GB1605146A

GB1605146A - Machine tool

Info

Publication number: GB1605146A
Application number: GB4429177A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Herbert Alfred Ltd
Current assignee: Herbert Alfred Ltd
Priority date: 1977-10-25
Filing date: 1977-10-25
Publication date: 1982-02-10
Also published as: DE2846319A1

Description

(54) MACHINE TOOL (71) We, ALFRED HERBERT LIMITED, a British Company of P.O. Box 45, Stoney Stanton Road, Coventry, CV6 5GT, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to machine tools, and particularly but not exclusively to numerically controlled automatic machine tools.

It is often necessary to carry out secondary machining operations on components after completion of a primary operation or cycle of operations. Such secondary operations often involve the transfer of the component from a first to a secondary machining station and, conventionally, have necessitated the use of component transfer mechanisms and feed means for secondary machining traverse.

An object of the present invention is to provide a machine tool incorporating simplified means for facilitating the performance of secondary machining operations.

According to the invention, a machine tool comprises main and secondary machining stations, main and secondary tool carriers associated respectively with the main and secondary stations, and a component holder for holding a component during performance of a secondary machining operation, the main tool carrier and component holder being operatively interconnected so that relative traverse between the main tool carrier and the main machining station is accompanied by corresponding relative traverse between the component holder and the secondary machining station to permit simultaneous performance of main and secondary machining operations.

Preferably, the main tool carrier has a plurality of tool stations and is indexible to transfer altervative tool stations into operative position at the main working station, said interconnection between the main tool carrier and component holder being such that indexing of the main tool carrier is accompanied by simultaneous transfer of the component holder into an operative position at the secondary machining station.

The component holder may conveniently be carried by the main tool carrier which is conveniently in the form of a rotatable multi-station turret, preferably a disc turret, one of which stations is occupied by the component holder.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure is a side elevation of one embodiment of machine tool of the invention; Figure 2 is a part-section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a part-section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, these show a machine tool having a first working station indicated at D in which is disposed a chuck 1 containing a component 2 to be machined in jaws 3. The machine also has a secondary working station E in which are disposed a number of secondary tools 4 carried by respective retractable quills 5 mounted in a housing 6. Mounted on a slide 7 is a housing 8 carrying a rotatable multi-station tool turret 9, the housing being reciprocable in a direction towards and away from the stations D and E by drive means represented at 10 which may be one or more hydraulic rams or electric motors.

A further turret 11 is mounted on a slide 12 for traverse in a direction at right angles to the turret 9, and would normally carry boring and turning tools. The slides 7 and 12 are themselves mounted on a saddle 13 which is reciprocable in a direction towards and away from the stations D and E.

At one of the stations of the turret 9 is disposed a component transfer device 14, which may conveniently include gripping means of conventional type, such as a chuck or collet, and this is associated with actuating means, again of conventional type (not shown), which may conveniently be carried by the housing 8 and operable to open and close the gripping means at appropriate moments to enable a component which has already been machined at station D to be gripped therein and released.

The turret 9 carries, for example, various drills and cutting tools 15 for performing machining operations on the component 2 held in the chuck 3.

The turret 9 is indexed to bring the tools 15 into operation on the component 2 at station D in a predetermined sequence, after which the housing 8 is retracted along the slide 7 to permit the turret 11 to be brought into working operation, possible to perform a boring operation, and this turret also carries a tool for eventually parting-off the machined component. When all the desired primary machining operations have been completed at station D, the turret 11 is brought to a position adjacent the chuck 1 and indexed to bring the partingoff tool into working position, at which time partial parting off may be effected. At or about the same time, the turret 9 is indexed to bring the transfer device 14 into a position in axial alignment with the component 2 and axial movement of the housing 8 towards the component enables the transfer device to be brought to a position in which the gripping device surrounds a portion of the component. The transfer device may then be actuated by the actuating means in the housing 8, causing the component 2 to be lightly located. With the component lightly located, parting off is effected or completed and the turret 9 is then indexed to remove the component from station D and bring it into line with the position designated 'X' in Figure 3. With the turret 9 in this position, the gripping device is actuated from the housing 8 to apply a tight clamp to the component. The turret 9 is then indexed to bring the component to position 'Y' (Figure 3) for example, in which it is opposite one of the tools 4 at the working station E. Also the appropriate one of the tools 4 is moved forward on its quill to a working position determined by an end stop cooperating with the quill. In the meantime, a further length of bar will have automatically been brought into machining position and clamped in the chuck 1 and the tools in the turret 9 are arranged so that when the turret is now traversed along the slide 7 to perform a machining operation on the new component in chuck 1, the component in the device 14 is simultaneously traversed in relation to the tool 4 with which it is aligned, at the working station E, the tool being driven in rotation from the quill to perform a secondary working operation on the component in the device 14.

By appropriate retraction and advance of the turret 9, with intermediate indexing, the component in the device 14 can, if desired, be subjected in sequence to three secondary machining operations respectively at positions 'Y' 'Z' 'M' as seen in Figure 3, whilst other machining operations are simultaneously performed by different tools in the same turret on the new component in the chuck 1. The quills at the station E may be retracted between secondary machining passes to avoid collision with tools in the turret 9. Upon completion of the secondary machining cycle, the turret 9 is indexed so that the component is bought into alignment with station 'N' where the gripping device is actuated from the housing 8 to release the component to enable an ejector of conventional type to eject the component onto a deflector 20 for removal to an appropriate location.

It will thus be seen that by means of the invention, component transfer between the main and secondary machining stations is effected by the mechanism which effects tool transfer and this obviates the necessity for complicated auxiliary transfer devices with their attendant actuating and drive mechanism.

Moreover, the secondary machining traverse is performed under the action of the driving device for the main machining traverse so that no auxiliary drive device is necessary for this purpose. The invention will therefore be seen to provide a simple and efficient means of performing simultaneous primary and secondary machining operations. All of the above described operations may be carried out automatically under the control of an NC programme.

The machine described may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention. For example either the component or the tools can be rotated and either of these can be traversed in both the primary and secondary machining operations.

Instead of using the main traverse directly to traverse the component for secondary machining, it would be possible to derive the secondary traverse through coupling means such as bellcrank levers or right angled drive from the main traverse, particularly if cross-drilling is required. The housing 6 at station E could be replaced by an indexable turret.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A machine tool comprising main and secondary machining stations, main and secondary tool carriers associated respectively with the main and secondary stations, and a component holder for holding a component during performance of a secondary machining operation, the main tool carrier and component holder being operatively interconnected so that relative traverse between the main tool carrier and the main machining station is accompanied by corresponding relative traverse between the component holder and the secondary machining station to permit simultaneous performance of main and secondary machining operations.

2. A machine tool according to Claim 1, wherein the main and secondary machining operations are performed under the action of drive means for the main tool carrier.

3. A machine tool according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the component holder and main tool carrier are mounted on a common support for simultaneous movement.

4. A machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main tool carrier has a plurality of tool stations and is indexible to transfer alternative tool stations

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. The turret 9 is indexed to bring the tools 15 into operation on the component 2 at station D in a predetermined sequence, after which the housing 8 is retracted along the slide 7 to permit the turret 11 to be brought into working operation, possible to perform a boring operation, and this turret also carries a tool for eventually parting-off the machined component. When all the desired primary machining operations have been completed at station D, the turret 11 is brought to a position adjacent the chuck 1 and indexed to bring the partingoff tool into working position, at which time partial parting off may be effected. At or about the same time, the turret 9 is indexed to bring the transfer device 14 into a position in axial alignment with the component 2 and axial movement of the housing 8 towards the component enables the transfer device to be brought to a position in which the gripping device surrounds a portion of the component. The transfer device may then be actuated by the actuating means in the housing 8, causing the component 2 to be lightly located. With the component lightly located, parting off is effected or completed and the turret 9 is then indexed to remove the component from station D and bring it into line with the position designated 'X' in Figure 3. With the turret 9 in this position, the gripping device is actuated from the housing 8 to apply a tight clamp to the component. The turret 9 is then indexed to bring the component to position 'Y' (Figure 3) for example, in which it is opposite one of the tools 4 at the working station E. Also the appropriate one of the tools 4 is moved forward on its quill to a working position determined by an end stop cooperating with the quill. In the meantime, a further length of bar will have automatically been brought into machining position and clamped in the chuck 1 and the tools in the turret 9 are arranged so that when the turret is now traversed along the slide 7 to perform a machining operation on the new component in chuck 1, the component in the device 14 is simultaneously traversed in relation to the tool 4 with which it is aligned, at the working station E, the tool being driven in rotation from the quill to perform a secondary working operation on the component in the device 14. By appropriate retraction and advance of the turret 9, with intermediate indexing, the component in the device 14 can, if desired, be subjected in sequence to three secondary machining operations respectively at positions 'Y' 'Z' 'M' as seen in Figure 3, whilst other machining operations are simultaneously performed by different tools in the same turret on the new component in the chuck 1. The quills at the station E may be retracted between secondary machining passes to avoid collision with tools in the turret 9. Upon completion of the secondary machining cycle, the turret 9 is indexed so that the component is bought into alignment with station 'N' where the gripping device is actuated from the housing 8 to release the component to enable an ejector of conventional type to eject the component onto a deflector 20 for removal to an appropriate location. It will thus be seen that by means of the invention, component transfer between the main and secondary machining stations is effected by the mechanism which effects tool transfer and this obviates the necessity for complicated auxiliary transfer devices with their attendant actuating and drive mechanism. Moreover, the secondary machining traverse is performed under the action of the driving device for the main machining traverse so that no auxiliary drive device is necessary for this purpose. The invention will therefore be seen to provide a simple and efficient means of performing simultaneous primary and secondary machining operations. All of the above described operations may be carried out automatically under the control of an NC programme. The machine described may be modified in various ways without departing from the scope of the invention. For example either the component or the tools can be rotated and either of these can be traversed in both the primary and secondary machining operations. Instead of using the main traverse directly to traverse the component for secondary machining, it would be possible to derive the secondary traverse through coupling means such as bellcrank levers or right angled drive from the main traverse, particularly if cross-drilling is required. The housing 6 at station E could be replaced by an indexable turret. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A machine tool comprising main and secondary machining stations, main and secondary tool carriers associated respectively with the main and secondary stations, and a component holder for holding a component during performance of a secondary machining operation, the main tool carrier and component holder being operatively interconnected so that relative traverse between the main tool carrier and the main machining station is accompanied by corresponding relative traverse between the component holder and the secondary machining station to permit simultaneous performance of main and secondary machining operations.

into operative position at the main machining station, said interconnection between the main tool carrier and component holder being such that indexing of the main tool carrier is accompanied by simultaneous transfer of the component holder into an operative position at the secondary machining station.

5. A machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the component holder is carried by the main tool carried which is conveniently in the form of a rotatable multistation turret, preferably a disc turret, one of which stations is occupied by the component holder.

6. A machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the main tool carrier is reciprocable along a main slide itself reciprocable along a bed of the machine tool.

7. A machine tool according to Claim 6, wherein said slide carries a further slide for reciprocal movement thereon.

8. A machine tool according to Claim 7 wherein the further slide reciprocates at right angles to the main slide.

9. A machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims wherein tools are mounted on retractable quills on the secondary tool carrier.

10. A machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the main and secondary tool carriers are mounted in opposition.

11. A machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the component holder is a chunk or collet.

12. A machine tool according to any one of Claims 1 to 8, 10 or 11 wherein the secondary tool carrier is an indexable turret.

13. A machine tool according to Claim 1, wherein traverse of a component to the secondary machining station is derived through coupling means from the traverse of the main tool carrier towards the main tool station.

14. A machine tool substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.