GB1229755A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1,229,755. Tool changers. MAKINO MILLING MACHINE CO. Ltd. 28 Feb., 1969 [14 March, 1968], No. 10831/69. Heading B3B. A machine tool has a tool storage magazine 20 that accommodates tool-holding cartridges 30, and a tool-changing mechanism for transferring tools between the cartridges and a spindle 8. The magazine 20 is indexable rotationally and the cartridges are carried in grooves for movement in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, each cartridge 30 holding a plurality of tools in a row extending in a direction parallel to said axis. Means are provided for securing the cartridges in the grooves and for releasing them at a tool ready station, and means are provided for moving a cartridge at the tool ready station to positions where tools in the cartridge can be grasped by the tool-changing mechanism. A selected cartridge is slid out of the magazine at a toolready station by a lead screw 68 and nut mechanism. A body 80 oscillatable about a pivot 78 has conveying ways 82, 84 along which slide arms 86, 88 which carry tool grippers 90, 92. The body 80 is also movable parallel to the axis of the spindle 8. During a machining operation the next required tool C is held in grippers 92. When a tool change is required the arm 86 is lowered to grip the old tool, body 80 is moved parallel, to the spindle to extract it and then arm 86 is raised. Arm 88 is then lowered and body 80 moved back to insert the new tool into spindle 8. During machining the body 80 is swung across to replace the used tool in the cartridge 30 and pick up a new one from the same or a different cartridge. The cartridge is positioned vertically at the tool ready station depending on the position of the required tool. A tool change is automatically performed in sequence by means of a data tape control mechanism 94.