Building block system for machine tools and production lines

Claim 2

A unit adapted for use in a system for performing work operations in succession on work members in successive work stations; said unit having a base, first guide means on the base, a carriage moveable on said first guide means between opposite end positions thereon, second guide means on said carriage parallel to said first guide means, a workpiece support moveable on said second guide means, conveyor means for moving said support on said second guide means, means for adjusting said carriage on said base in a direction parallel to said first guide means, and means for locking said support to said carriage and said carriage to said base, said unit being adapted to present a workpiece mounted on said support in a predetermined position for a work operation.

Claim 3

A unit according to claim 1 which includes two of said units arranged with said second guide means in aligned relation and so spaced that the carriages thereof are in end to end relation in the respective end position thereof nearest each other whereby a workpiece support on one thereof can be transferred to the other thereof by said conveyor means.

Claim 4

A unit according to claim 1 which includes first locating means for locating said support in said working position on said carriage, second locating means for locating said carriage in said working position on said base, said conveyor means being carried by said carriage.

Claim 5

A unit according to claim 1 in which said conveyor means is in the form of endless chain means on said carriage, and drive means for said chain means.

Claim 6

A unit according to claim 4 which includes first follower means, at one end of said support engageable with said chain means, second follower means at the other end of said support engageable with said chain means, said second follower means being adapted to disengage from the chain means of the carriage supporting said support and to engage the chain means on the carriage of the next adjacent unit when said carriages are in juxtaposition and the chain means on the respective carriages run in the direction from said one end of said support to the said other end thereof.

Claim 7

A unit according to claim 4 in which said drive means includes motor means for driving said chain means at high speed for traverse movements and at slow speed for final positioning movements.

Claim 8

A unit according to claim 6 in which said drive means is mounted on said carriage at one end thereof.

Claim 9

A unit according to claim 4 in which said chain means comprises a pair of chains spaced laterally in said carriage, a sprocket engaged by each said chain, drive motor means for driving said sprockets, and a differential gear transmission having an input element driven by said motor means and an output element connected to each said sprocket, said drive motor means driving said input element at a higher speed or a lower speed.

Claim 10

A unit according to claim 8 in which said differential gear transmission is operable to impose equal driving stresses on said chains and to compensate for differences in length of said chains.

Claim 11

A unit according to claim 6 which includes control means for said motor means, said control means comprising limit switch means on one of said carriage and support and limit switch actuating means on the other thereof.

Claim 12

A unit according to claim 1 which includes bolts reciprocable in said carriage and bores in said support to receive said bolts and registering with said bolts when said support is in said working position thereon on said carriage, and means for actuating said bolts into and out of said bores.

Claim 13

A unit according to claim 1 which includes a locking motor on said carriage, locking bolts in said carriage reciprocable into and out oF corresponding bores in said support, fluid operable clamping means responsive to fluid pressure to clamp the carriage to the base, a transmission connecting said bolts with said motor and including a traveling worm which is shiftable in one direction when said bolts are seated in said bores, and means operated by shifting of said worm in said one direction for supplying fluid under pressure to said clamping means.

Claim 14

A unit according to claim 10 in which said limit switch means includes a first limit switch engaged by said actuating means as said support approaches said working position on said carriage and operable to cause said motor means to drive said chain means at slower speed and a second limit switch engageable by said actuating means when said support reaches said working position on said carriage and operable to cause said motor means to halt said chain means.

Claim 15

A unit according to claim 12 in which said clamping means comprises clamp plates loosely mounted on said carriage and guide strips on said base on which the carriage rests and confined between said carriage and said plates and expansible fluid motors between said carriage and clamp plates operable upon expansion thereof to press said clamp plates toward said guide strips and clamp said carriage to said guide strips.

Claim 16

A unit according to claim 12 in which there are six said locking bolts in said carriage, two pairs of said locking bolts being moveable laterally in the carriage into lateral bores in said support and a third pair of said locking bolts being moveable vertically in the carriage into vertical bores in said support.

Claim 17

A unit according to claim 15 in which some of said bolts are relieved on the sides on the ends nearest the said support.

Claim 18

A unit according to claim 15 which includes equalizing means connecting the bolts of each pair with said locking motor.

Claim 19

A unit according to claim 15 in which at least some of said bores have abutment means therein disposed near the outer ends of the respective bolts when the bolts are disposed therein, and cooperating elements of a tapered pin and tapered socket alignment system on said abutment means and on the outer ends of the pertaining bolts interengageable when said bolts are pushed into said bores by said locking motor.

Claim 20

A unit according to claim 17 in which said equalizing means comprises a plunger driven by said locking motor, a gear rotatable on the plunger, racks meshing with diametrically opposite sides of said gear, a yoke pivoted in the center to each rack and having slotted ends, shoes in the slotted ends of each yoke, shafts connected to said shoes to be rotated thereby, a gear on each shaft, and each gear meshing with a rack portion formed on a respective locking bolt.

Claim 21

A unit according to claim 6 which includes a locking motor for actuating said locking and clamping means and an adjusting motor for effecting said fine adjustment of the position of said carriage, said locking and adjusting motors being supported by said carriage at the end thereof opposite said drive means.

Claim 22

A unit according to claim 1 which includes an adjusting motor for effecting said fine adjustment of the position of said carriage, and control means for said adjusting motor comprising a switch and a switch actuating feeler, one of said switch and feeler being mounted on said support and the other being mounted on said base and being in proximity when both of said support and carriage are in working position.

Claim 23

A unit according to claim 21 in which said fine adjustment of said carriage is in a direction parallel to said first guide means, and means operable during control of said adjusting motor by said switch means for unclamping said carriage from said base.

Claim 24

A unit according to claim 22 in which said switch when actuated causes a supply of pulses to said adjusting motor and also effects control of said locking motor so as to unclamp said carriage from said base during operation of said adjusting motor, a screw Extending longitudinally of said carriage and connected to said adjusting motor, and a play-free nut on said base into which said screw is threaded.

Claim 25

A unit according to claim 23 in which said adjusting motor is made idle and said locking motor is actuated to clamp said carriage to said base when said switch and feeler are in a predetermined position.

Claim 26

A unit according to claim 1 in which a working device is provided adjacent said unit and having a tool spindle for supporting a tool to perform work operations on a work member on said support, said device comprising carriage means supporting said spindle for adjustment thereof in horizontal and vertical directions.

Claim 27

In an installation having a plurality of work stations in a line; means for moving workpieces from work station to work station, said means comprising a line of units, one at each station, and each having a base with first guide means thereon parallel to the line of work stations, a carriage moveable between opposite end positions on each base, second guide means on each carriage parallel to said first guide means and all thereof being aligned, the carriages on adjacent units being in adjacent relation when each thereof is moved to the end position on the respective base nearest the base of the other unit, conveyor means on each said carriage running from one end to the other thereof aligned with each other and parallel to said guide means, and at least one workpiece support adapted for slidable engagement with said second guide means and including conveyor means engaging elements at the opposite ends, said elements engaging the conveyor means of the carriage on which the respective work support is disposed and disengaging therefrom when the pertaining end of the support is moved past an end of the carriage and engaging the conveyor means on another carriage juxtaposed to said end of the first mentioned carriage whereby a workpiece support can be transferred from carriage to carriage in succession along said line of units.

Claim 28

In an installation having a plurality of work stations in a line; means for moving workpieces from work station to work station, said means comprising a line of units, one at each station, and each having a base with first guide means thereon parallel to the line of work stations, a carriage moveable between opposite end positions on each base, second guide means on each carriage parallel to said first guide means and all thereof being aligned, the carriages on adjacent units being in adjacent relation when each thereof is moved to the end position on the respective base nearest the base of the other unit, conveyor means on each said carriage running from one end to the other thereof aligned with each other and parallel to said guide means, and at least one workpiece support adapted for slidable engagement with said second guide means and including conveyor means engaging elements at the opposite ends, said elements engaging the conveyor means of the carriage on which the respective work support is disposed and disengaging therefrom when the pertaining end of the support is moved past an end of the carriage and engaging the conveyor means on another carriage juxtaposed to said end of the first mentioned carriage whereby a workpiece support can be transferred from carriage to carriage in succession along said line of units.

Claim 29

An installation according to claim 26 which includes means for moving each carriage to an intermediate position on the respective base following the transfer of a work support thereto and for cuasing the respective conveyor means to move the work support thereon to an intermediate position on the said carriage, means to lock the workpiece support to the carriage in a fixed intermediate position thereon, cooperating elements of a feeler means on said base and said support positioned to be in cooperative relation when said support is in said fixed intermediate position on said carriage and said carriage is in the said intermediate position thereof on said base, means under the control of said feeler means to adjust the position of said carriage on said base to locate said support in a predetermined working position on said base, and means for clamping the carriage to the base in adjusted positions thereon.