Pallet changer for a machine tool, a pallet changing method and a machine tool

A pallet changing method of changing pallets between a table to which a pallet is vertically mounted and a pallet loading station in which a pallet is held horizontally, characterized by the steps of:

• gripping a lower end of the pallet mounted to the table by a first arm portion of a changing arm;
• gripping one side of the pallet which is positioned in the pallet loading station by a second arm portion of the changing arm, the one side becoming the lower end when the pallet is mounted to the table;
• and
• rotating the changing arm by 180 degrees about a rotational axis upwardly inclined relative to a horizontal axis by 45 degrees.

A machine tool, comprising:

• a spindle held for rotation about a horizontal rotational axis;
• a table, provided so as to be able to face the spindle, for mounting a vertically oriented pallet to which a workpiece is attached;
• means for linearly feeding the table and the spindle relative to each other along three orthogonal axes;
• means for rotationally feeding the table about a vertical axis;
• and a pallet loading station for attaching a non-processed workpiece to a horizontally held pallet and detaching a processed workpiece from the pallet;
• characterized by a changing arm having first and second arm portions at either end thereof, and provided to grip the one ends of the pallets and rotate about a rotational axis upwardly inclined relative to a horizontal axis by 45 degrees between the table side position, where the changing arm faces to the table, and the pallet loading station, the one side becoming the lower end when the pallet is mounted to the table.