Transfer machining system

A transfer machining system comprising:

• conveying means for intermittently feeding a workpiece a fixed distance in a conveyance direction from a transfer machining position of said transfer machining system to another transfer machining position of said transfer machining system;
• a plurality of supporting means for transfer machining position of said transfer machining system, each for supporting the workpiece in position at the transfer machining position until the moment of a subsequent intermittent feed, said plurality of said supporting means being arranged in the conveyance direction and spaced apart a distance equivalent to a single intermittent feed distance;
• and
• a plurality of machining means arranged on one side of a walking beam in the vicinity of respective ones of said supporting means for subjecting the workpiece supported by said supporting means to predetermined machining at a transfer machining position;
• said conveying means for conveying a workpiece between transfer machining positions, including
• said walking beam for receiving the workpiece, and
• driving means for moving said walking beam upward, forward, downward and backward, wherein said walking beam is driven by said driving means to raise the workpiece supported by said supporting means from a supported position so as to release said workpiece from a supported state on said supporting means, to convey the workpiece in the conveyance direction to a point above the next supporting means and thereafter to lower the workpiece so that the workpiece is supported by the said next supporting means;
• one of said plurality of machining means having side milling machine and a first working area at a transfer machining position;
• and
• a workpiece supporting level position of supporting means at the transfer machining position near said one machining means having the first working area being at a level different from that of supporting means of another workpiece position of an adjacent said transfer machining position supporting means, which said adjacent supporting means is set near said machining means of the transfer machining position having the first working area, whereby a workpiece when set in position at said different level on said adjacent supporting means will not interfere with workpiece machining in the first working area, which further comprises:
• driving means connected to said side milling machine for moving said side milling machine toward and away from a workpiece supported on supporting means near said side milling machine, and for reciprocating said side milling machine in the conveyance direction.

A transfer machining system comprising:

• conveying means for intermittently feeding a workpiece a fixed distance in a conveyance direction form a transfer machining position of said transfer machining system to another transfer machining position of said transfer machining system;
• a plurality of supporting means for transfer machining positions of said transfer machining system, each for supporting the workpiece in position at the transfer machining position until the moment of a subsequent intermittent feed, said plurality of said supporting means being arranged in the conveyance direction and spaced apart a distance equivalent to a single intermittent feed distance;
• and
• a plurality of machining means arranged in the vicinity of respective ones of said supporting means for subjecting the workpiece supported by said supporting means to predetermined machining at a transfer machining position;
• said conveying means for conveying a workpiece between transfer machining positions, including
• a walking beam for receiving the workpiece, and
• driving means for moving said walking beam upward, forward, downward and backward, wherein said walking beam is driven by said driving means to raise the workpiece supported by said supporting means from a supported position so as to release said workpiece from a supported state on said supporting means, to convey the workpiece in the conveyance direction to a point above the next supporting means and thereafter to lower the workpiece so that the workpiece is supported by the said next supporting means;
• one of said plurality of machining means having a first working area at a transfer machining position;
• and
• a workpiece supporting level position of supporting means at the transfer machining position near said one matching means having the first working area being at a level different from that of supporting means of another workpiece position of an adjacent said transfer machining position supporting means, which said adjacent supporting means is set near said machining means of the transfer machining position having the first working area, whereby a workpiece when set in position at said different level on said adjacent supporting means will not interfere with workpiece machining in the first working area.