a and becomes a single magazine. 8 to a tool pallet F from the fixing hole 12a.