Manually operated work pallet changer system

A manually operated work pallet changer, comprising:

• a support member including a static base mount having an upwardly extending shaft defining a primary index axis;
• an offset member pivotally attached to the support member for rotation about, and having a portion extending outwardly from, the primary index axis;
• the offset member including a rotating base member pivotally engaging the upwardly extending shaft permitting the rotation about the primary index axis, and a bearing mounted on the outwardly extending portion of the offset member, the bearing defining a secondary index axis spaced apart from and essentially parallel to the primary index axis;
• a guide support member attached to the bearing for rotation in a plane essentially perpendicular to the secondary index axis;
• and a primary support member attached to the rotating base member in a plane essentially perpendicular to the primary index axis, the primary support member providing the outwardly extending portion of the offset member;
• the primary support member being essentially square in the horizontal plane and being attached to an upper end of the rotating base member near one corner of the square, and wherein the static base mount has a support portion, and said one corner does not extend from the primary index axis beyond said support portion, whereby when the support portion is placed immediately adjacent to an object, said one corner will avoid the object as the primary support member is rotated about the primary index axis;
• and
• guide members disposed on the guide support member for supporting and guiding work pallets.

A work pallet indexing system, comprising:

• a manually operated work pallet indexer adapted for use with a machine tool, and including,
• a base,
• an offset member pivotally connected with the base and defining a primary indexing axis through the base,
• a bearing disposed on the offset member and defining a secondary indexing axis essentially parallel with the primary axis,
• a pallet guide support member attached to the offset member at the bearing and rotatable around the secondary axis in a plane essentially perpendicular to the secondary indexing axis, and
• a pair of work pallet guides placed on the guide support member and aligned on opposite sides of the secondary indexing axis so that a rotation of the guide support member by 180° moves one work pallet guide into the position previously occupied by the other work pallet guide;
• an air-bearing work pallet receiver, including
• a body having a planar surface,
• a plurality of small openings in the planar surface,
• means for ejecting a compressed gas through the plurality of small openings and defining an air-bearing at the planar surface,
• a deployable clamping plate disposed on the planar surface and movable between a receiving position and a clamping position,
• means for moving the deployable clamping plate between the receiving and the clamping positions, and
• a pair of locating pins and means for retracting the locating pins into the receiver and below the planar surface, and means for extending the locating pins above the planar surface;
• a machine tool having a work table and a front side defining a front of the work table, and
• the adaptation including the primary indexing axis being offset from a first side of the front of the machine tool work table, thereby permitting a combination of a rotation of the offset member about the primary indexing axis and the location of the primary indexing axis with respect to the pallet guide support member to define an exchange position in front of the machine tool work table and a setup position away from the machine tool work table,
• whereby offsetting the primary indexing axis from the first side of the front of the machine tool work table, and rotating the pallet guide support member from the exchange position into the setup position creates an open region in front of the machine tool work table sufficient to permit a machine tool operator to occupy the space for monitoring the operation of the machine tool.