US4359814A — Machine tool with automatic tool changing

Claim 1

Independent Claim 314 words

Machine tool apparatus with automatic tool changing, comprising, a head which during machining operations is rotated about an axis and carries a cutting tool movable transversely to said axis, an indexable rotatable drum for carrying a plurality of tool holders, a plurality of tool holders which are transferrable between the head and said drum, said tool holders including base plates which have dovetailed profiles, said head having a carriage which is radially movable thereon, said carriage being provided with dovetailed guide means for receiving the base plates of said tool holders, said drum having an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said head, said drum having circumferentially spaced dovetailed guide means for receiving the base plates of a plurality of said tool holders, transfer means for slidably transferring tool holders from the carriage to the drum and vice versa, said transfer means being operable to move the tool holders parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, clamping means for clamping said tool holder to the carriage, said clamping means including a plurality of rods mounted in the carriage on one side of the dovetailed guide thereof, each of said rods having a trapezoidal notch with an inclined surface for bearing against the guide of the tool holder base plate, springs for urging the inclined surfaces of the notches into clamping engagement against the guide of the tool holder base plate, an axially movable shaft, said shaft and said rods having mutually contacting inclined surfaces which move said rods along their axes in response to movement of the shaft along its axis, and means for operating the clamping means to clamp and unclamp the tool holders to and from the carriage, said transfer means and said means for operating the clamping means being spaced from the drum to avoid interference with the rotational movement of the drum.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 314 words

Machine tool apparatus with automatic tool changing, comprising, a head which during machining operations is rotated about an axis and carries a cutting tool movable transversely to said axis, an indexable rotatable drum for carrying a plurality of tool holders, a plurality of tool holders which are transferrable between the head and said drum, said tool holders including base plates which have dovetailed profiles, said head having a carriage which is radially movable thereon, said carriage being provided with dovetailed guide means for receiving the base plates of said tool holders, said drum having an axis of rotation which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said head, said drum having circumferentially spaced dovetailed guide means for receiving the base plates of a plurality of said tool holders, transfer means for slidably transferring tool holders from the carriage to the drum and vice versa, said transfer means being operable to move the tool holders parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum, clamping means for clamping said tool holder to the carriage, said clamping means including a plurality of rods mounted in the carriage on one side of the dovetailed guide thereof, each of said rods having a trapezoidal notch with an inclined surface for bearing against the guide of the tool holder base plate, springs for urging the inclined surfaces of the notches into clamping engagement against the guide of the tool holder base plate, an axially movable shaft, said shaft and said rods having mutually contacting inclined surfaces which move said rods along their axes in response to movement of the shaft along its axis, and means for operating the clamping means to clamp and unclamp the tool holders to and from the carriage, said transfer means and said means for operating the clamping means being spaced from the drum to avoid interference with the rotational movement of the drum.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 34 words

The machine tool apparatus of claim 1, including an axially immovable rotatable nut threadedly engaged with said shaft, said means for operating the clamping means including a screwdriving mechanism for rotationally driving said nut.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 128 words

The machine tool apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tool holder base plate is provided with a recess, said shaft having a further inclined plane, a further rod mounted in the carriage and being movable by said further inclined plane between a retracted position and an extended position where the end of the rod projects into said recess in the tool holder base plate, said further inclined plane being oriented so said further rod will be in its extended position when the inclined surfaces of the notches are in clamping engagement against the guide of the tool holder base plate, said further rod occupying its retracted position when the inclined surfaces of the notches are not in clamping engagement against the guide of the tool holder base plate.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 45 words

The machine tool apparatus of claim 1, wherein each tool holder has a recess at one end thereof, and the means for slidably transferring tool holders includes an axially movable rod with an expansible head at its free end for entering and engaging the recess.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 272 words

In a machine tool apparatus with automatic tool changing such as a numerically controlled boring-facing machine having a rotationally driven head, a carriage which is movable on said head radially to the axis of rotation of said head, said carriage having means for receiving a tool holder and means for clamping and unclamping the tool holder to the carriage, the improvement comprising, a guide on the carriage and comprising the means for receiving a tool holder on the carriage, said guide extending in the direction of movement of the carriage on the head, a tool holder including a plate which has a profile corresponding to that of said guide, a tool changer located at a stationary position beside the head, said tool changer being provided with an indexable drum having its axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said head, said drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced guides for receiving a plurality of tool holder plates, said guides on the drum extending parallel to the axis of rotation of said drum and having the same profile as the guide on the carriage, said tool changer including a transfer mechanism and a clamp operating mechanism which are not rotatable with the drum, said transfer mechanism including means for slidably transferring a tool holder plate from the carriage to the drum and from the drum to the carriage in a direction which is parallel to the rotational axis of the drum and perpendicular to the rotational axis of the head, said clamp operating mechanism including means for actuating the means for clamping and unclamping the tool holder to the carriage.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 272 words

In a machine tool apparatus with automatic tool changing such as a numerically controlled boring-facing machine having a rotationally driven head, a carriage which is movable on said head radially to the axis of rotation of said head, said carriage having means for receiving a tool holder and means for clamping and unclamping the tool holder to the carriage, the improvement comprising, a guide on the carriage and comprising the means for receiving a tool holder on the carriage, said guide extending in the direction of movement of the carriage on the head, a tool holder including a plate which has a profile corresponding to that of said guide, a tool changer located at a stationary position beside the head, said tool changer being provided with an indexable drum having its axis of rotation perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said head, said drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced guides for receiving a plurality of tool holder plates, said guides on the drum extending parallel to the axis of rotation of said drum and having the same profile as the guide on the carriage, said tool changer including a transfer mechanism and a clamp operating mechanism which are not rotatable with the drum, said transfer mechanism including means for slidably transferring a tool holder plate from the carriage to the drum and from the drum to the carriage in a direction which is parallel to the rotational axis of the drum and perpendicular to the rotational axis of the head, said clamp operating mechanism including means for actuating the means for clamping and unclamping the tool holder to the carriage.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 123 words

The machine tool apparatus of claim 5, wherein the profile of said guides and said plate is a dovetail profile, said means for clamping and unclamping a tool holder plate to said carriage including a plurality of rods mounted in the carriage on one side of the dovetail guide thereof, each of said rods having a trapezoidal notch with an inclined surface, springs for urging the inclined surfaces of the notches into clamping engagement against one of the inclined surfaces of a tool holder plate located in said guide, and an axially movable shaft, said shaft and said rods having mutually contacting surfaces which are inclined to move said rods along their axes in response to movement of the shaft along its axis.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 47 words

The machine tool apparatus of claim 6 wherein the means for clamping and unclamping the tool holder to the carriage includes an axially immovable rotatable nut threadedly engaged with said shaft, said clamping mechanism of the tool changer including a screwdriving mechanism for rotationally driving said nut.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 127 words

The machine tool apparatus of claim 6 wherein the tool holder plate is provided with a recess, said shaft having a further inclined plane, a further rod mounted in the carriage and being movable by said further inclined plane between a retracted position and an extended position where the end of the rod projects into said recess in the tool holder base plate, said further inclined plane being oriented so said further rod will be in its extended position when the inclined surfaces of the notches are in clamping engagement against the guide of the tool holder base plate, said further rod occupying its retracted position when the inclined surfaces of the notches are not in clamping engagement against the guide of the tool holder base plate.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 48 words

The machine tool apparatus of any one of claims 5-8 wherein each tool holder has a recess at one end thereof, and the means for slidably transferring tool holders includes an axially movable rod with an expansible head at its free end for entering and engaging the recess.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1985-11-22	1986-05-24	1986-11-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1989-11-22	1990-05-24	1990-11-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1993-11-22	1994-05-24	1994-11-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Machine tool with automatic tool changing

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