Multispindle drilling machine

Claim 2

In a machine tool of the type having imaginary X and Y axes extending in mutually perpendicular horizontal directions, said machine tool comprising a support, two horizontally spaced pairs of horizontally spaced horizontal guide rods mounted stationarily on said support and extending along said X-axis, the rods of one pair alternating with the rods of the other pair along said Yaxis, a row of X-carriages movable relative to said rods and along said X-axis, a tool unit depending from each of said carriages and having a predetermined maximum X-dimension extending along said X-axis, means for individually moving each carriage along said X-axis thereby to enable adjustment of the Xaxis spacing between said tool units, each of said carriages comprising a member having a maximum X-dimension no greater than the maximum X-dimension of the associated tool unit and having an upwardly facing surface located beneath said rods, first and second arms joined to each carriage member and spaced from one another along said Y-axis, each of said arms having an Xdimension greater than the maximum X-dimensions of the associated tool unit and carriage member and being substantially centered relative to its carriage member along said X-axis whereby the end portions of the arm project beyond the carriage member along said X-axis, the projecting end portions of said arms having downwardly facing surfaces located no lower than said upwardly facing surface of said carriage member, bearings carried by the projecting end portions of said arms and telescoped over said rods to connect said arms to said rods and support said carriages on and for movement along the rods, and the first and second arms of each carriage being staggered along said Y-axis relative to the first and second arms, respectively, of an adjacent carriage and being connected to a different pair of rods than the arms of the adjacent carriage thereby to permit the arms of each carriage to overlap the upwardly facing surface of the adjacent carriage member along said X-axis and enable said tool units to be positioned in close side-by-side relation.

Claim 3

In a machine tool of the type having imaginary X, Y and Z axes extending mutually perpendicular to one another, said machine tool comprising a support, two pairs of elongated guides mounted stationarily on said support and extending along said X-axis, the guides of one pair being spaced from and alternating with the guides of the other pair along said Y-axis, a row of X-carriages movable relative to said guides along said X-axis, a tool unit mounted on each of said carriages and having a predetermined maximum X-dimension extending along said X-axis, means for individually moving each carriage along said X-axis thereby to enable adjustment of the X-axis spacing between said tool units, each of said carriages comprising a member having a maximum X-dimension no greater than the maximum X-dimension of the associated tool unit, first and second arms joined to each carriage member and spaced from one another along said Y-axis, each of said arms having an X-dimension greater than the maximum X-dimensions of the associated tool unit and carriage member and being substantially centered relative to its carriage member along said X-axis whereby the end portions of the arm project beyond the carriage member along said X-axis, the arms of each carriage being connected at their ends to a pair of said guides to support the carriage on and for movement along such guides, and the first and second arms of each carriage being staggered along said Y-axis relative to the first and second arms, respectively, of an adjacent carriage and, being connected to a different pair of guides than the arms of the adjacent carriage thereby to permit the arms of each carriage to overlap the adjacent carriage member along said X-axis and enable said tool units to be positioned in close side-by-side relation.

Claim 4

In a machine tool of the type having imaginary X, Y and Z axes extending mutually perpendicular to one another, said machine tool comprising a support, two pairs of elongated guides mounted stationarily on said support and extending along said X-axis, the guides of one pair being spaced from and alternating with the guides of the other pair along said Y-axis, a row of X-carriages movable relative to said guides along said X-axis, a tool unit mounted on each of said carriages and having a predetermined maximum X-dimension extending along said X-axis, means for individually moving each carriage along said X-axis thereby to enable adjustment of the X-axis spacing between said tool units, each of said carriages comprising a member having a maximum X-dimension no greater than the maximum X-dimension of the associated tool unit, first and second arms joined to each carriage member and spaced from one another along said Y-axis, each of said arms having an X-dimension greater than the maximum X-dimensions of the associated tool unit and carriage member and being substantially centered relative to its carriage member along said X-axis whereby the end portions of the arm project beyond the carriage member along said X-axis, the arms of each carriage being connected at their ends to a pair of said guides to support the carriage on and for movement along such guides, and the first and second arms of each carriage being staggered along said Y-axis relative to the first and second arms, respectively, of an adjacent carriage and, being connected to a different pair of guides than the arms of the adjacent carriage thereby to permit the arms of each carriage to overlap the adjacent carriage member along said X-axis and enable said tool units to be positioned in close side-by-side relation.

Claim 5

A machine tool as defined in claim 2 in which said guides comprise cylindrical rods, and bearings carried by the end portions of said arms and telescoped over said rods to mount said carriages slidably on the rods.

Claim 6

A machine tool as defined in claim 3 in which said means comprises a lead screw mounted stationarily on said support and extending parallel to said rods, a nut rotatably supported by each carriage and threaded onto said screw, and a reversible motor supported on each carriage and operable to rotate the associated nut.

Claim 7

A machine tool as defined in claim 4 in which first, second, third and fourth rods are spaced consecutively along said Y-axis with the first and third rods defining the guides of one pair and with the second and fourth rods defining the guides of the other pair, the spacing between said first and second rods being equal to the spacing between said third and fourth rods, and said lead screw being located midway between said second and third rods.

Claim 8

A machine tool as defined in claim 2 in which a second row of X-carriages is spaced from said first row along said Y-axis, the carriages of said second row being substantially identical to the carriages of said first row and being mounted on said support in a manner substantially identical to the mounting of the carriages of said first row, the carriages of said second row being turned end-for-end with respect to the carriages of said first row.

Claim 9

A machine tool as defined in claim 6 further including first second Y-carriages secured to the X-carriages of said first and second rows, respectively, actuating means for individually moving each Y-carriage relative to its X-carriage and along said Y-axis, there being one tool unit movable along said Y-axis with each Y-carriage and extending generally along said Z-axis, and means on the inboard end of each Y-carriage for supporting the associated tool unit on and for movement with the Y-carriage.

Claim 10

A machine tool as defined in claim 7 in which each of said actuating means comprises a lead screw journaled rotatably by each X-carriage and extending along said Y-axis, a reversible motor supported on the Outboard end of each X-carriage and connected to rotate said lead screw, and a nut supported non-rotatably by each Y-carriage and threaded onto the associated lead screw.

Claim 11

A machine tool as defined in claim 7 in which said last-mentioned means comprise a mounting pad joined to the inboard end of each Y-carriage and connected to said tool unit, said mounting pad having a maximum X-dimension no greater than the maximum X-dimension of said tool unit.

Claim 12

A machine tool as defined in claim 9 in which each tool unit includes a housing and further includes an elongated tool projecting from said housing and extending in the direction of said Z-axis, the inboard side of each housing and the inboard side of each pad facing in the direction of said Y-axis and being curved about a center located substantially on the axis of said tool.

Claim 13

A machine tool as defined in claim 10 in which the inboard side of said pad projects no further inwardly than the inboard side of said housing.

Claim 14

A machine tool as defined in claim 2 in which each tool unit includes a housiing and further includes an elongated tool projecting from said housing and extending in the direction of said Z-axis, a member connecting said tool to said housing for adjustment of the tool relative to said housing and along said Z-axis, and means for adjusting said tool along said Z-axis, said adjusting means comprising a toothed rack secured to said member, and a scroll plate rotatably mounted on said housing and meshing with said rack.

Claim 15

In a machine tool of the type having imaginary X, Y and Z axes extending mutually perpendicular to one another and having an imaginary centerline extending parallel to said X-axis, said machine tool comprising a support, two rows of X-carriages spaced from one another along said Y-axis and disposed on opposite sides of said centerline, said carriages being mounted on said support for movement along coplanar paths extending parallel to said X-axis, means for individually moving each carriage back and forth along its respective path thereby to enable adjustment of the X-axis spacing between the carriages in each row, a Y-carriage mounted on each X-carriage for movement with the latter and also for movement relative to the X-carriage along a path extending in the direction of said Y-axis, actuating means for individually moving each Y-carriage back and forth relative to its associated X-carriage, each of said Y-carriages having an inboard end located adjacent said centerline and having an opposite outboard end spaced along said Y-axis from said inboard end, a tool unit mounted on the inboard end of each Y-carriage, each of said tool units having a central axis extending generally in the direction of said Z-axis, having an inboard end located adjacent said centerline and having an outboard end spaced along said Y-axis from said inboard end, each of said tool units having a predetermined maximum X-dimension extending in the direction of said X-axis and having a predetermined maximum Y-dimension extending in the direction of said Y-axis from said central axis to the inboard end of the tool unit, each of said Y-carriages including a pad supporting the respective tool unit and having a maximum X-dimension no greater than the maximum X-dimension of the tool unit thereby to enable positioning of all of said tool units in a single row extending in the direction of said X-axis with the central axes of the tool units alined with one another along said centerline and with the central axes of adjacent units spaced from one another in the direction of said X-axis by a distance substantially equal to the maximum X-dimension of one of said tool units, and each of said pads having a maximum Y-dimension from said central axis to the inboard end of the pad no greater than the maximum Y-dimension of said tool unit thereby to permit positioning of the tool units of the X-carriages of one row directly opposite from tHe tool units of the X-carriages of the other row with the central axes of opposing tool units disposed in a common plane extending perpendicular to said Y-axis and spaced from one another by a distance substantially equal to the maximum Y-dimension of one of said tool units.

Claim 16

In a machine tool of the type having imaginary X, Y and Z axes extending mutually perpendicular to one another and having an imaginary centerline extending parallel to said X-axis, said machine tool comprising a support, two rows of X-carriages spaced from one another along said Y-axis and disposed on opposite sides of said centerline, said carriages being mounted on said support for movement along coplanar paths extending parallel to said X-axis, means for individually moving each carriage back and forth along its respective path thereby to enable adjustment of the X-axis spacing between the carriages in each row, a Y-carriage mounted on each X-carriage for movement with the latter and also for movement relative to the X-carriage along a path extending in the direction of said Y-axis, actuating means for individually moving each Y-carriage back and forth relative to its associated X-carriage, each of said Y-carriages having an inboard end located adjacent said centerline and having an opposite outboard end spaced along said Y-axis from said inboard end, a tool unit mounted on the inboard end of each Y-carriage, each of said tool units having a central axis extending generally in the direction of said Z-axis, having an inboard end located adjacent said centerline and having an outboard end spaced along said Y-axis from said inboard end, each of said tool units having a predetermined maximum X-dimension extending in the direction of said X-axis and having a predetermined maximum Y-dimension extending in the direction of said Y-axis from said central axis to the inboard end of the tool unit, each of said Y-carriages including a pad supporting the respective tool unit and having a maximum X-dimension no greater than the maximum X-dimension of the tool unit thereby to enable positioning of all of said tool units in a single row extending in the direction of said X-axis with the central axes of the tool units alined with one another along said centerline and with the central axes of adjacent units spaced from one another in the direction of said X-axis by a distance substantially equal to the maximum X-dimension of one of said tool units, and each of said pads having a maximum Y-dimension from said central axis to the inboard end of the pad no greater than the maximum Y-dimension of said tool unit thereby to permit positioning of the tool units of the X-carriages of one row directly opposite from tHe tool units of the X-carriages of the other row with the central axes of opposing tool units disposed in a common plane extending perpendicular to said Y-axis and spaced from one another by a distance substantially equal to the maximum Y-dimension of one of said tool units.

Claim 17

A machine tool as defined in claim 13 further including two pairs of guide rods mounted stationarily on said support and extending along said X-axis, the rods of one pair being spaced from and alternating with the rods of the other pair along said Y-axis, each of said X-axis carriages comprising a member having a maximum X-dimension no greater than the maximum X-dimension of the associated tool unit, first and second arms joined to each of said carriage members and spaced from one another along said Y-axis, each of said arms having an X-dimension greater than the maximum X-dimensions of the associated tool unit and carriage member and being substantially centered relative to its carriage member along said X-axis whereby the end portions of the arm project outwardly beyond the carriage member along said X-axis, bearings carried by said outwardly projecting end portions of said arms and telescoped over said rods to connect said arms to said rods and support said X-axis carriages on and for movement along the rods, and the first and second arms of each X-axis carriage being staggered along said Y-axis relative to the first and second arms, respectively, of an adjacent X-axis carriage and being connected to a different pair of arms than the arms of the adjacent carriage.

Claim 18

A machine tool as defined in claim 13 in which each of said actuating means comprises a lead screw journaled rotatably by each X-carriage and extending along said Y-axis, a reversible motor supported on the outboard end of each X-carriage and connected to rotate said lead screw, and a nut supported non-rotatably by each Y-carriage and threaded onto the associated lead screw.

Claim 19

In a machine tool, the combination of, a support, a row of first X-carriages mounted on said support for movement along a first linear path, a row of second X-carriages mounted on said support for movement along a second and parallel path, means for individually moving each carriage along its respective path thereby to enable adjustment of the spacing between the carriages in each row, a Y-carriage mounted on each X-carriage for movement with the latter and also for movement relative to the X-carriage along a path extending perpendicular to said first and second paths, means for individually moving each Y-carriage along its perpendicular path, a tool unit associated with each of said Y-carriages and extending generally perpendicular to all of said paths, and means on said Y-carriages supporting said tool units and permitting positioning of all of said tool units in a single row extending parallel to said first and second paths with the tool units associated with said first X-carriages alternating along said single row with the tool units associated with said second X-carriages.

Claim 20

In a machine tool, the combination of, a support, a row of first X-carriages mounted on said support for movement along a first linear path, a row of second X-carriages mounted on said support for movement along a second and parallel path, means for individually moving each carriage along its respective path thereby to enable adjustment of the spacing between the carriages in each row, a Y-carriage mounted on each X-carriage for movement with the latter and also for movement relative to the X-carriage along a path extending perpendicular to said first and second paths, means for individually moving each Y-carriage along its perpendicular path, a tool unit associated with each of said Y-carriages and extending generally perpendicular to all of said paths, and means on said Y-carriages supporting said tool units and permitting positioning of all of said tool units in a single row extending parallel to said first and second paths with the tool units associated with said first X-carriages alternating along said single row with the tool units associated with said second X-carriages.