Tool change arm grip

Claim 2

In a machine tool having a circular member and a relatively movable spaced apart carrier presenting an open circular socket adapted to releasably engage said circular member; first resilient clamp means associated with said carrier operative to laterally clamp said circular member to said carrier upon relative lateral movement therebetween in one direction; second resilient clamp means associated with said carrier operative to axially clamp said already laterally clamped member in said open carrier socket upon axial movement in one direction therebetween; and, power drive means sequentially operative to sequentially effect relative lateral and axial movement between said circular member and said carrier to sequentially actuate said first and second resilient clamp means for laterally and axially clamping said member to said carrier, means for reversiNg said power drive means to effect reverse movements of said power drive in the reverse sequence to effect relative axial movement between said circular member and said carrier first and relative lateral movement second to sequentially actuate locking means and said resilient clamping means for respectively and sequentially effecting axial and lateral unclamping of said carrier relative to said circular member.

Claim 3

In a machine tool according to claim 1 wherein said carrier is provided with a semicircular opening delineated by two adjacent carrier clamps having entry slots of different width, the latter clamp adapted to partially encircle a portion of said laterally clamped circular member upon axial movement in one direction therebetween as selectively initiated by said locking means.

Claim 4

In a machine tool having a member provided with a circular shank and a carrier for said member having an open semicircular socket adapted to releasably engage said circular shank; means to guidably support said member and said carrier for relative lateral and axial movement; first resilient means adapted to laterally urge said circular shank into lateral clamped engagement with said semicircular socket upon lateral movement in one direction between said member and said carrier; second resilient means adapted to axially urge said circular shank into axial clamped engagement with said semicircular socket upon axial movement in one direction between said member and said carrier; first power drive means connected to effect relative lateral movement between said member and said carrier in one direction to actuate said first resilient means to effect laterally clamped engagement therebetween; and, second power drive means connected to effect relative axial movement in one direction between said member and said carrier to actuate said second resilient means to effect axially clamped engagement therebetween.

Claim 5

In a machine tool having a member provided with a circular shank and a carrier for said member having an open semicircular socket adapted to releasably engage said circular shank; means to guidably support said member and said carrier for relative lateral and axial movement; first resilient means adapted to laterally urge said circular shank into lateral clamped engagement with said semicircular socket upon lateral movement in one direction between said member and said carrier; second resilient means adapted to axially urge said circular shank into axial clamped engagement with said semicircular socket upon axial movement in one direction between said member and said carrier; first power drive means connected to effect relative lateral movement between said member and said carrier in one direction to actuate said first resilient means to effect laterally clamped engagement therebetween; and, second power drive means connected to effect relative axial movement in one direction between said member and said carrier to actuate said second resilient means to effect axially clamped engagement therebetween.

Claim 6

In a machine tool according to claim 3 having a reverse control to actuate said second power drive means to effect reverse axial movement between said member and said carrier to actuate said second resilient means and effect axial unclamping of said circular shank; and, another reverse control operative to actuate said first power drive means to effect reverse lateral movement between said member and said carrier to actuate said first resilient means and effect lateral unclamping and complete disengagement of said member relative to said carrier.

Claim 7

In combination with a movable carrier having an axially open ended internally semicircular support presenting adjacent lateral entrance openings of large and small size with the small size opening entering into a semicircular internal recess or groove; a circular toolholder to be moved presenting concentric adjacent portions comprising stepped diameters of relatively large and small size respectively and simultaneously movable through said large and small lateral entrance openings presented by said semicircular support; means for guidably supporting said circular toolholder and said carrier in a manner that the axis of said circular toolholder is in spaced parallelism to the axis of said semicircular support; first power operable means connected to effect relative movement between said circular toolholder and said semicircular support in a manner that the stepped circular portions of said toolholder pass laterally through the large and small entrance openings and with said large diameter circular toolholder portion being moved into direct laterally clamped engagement with the internal semicircular tool support; second power operable means connected to effect axial movement of said circular toolholder to move the large circular portion thereof axially into positive locked engagement with the internal semicircular recess having the smaller lateral entrance opening so that the toolholder is positively locked against lateral movement relative to said semicircular support; and cOntrol means operative to effect reverse sequential operation of said second power operable means to axially unclamp the large circular toolholder portion first and then actuate said first power operable means to release the lateral clamped engagement of said toolholder from said semicircular support and then to move said toolholder laterally outward in a manner that the stepped circular portions of said toolholder pass laterally outward through the respective large and small entrance openings of said semicircular support.

Claim 8

In combination with a movable carrier having an axially open ended internally semicircular support presenting adjacent lateral entrance openings of large and small size with the small size opening entering into a semicircular internal recess or groove; a circular toolholder to be moved presenting concentric adjacent portions comprising stepped diameters of relatively large and small size respectively and simultaneously movable through said large and small lateral entrance openings presented by said semicircular support; means for guidably supporting said circular toolholder and said carrier in a manner that the axis of said circular toolholder is in spaced parallelism to the axis of said semicircular support; first power operable means connected to effect relative movement between said circular toolholder and said semicircular support in a manner that the stepped circular portions of said toolholder pass laterally through the large and small entrance openings and with said large diameter circular toolholder portion being moved into direct laterally clamped engagement with the internal semicircular tool support; second power operable means connected to effect axial movement of said circular toolholder to move the large circular portion thereof axially into positive locked engagement with the internal semicircular recess having the smaller lateral entrance opening so that the toolholder is positively locked against lateral movement relative to said semicircular support; and cOntrol means operative to effect reverse sequential operation of said second power operable means to axially unclamp the large circular toolholder portion first and then actuate said first power operable means to release the lateral clamped engagement of said toolholder from said semicircular support and then to move said toolholder laterally outward in a manner that the stepped circular portions of said toolholder pass laterally outward through the respective large and small entrance openings of said semicircular support.

Claim 9

In a machine tool having a socket adapted to releasably support a tool for transfer movement to a spaced apart position; a tool releasably carried by said machine socket and said tool having a transfer collar; a tool change arm presenting an open semicircular socket having its diameter complementary to said transfer collar and its axis parallel to the axis of said machine socket; first clamp means associated with said change arm socket operative to laterally clamp a tool transfer collar in said semi-circular socket upon relative lateral movement in one direction therebetween; second clamp means associated with said carrier socket operative to axially clamp an already laterally clamped tool transfer collar in said change arm socket upon relative axial movement in one direction therebetween; and, power drive means sequentially operative to effect relative lateral and axial movement between said tool change arm and said machine socket to move said change arm laterally into engagement with a tool transfer collar protruding from said machine socket for actuating said first clamp means in one direction to clamp said tool transfer collar laterally in said change arm socket and to move said carrier axially outward to axially withdraw said tool from said machine socket and actuate said second resilient means to effect axially clamped engagement of said tool transfer collar in said change arm socket.

Claim 10

In a machine tool having a socket adapted to releasably support a tool for transfer movement to a spaced apart position; a tool releasably carried by said machine socket and said tool having a transfer collar; a tool change arm presenting an open semicircular socket having its diameter complementary to said transfer collar and its axis parallel to the axis of said machine socket; first clamp means associated with said change arm socket operative to laterally clamp a tool transfer collar in said semi-circular socket upon relative lateral movement in one direction therebetween; second clamp means associated with said carrier socket operative to axially clamp an already laterally clamped tool transfer collar in said change arm socket upon relative axial movement in one direction therebetween; and, power drive means sequentially operative to effect relative lateral and axial movement between said tool change arm and said machine socket to move said change arm laterally into engagement with a tool transfer collar protruding from said machine socket for actuating said first clamp means in one direction to clamp said tool transfer collar laterally in said change arm socket and to move said carrier axially outward to axially withdraw said tool from said machine socket and actuate said second resilient means to effect axially clamped engagement of said tool transfer collar in said change arm socket.

Claim 11

In a machine tool according to claim 6 including first resilient means associated with said first clamp means and second resilient means associated with said second clamp means in such a manner that said clamps are resiliently actuated during respective lateral and axial movement of said tool change arm in response to said power drive means.

Claim 12

In a machine tool according to claim 6 including first and second leaf springs respectively secured to said tool change arm in position to support said first and second clamp means and in such a manner as to exert continued resilient pressure in both first and second directions after said power drive means is sequentially operated to effect relative lateral and axial movement of said tool change arm relative to said machine socket.

Claim 13

In a machine tool according to claim 6 including reverse control means respectively connected to effect reverse operation of said power drive means in a manner to first effect axial movement of said tool change arm and then effect lateral movement of said tool change arm in a manner that said second clamp means and said first clamp means are sequentially actuated to unclamped position in corresponding sequence.

Claim 14

In a machine tool according to claim 6 including control means selectively operative to effect reverse operation of said power drive means in a manner to effect axial and lateral movement of said tool change arm in like reverse sequence.

Claim 15

In machine means including a socket adapted to removably support a member in such position that a circular transfer collar secured to said member is spaced outwardly from said machine socket; a carrier movably supported by said machine means and presenting an open semicircular socket complementary in diameter to said transfer collar; first resilient means associated with said semicircular carrier socket and being operative to forcibly clamp a transfer collar into said open carrier socket upon movement therebetween in one direction; transverse resilient means associated with said carrier sOcket automatically operative to transversely and forcibly clamp a transfer collar in said semicircular socket immediately upon forcible clamping therein of a transfer collar by said first resilient means; and, power drive means connected to move said carrier in one direction to urge said open semicircular socket into engagement with said transfer collar thereby effecting sequential actuation of said first and transverse resilient means associated with said carrier socket to sequentially clamp said transfer collar in first and transverse directions respectively.

Claim 16

In machine means including a socket adapted to removably support a member in such position that a circular transfer collar secured to said member is spaced outwardly from said machine socket; a carrier movably supported by said machine means and presenting an open semicircular socket complementary in diameter to said transfer collar; first resilient means associated with said semicircular carrier socket and being operative to forcibly clamp a transfer collar into said open carrier socket upon movement therebetween in one direction; transverse resilient means associated with said carrier sOcket automatically operative to transversely and forcibly clamp a transfer collar in said semicircular socket immediately upon forcible clamping therein of a transfer collar by said first resilient means; and, power drive means connected to move said carrier in one direction to urge said open semicircular socket into engagement with said transfer collar thereby effecting sequential actuation of said first and transverse resilient means associated with said carrier socket to sequentially clamp said transfer collar in first and transverse directions respectively.

Claim 17

In machine means according to claim 11 including an adjacent semicircular clamp socket concentric to said first semicircular socket but having side walls adapted to partially encircle said transfer collar, said clamp socket being positioned in spaced apart relationship to said transverse resilient means in a position to directly receive and partially encircle a transfer collar forcibly urged therein by said transverse resilient means.

Claim 18

In machine means according to claim 11 including reverse control means connected to reverse said power drive means to move said carrier in reverse direction and effect reverse unclamping movement of said transverse resilient means and said first resilient means in corresponding reverse sequence and thereby move said carrier to disengaged position.

Claim 19

In a tool transfer member for transferring tools between a tool storage magazine and a work station of a machine tool; a grip on said tool transfer member for gripping the tools to be transferred; means for moving said tool transfer member for moving said grip into engagement with the tools for securement thereto so that the tools may be transferred by the movement of said tool transfer member; lateral locking means in said grip for locking a tool against lateral movement relative to said grip; cooperating means on said tool adapted to engage said lateral locking means; and, means on said grip in position to engage a tool in said grip and urge said tool axially relative to said grip for moving said cooperating means into engagement with said lateral locking means after the tool is fully engaged by said grip so that the gripped tool cannot be dislodged laterally during its transfer movement by said tool transfer member.

Claim 20

In a tool transfer member for transferring tools between a tool storage magazine and a work station of a machine tool; a grip on said tool transfer member for gripping the tools to be transferred; means for moving said tool transfer member for moving said grip into engagement with the tools for securement thereto so that the tools may be transferred by the movement of said tool transfer member; lateral locking means in said grip for locking a tool against lateral movement relative to said grip; cooperating means on said tool adapted to engage said lateral locking means; and, means on said grip in position to engage a tool in said grip and urge said tool axially relative to said grip for moving said cooperating means into engagement with said lateral locking means after the tool is fully engaged by said grip so that the gripped tool cannot be dislodged laterally during its transfer movement by said tool transfer member.

Claim 21

A tool transfer member according to claim 14 wherein said lateral locking means is a recess formed in the body of said grip and said tools are provided with shanks having a plurality of diameters with said cooperating means comprising one of said diameters that is adapted to fit into said recess for locking the tool against lateral movement relative to said grip, such diameter being moved into the recess by the axial movement of the tool after the grip is in engagement with the tool.

Claim 22

A tool transfer member according to claim 15 wherein said means on said grip is a spring urging the tool in the grip axially into engagement with said recess, and including a shoulder on each of said tools for engagement with the body of the machine tool and the body of the magazine respectively when the tools are inserted in the work station and magazine respectively, such engagement of said shoulder with the machine tool and magazine serving to force the tools axially against the pressure of said spring to retain the tool out of said recess and thereby enable the tool transfer member to move said grip into and out of lateral engagement with the tools.