Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25B—TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING OR HOLDING
  • B25B11/00—Work holders not covered by any preceding group in the subclass, e.g. magnetic work holders, vacuum work holders
  • B25B11/005—Vacuum work holders
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23Q—DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
  • B23Q1/00—Members which are comprised in the general build-up of a form of machine, particularly relatively large fixed members
  • B23Q1/25—Movable or adjustable work or tool supports
  • B23Q1/26—Movable or adjustable work or tool supports characterised by constructional features relating to the co-operation of relatively movable members; Means for preventing relative movement of such members
  • B23Q1/38—Movable or adjustable work or tool supports characterised by constructional features relating to the co-operation of relatively movable members; Means for preventing relative movement of such members using fluid bearings or fluid cushion supports
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B23—MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B23Q—DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT
  • B23Q11/00—Accessories fitted to machine tools for keeping tools or parts of the machine in good working condition or for cooling work; Safety devices specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, machine tools
  • B23Q11/0032—Arrangements for preventing or isolating vibrations in parts of the machine
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16F—SPRINGS; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION
  • F16F15/00—Suppression of vibrations in systems; Means or arrangements for avoiding or reducing out-of-balance forces, e.g. due to motion
  • F16F15/02—Suppression of vibrations of non-rotating, e.g. reciprocating systems; Suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by use of members not moving with the rotating systems
  • F16F15/04—Suppression of vibrations of non-rotating, e.g. reciprocating systems; Suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by use of members not moving with the rotating systems using elastic means
  • F16F15/08—Suppression of vibrations of non-rotating, e.g. reciprocating systems; Suppression of vibrations of rotating systems by use of members not moving with the rotating systems using elastic means with rubber springs ; with springs made of rubber and metal
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F16—ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL
  • F16M—FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS
  • F16M5/00—Engine beds, i.e. means for supporting engines or machines on foundations

Definitions

• the invention relates to a machine tool support particularly suited to machines which are sensitive to the vibration generated by their operation or their environment.
• the bearing parts l of the machine to be fixed are placed on a bearing face 2.
• the said bearing face 2 has a plurality of recesses 3 connected to a suction device and provided with an airtight covering 4.
• the bearing parts of the machine are placed on the bearing face 2 through airtight seals 5 placed around the recesses.
• the seals 5 are partially embedded in the housings so that the airtight bearing always takes place on these seals.
• These seals can, by way of example, consist of an elastomer material.
• the characteristics of the seal are calculated according to the load resulting from the weight of the machine, the manufacturers of the elastomer materials making up the said seals in fact providing graphs making it possible to calculate accurately, for a given thickness of elastomer material, the area of material required for absorbing the vibration to the greatest possible extent.
• the carrying surface is formed by the surface of all the seals distributed over the bearing face 2. Such an arrangement makes it difficult to adapt the carrying surface according to the weight of the machine, particularly when the machine is changed for another one whose weight is not necessarily identical.
• Patent Application GB-A-1 081 915 discribes a combustion engine support comprising a bearing structure positioned on a frame and on which is located a combustion engine, means located between the bearing structure and the frame being provided for absorbing the vibration generated by the operation of the engine. Nowhere in this Application it is suggested to use means for faciliting the positioning of the engine on the bearing structure as well as its holding.
• Patent Application FR-A-2 207 845 describes a process and a device for moving an apparatus on a fixed frame. No means are disclosed for absorbing the vibration generated by the apparatus during its operation.
• the apparatus has to be first positioned on a bearing structure, and then, the bearing structure which is mounted on said frame can be easily moved on said frame by means of an air cushion created between said bearing structure and said frame.
• the problem is that no means are provided for easily positioning the apparatus on the bearing structure which is an important drawback for heavy apparatus.
• Patent CH 673 829 describes a process for moving a load on a frame.
• the resilient means (15, Fig. 2) being provided for compensating the surface irregularities of the parts in contact with the bearing structure and the frame so that the bearing force created by air pressure is equally distributed over the whole contact surface between the two elements.
• the problem of the vibration had not to be addressed with such an apparatus since its main object is to move a "passive" load which does not generate any vibration.
• nothing is disclosed to immobilize the load on said frame. At least, the load need to be first totally positioned on the bearing structure without any facilitating means, before benefiting from the facilitating means, provided for moving the bearing structure on the frame.
• the problem which the present invention proposes to resolve is to produce a machine tool support absorbing, in a satisfactory manner, the vibration generated by the operation of the machine or by its environment whilst allowing an easy positioning of the said machine on the support.
• Another aim of the present invention is to provide a machine tool support which can be adapted simply and inexpensively to change from one machine to another.
• Other aims of the present invention will become apparent during the following detailed description.
• a machine tool support comprising: - a fixed frame (10) ;
• a bearing structure (13) positioned on the said fixed frame (10) and provided for receiving a machine (20) , comprising a plurality of holes over substantially the whole of its surface ; - means for selectively connecting said holes to a pressure source or a vacuum source (14) ; characterized in that it comprises means provided for absorbing the vibration generated by the operation of the machine or by its environment, said holes (14) provided in said bearing structure (13) opening into the surface of the bearing (13) directly in contact with the bearing face or parts of the machine so that said means (12) for absorbing the vibration can be positioned between the said fixed frame (10) and the said bearing structure (13) .
• the bearing structure (13) is covered with a layer of material increasing the coefficient of friction of the surface of the bearing structure in contact with the machine.
• means suitable for allowing the positioning of the machine against two perpendicular reference surfaces are disposed on the frame of the machine.
• the positioning means comprise members having two surfaces defining substantially an L and disposed facing at least two opposite corners of the said bearing structure, at least one of these members being fixed, at least one other having one of its two surfaces movable with respect to the other so as to be able to occupy two successive positions, a "retracted” position allowing the installation or removal of the machine and an "advanced” position preventing any movement of the machine in the plane of the bearing structure.
• the said movable surface moves along an axis whose angle, with respect to the other surface forming the corresponding positioning member, is slightly less than 90°.
• the said angle preferably varies between 55° and 89.9°.
• - Fig 1 shows diagrammatically a device of the type described in the patent FR 2 361 599;
• FIG. 1 shows a view in cross section of the machine tool support according to the present invention
• - Fig 3 shows a general view of the machine tool support according to the present invention
• - Figs 4A-4B illustrate diagrammatically the functioning of the locking/unlocking means provided on the support according to the present invention.
• Fig 2 shows a view in cross section of the machine support according to the present invention. It consists principally of a frame 10 which, preferably, is fixed to the floor by appropriate means (sealing, bolts, clamps or other equivalent means) . It also includes a support structure 13 positioned on the fixed frame 10, through means 12 suitable for absorbing the vibration generated by the operation of the machine or by its environment and which will be dealt with in more detail below.
• the said support structure comprises a plate 11 and a chamber 16 which will also be described in more detail subsequently.
• the said plate has holes 14 passing through it over its entire thickness and distributed over substantially all its surface, the number of holes depending in particular on the weight of the machine disposed on the said support.
• a plate of 28 x 26 cm three rows of holes are provided distributed uniformly along one of the dimensions of the plate, holes which may be, in each of the rows, approximately 10 mm apart.
• the diameter of the holes is, according to one embodiment, approximately 0.9 mm.
• a layer (not shown) of a material such as rubber is bonded in order to increase the coefficient of friction of the said plate and thus to improve the holding of the machine on the said plate. Good results have been obtained with a 3 mm thick layer of rubber.
• the said layer also has holes coinciding with the holes in the steel plate but whose diameter is preferably greater than that of the holes provided in the plate.
• the diameter of the holes is approximately 4 mm.
• grooves are provided on the said layer, distributed over the entire surface of the layer and preferably passing through the said holes. Good results have been obtained with grooves 1.5 mm deep, 2 mm wide and arranged every 10 mm.
• the plate 15 is then bolted onto a chamber 16 having pipes 17 by means of which all the holes are connected, the pipes themselves being connected to each other at either end of the said chamber 16 and being able to be connected selectively to a source of compressed air or to a suction pump (these items, for the sake of more clarity, not being shown) .
• the chamber 16, thus fixed to the plate 11, is bonded to the fixed frame 10 by means of at least one pad 12 formed from a material suitable for absorbing the vibration generated by the operation of the machine or by its environment.
• the said pads 12 are made from an elastomer, such as a compressible cellular polyurethane, of the SYLOMER R type.
• the surface area of the pad or pads is, for a given elastomer of a given thickness, calculated precisely according to the weight of the machine. The calculations enabling these surface areas to be determined are made from graphs supplied by the manufacturers of such elastomers. Since this is not the object of the present invention, it consequently requires no further description.
• a pad is disposed at each corner of the said plate. If it is desired to change the machine for a machine with a different weight, it suffices for example to modify the surface area or the number of the said pads.
• FIG 3 is an overall representation of another embodiment of the machine tool support according to the present invention.
• additional means for positioning in abutment are disposed on the chassis, enabling the machine to be positioned against two substantially perpendicular reference surfaces.
• the additional positioning means comprise members 21, 22 having two surfaces substantially defining an L and arranged facing at least two opposite corners of the plate 11, at least one of these members 22 being fixed, at least one other forming a locking/unlocking member and having one of its two surfaces 23 movable with respect to the other so as to adopt, as shown in Figs 4A- 4B, two successive positions, a "retracted” position (Fig 4A) enabling the machine to be installed or removed, and an "advanced" position locking any movement of the machine in the plane of the plate.
• the said movable surface of the locking/unlocking member moves along an axis whose angle ⁇ with respect to the other surface forming the said member is slightly less than 90° so as to allow a constant bearing of the said machine on the additional positioning means at at least three points necessary to define the said two perpendicular reference surfaces.
• the said angle varies between approximately 55° and 89.9°.
• the internal surfaces of the said Ls are provided with pads 24, 25 formed from a material suitable for absorbing the vibration generated by the operation of the machine and/or by its environment.
• a material suitable for absorbing the vibration generated by the operation of the machine and/or by its environment can be used.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Vibration Prevention Devices (AREA)
• Machine Tool Units (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=9420072

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (6)

Families Citing this family (10)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 1991
  • 1991-12-10 FR FR9115561A patent/FR2684743A1/fr active Granted
• 1992
  • 1992-12-03 WO PCT/EP1992/002800 patent/WO1993012371A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1992-12-03 US US08/098,383 patent/US5456438A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1992-12-03 JP JP5510570A patent/JPH06508070A/ja active Pending
  • 1992-12-03 EP EP92924659A patent/EP0570555B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1992-12-03 DE DE69209056T patent/DE69209056T2/de not_active Expired - Fee Related

Patent Citations (7)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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