Method for automatically exchanging polishing tools in mold polishing device

A method for automatically exchanging polishing tools in a mold polishing device for polishing a work surface of a mold, wherein a polishing tool, which is mounted on a spindle provided at an arm of a multi-axis mold polishing robot and rotates together with said spindle, is pressed against and moved along said work surface for polishing said work surface, a T-shaped tool holder, which has a pair of left and right horizontal latch pins protruding from a vertical rod that is coaxially integrated with said spindle, is provided at a leading end portion of said spindle, said polishing tool is provided with a pair of notches allowing said horizontal latch pins to be engaged therewith in a press-fitted manner and to be forcibly withdrawn upward therefrom, a tool stand and a tool removal stand are provided in proximity to a mold setting area to which a mold to be polished is fixed, a plurality of polishing tools are arranged at predetermined intervals in said tool stand, with said notches of said polishing tools facing upward, and a horizontal slot, whose width is larger than an outer diameter of said vertical rod of said tool holder but smaller than an outer diameter of said polishing tool, is formed in said tool removal stand, comprising said steps of:

• passing said horizontal latch pins upward from a lower portion of said horizontal slot of said tool removal stand so as to remove a used polishing tool from said tool holder;
• and
• subsequently press-fitting said horizontal latch pins from above into said notches of a predetermined one of said polishing tools in said tool stand so as to mount a new polishing tool to said tool holder.