US 4,905,369 A · Tool Changer

Abstract

A tool changer has a rotatably supported driving shaft, a cylindrical double-walled support member composed of an inner cylindrical wall and an outer cylindrical wall, disposed coaxially with the driving shaft, and engaged therewith through helical splines, a cylindrical guide member having a cylindrical portion interposed between the inner cylindrical wall and outer cylindrical wall, a plurality of claw members fixed to the outer cylindrical wall for retaining tools, and a servomotor for rotating the driving shaft clockwise and counterclockwise. In an outer periphery of the cylindrical portion of the guide member are formed a plurality of axially extending straight grooves, each having an inclined side surface at respective tip ends, which extends in one direction, and an engaging member biassed by a spring member projects into one of the straight grooves so as to be engaged therewith. The clockwise rotation of the driving shaft causes the support member to move forwardly in an axial direction while the engaging member is engaged with one of the straight grooves of the guide member. At an end of the forward movement of the support member, the engaging member leaves the straight groove after passing the inclined side surface so as to rotate the support member by a predetermined angular distance and to bring the engaging member into engagement with another one of the straight grooves. The succeeding counterclockwise rotation of the driving shaft causes the support member to move backwardly.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A tool changer for changing tools to be selectively attached to a tool spindle of a machine, comprising:

a frame;
a driving shaft rotatably carried by said frame in parallel relation with the axis of said tool spindle;
a tool support member carried by said frame in coaxial relation with said driving shaft for rotation about said driving shaft as well as for reciprocative movement in the axial direction of said driving shaft, said tool support member being provided at a circumferential portion thereof with a plurality of tool holding mechanisms for respectively removably holding a plurality of tools;
feed means provided between said driving shaft and said tool support member for axially moving said tool support member between first and second positions where said tool support member is respectively close to and away from one end of said tool spindle;
stopper means for defining said second position;
first guide means provided between said frame and said tool support member for guiding said tool support member to move axially between said first and second positions;
second guide means provided between said frame and said tool support member for guiding said tool support member to rotate in only one direction when the rotation of said driving shaft in one direction continues even after said tool support member reaches said second position;
and
drive means connected to said driving shaft for rotating the same in said one direction and the other direction respectively.

6 more elements

A tool changer for changing tools to be mounted on a spindle, comprising:

a driving shaft having a screw portion formed in an outer periphery of said driving shaft and supported by a frame so as to be rotatable clockwise and counterclockwise;
a tool support member composed of a cylindrical body disposed coaxially with said driving shaft, which has a screw portion to be engaged with said screw portion of said driving shaft in an inner periphery of said tool support member;
a first guide means for guiding said tool support member to be moved forwardly or backwardly in an axial direction with the clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of said driving shaft, and a second guide means for guiding said tool support member to be rotated in one direction together with said driving shaft at an end of the forward movement of said tool support member;
a plurality of tool holding mechanisms provided in an outer periphery of said tool support member at predetermined distances in the circumferential direction for engageably and disengageably holding various tools;
drive means for rotating said driving shaft clockwise so as to move said tool support member forwardly from an end of its backward movement, and rotate said tool support member through a predetermined angular distance at an end of the forward movement of said tool support member, and rotating said driving shaft counterclockwise so as to move said tool support member backwardly to an end of the backward movement of said tool support member;
and
rotating angle detecting means for detecting the rotating angle of said driving shaft.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Tool Changer

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Tool Changer

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Abstract

Claims8