Machine-tool embodying automatic tool changing means

Claim 1

IN A MACHINE-TOOL THE COMBINATION COMPRISING MEANS SUPPORTING A WORKPIECE; A TOOL CARRIAGE DISPLACEABLE OVER A FIRST PATH TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM THE WORKPIECE; CONVEYOR MEANS HAVING A SERIES OF SUPPORTING LOCATIONS AND MOVABLE TO CONVEY SAID LOCATIONS OVER A SECOND PATH GENERALLY INTERSECTING SAID FIRST PATH AT A TRANSFER SATION; A PLURALITY OF DIFFERENT TOOL CARRIER UNITS; FIRST ENGAGING MEANS ON EACH OF SAID UNITS AND COOPERATING FIRST ENGAGING MEANS AT EACH LOCATION OF THE CONVEYOR MEANS INTERENGAGEABLE FOR REMOVABLY SUPPORTING ANY ONE OF SAID UNITS AT ANY ONE OF SAID LOCATIONS; SECOND ENGAGING MEANS ON EACH OF SAID UNITS AND COOPERATING SECOND ENGAGING MEANS ON SAID CARRIAGE INTERENGAGEABLE FOR REMOVABLY AFFIXING ANY ONE OF SAID UNITS TO SAID CARRIAGE; SAID SECOND ENGAGING MEANS BEING INTERENGAGEABLE ON MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE OVER SAID FIRST PATH PAST THE TRANSFER STATION IN ONE DIRECTION TO TRANSFER THE UNIT AT SAID STATION FROM THE CONVEYOR MEANS TO THE CARRIAGE; MEANS FOR FIRMLY CLAMPING THE TRANSFERRED UNIT WITH RESPECT TO THE CARRIAGE; LATCHING MEANS AT EACH LOCATION OF THE CONVEYOR MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FIRST ENGAGING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LATCHING A UNIT TO SAID CONVEYOR MEANS; AND CAMMING MEANS ON SAID CARRIAGE ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID LATCHING MEANS ON MOVEMENT OF THE CARRIAGE PAST THE TRANSFER STATION FOR ACTUATING THE LATCHING MEANS TO A RELEASING POSITION.