Tool holder, in particular for robot welding or cutting torches

A tool holder for robotic cutting or welding torches, comprising:

• a housing having a facing part thereof;
• a stop plate at least partially disposed within said housing and having a home position in which said stop plate is disposed proximate said housing facing part;
• a tool connection coupled to said stop plate so that movement of said tool connection causes movement of said stop plate;
• a piston element axially movably mounted in said housing, said piston element biased toward said stop plate, and said piston element disposed to be contacted by said stop plate and selectively slid axially in response to movement of either of said tool connection and said stop plate;
• a detector sensor device including a trigger, said trigger disposed on said housing to be triggered by axial movement of said piston element;
• and
• a plurality of positioning elements disposed between said stop plate and said housing facing part, said positioning elements being cooperatively configured with at least one of said stop plate and said housing facing part so that in said home position only three of said positioning elements contact both of said stop plate and said housing facing part and position said stop plate relative to said housing facing, and at least one addition positioning element adapted to position said stop plate in response to either of said tool connection and said stop plate being tilted.

A tool holder for robotic cutting or welding torches, comprising:

• a housing having a facing part thereof;
• a stop plate at least partially disposed within said housing and having a home position in which said stop plate is disposed proximate said housing facing part;
• a tool connection coupled to said stop plate so that movement of said tool connection causes movement of said stop plate;
• a piston element axially movably mounted in said housing, said piston element biased toward said stop plate, and said piston element disposed to be contacted by said stop plate and selectively slid axially in response to movement of either of said tool connection and said stop plate;
• a detector sensor device including a trigger, said trigger disposed on said housing to be triggered by axial movement of said piston element;
• and
• a plurality of positioning elements disposed between said stop plate and said housing facing part, three of said plurality of positioning elements being centered in a first common plane, at least one additional positioning element being centered outside of said first common plane, whereby in said home position only three of said positioning elements contact and position said stop plate relative to said housing facing part, and whereby said at least one additional positioning element is adapted to position said stop plate in response to either of said tool connection and said stop plate being tilted.