Computer controlled distribution apparatus for distributing transactions to and from controlled machines tools

A system for controlling a plurality of machine tools comprising

• a central processor,
• a plurality of tool controllers each operatively associated with a machine tool,
• each of said controllers comprising at least one tool control unit, adapted to provide a data output to the associated machine tool for controlling a tool function and/or for receiving from said tool, a data input indicative of a tool condition,
• a main data bus connected to said central processor for conducting data transactions by transferring bits of digital data to and from the processor,
• a plurality of unit data buses,
• each of said buses being connected to one of said tool control units,
• data distribution means coupling said unit data buses to said main data bus comprising
• means responsive to a set of distribution signals from said central processor for selectively activating one of said tool control units and for selectively activating only the data path from said main bus through the unit data bus connected to said selected control unit, and
• means for maintaining only said activated data path open through said main data bus to said central processor and maintaining all other data paths through unit data buses to unselected tool control units closed until the central processor issues the next set of distribution signals for selectively activating another tool control unit.

Apparatus interfacing between a central processor and a plurality of tool functions for receiving unconditioned digital data from and applying unconditioned digital data to said central processor and for applying application conditioned data correlated to unconditioned digital data to and receiving such conditioned digital data from machine tools comprising

• a housing,
• a main bus system having a plurality of channels connected to said central processor,
• means in said housing for receiving said main bus system,
• a plurality of unit buses in said housing, each unit bus having a plurality of channels corresponding to said plurality of channels in said main bus system,
• distribution means in said housing responsive to distribution signals from said processor for selectively actively coupling only one of said plurality of unit buses to said main bus whereby a single active path is provided to and from the central processor through said selected unit bus and said main bus,
• a plurality of tool control units detachably mounted in said housing, each tool control unit being adapted to receive unconditioned digital data originating from central processor and for providing application conditioned data correlated to said unconditioned data and/or to receive application conditioned data originating in said machine tool and for providing unconditioned digital data correlated to said received application conditioned data,
• a plurality of receiving means in said housing, each adapted to detachably and interchangeably receive one of said plurality of tool control units and to connect a different one of said unit buses respectively to each of said received tool control units
• whereby a selected tool control unit may be connected to the central processor by actively coupling to said mainbus the unit bus connected to the selected control unit.

A system for controlling a plurality of machine tools comprising

• a central processor,
• a plurality of tool controllers each operatively associated with a machine tool and located within the housing of said associated machine tool, each of said controllers comprising
• at least one tool control unit, adapted to provide a data input to the associated machine tool for controlling a tool function and/or for receiving from said tool, a data input indicative of a tool condition,
• means for independently grounding each housing,
• a multiple channel data bus connected between the central processor and each of the controllers for the communication of data transactions between the processor and a controller by the transferring of parallel bits of data to and from the processor, and
• photocoupling means between said tool controllers within said machine tool housing and said data bus whereby the tool controllers in each machine tool housing and the central processor are optically isolated from any transient signals generated within any other machine tool.