US 4,358,888 AGranted

Automatic tool changer with internal tool storage magazine

AssigneeKearney & Trecker Corporation

InventorsFrank Zankl, Charles B. Sipek, Alvin L. Cleek

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Abstract

A vertical spindle numerically controlled machining center includes a stationary bed or base on which a workpiece holding table is slidably mounted for movement along a first axis. A vertically extending upright or column, having a vertically reciprocal spindlehead slidably mounted thereon, is slidably mounted on the bed for movement along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis so that the spindlehead overlies a portion of the table. Within the upright is a recess adjacent to the bed. A tool storage magazine is located in the recess and is slidably mounted on the bed for movement through the recess along an axis parallel to the second axis. During a tool change cycle, the toolholder then held in the spindle is returned to the tool storage magazine by first moving the spindlehead to the ready position and then moving the tool storage drum toward the spindlehead to engage the tool then held in the spindle. To provide the spindle with a new tool, the spindlehead is first moved upwardly to clear the toolholder shank and then the tool storage drum is indexed to position a new tool directly beneath the spindle so that the spindle can engage the tool when the spindlehead is moved downwardly to the ready position.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An automatic tool changing machining center effectuating rapid exchange of cutting tools comprising:

a bed;
a workpiece holding table slidably mounted on said bed for movement along a first axis;
a vertically extending upright mounted on said bed said upright having a recess therein adjacent to said workpiece holding table;
means for effecting relative movement between said workpiece holding table and said upright along a second axis perpendicular to said first axis;
a spindlehead slidably mounted on said upright so as to overlie a portion of said workpiece holding table, said spindlehead being vertically movable on said upright along a third axis orthogonal to said first and second axes;
a cutter carrying spindle journaled in said spindlehead for rotation about an axis parallel to said third axis for rotating the cutter to perform a work operation;
a tool storage magazine mounted on said bed in said recess;
a plurality of tool carriers on said magazine with each of said carriers being adapted to support a tool for use in said spindle;
a tool ready station on said magazine for receiving any one of said tool carriers to position it for a tool change operation;
means for moving the tool carrier with the selected tool into said tool ready station;
and
means for effecting relative movement between the tool storage magazine and said upright to cause said tool carrier at said tool ready station to be located in alignment with and to be located distal from said spindle in performing the tool change operation.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.