Tool change mechanism

A tool changer for mounting on a machine tool:

• a body member for mounting on said machine tool, said body member presenting two spaced apart mounting planes;
• a first tool change arm rotatably supported in said body with its axis of rotation extending through the first of said mounting planes;
• a second tool change arm rotatably supported in said body with its axis of rotation extending through the second of said mounting planes so that said axes are disposed at angles to each other;
• a tool grip mounted on each of said arms at the end opposite its axis of rotation for gripping the tool that is being transferred;
• means operatively mounted on said body member to effect a rotary motion of each of said arm members about its axis while at the same time imparting a translational motion to the axis of each of said arm members;
• for moving one of said grips in a single continuous arcuate path of travel to extract a previously used tool from the work station and then move it away from the work station while at the same time moving the second grip that is carrying a new tool in a second continuous arcuate path of travel for moving the new tool toward the work station and then inserting it into the work station.

In a machine tool:

• a frame;
• a tool carrying spindle supported by said frame;
• a tool storage magazine carrying a plurality of tools to be used in said spindle for work operations;
• a tool changer movably carried by said frame;
• said tool changer including:
• a frame member presenting at least two spaced apart mounting planes;
• a first and a second tool change arm member rotatably mounted on said frame member and in said spaced apart mounting planes;
• gripping means on the outer end of each of said arm members for receiving a tool and for clamping said tool thereto;
• and
• means operatively associated with said frame member and each of said arm members to effect a rotary motion and at the same time a translational motion of the axes of rotation of each of said arm members to move both of said grips in a single continuous path of travel to extract a tool from said spindle and replace it with a new tool.

The method of exchanging tools between a ready station of a tool storage magazine and the work station of a machine tool with a pair of tool securing grips mounted on a pair of movable tool change arms respectively;

• comprising the steps of engaging one grip with a new tool in the ready station of the tool storage magazine;
• moving both arms simultaneously for moving their associated grips in separate paths of travel to extract the new tool from the tool ready station while at the same time shifting the empty grip into the tool ready station;
• moving both arms bodily in unison to the work station with the empty grip moving into engagement with the previously used tool in the work station;
• moving both arms simultaneously for shifiting both grips in their separate continuous arcuate paths of travels for extracting the previously used tool from the work station and moving it away from the work station while at the same time moving the new tool in the other grip toward and into the work station;
• moving both arms in unison to the tool ready station;
• moving both arms simultaneously for moving their associated grips in separate continuous arcuate paths of travel for shifting the tool in one grip into the tool ready station and at the same time shifting the other grip away from the tool ready station.