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US 4,783,902 AGranted
Tool store for machine tools and method for the operation thereof
AssigneeStarrfrasmaschinen AG
InventorPeter Novak
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AssigneeStarrfrasmaschinen AG
InventorPeter Novak
Estimating the term…
A rotor having an upper and a lower track is rotatably mounted on a column. Tool magazines equipped with running devices are mounted on the tracks. On a store frame is fixed a first gripper mechanism having second lifting units enabling a selected tool magazine to be blocked on the rotor and brought into the loading and unloading position. A second gripper mechanism is mounted on the rotor and is used for seeking a selected tool magazine, for securing it to the rotor and bringing to the first gripper mechanism. By forming a magazine free section on the rotor, a display arm and a loading and unloading station can be used to remove tools from the store and return them again. By using a further display arm, tools can be changed manually or by means of a portal loader during the machining time. As only one magazine-free section is required for loading and unloading, the store can have a much a higher store capacity than known stores.
A tool store for machine tools comprising:
A method for removing a selected tool from a selected tool carrying mechanism in a tool store for machine tools, the store including a stationary vertical column, a vertical hollow cylindrical rotor having first and second opposite ends and an outer surface, the rotor being disposed rotably about the column, the column and rotor having a common vertical axis, first and second horizontal circular tracks centered on the axis and secured to the outer surface of the rotor adjacent corresponding first and second rotor ends, a plurality of vertically elongated tool carrying magazines, including the mechanism to be selected, disposed circumferentially about the outer surface of the rotor, each magazine having first and second running means which respectively engage the first and second tracks to enable each magazine to be movable circumferentially about the rotor, the magazine movement being controlled in such manner that when the magazines are stationary a horizontal circular arc section around the rotor is magazine free, a stationary frame disposed radially from and surrounding the cylinder, first gripper means secured to the frame at a removal station at one end of the magazine free section, and second gripper means secured to the rotor for seeking said selected one of the magazines, securing the selected magazine and moving the selected magazine to the first gripper means, the method including the steps of
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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Storage devices; Drive mechanisms therefor: plural magazines, e.g. involving tool transfer from one magazine to another
Parts of devices for automatically inserting or removing tools: devices for recognizing tools in a storage device, e.g. coding devices
Tool changing: process
Matrix including means to project tool for transfer: pivoting
Term ended 30 Oct 2007 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
This application is related to copending application Ser. No. 115,761, filed on even date herewith and entitled Storage and Transportation Unit for Receiving Machining Tools for Machine Tools.
The invention relates to a tool store for machine tools, particularly numerically controlled processing or machining machines wherein tools can be stored and arranged on a tool magazine and wherein tools can be removed and returned by means of a handling device. The invention also relates to a method for operating this tool store.
Tool stores are mainly used in machine tools for the numerically controlled machining of workpieces, particularly in machining centres. One known basic configuration of the tool store is the disk-like plate magazine, on whose circumference the tools, usually together with a tool holder, are arranged cylindrically or radially. When the tools are arranged radially, an increase in the number of the storage places can be obained by superimposing several such plate magazines in layer form, cf. e.g. German Pat. No. 1 912 369. In such a tool store, the tools are stored in axially displaceable blocks, with the aid of which the tools can be moved into a tool transfer position, where they can be removed from the magazine or returned to the same by the tool changer. However, this configuration has the disadvantage that a relatively large expenditure is involved in connection with the displaceable storage of the blocks and the displacement mechanism.
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a tool store.
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the tool store of FIG. 1
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of the tool store according to FIG. 1 with a tool magazine, which is held by a first gripper means in the loading and unloading position.
As shown in FIG. 1, a tool store has a cylindrical column 1, whereby a plurality of juxtaposed tool magazines 2 are annularly arranged around the column axis 3. The tool magazines 2 extend axially parallel to the column axis 3 and have a plurality of juxtaposed tool places or locations 4, in which the tools 5 with tool holders 6 are radially stored, as described in more detail in connection with FIG. 6. At the ends of the tool magazines 2 are provided gripper plates 7, which can also be used for coding purposes.
As shown in FIG. 2, only a sufficient number of tool magazines 2 are annularly juxtaposed to ensure that a magazine-free section 8 is formed, which can have an angle of approximately 60.degree. to 90.degree..
Column 1 has a foundation 10, which can be constructed as a leg or a structure integrated into the tool machine bed. The column 1 can be positively connected to foundation 10, e.g. by welding or pinning, or non-positively by clamping. In the latter case a stepless, radial setting of the entire tool store can be used in accordance with peripheral circumstances.