Machine tool with a turret head for multiple spindle units and automatic tool changing apparatus

Claim 1

A machine tool comprising: a slide member slidable relative to a workpiece; a turret head rotatably mounted upon said slide member and radially provided with a plurality of tool support stations on the periphery thereof; index means for selectively rotating said turret head to index one of said tool support stations into an operating position confronting the workpiece; a single tool spindle radially supported on at least one of said tool support stations and adapted to removably support a single tool; a plurality of multiple spindle units attached on said tool support stations with the exception of said at least one tool support station, each of said spindle units having plural tool spindles for simultaneously machining plural portions of said workpiece and in input shaft for simultaneously rotating said plural tool spindles; spindle drive means for rotating one of said single tool spindle and said input shaft of said multiple spindle unit selectively positioned at said operation position; tool storage magazine means disposed above said turret head for removably storing a plurality of single tools and being indexably mounted for selectively presenting one of said single tools to a changing position disposed in parallel with said single tool disposed at said at least one of said stations; tool changing means for interchanging two of said single tools between said tool changing position and said operating position including two tool grippers for simultaneously exchanging a single tool supported on said at least one station and positioned at said operating station with a tool of said magazine means presented to said changing position; an upstanding column mounted upon said slide member and upon which said tool storage magazine means and said tool changing means are mounted, and about which said turret head is indexable; annular coupling members fixed respectively to said turret head and said slide member in co-axial alignment with said upstanding column, with circular arrays of gear teeth engageable with each other; an annular flange provided on the upper surface of said turret head in co-axial alignment with said upstanding column; hanger bracket means shiftable in the vertical direction and engageable with said annular flange above said annular coupling members for facilitating raising and lowering of said turret head independently of said magazine means; and power actuator means provided upon said upstanding column and connected with said hanger bracket for shifting said turret head in said vertical direction so as to selectively connect and disconnect said turret head with and from said slide member through said annular coupling members.