Spare tool changing system for machining center

A spare tool changing system for a machining center provided with a tool magazine storing a plurality of spare tools, a one of said plurality of spare tools having a major axis which is horizontal when in the tool magazine, said one of said plurality of spare tools being disposed on an upper part of a frame above a column having a spindle, in which system, a tool on the spindle is replaced with said one of said plurality of spare tools stored on the tool magazine, said system comprising:

• a tool changer for putting said one of said plurality of spare tools on the tool magazine and taking out said one of said plurality of spare tools from the tool magazine disposed on an upper part of the frame, the tool changer being adapted to take out said one of said plurality of spare tools from the tool magazine before the tool changer reaches a tool changing station at a lower part of the frame;
• and
• a guide rail having a horizontal section, a vertical section, and a curved section, said guide rail extending between a tool transfer station at the tool magazine and the tool changing station at the lower part of the frame to guide the tool changer for movement between the tool transfer station and the tool changing station,
• wherein said horizontal section extends from said tool transfer station and is adapted to guide the tool changer with said major axis of said one of said plurality of spare tools being horizontal, said vertical section being adapted to guide the tool changer to said tool changing station with said major axis of said one of said plurality of spare tools being vertical, said curved section connecting the horizontal section and the vertical section, said curved section being used for changing the direction of said major axis of said one of said plurality of spare tools from horizontal to vertical and vertical to horizontal.