Method and apparatus for controlling tool magazines

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 which further comprises the step of rewriting a tool number of said comparison table after movement of said magazine.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 which further comprises the steps of putting said tool which has been mounted on said machine tool before tool exchange into an empty tool pot and writing a tool number thereof into said comparison table.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1 wherein prior to said various steps a judgement is made as to whether said magazine contains a designated tool or not, and when there is no designated tool an error display is made.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1 wherein said magazine comprises a circular disc divided into four regions each provided with a plurality of tool pots at a peripheral portion of said disc and said magazine is rotated in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction toward tool exchange position along a path of less than 180°.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 1 which further comprises the steps of providing at least two spaced tool exchange positions for said tool magazine on one side thereof and selectively moving a tool exchanger to either one of said tool exchange positions for exchanging said designated tool brought to said tool exchange position with a tool mounted on said machine tool.

Claim 8

Apparatus for controlling a tool magazine having a plurality of tool pots each containing a tool, said tool magazine being divided into at least three tool regions respectively containing substantially the same number of tool pots for receiving tools of the same type, said apparatus comprising: reversible magazine driving means for sequentially indexing a designated tool to a tool exchange position; a first memory section including a comparison table storing correspondences between absolute pot numbers of respective regions and tool numbers included in respective regions; a second memory section including a first memory region for storing a tool number of a tool mounted on a machine tool, a second memory region for storing an absolute pot number of a tool pot indexed to said tool exchange position, a third memory region for storing the absolute pot number of a tool pot containing said designated tool and a fourth memory region for storing the designated tool number; means for searching said absolute tool pot number storing said designated tool in accordance with said comparison table prior to movement of said tool magazine; means for determining a direction of movement of respective regions of said tool magazine towards said tool exchange position in accordance with contents of said second memory section; means controlled by the contents of said first and second memory sections for determining an amount of movement of said tool magazine necessary to index said designated tool to said tool exchange position; and magazine drive means controlled by said direction determining means and said movement amount determining means for indexing said designated tool to said tool exchange position.

Claim 9

Apparatus for controlling a tool magazine having a plurality of tool pots each containing a tool, said tool magazine being divided into at least three tool regions respectively containing substantially the same number of tool pots for receiving tools of the same type, said apparatus comprising: reversible magazine driving means for sequentially indexing a designated tool to a tool exchange position; a first memory section including a comparison table storing correspondences between absolute pot numbers of respective regions and tool numbers included in respective regions; a second memory section including a first memory region for storing a tool number of a tool mounted on a machine tool, a second memory region for storing an absolute pot number of a tool pot indexed to said tool exchange position, a third memory region for storing the absolute pot number of a tool pot containing said designated tool and a fourth memory region for storing the designated tool number; means for searching said absolute tool pot number storing said designated tool in accordance with said comparison table prior to movement of said tool magazine; means for determining a direction of movement of respective regions of said tool magazine towards said tool exchange position in accordance with contents of said second memory section; means controlled by the contents of said first and second memory sections for determining an amount of movement of said tool magazine necessary to index said designated tool to said tool exchange position; and magazine drive means controlled by said direction determining means and said movement amount determining means for indexing said designated tool to said tool exchange position.

Claim 10

The apparatus according to claim 7 which further comprises means for writing said searched absolute tool pot number into said third memory region, and means for writing said searched absolute tool pot number into said comparison table.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said tool magazine comprises a circular disc, said magazine drive means comprises a step motor and said means for determining the amount of movement of said tool magazine comprises a counter which counts number of steps of said tool magazine rotated by said step motor.

Claim 12

In apparatus for controlling a tool magazine having a plurality of tool pots each containing a tool, a single tool magazine being divided into at least three tool regions respectively containing substantially the same number of tool pots for receiving tools of the same type and wherein said tool magazine is moved in one or opposite direction so as to index a designated tool to a tool exchange position where the designated tool is exchanged with a tool exchanger, the improvement wherein said tool magazine is provided with at least two spaced tool exchange positions on one side thereof and wherein there are provided means for moving said tool exchanger to either one of said tool exchange positions in accordance with a specific one of said tool regions which contains said designated tool, and means for determining the direction of movement of said tool magazine in accordance with the absolute tool pot number containing said designated tool with reference to either one of said tool exchange positions.

Claim 13

In apparatus for controlling a tool magazine having a plurality of tool pots each containing a tool, a single tool magazine being divided into at least three tool regions respectively containing substantially the same number of tool pots for receiving tools of the same type and wherein said tool magazine is moved in one or opposite direction so as to index a designated tool to a tool exchange position where the designated tool is exchanged with a tool exchanger, the improvement wherein said tool magazine is provided with at least two spaced tool exchange positions on one side thereof and wherein there are provided means for moving said tool exchanger to either one of said tool exchange positions in accordance with a specific one of said tool regions which contains said designated tool, and means for determining the direction of movement of said tool magazine in accordance with the absolute tool pot number containing said designated tool with reference to either one of said tool exchange positions.

Claim 14

The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said tool magazine takes the form of an endless chain divided into four tool regions, two spaced tool exchange positions are provided between adjacent tool regions on one side of said tool magazine, and said tool exchanger is selectively moved to either one of said tool exchange positions along a column.

Claim 15

Apparatus for controlling a tool magazine having a plurality of tool pots each containing a tool, said magazine being divided into at least three tool regions respectively containing substantially the same number of pots for receiving tools of the same type, said apparatus comprising: means for providing at least two tool exchange positions between adjacent sections and on one side of said tool magazine; means for driving said tool magazine to index a designated tool to either one of said tool exchange positions in one or opposite direction in accordance with an absolute pot number of said designated tool with reference to either one of said tool exchange positions; means for selectively moving a tool exchanger to either one of said tool exchange positions; first memory means including a plurality of memory regions respectively storing tool pot numbers corresponding to absolute tool pot numbers with reference to said tool exchange positions; second memory means comprising a comparison table in which are stored correspondences among respective absolute tool pot numbers and tool numbers contained in said tool magazine; means for searching said comparison table to read out said designated tool number; counting means for counting number of steps of said designated tool with reference to either one of said tool exchange positions; and means for rewriting absolute pot numbers and tool numbers stored in said comparison table when said tool magazine is moved.

Claim 16

Apparatus for controlling a tool magazine having a plurality of tool pots each containing a tool, said magazine being divided into at least three tool regions respectively containing substantially the same number of pots for receiving tools of the same type, said apparatus comprising: means for providing at least two tool exchange positions between adjacent sections and on one side of said tool magazine; means for driving said tool magazine to index a designated tool to either one of said tool exchange positions in one or opposite direction in accordance with an absolute pot number of said designated tool with reference to either one of said tool exchange positions; means for selectively moving a tool exchanger to either one of said tool exchange positions; first memory means including a plurality of memory regions respectively storing tool pot numbers corresponding to absolute tool pot numbers with reference to said tool exchange positions; second memory means comprising a comparison table in which are stored correspondences among respective absolute tool pot numbers and tool numbers contained in said tool magazine; means for searching said comparison table to read out said designated tool number; counting means for counting number of steps of said designated tool with reference to either one of said tool exchange positions; and means for rewriting absolute pot numbers and tool numbers stored in said comparison table when said tool magazine is moved.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said second memory means stores a tool number mounted on a spindle of a machine tool and the absolute tool pot number of said designated tool at either one of said tool exchange positions, and wherein said apparatus further comprises means for rewriting said tool number on said spindle and said absolute tool pot number at the time of exchanging said designated tool with said tool on said spindle.