JP2002046038A - Tool transfer equipment for machine tools - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a tool transfer device for a machine tool, in which a tool change operation is reliably performed with a small number of actuators, and a tool change time is reduced. SOLUTION: A gripping cylinder 30 is operated to grip a tool 78 indexed to a tool transfer position A by a gripper 28, and a release cylinder 36 is operated to move the bracket 14 and the gripper 28 together with the plate cam 12, thereby causing the tool 7 to move.
8 is removed from the tool magazine 70 together with the tool pot 74. After that, the turning cylinder 26 is operated to operate the plate cam 12.
While the cam groove 12a provided in the gripper 28 and the turning cam follower 28b provided in the gripper 28 are engaged, the bracket 14 is turned and the gripper 28 is reciprocated with respect to the bracket 14, and the tool is transferred from the tool transfer position A to the tool change position B. Is transferred to the tool 78.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a machine tool for transferring a tool from a tool delivery position of a tool magazine for accommodating a tool via a tool pot to a tool exchange position for exchanging and exchanging tools with a spindle. Related to a tool transfer device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional automatic tool changer uses an endless chain to increase the number of tools stored in a tool magazine, to save space in a tool magazine, and to facilitate storing tools in a tool magazine. There are many examples in which a large tool magazine capable of storing a tool in a horizontal direction via a plurality of connected tool pots and rotating the endless chain to find an arbitrary tool is installed on the side of the machine.
In this case, the tool cannot be directly exchanged between the main spindle and the tool magazine due to a phase difference between the moving direction of the main spindle and the storage direction of the tool.

For this purpose, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-13087
In the horizontal machining center disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. H10-209, a turning arm having a tool changing arm for gripping a tool at a tip is provided in a tool magazine, and a tool indexed to a tool delivery position of the tool magazine is held by the tool changing arm. Then, the turning arm is turned around the vertical axis to transfer the tool to the tool changing position, and at the same time, the tool changing arm is turned to exchange the tool with the tool mounted on the main spindle.

When a tool magazine as described above is installed in a vertical machining center, it is difficult to exchange tools with the main spindle by separating the tool from the tool pot from the configuration of the machine tool. is there. for that reason,
For example, in a vertical machining center disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-310341, a tool indexed to a tool delivery position of a tool magazine is provided by interposing a tool transfer device having a grip portion between a tool magazine and a tool changing arm. With the tool transfer device, the tool pot is gripped together with the tool pot and transferred from the tool magazine to the withdrawal tool change position, the tool change arm provided on the machine tool is turned, and tool change between the tool mounted on the main spindle is performed. Is going.

[0005]

However, in the tool changer disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-310341, a tool transfer device for transferring a tool pot from a tool transfer position to a tool change position is moved. Actuators corresponding to the turning and linear movement directions of the device are required, and there is a problem that the structure is complicated and the manufacturing cost is increased.

Further, in an automatic tool changer for machine tools disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-13087, a horizontal machining center uses a plate cam and a cam follower as actuators for moving a revolving arm so that tool change can be performed with a small number of actuators. Although the operation can be obtained, there is a problem that it is difficult to apply the present invention to a vertical machining center because the tool change arm pivots in the vertical axis direction.

On the other hand, it has recently been desired to reduce the tool change time in order to reduce the machining time. To achieve this, all the actuators related to the movement of the swing arm and the tool transfer device as described above are required. Operating speed needs to be increased. However, for example, when transferring the tool indexed to the tool delivery position of the tool magazine to the tool change position by pulling out the tool pot together with the tool pot from the tool magazine, the tool is moved by the centrifugal force based on the turning movement of the tool transfer device. There is a risk that the tool pot gripped by the gripper of the transfer device may fall out of the tool transfer device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a tool transfer device for a machine tool in which a tool change operation can be performed with a small number of actuators and the tool change can be performed reliably and the time required for the tool change can be reduced.

[0009]

According to the present invention, there is provided a tool changing position for transferring a tool from a tool transfer position of a tool magazine for storing a tool via a tool pot to a main spindle and exchanging a tool. In a tool transfer device of a machine tool that transfers the tool, a bracket that pivots about a fixed axis provided in a direction orthogonal to a direction in which the tool is stored in the tool magazine as a rotation center, and a linear direction with respect to the bracket. A gripper that is provided so as to be relatively movable and that grips the tool pot indexed to the tool delivery position of the tool magazine from the longitudinal rear side of the tool, a cam follower provided on the gripper, and the tool at the tool delivery position. While the gripper holding the pot is linearly moved with respect to the bracket, the center axis of the tool pot is A plate cam having a cam groove for guiding a cam follower of the gripper along a tool transfer path for rotating the bracket so as to be parallel to the axis of the tool, and linearly operating to the tool changing position; A lock pin provided on the tool pot so as to be able to engage with the tool, a dog provided on the bracket, and the dog are engaged with the dog in synchronization with the linear movement of the gripper with respect to the bracket. A tool transfer device for a machine tool comprising tool drop prevention means including a lock lever for pressing the lock pin against the tool while moving between a tool transfer position and the tool change position. I do.

[0010]

The gripper moves the gripping tool from the tool transfer position to the tool change position or from the tool change position to the tool transfer while the gripper rotates linearly with respect to the bracket while the bracket rotates around the fixed axis. Transfer to a location. At this time, the lock lever presses the lock pin against the tool to prevent the tool from falling off.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, referring to FIG. 2, the tool transfer position 10 is disposed between the vertical machining center 40 and the tool magazine 70. The vertical machining center 40 includes a bed 42 installed on a floor surface of a factory or the like, and a column base 44 fixed on an upper surface of the bed 42,
On the upper surface of the column base 44, a column 46 is provided so as to be capable of reciprocating in the X-axis direction, that is, in the left-right direction in FIG. A table 52 on which a work is placed is provided on the bed 42 so as to be able to reciprocate in a direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. A spindle head 48 is mounted on the front surface of the column 46. The spindle head 48 supports the spindle 50 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, and is capable of reciprocating in the vertical axis direction, that is, the Z-axis direction. I have. Further, a tool 78 is mounted on the tip of the spindle 50 via a tool holder 76.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a tool magazine 70 is provided.
Is a vertical tool magazine having a magazine base 72 vertically mounted on the left end surface of the base 42 of the vertical machining center 40. A pair of sprockets 84 and 86 are rotatably mounted on both upper and lower ends of the magazine base 72. A chain 80 is stretched over the pair of sprockets 84 and 86. A plurality of holders 82 are connected to the chain 80, and each holder 82
A tool 78 is held via a tool pot 74. In the illustrated embodiment, a sprocket 84 attached to the lower end of the magazine base 80 is connected to a rotating shaft of a tool magazine drive motor (not shown), and a chain 80 is provided.
A series of tools are rotated around the magazine base 72 in both forward and reverse directions to index a desired tool to the tool transfer position A.

The tool 78 indexed to the tool transfer position A
Is transferred to the tool change position B by the tool transfer device 10 while being mounted on the tool pot 74. Tool change position B
A tool changing arm device 60 is disposed on the base 42 of the vertical machining center 40.
An arm base 62 attached to the arm base; an arm rod 64 erected on the arm base;
And a tool change arm 66 attached to the tip of the tool. The arm rod 64 is provided so as to be able to reciprocate in a vertical direction indicated by an arrow ZZ in FIG. 2 and to be rotatable about a longitudinal axis as indicated by an arrow RR. Preferably, the arm rod 64 is configured to make one reciprocation in the ZZ direction while making one rotation in the RR direction.

The tool 78 transferred to the tool change position B by the tool transfer device 10 is engaged with a grip (not shown) provided at the tip of the tool change arm 66 and an engagement groove (not shown) of the tool holder 76. ) Is held by the tool change arm 66. Next, the arm rod 64 moves down, and the tool 78 is pulled out of the tool pot 74. Thus tool 7
Reference numeral 8 is held by the grip portion of the tool change arm 66 via the tool holder 76, and waits for the start of the tool change operation on the vertical machining center 40 side.

When the tool change operation of the vertical machining center 40 starts, the column 4 of the vertical machining center 40
2 moves leftward along the X axis from above the state shown in FIG. The tool 78 mounted on the tip of the tool 50 is transferred to the tool change position B. By this operation, the spindle 50
Is held by the other gripping portion of the tool change arm 66. Next, the arm rod 64 and the tool change arm 66 rotate in the direction of the arrow RR and move up and down in the ZZ direction. Tool change is performed.

Next, the tool transfer device 10 according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. The tool transfer device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a gripper 28 formed of a substantially inverted L-shaped member having a turning cam follower 28b described below at a lower end portion, and a gripper 32 that grips a tool pot 74 in cooperation with the gripper 28. Is provided. The gripper 28 and the gripping claw 32 are provided at their respective tips with engaging recesses 7 of the tool pot 74 in order to secure the holding of the tool pot 74.
4b (see FIG. 4). The gripper 28 has a guide 22 on a side opposite to the engaging projection 28a, and a gripping cylinder 30 as a first actuator for driving the gripping claw 32 between the guide 22 and the engaging projection 28a. In the piston chamber 30a of the gripping cylinder 30, a gripping piston 30b is provided.
Are slidably disposed.

The tool transfer device 10 further includes a plate cam 12 having a cam groove 12a for engaging with the turning cam follower 28b. The plate cam 12 is provided substantially vertically, and the plate cam base 1 extending horizontally is provided on the back surface.
2b is fixed. The plate cam base 12b is a plate cam base guide 72a fixed to the magazine base 72.
In contrast, the horizontal direction indicated by arrow C in FIG.
2 is attached so as to be reciprocally slidable in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. A release cylinder 36 as a third actuator is attached to the magazine base 72 by a cylinder bracket 36b in parallel with the plate cam base 12b, and the tip of the release piston 36a of the release cylinder 36 is attached to the back surface of the plate cam 12. The connected plate cam 12 reciprocates in the direction C, that is, the direction orthogonal to the tool storage direction of the tool magazine 70.

A rotary shaft 14a is fixed to the upper portion of the plate cam 12 in a direction substantially parallel to the plate cam base 12b, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the tool storage direction of the tool magazine 70.
A bracket 14 made of a generally inverted L-shaped plate member is rotatably attached to the rotating shaft 14a. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one arm of the bracket 14 has a rail 1 that engages with the guide 22 fixed to the gripper 28.
8 and a dog 20 are attached via a rail base 16. The dog 20 is, as understood from FIG.
It is formed in a substantially trapezoidal shape with its central portion in the longitudinal direction being raised. The gripper 28 is attached to the bracket 14 so as to be able to reciprocate in a linear direction by engaging the guide 22 with the rail 18. A turning cylinder 26 as a second actuator is attached to the other arm of the bracket 14, and a piston rod 26 of the turning cylinder 26
a is connected to one end of the working rod of the gripping piston 30b, and the other end of the gripping piston 30b is pivotally connected to the gripping claw 32 via a pin. Gripping piston 30b
, A spring retainer 30c is attached to a side of the turning cylinder 26 connected to the piston rod 26a, and a gripping piston 30b and a piston rod of the turning cylinder 26 A spring 38 for biasing 26a upward is provided.

Referring to FIG. 1, the tool transfer device 10 further includes a lock lever 24 and a lock pin 34 having a substantially V shape. Lock lever 24 has one arm 24a
A lock cam follower 24c, which is pivotally attached to the gripper 28 and has a V-shaped apex of the lock lever 24 and is composed of a rotatable roller member, is attached to the dog 20 so as to be engageable with the dog 20. 4, the tip of the other arm 24b of the lock lever 24 is bent toward the user in FIG. 1, and the lock pin 34 provided on the tool pot 74 gripped by the gripper 28 and the gripper 32.
With the tip of That is, a through hole for the lock pin 34 is formed on the side surface of the tool pot 74, and the lock pin 34 inserted into the through hole has a tip inside the tool holder 76 attached to the tool pot 74. The tip of the lock lever 24 can be engaged with the pull stud 76b at the tip end.
4b.

Next, the operation of the tool transfer device 10 will be described. As described above, when the new tool 78 is indexed to the tool delivery position A of the tool magazine 70, the tool transfer device 1
0 starts operation. Tool 78 by tool magazine 70
During the indexing operation, the piston 36a of the release cylinder 36
Is in the extended position, so that the tool transfer device 10
At a position separated from the tool delivery position A as shown by the solid line in FIG. When the operation of the tool transfer device 10 is started, the piston rod 26a of the turning cylinder 26 is retracted, and is at the tool transfer position A of the tool magazine 70 indicated by a solid line in FIG.
At this time, the gripping piston 30 is held by the gripping cylinder 30.
The gripper 28 moves upward with respect to 0b, and the gripping claw 32 rotates downward to open the space between the engagement protrusions 28a and 32a.

Next, the piston 3 of the release cylinder 36
When the tool transfer device 10 moves to the tool delivery position A when the tool transfer device 10 moves to the tool transfer position A, the pair of engagement protrusions 28a and 32a are located at positions facing the engagement recesses 74b of the tool pot 74 of the indexed tool 78, Gripper 2 by gripping cylinder 30
8 is moved downward relative to the piston rod 26a of the turning cylinder 26. As a result, the gripping claws 32 rotate upward, the pair of engagement projections 28a and 32a approach each other, and the tool pot 74 is gripped therebetween.

Next, the piston 3 of the release cylinder 36
When the tool transfer device 10 is separated from the tool transfer position A by the extension of 6a, the tool transfer device 10 is guided along the cam groove 12a by the engagement between the cam groove 12a formed on the plate cam 12 and the cam follower 28b. Then, the turning operation to the tool change position B about the rotation shaft 14a is started. At the same time, with the gripper 28 gripping the tool pot 74,
Linear sliding starts relative to the bracket 14 along the rail 18. When the gripper 28 slides along the rail 18, the locking cam follower 24c engages with a high flat portion at the longitudinal center of the trapezoid of the dog 20, and the lock lever 24 moves in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. Rotate. As a result, the lock pin 34 is urged toward the inside of the tool pot 74, and its tip engages with the pull stud 76 b of the tool holder 76 attached to the tool pot 74 to lock the tool holder 76. Therefore, the tool 78 is reliably prevented from dropping out of the tool pot 74 due to the centrifugal force based on the turning operation of the tool transfer device 10 about the rotation axis 14a.

When the tool transfer device 10 reaches the tool change position B, the tool 78 and the tool pot 74 are held in a substantially vertical position as shown by a dashed line in FIG. 1, and at this time, the locking cam follower 24c The lock pin 34 can move freely in the through hole of the tool pot 74 while the engagement with the dock 20 has been released beyond the distal end.
The engagement protrusion 28 of the gripper 28 and the gripping claw 32
a and 32a, and does not drop from the tool transfer device 10. Next, the tool 78 is withdrawn from the tool pot 74 held by the tool change arm 66 of the tool change arm device 60 and held by the tool transfer device 10 via the tool holder 76 as described above, and as described above. The new tool 78 and the vertical machining center 40 transferred to the tool change position B by the tool change arm device 60
Is replaced with the old tool 78 attached to the tip of the main shaft 50.

[0024]

According to the present invention, the plate cam is used in the tool transfer device for transferring the tool from the tool delivery position of the tool magazine to the tool change position in the vertical machining center, so that the tool is held in the tool magazine and the tool is moved to the tool change position. Transfer can be performed with a small number of actuators. In addition, since it is possible to reliably prevent the tool from dropping out of the tool pot at that time, it is possible to prevent the tool from falling and shorten the tool replacement time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view showing a state of a tool at a tool transfer position and a tool change position in a tool transfer device of a machine tool according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a machine tool provided with the tool transfer device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a side view of the tool magazine in the direction of arrows III-III in FIG. 2;

4 is a top view of the tool magazine in the direction of arrows IV-IV in FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Tool transfer apparatus 12 ... Plate cam 12a ... Cam groove 12b ... Plate cam mounting plate 14 ... Bracket 14a ... Rotating shaft 18 ... Rail 20 ... Dog 22 ... Guide 24 ... Lock lever 24c ... Locking cam follower 26 ... Rotating cylinder 28 … Gripper 28b… rotating cam follower 30… gripping cylinder 32… gripping claw 36… release cylinder 50… spindle 70… tool magazine 72… magazine base 74… tool pot 78… tool A… tool delivery position B… tool exchange position

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Akihiro Mochizuki 3560-1, Katsuyama-mura, Minamitsuru-gun, Yamanashi F-term (reference) in Makino Milling Machine Co., Ltd. 3C002 AA04 DD04 FF09 HH06

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. Transfer of a tool from a tool delivery position of a tool magazine for storing a tool via a tool pot to a main spindle,
In a tool transfer device for a machine tool that transfers the tool to a tool change position for performing a change, a bracket that pivots around a fixed axis provided in a direction orthogonal to a storage direction of the tool in the tool magazine, and the bracket A gripper provided so as to be relatively movable in a linear direction with respect to the tool magazine, and gripping the tool pot indexed to the tool delivery position of the tool magazine from a longitudinal rearward of the tool; and a cam follower provided on the gripper; At the tool transfer position, the bracket is pivoted so that the center axis of the tool pot is parallel to the axis of the main shaft while the gripper holding the tool pot is linearly moved with respect to the bracket, and the tool change is performed. A cam follower of the gripper is proposed along a tool transfer path for linear movement to a position. A plate cam having an internal cam groove, a lock pin provided on the tool pot so as to be able to engage with a tool mounted on the tool pot, a dog provided on the bracket, and a straight line of the gripper with respect to the bracket. A lock lever that engages the dog in synchronization with operation and presses the lock pin against the tool while the tool moves between the tool delivery position and the tool change position. A tool transfer device for a machine tool, comprising: a fall prevention unit.