Machine tool having a vertical main spindle and a method of making the same

A machine having a vertical main spindle comprising:

• a bed having a bottom portion and a pair of side walls arranged uprightly from both ends of said bottom portion and having horizontal upper mounting surfaces thereon, said bottom portion and said sidewalls defining an operation space;
• a base fixed on said upper mounting surfaces, said base having a pair of first guide portions and connection portion connecting said first guide portions, said first guide portions and connection portion defining a through space leading to said operation;
• a first slider having a pair of first slide portions horizontally slidably mounted on said first guide portions for movement along a first axis and having second guide portions connecting said first slide portions;
• a first drive apparatus for moving said first slider along said first axis;
• a second slider horizontally slidably mounted on said second guide portions for movement along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis;
• a second drive apparatus for moving said second slider along said second axis;
• a spindle head vertically supporting a main spindle, said spindle head being slidably mounted on said second slider for movement along a third axis perpendicular to said first and said second axes;
• a third drive apparatus for moving said spindle head along said third axis;
• and
• a jig apparatus for clamping a workpiece being mounted on said bed at a position lower than said first guide portions in said operation space.

A method of making a machine having a vertical main spindle comprising:

• pre-assembling a main spindle unit, pre-assembling a bed unit and assembling a pre-assembled main spindle unit onto a pre-assembled bed unit, said pre-assembling a main spindle unit comprising:
• slidably mounting a first slider having a pair of first slide portions and a second guide portions connecting said first slide portions on a base having a pair of first guide portions and connection portion connecting said first guide portions, said first slider being guided by said first guide portions horizontally along a first axis;
• mounting a first drive means for moving said first slider along said first axis between said base and said first slider;
• horizontally slidably mounting a second slider on said second guide portions for movement along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis;
• mounting a second drive means for moving said second slider along said second axis between said first slider and said second slider;
• slidably mounting a spindle head supporting a main spindle on said second slider for movement along perpendicular to said first axis and said second axis;
• and
• mounting a third drive means for moving said spindle head along said third axis between said second slider and said spindle head;
• further said pre-assembling a bed unit comprising:
• mounting a jig apparatus for clamping a workpiece on a bottom portion of a bed having a pair of upright side walls at both ends of said bottom portion, said side walls having horizontal upper mounting surfaces;
• and
• said assembling a pre-assembled main spindle unit onto a pre-assembled bed unit comprising:
• mounting said base of said pre-assembled main spindle unit onto said upper mounting surfaces of said pre-assembled bed unit.

A machine having a vertical main spindle holding a tool at lower end to machine a workpiece comprising:

• a bed having a jig apparatus for clamping a workpiece;
• a main spindle unit mounted on said bed and supporting said main spindle relatively movable toward a workpiece clamped by said jig apparatus;
• a tool storage magazine apparatus storing a plurality of tools for changing a tool with said main spindle;
• a controller box accommodating a controller and being fixed at a rear end of said bed, said controller box being provided with a through space at a position opposing a rear end portion of said tool storage magazine apparatus for changing tools stored in said tool storage magazine apparatus from behind a machine.

A machine having a vertical main spindle holding a tool at lower end to machine a workpiece comprising:

• a bed having a jig apparatus for clamping a workpiece;
• a main spindle unit mounted on said bed and supporting said main spindle relatively movable toward a workpiece clamped by said jig apparatus;
• a tool storage magazine apparatus storing a plurality of tools for changing a tool with said main spindle;
• a mounting member fixed at a rear end of said bed, said mounting member being provided with a through opening at a position opposing a rear end portion of said tool storage magazine apparatus for changing tools stored in said tool storage magazine apparatus from behind a machine;
• a plurality of controller boxes mounted at said mounting members except for said through opening portion.

A machine having a vertical main spindle holding a tool at a lower end thereof for machining a workpiece comprising:

• a bed having a bottom portion and a pair of side walls arranged uprightly from both ends of said bottom portion and having horizontal upper mounting surfaces thereon, said bottom portion and said sidewalls defining an operation space;
• a base having a pair of first guide portions respectively fixed on said upper mounting surfaces and connection portion connecting said first guide portions, said first guide portions and connection portion defining a through space leading to said operation space;
• a first slider having a pair of first slide portions horizontally slidably mounted on said first guide portions for movement along a first axis parallel to said side wails and a pair of second guide portions connecting said first slide portions, said first slide portions and second guide portions defining a lower window leading to said operation space through said through space;
• a first drive apparatus for moving said first slider along said first axis;
• a second slider having a pair of second slide portions horizontally slidably mounted on said second guide portions for movement along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis and a pair of connection portions connecting said second slide portions, said second guide portions and said connection portions defining an upper window leading to said operation space through said lower window and said through space;
• a second drive apparatus for moving said second slider along said second axis;
• a spindle head being slidably mounted on said second slider for movement along a third axis perpendicular to said first and said second axes and supporting a main spindle in such manner that at least lower end portion thereof is in said operation space through said upper window, said lower window and said through space;
• a third drive apparatus for moving said spindle head along said third axis;
• a jig apparatus for clamping a workpiece being mounted on said bed at a position lower than said first guide portions in said operation space.
• a tool storage magazine apparatus having a magazine member holding a plurality of tools to be held by said main spindle and being rotatably indexable around an axis parallel to said third axis;
• a mounting member fixed at a rear end of said bed, said mounting member being provided with a through opening at a position opposing a rear end portion of said tool storage magazine apparatus for changing tools stored in said tool storage magazine apparatus from behind a machine;
• and
• a control box divided into a plurality of boxes to be mounted at said mounting members except for said through opening portion and accommodating a controller for controlling at least said first, second and third drive apparatus.