# US 9,475,161 B2 · Vertical machining centre in gantry construction > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,475,161 B2 - Document ID: US9475161B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/207,151 - Filed: 2014-03-12 - Published: 2014-09-18 - Granted: 2016-10-25 - Earliest claimed: 2013-03-12 - Assignees: Maschinenfabrik Berthold Hermle AG - Applicants: Maschinenfabrik Berthold Hermle AG - Inventors: Franz-Xaver Bernhard; Tobias Schwörer; Bernd Ramsperger - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9475161B2 ## CPC - B23Q 3/15539: {Plural magazines, e.g. involving tool transfer from one magazine to another (involving manual operation B23Q3/15533)} - B23Q 1/012: {Portals} - B23Q 1/015: {Frames, beds, pillars} - B23Q 3/15503: {Processes characterized by special sequencing of operations or the like, e.g. for optimizing tool changing time or capacity in tool storage} - B23Q 3/15506: {the tool being inserted in a tool holder directly from a storage device (without transfer device)} - B23Q 3/15706: {a single tool being inserted in a spindle directly from a storage device, i.e. without using transfer devices (B23Q3/15786 takes precedence)} - B23Q 3/15766: {the axis of the stored tools being arranged perpendicularly to the rotating or circulating plane of the storage means} - Y10T 483/1717: Plural matrices - Y10T 483/1795: Matrix indexes selected tool to transfer position - Y10T 483/18: Tool transfer to or from matrix - Y10T 483/1845: Plural matrices - B23Q: DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g. ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING (tools of the kind used in lathes or boring machines B23B27/00); MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OF PARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOT DIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A vertical machining center in gantry construction may comprise a machine frame having two side walls configured to receive a tool-carrying assembly and a workpiece-carrying assembly, a moveable pickup tool magazine store within the two side walls of the machine frame configured for a tool change by the pickup method, and a machine enclosure which completely encloses the machining center. Below the moveable pickup tool magazine store there may be a free space in which there is additionally at least one further spare magazine, equivalent in construction to the pickup tool magazine store. A force-driven reloading handling system, with which machining tools can be reloaded from the spare magazine into the pickup tool magazine store and vice versa, may be provided within the machine enclosure at an access opening of the machine frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vertical machining centre in gantry construction, comprising: a machine frame having two side walls, a moveable pickup tool magazine store within the two side walls of the machine frame configured for a tool change by the pickup method, wherein below the moveable pickup tool magazine store there is a free space in which there is additionally at least one spare magazine of a circular, annular construction, and further wherein a force-driven reloading handling system, with which machining tools can be reloaded from the at least one spare magazine into the pickup tool magazine store and vice versa, is provided at an access opening of the machine frame, wherein the pickup tool magazine store includes a motor-driven magazine of a circular, annular construction, having a magazine ring, which is mounted rotatably about a vertical axis and provided with tool holders for receiving machining tools, and wherein the rotatable magazine ring is connected to the machine frame via a four-point roller bearing, wherein the force-driven reloading handling system includes a pneumatically adjustable 2-axis unit, having a vertical axis and a horizontal longitudinal axis arranged perpendicularly thereto, and a tool gripper having two pneumatically adjustable gripping jaws configured for holding a spherical tool shaft of a machining tool, the tool gripper configured to move in a straight line path along each of the horizontal longitudinal axis and the vertical axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vertical machining centre of claim 1, wherein the pickup tool magazine store can be driven via a motor including a gear reduction transmission. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vertical machining centre of claim 2, wherein the gear reduction transmission has a toothed belt stage and a gearwheel stage. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vertical machining centre of claim 3, wherein the four-point roller bearing includes an inner ring, via which the four-point roller bearing is rigidly connected to the machine frame. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vertical machining centre of claim 4, wherein the four-point roller bearing includes a rotatable outer ring, on which the tool holders and a ring gear element for the gearwheel stage of the gear reduction transmission of the motor are arranged. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vertical machining centre of claim 5, wherein the at least one spare magazine is connected to the rotatable magazine ring of the pickup tool magazine store via a circular, annular adapter. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The vertical machining centre of claim 6, wherein the at least one spare magazine is provided with tool holders and wherein the tool holders on the pickup tool magazine store and on the at least one spare magazine are configured as resiliently deformable U-shaped holding brackets. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The vertical machining centre of claim 7, wherein a first pneumatic cylinder without a piston rod extends along the vertical axis and a second pneumatic cylinder without a piston rod extends along the horizontal longitudinal axis. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The vertical machining centre of claim 1, wherein the tool gripper is configured to move along the horizontal longitudinal axis from a first horizontal position to a second horizontal position and to move along the vertical axis from a first vertical position to a second vertical position. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vertical machining centre of claim 1, wherein the tool gripper moves along the horizontal longitudinal axis from a first horizontal position to a second horizontal position and moves along the vertical axis from a first vertical position to a second vertical position. ### Claim 11 A vertical machining centre in gantry construction, comprising: a machine frame having two side walls, a moveable pickup tool magazine store within the two side walls of the machine frame configured for a tool change by the pickup method, wherein below the moveable pickup tool magazine store there is a free space in which there is additionally at least one spare magazine of a circular, annular construction, and further wherein a force-driven reloading handling system, with which machining tools can be reloaded from the at least one spare magazine into the pickup tool magazine store and vice versa, is provided at an access opening of the machine frame, wherein the pickup tool magazine store includes a motor-driven magazine of a circular, annular construction, having a magazine ring, which is mounted rotatably about a vertical axis and provided with tool holders for receiving machining tools, wherein the force-driven reloading handling system includes a pneumatically adjustable 2-axis unit, having a vertical axis and a horizontal longitudinal axis arranged perpendicularly thereto, and a tool gripper having two pneumatically adjustable gripping jaws configured for holding a spherical tool shaft of a machining tool, the tool gripper configured to move in a straight line path along each of the horizontal longitudinal axis and the vertical axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vertical machining centre of claim 11, wherein the tool gripper is configured to move along the horizontal longitudinal axis from a first horizontal position to a second horizontal position and to move along the vertical axis from a first vertical position to a second vertical position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The vertical machining centre of claim 11, wherein the tool gripper moves along the horizontal longitudinal axis from a first horizontal position to a second horizontal position and moves along the vertical axis from a first vertical position to a second vertical position.