Apparatus and method for hydraulically fed cuttings removal and collection for cutting type machine tools

An apparatus for the hydraulic removal and collection of cuttings from a machine tool, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing at least partially enclosing said machine tool;
• a tank for storing fluid;
• a plurality of cuttings trays at a bottom of said housing, said cuttings trays angled at an incline sloping downward in a direction from a first side of said housing to a second side of said housing, said second side positioned substantially parallel to said first side;
• a cross-tray at the bottom of said housing running along said second side transverse to said cuttings trays, at a height lower than said cuttings trays, and oriented in a direction from a third side of said housing to a fourth side of said housing, said fourth side positioned substantially parallel to said third side, said third and fourth sides being substantially perpendicular to said first and second sides, wherein said cross-tray exits said housing through an opening in said fourth side;
• a rotating drum outside and adjacent to said fourth side of said housing for collecting said cuttings from said cross-tray, said drum positioned above a portion of said tank and having a hollow annular structure with fins disposed in an axial direction along an interior of said drum for carrying said cuttings in a circumferential direction as said drum rotates, wherein said fins are generally concave in shape so as to scoop said cuttings in the direction of rotation of said drum, said drum further having a perforated surface for allowing drainage of said fluid back into said tank, wherein said drum rotates around an axis parallel to said cross-tray;
• a plurality of rolling means, upon which rests said drum, for rotating said drum around an axis parallel to said cross-tray;
• motor means for driving at least one of said rolling means;
• a plurality of first side hydraulic nozzles in said first side positioned at an end of said cuttings trays for directing flow of said fluid so as to force said cuttings in said cuttings trays to move down said cuttings trays into said cross-tray;
• a plurality of third side hydraulic nozzles in said third side positioned at an end of said cross-tray for directing flow of said fluid so as to force said cuttings in said cross-tray to move across said cross-tray into said drum, said first and third side hydraulic nozzles being connected by pipes to said pump means so as to receive said fluid from said tank;
• pump means for pumping said fluid from said tank to said first and third side hydraulic nozzles;
• a drop tray having a bottom edge and a top edge, said bottom edge positioned in a horizontal plane along a chord of said rotating drum, said drop tray angled at an incline sloping upward from said bottom edge in a longitudinal direction away from said housing towards said top edge, whereby said cuttings fall from said interior of said drum onto said drop tray;
• a return chute adjoining the bottom edge of said drop tray for directing coolant and cuttings falling down said drop tray back into said drum;
• and
• pushing means for pushing said cuttings off of said drop tray.

A rotating drum for collecting cuttings and recovering a fluid in a hydraulic cuttings removal and collection system for machine tools, said drum comprising:

• a hollow annular structure having a perforated surface, said perforated surface having perforations of a predetermined size enabling said drum to retain cuttings larger than said predetermined size, while enabling said fluid to drain off of said cuttings through said perforated surface for recycling;
• cuttings supply means for introducing machine tool cuttings into said hollow annular structure by a flow of said fluid;
• and
• a plurality of fins disposed in an axial direction along an interior of said drum for carrying said larger cuttings in a circumferential direction as said drum rotates, said fins carrying said larger cuttings in a circumferential direction as said drum rotates until gravity forces said cuttings to fall onto a drop tray for collection.

An apparatus for the hydraulic removal and collection of cuttings from a machine tool, said apparatus comprising:

• a housing at least partially enclosing said machine tool;
• a plurality of collection trays at a bottom of said housing for collecting cuttings as they fall from said machine tool, wherein at least one of said collection trays exits said housing through an opening in said housing;
• a plurality of hydraulic nozzles in said housing for directing flow of a fluid so as to force said cuttings in said collection trays out of said opening;
• and
• separation means disposed adjacent to said opening for receiving said cuttings forced out by said flow of fluid and for separating the cuttings from the fluid.