Unitary tool storage and changing mechanism

Claim 2

In a machine tool having an upstanding support; a tool receiving spindle rotatably journaled in said support; selectively engageable tool securing means carried by said tool spindle; separate power drives respectively connected to selectively rotate said tool spindle and to selectively actuate said tool securing means to either a tool engaged or disengaged position respectively; a plurality of separate stationary pivot axes carried by said support in predetermined angularly spaced transverse positions relative to said spindle axis; a corresponding plurality of tool support arms pivotally secured at one end to said respective pivot axes for individual radial pivotal movement relative to the tool receiving end of said tool spindle; individually releasable tool securing retainers respectively secured toward the outer ends of said pivotal tool supports; power operable means connected to pivot one of said tool support arms arcuately outwardly for withdrawing an inserted tool from said spindle and retracting it therefrom to an outwardly spaced stored position in said support; said power operable means being connected to selectively pivot a different one of said tool supports radially inward for moving a tool carried by said associated tool securing means into inserted position in said tool receiving spindle; and, control means connected to actuate said spindle securing means to engaged position for securing an inserted tool to said spindle.

Claim 3

In a machine tool according to claim 1 including a tapered tool receiving socket and a tool carried by said support arm retaining means being provided with a taper complementary to said tapered spindle socket for releasable engagement therein.

Claim 4

In a machine tool having an upstanding support; a tool receiving spindle journaled to rotate in said support; a plurality of radial tool arms pivotally secured at one end to said support for selective individual pivotal rotation about correspondingly different stationary pivot axes respectively perpendicular to a plurality of corresponding planes extending radially outward from the rotational axis of said spindle; tool securing means respectively carried at the outer ends each of said tool arms adapted to support a different tool; power operable means connected to pivot said tool arms to outward parked positions for moving the tools respectively carried thereby to disengaged stored positions relative to said spindle; and, a controller connected to selectively actuate said power operable means for pivotally moving a selected one of said tool arms in the opposite direction to bodily insert the tool carried thereby into said tool receiving spindle for operative engagement therewith.

Claim 5

In a machine tool having an upstanding support; a tool receiving spindle journaled to rotate in said support; a plurality of radial tool arms pivotally secured at one end to said support for selective individual pivotal rotation about correspondingly different stationary pivot axes respectively perpendicular to a plurality of corresponding planes extending radially outward from the rotational axis of said spindle; tool securing means respectively carried at the outer ends each of said tool arms adapted to support a different tool; power operable means connected to pivot said tool arms to outward parked positions for moving the tools respectively carried thereby to disengaged stored positions relative to said spindle; and, a controller connected to selectively actuate said power operable means for pivotally moving a selected one of said tool arms in the opposite direction to bodily insert the tool carried thereby into said tool receiving spindle for operative engagement therewith.

Claim 6

In a machine tool according to claim 3 including circuit control means connected to operate said controller for actuating said power operable means for moving said tool inserting arm in a reverse direction to return the tool operatIvely engaged in said spindle to a return storage position; and, sequence control means responsive to return movement of said inserted tool to storage position connected to actuate said power operable means for pivotally moving a different one of said tool arms in the opposite direction to bodily insert the tool carried thereby into operative engagement with said spindle.

Claim 7

In a machine tool according to claim 3 including releasable tool securing means operatively connected to releasably secure an inserted tool in said spindle in response to operation of said controller.

Claim 8

In a machine tool having a tool operator provided with an outwardly tapered tool receiving socket; a unitary tool receiving storage member pivotally secured at one end for pivotal movement about a stationary axis transverse to the rotational axis of said spindle, said storage member being provided at its opposite end with means for engaging the shank of a toolholder having a tapered tool engaging portion complementary to the tapered socket of said operator; and, power operable means connected to effect pivotal movement of said storage member for moving said clamp means through a circular path to move the tapered shank of the toolholder carried thereby directly into complementary driven engagement with the complementary tapered socket in said tool operator.

Claim 9

In a machine tool having a tool operator provided with an outwardly tapered tool receiving socket; a unitary tool receiving storage member pivotally secured at one end for pivotal movement about a stationary axis transverse to the rotational axis of said spindle, said storage member being provided at its opposite end with means for engaging the shank of a toolholder having a tapered tool engaging portion complementary to the tapered socket of said operator; and, power operable means connected to effect pivotal movement of said storage member for moving said clamp means through a circular path to move the tapered shank of the toolholder carried thereby directly into complementary driven engagement with the complementary tapered socket in said tool operator.

Claim 10

In a machine tool according to claim 6 including power driven tool securing means operatively engageable to releasably secure a toolholder inserted in said operator by pivotal movement of said storage member.

Claim 11

In a machine tool according to claim 6 including releasable power actuated clamp means carried by said storage member; and, control means for selectively releasing said power actuated clamp means after a tool is inserted thereby in said tool operator.

Claim 12

In a machine tool having a support head; a selectively rotatable tool receiving spindle journaled in said support head and being provided with an outwardly tapered conical socket complementary to and adapted to receive the complementary tapered end of a toolholder; a tool support arm pivotally secured at its outer end to said support head a sufficient radial distance from said spindle axis to pivot the tapered end of a tool carried at the opposite end of said arm into direct driving engagement with the outwardly tapered conical end of said spindle in one direct pivotal movement, said support arm being provided at its opposite outer end with means adapted to receive and support a toolholder having a complementary inwardly tapered end oriented in a direction opposite to the tapered tool receiving socket in said spindle, said toolholder being so positioned that its axis is maintained in substantially fixed perpendicular relationship to said support arm; and, selectively reversible power drive means connected to selectively pivot said tool support arm in one direction for directly and pivotally moving the tapered end of a toolholder carried thereby into direct driving engagement with the outwardly tapered conical socket of said tool spindle in one single inward pivotal movement.

Claim 13

In a machine tool having a support head; a selectively rotatable tool receiving spindle journaled in said support head and being provided with an outwardly tapered conical socket complementary to and adapted to receive the complementary tapered end of a toolholder; a tool support arm pivotally secured at its outer end to said support head a sufficient radial distance from said spindle axis to pivot the tapered end of a tool carried at the opposite end of said arm into direct driving engagement with the outwardly tapered conical end of said spindle in one direct pivotal movement, said support arm being provided at its opposite outer end with means adapted to receive and support a toolholder having a complementary inwardly tapered end oriented in a direction opposite to the tapered tool receiving socket in said spindle, said toolholder being so positioned that its axis is maintained in substantially fixed perpendicular relationship to said support arm; and, selectively reversible power drive means connected to selectively pivot said tool support arm in one direction for directly and pivotally moving the tapered end of a toolholder carried thereby into direct driving engagement with the outwardly tapered conical socket of said tool spindle in one single inward pivotal movement.

Claim 14

In a machine tool having a support head; a selectively rotatable tool receiving spindle journaled in said support head; a plurality of separate support arms pivotally secured to said support head in a storage position a spaced radial distance from the axis of said spindle for selective and individual pivotal movement relative thereto, each of said support arms being respectively provided at its outer end with individual tool retaining means respectively adapted to support a single tool in fixed perpendicular relationship to said associate support arm; power operable means selectively energizable to pivot a selected one of said tool support arms in one direction from a parked storage position in said support head for moving an associated tool carried at the opposite end of said arm in one continuous pivotal movement directly into driving engagement with said tool receiving spindle; and, control means connected to selectively reverse said power operable means for effecting reversed pivotal movement of said selected tool support arm for transferring said tool from driving engaged position in said spindle in a single continuous pivotal movement from said spindle to a return storage position in said support head.

Claim 15

In a machine tool having a support head; a selectively rotatable tool receiving spindle journaled in said support head; a plurality of separate support arms pivotally secured to said support head in a storage position a spaced radial distance from the axis of said spindle for selective and individual pivotal movement relative thereto, each of said support arms being respectively provided at its outer end with individual tool retaining means respectively adapted to support a single tool in fixed perpendicular relationship to said associate support arm; power operable means selectively energizable to pivot a selected one of said tool support arms in one direction from a parked storage position in said support head for moving an associated tool carried at the opposite end of said arm in one continuous pivotal movement directly into driving engagement with said tool receiving spindle; and, control means connected to selectively reverse said power operable means for effecting reversed pivotal movement of said selected tool support arm for transferring said tool from driving engaged position in said spindle in a single continuous pivotal movement from said spindle to a return storage position in said support head.

Claim 16

In a machine tool having a support member; a power driven tool spindle journaled to rotate in said member and being provided with an outwardly tapered conical socket complementary to and adapted to receive the complementary inwardly tapered spindle socket being operative to engage the tapered end of a toolholder pivotally engaged therewith and operative to selectively transmit power for rotatably driving said inserted tool; a plurality of tool support arms each respectively pivoted at one end to rotate about its respective stationary axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said spindle and being individually radially disposed relative thereto, each of said tool support arms being respectively provided at its opposite end with means adapted to receive and grip a toolholder having a complementary tapered end oriented in a direction opposite to the tapered tool receiving socket in said spindle for direct driving insertion therein; reversibly operable power drive means connected to selectively urge a selected one of said tool support arms to pivot inwardly from an outer parked position to effect direct inward movement of a tapered toolholder carried thereby into direct pivotally urged driving engagement with said tapered socket presented by said spindle; and, control means connected to selectively actuate said power drive means to selectively pivot one of said tool support arms in a reversed direction for directly and pivotally withdrawing the taper end of said toolholder from driving engagement with said conical socket presented by said spindle and directly returning said toolholder to stored position.

Claim 17

In a machine tool having a support member; a power driven tool spindle journaled to rotate in said member and being provided with an outwardly tapered conical socket complementary to and adapted to receive the complementary inwardly tapered spindle socket being operative to engage the tapered end of a toolholder pivotally engaged therewith and operative to selectively transmit power for rotatably driving said inserted tool; a plurality of tool support arms each respectively pivoted at one end to rotate about its respective stationary axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of said spindle and being individually radially disposed relative thereto, each of said tool support arms being respectively provided at its opposite end with means adapted to receive and grip a toolholder having a complementary tapered end oriented in a direction opposite to the tapered tool receiving socket in said spindle for direct driving insertion therein; reversibly operable power drive means connected to selectively urge a selected one of said tool support arms to pivot inwardly from an outer parked position to effect direct inward movement of a tapered toolholder carried thereby into direct pivotally urged driving engagement with said tapered socket presented by said spindle; and, control means connected to selectively actuate said power drive means to selectively pivot one of said tool support arms in a reversed direction for directly and pivotally withdrawing the taper end of said toolholder from driving engagement with said conical socket presented by said spindle and directly returning said toolholder to stored position.

Claim 18

In a machine tool according to claim 11 including separate axially releasable tool clamping means respectively carried by each of said tool support arms and being respectively adapted to selectively release a toolholder therefrom after said toolholder is operatively and pivotally inserted into driving engagement with said conical socket in said spindle by power driven movement of tool support arm.