Machine tool for machining of shafts, especially crankshafts

Claim 1

A machine tool for milling crankshaft (17) having a longitudinal axis (24), comprising a machine bed (10), crankshaft clamping means (12, 12') including chuck means (11, 11') operatively supported on said machine bed (10), two milling units (13, 13') also operatively supported on said machine bed for displacement along the machine bed in parallel to said longitudinal axis (24) of said crankshaft, each milling unit (13, 13') comprising respective tool drum means (25) arranged substantially coaxially relative to said longitudinal crankshaft axis (24), said machine tool further comprising crankshaft supporting means (16, 16') each carried by the respective milling unit (13, 13'), at least one of said crankshaft supporting means (16) being movably carried by the respective milling unit (13), and drive means (34, 35) operatively connected to said one crankshaft supporting means (16) for moving the respective crankshaft supporting means back and forth in parallel to said longitudinal crankshaft axis (24) independently of any movement of the respective milling unit between a working position and a rest position so that said crankshaft supporting means may support the crankshaft in the working position directly adjacent to the respective one of said tool drum means and so that said crankshaft supporting means may take up said rest position around the respective tool drum means, whereby pairs of crankshaft bearing surfaces having a common axis may be machined simultaneously even if said bearing surfaces are located adjacent to each other.