Grooving machine tool

Claim 2

A machine tool for forming arcuate grooves on a plurality of workpieces comprising: a base; a work head provided on said base; a spindle head slidably mounted on said base and movable toward and away from said work head; a work spindle rotatably mounted in said work head; a tool spindle rotatably supported in said spindle head; a tool holder fixedly mounted on said tool spindle at the end thereof and having a series of cutting tools around the peripheral portion thereof; an index table secured to one end of said work spindle and including means mounted thereon for supporting said workpieces for rotation about their axes; indexing means provided for simultaneously turning each of the workpieces around the axis thereof and around the axis of said work spindle through respective predetermind amounts so as to sequentially index the workpieces into a machining position; and synchronizing means for actuating said indexing means in accordance with the rotation of said tool spindle.

Claim 3

A machine tool according to claim 1, which further comprises: control means for successively projecting said series of cutting tools a predetermined amount from said tool holder so as to machine said workpiece indexed into the machining position by said indexing means.

Claim 4

A machine tool according to claim 1, wherein said means for supporting said workpieces comprises a plurality of supporting shafts and wherein said indexing means comprises: an operating rod movable in an axial direction thereof, but refrained from rotation in said work spindle; said plurality of supporting shafts being rotatably mounted on said index table for supporting said workpieces and being rotatably connected to said operating rod; gear train means for connecting said operating rod and each of said supporting shafts; locking means provided between said index table and said respective supporting shafts for establishing a connection therebetween; and shifting means actuated by said synchronizing means for releasably moving said locking means so as to allow relative rotation between said supporting shaft and said index table.

Claim 5

A machine tool according to claim 2, wherein said control means comprises; pressing means mounted on said tool holder for successively advancing said series of cutting tools toward said workpiece indexed into the machining position; and regulating means for determining the advancing position of said cutting tools in accordance with the rotation of said tool holder.

Claim 6

A machine according to claim 1, in which said synchronizing means comprises: a first geneva mechanism including a disc plate which is operably connected with said tool spindle and has a projection pin thereon, and a geneva gear engageable therewith and provided parallel with said tool spindle for transmitting the rotation of said disc plate through a predetermined angular amount thereof; first gearing means operably connected with said geneva gear within said base; a synchronizing shaft member journaled within said bed in parallel relation to said tool spindle in order to permit said spindle head to slide longitudinally on said base and connected with said first gearing means at the one end thereof; a second geneva mechanism provided with a geneva gear which is operably connected with said work spindle and a drive disc having a projection pin to rotate said index table by a predetermined angular amount through said geneva gear; and second gearing means operably connected with said second geneva mechanism for transmitting to the same the rotation thereof at the other end of said synchronizing shaft member.

Claim 7

A machine tool according to claim 1, wherein said indexing means further comprises a cylinder device which is provided with a knock pin for engaging the same with notch means on said work spindle when said workpiece to be machined is indexed into the machining position.

Claim 8

A machine tool according to claim 3, in which said shifting means comprises: pushing means provided within said work head for axially biasing said operating rod so as to lock said workpieces to said index table; and a cam member formed with a predetermined contour thereon and contacted with said operating rod for moving axially the same against the biasing force of said pushing means through transmitting gear means operatively rotated in accordance with the rotation of said synchronizing means.

Claim 9

A machine tool according to claim 4, wherein said pressing means comprises: a main body; a cylinder formed in said main body; a piston slidably mounted in said cylinder and integrally connected with each of said cutting tools; a passage for leading a fluid under pressure into said cylinder; and a detent pin fixed in said main body for preventing the rotational movement of said piston.

Claim 10

A machine tool according to claim 4, wherein said regulating means comprises: a master cam mounted on said spindle head and formed with a predetermined profile thereon, a supporting member fixedly mounted on said tool spindle; a slide member slidably received in said supporting member to be operably connected with said pressing means, and provided with a roller which is rotatably carried thereon and abutted with said master cam to travel along the profile thereof.

Claim 11

A machine tool according to claim 7, wherein said pushing means comprises spring means interposed between said work spindle and a flange which is fixedly mounted on said operating rod.