Machining apparatus

Abstract

In a laser beam machining apparatus, a work supply station is disposed on one side of a laser beam machining apparatus body, and a work holding station is disposed on the other side of the laser beam machining apparatus body. Each of the work supply station and the work holding station is provided with a means for removing a work vertically and positioning the work w in a horizontal state on a machining table. A stocker including works disposed therein is disposed in the work supply station, and a stocker including no work disposed therein is disposed in the work holding station, so that a surface of a work w disposed in the stocker is machined, and the machined work is disposed in the stocker. When the machining of the works disposed in the stocker has been finished, the stocker is rotated through 180 degrees about a vertical axis by a lifter. Then, a back of the work is machined according to a procedure reverse from the above-described machining procedure. When the machining of all the works has been completed, the works are returned to the stocker. Thus, the machining apparatus is smaller in size and capable of carrying out the machining with an enhanced working efficiency.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.