Body for machining center

A machining center comprising:

• a stationary table support;
• a work table supported on said table support for movement within a substantially horizontal plane, said work table defining thereon an upper surface adapted for positioning of a workpiece;
• a boxlike body stationarily positioned adjacent one side of said work table, said boxlike body defining therein an interior chamber disposed at an elvation above the upper surface of the work table, said boxlike body including a pair of upright sidewalls which project upwardly a substantial distance above the upper surface of said work table and define said interior chamber therebetween, said sidewalls projecting transversely away from the work table;
• tool exchange and supporting means movably positioned wholly within said interior chamber at an elevation above the upper surface of said work table, said means including a support movable along a path and adapted to have a plurality of tools stored thereon in spaced relationship along said path;
• said boxlike body having an upright front wall disposed closely adjacent said one side of said work table and projecting upwardly above said upper surface, said front wall having a gatelike opening extending therethrough for direct communication with said interior chamber to provide access to said tool exchange and supporting means, said opening projecting upwardly through an upper edge of said front wall, and said gatelike opening being disposed at an elevation above the upper surface of said work table;
• each said sidewall ahving an elongated, cantilevered, protruding wall portion which projects forwardly beyond said front wall at an elevation substantially above said upper surface so as to directly overhang and be vertically spaced upwardly from the upper surface of said work table, said protruding wall portion being fixedly associated with its respective said sidewall, and the protruding wall portions of said sidewalls being sidewardly spaced apart and defining a slotlike region which opens downwardly therebetween, said slotlike region being in communication with said gatelike opening;
• slide means slidably supported on said boxlike body structure above said interior chamber for linear slidable displacement along a substantially horizontal direction which substantially perpendicularly intersects said front wall, said slide means and said boxlike body structure having opposed bearing means thereon for supporting said slide means for movement along said horizontal direction, said bearing means including opposed portions which cooperate between said slide means and the protruding wall portions adjacent the outer free ends thereof;
• said sidewalls and the respective protruding wall portions defining thereon upper edges which are disposed at an elevation substantially above said upper surface and above said interior chamber, said upper edges projecting substantially along said horizontal direction, said bearing means which cooperate between said slide means and said sidewalls being positioned substantially along said upper edges;
• tool-supporting spindle head means slidably supported on said slide means adjacent a front face thereof for linear reciprocal movement along a substantially vertical axis, said spindle head means being disposed so as to project vertically downwardly between the protruding wall portions of said sidewalls for access to a workpiece mounted on said work table, said spindle head means being movable rearwardly along said horizontal direction in response to rearward movement of said slide means so that said spindle head means can pass through said gatelike opening for access to said tool exchange and supporting means.