Tool changer clamp

Claim 2

A tool holder clamp comprising: a housing; a spindle, having a socket for receiving a tool holder, mounted for rotation within the housing; a locking collar carried by the spindle and positionable in an unlocked position in which the tool holder may be received in the socket and a locked position in which the tool holder is secured in the socket; means to secure the collar to the spindle for rotation relative thereto in a first direction from the unlocked position to the locked position and in a second direction from the locked position to the unlocked position; means to engage the collar to lock the collar against rotation relative to the spindle in the second direction when the collar is in the locked position; and means mounted in the housing to contact and disengage the engaging means to unlock the collar to permit relative rotation between the collar and the spindle for replacing the tool holder with a new tool holder.

Claim 3

A tool holder clamp, as defined in claim 1, further including: means to restrain the collar against rotation relative to the housing after the engaging means is disengaged for permitting rotation of the spindle relative to the housing to position the collar in the unlocked position.

Claim 4

A tool holder clamp, as defined in claim 2, further including: means to contact the disengaging means after the engaging means is disengaged to prevent the restraining means from restraining the collar against rotation relative to the housing, the contacting means permitting rotation of the collar relative to the housing.

Claim 5

A tool holder clamp comprising: a housing; a spindle, having a socket for receiving a tool holder, mounted for rotation within the housing; a locking collar in threaded engagement with the spindle for rotation therewith, the collar being rotatable in a first direction relative to the spindle from an unlocked position, in which the tool holder may be received in the socket, to a locked position in which the tool holder is secured in the socket, the collar also being rotatable in a second direction relative to the spindle from the locked position to the unlocked position in which the tool holder may be replaced with a new tool holder; means to terminate rotation of the collar in the second direction relative to the spindLe when the collar assumes the unlocked position; a locking device mounted on the spindle for rotation therewith such that it is movable into and out of locking engagement with the collar; means on the locking device to engage and lock the collar against rotation relative to the spindle in the second direction when the collar is in the locked position; and means to contact and move the locking device out of locking engagement with the collar.

Claim 6

A tool holder clamp comprising: a housing; a spindle, having a socket for receiving a tool holder, mounted for rotation within the housing; a locking collar in threaded engagement with the spindle for rotation therewith, the collar being rotatable in a first direction relative to the spindle from an unlocked position, in which the tool holder may be received in the socket, to a locked position in which the tool holder is secured in the socket, the collar also being rotatable in a second direction relative to the spindle from the locked position to the unlocked position in which the tool holder may be replaced with a new tool holder; means to terminate rotation of the collar in the second direction relative to the spindLe when the collar assumes the unlocked position; a locking device mounted on the spindle for rotation therewith such that it is movable into and out of locking engagement with the collar; means on the locking device to engage and lock the collar against rotation relative to the spindle in the second direction when the collar is in the locked position; and means to contact and move the locking device out of locking engagement with the collar.

Claim 7

A tool holder clamp, as defined in claim 4, wherein the locking device comprises; a locking plate coaxially mounted on the spindle for sliding axial movement thereover; and wherein the engaging and locking means comprises: a plurality of serrations integral with the locking plate; and wherein the collar comprises: a plurality of mating serrations, the serrations of the locking plate adapted to engage the mating serrations of the collar.

Claim 8

A tool holder clamp, as defined in claim 5, wherein the contacting and moving means comprises: a piston slideably mounted within the housing for axial movement therein between first, second and third positions; means on the piston to contact and displace the locking plate such that the respective serrations on the collar and the locking plate are moved out of locking engagement.

Claim 9

A tool holder clamp, as defined in claim 6, further including: a brake surface on the piston for contacting the locking collar when the piston is in the third position; and selector means to stop the piston in the second position, the brake surface being spaced from the collar in the second position to thereby permit rotation of the collar with respect to the housing and the spindle for manual tool changing.

Claim 10

A tool holder clamp comprising: a housing; a spindle, having a socket for receiving a tool holder, mounted for rotation within the housing; a plurality of threads on the exterior of the spindle; a locking collar, having interior threads, mounted on the spindle in coaxial relationship therewith such that the threads of the collar engage the threads of the spindle, the locking collar being adapted to retain the tool holder in the socket of the spindle; a plurality of circumferentially arranged serrations on the collar; a locking plate coaxially mounted on the spindle for axial sliding movement thereover and rotational movement therewith; a plurality of circumferentially arranged serrations on the locking plate, the locking plate serrations adapted to engage the collar serrations for locking the collar against rotation relative to the spindle; means to urge the locking plate into locking engagement with the collar; a piston mounted within the housing, in coaxial relationship to the spindle, for axial sliding movement therein such that it is adapted to contact the locking plate and displace the locking plate against the urging of the urging means and thereby disengage the respective serrations of the collar and the locking plate.

Claim 11

A tool holder clamp comprising: a housing; a spindle, having a socket for receiving a tool holder, mounted for rotation within the housing; a plurality of threads on the exterior of the spindle; a locking collar, having interior threads, mounted on the spindle in coaxial relationship therewith such that the threads of the collar engage the threads of the spindle, the locking collar being adapted to retain the tool holder in the socket of the spindle; a plurality of circumferentially arranged serrations on the collar; a locking plate coaxially mounted on the spindle for axial sliding movement thereover and rotational movement therewith; a plurality of circumferentially arranged serrations on the locking plate, the locking plate serrations adapted to engage the collar serrations for locking the collar against rotation relative to the spindle; means to urge the locking plate into locking engagement with the collar; a piston mounted within the housing, in coaxial relationship to the spindle, for axial sliding movement therein such that it is adapted to contact the locking plate and displace the locking plate against the urging of the urging means and thereby disengage the respective serrations of the collar and the locking plate.

Claim 12

A tool holder clamp, as defined in claim 8, wherein the piston is axially movable between first, second, and third positions, the respective serrations being disengaged in the second and third positions, and wherein there is further provided: a structure made of brake material secured to the piston for contacting a peripheral surface of the collar when the piston is in the third position for restraining rotation of the collar with respect to the housing so that the tool holder may be changed by rotating the spindle in a reverse direction, the structure being spaced from the peripheral surface of the collar when the piston is in the second position; and selector means to contact the piston to prevent movement thereof beyond the second position so that the collar may be rotated with respect to the housing and the spindle for changing the tool holder.

Claim 13

A tool holder clamp, as defined in claim 8, wherein the spindle comprises: a radial projection, the locking plate having a slot which receives the projection such that locking plate straddles the projection, the projection preventing rotational movement of the locking plate with respect to the spindle and serving as a guide for the axial movement of the locking plate over the spindle; and wherein the spindle comprises a slot and the collar comprises a slot adapted to be aligned with the spindle slot to permit removal and replacement of the tool holder in the socket and to be angularly spaced from the spindle slot to retain the tool holder in the socket; and wherein the collar includes: a pair of diametrically opposed projections, the collar serrations being located on the projections, the collar being positioned on the spindle such that when contact is established between one of collar projections and the projection on the spindle the respective slots are in alignment.

Claim 14

A tool holder clamp, as defined in claim 8, wherein the respective serrations of the locking plate and the collar are shaped as right triangles.