Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to vertical spindle machine
tools in which the spindle is tiltable and in which an
automatic tool changer is employed. In the past, the
automatic tool changer of such machine tools was mounted
in a stationary position with respect to the tiltable
spindle, which required that the spindle be returned to
its vertical position before a tool change could be ef-
~ fected.
`~ The principal object of this invention is to pro-
vide a tiltable vertical spindle machine tool in which
a tool change can be effected at any spindle tilt angle.
Accordingly, the present inven~ion provides a ver-
tical spindle machine tool comprising a frame, a spindle
base pivotally mounted on said frame for rocking move-
ment about a horizontal axis, a spindle head slidably
mounted on said spindle base for linear movement along
a substantially vertical axis which tilts in response to
rocking movement of said base~about said horizontal axis,
~;~ a spindle rotatably mounted on~said spindle head for
rotation about said substantially vertical axis, said
spindle being adapted to receive a toolholder and to
clamp said toolholder therein, a tool storage magazine
mounted on said spindle base, said tool storage magazine
being adapted to receive and to store a plurality of
toolholders, characterized by means for mounting said
tool storage magazine so that it tilts in unison with
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said spindle to enable toolholders to be transferred be-
tween said tool storage magazine and said spindle at any
spindle tilt angle, and transfer means mounted for tilt-
able movement with said base and said magazine for trans-
ferring toolholders between said spindle and said tool
storage magazine. Other features and advantages of the
invention will be apparent from the detailed description
herein:
In the drawings:
- Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment
of the invention;
Fig. 2 is a side elevational view taken on the line
2-2 of Fig. 1 showing the spindle and automatic tool
changer in their vertical position;
Fig. 3 is a side elevational view similar to Fig. 2
showing the spindle and automatic tool changer in their
tilted position: and
Fig. 4 is a front elevational view taken on the line
4-4 of Fig. 1.
mhe drawings show one preferred embodiment of the
invention in combination with a gantry type vertical
spindle machining center 10 (Fig. 1). Machining center
10 is supported by two elongated bed portions 12 and I4
which are arranged in spaced parallel relationship. A
pair of horizontal ways 16 and 18 are mounted on top of
bed portions 12 and 14 and slidably support gantry shoes
20 and 22 which, in turn, support a gantry bridge 24.
Gantry bridge 24 extends between bed portions 12 and 14
and is slidable along a horizontal X axis 26 ~Fig. 2)
between a rearward position shown in Fig. 2 and a forward
position shown in Fig. 3. Gantry bridge 24 and gantry
shoes 20 and 22 are driven along X axis 26 by conven-
tional drive means (not shown). Gantry bridge 24 spans
the workpiece which, in this example, is a tank hull 28
(Fig. 2) supported by a conventional fixture 30 (Fig~ 4)
between bed portions 12 and 14.
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A pair of horizontal ways 32 and 34 are mounted
on gantry bridge 24 and slidably support a saddle 36
(Fig. 1) which is slidable along a horizontal Y axis
38 by means of a conventional Y axis drive (not shown).
Saddle 36 has a base plate 40 and two side plates 42
and 44 (Fig. 1) which project at right angles from base
plate 40 and are spaced apart from each other. Saddle
base plate 40 and side plates 42 and 44 are U-shaped in
plan configuration.
A spindle base 46 is pivotally mounted on saddle
36 by trunnions 48 and 50 which engage matching openings
52 and 54 in saddle side plates 42 and 44. Spindle base
46 is rockable about a horizontal axis 56 which is par-
allel to Y axis 38. Trunnions 48 and 50 are located at
the bottom of spindle base 46 as best shown in Fig. 2.
The angular position of spindle base 46 is controlled by
an electric motor 58 which is pivotally mounted on sad-
dle base plate 40 and is coupled to the top of spindle
base 46 (Fig. 1) by a conventional ball screw mechanism
(not shown). Motor 58 is pivotally mounted on saddle
base plate 40 by trunnions 60 ~Fig. 2) which engage open-
ings in brackets 62 attached to saddle base plate 40.
The shaft 64 (Fig. 1) of the ball screw mechanism which
is driven by motor 58 is pivotally attached to a pivot
pin 66 (Fig. 2) at the top cf spindle base 46.
Spindle base 46 supports a pair of vertical ways 68
and 70 (Fig. 1) upon which a spindle head 72 is slidably
mounted for movement along a Z axis (Fig. 3) which tilts
from the vertical in response to rocking motion of spin-
- 30 dle base 4~ about axis 56 (Fig. 1). A spindle 76 (Fig.
3) is rotatably mounted on spindle head 72 for rotation
about axis 74. Spindle 76 is driven by conventional
drive means (not shown) and is adapted to receive a tool-
holder 78 carrying a tool 80 for performing work on work-
piece 28.
A conventional tool storage magazine 82 (Fig. 1) is
mounted on spindle base 46 by bracket 84 in a position
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adjacent to spindle 76. Tool storage magazine 82 is adap-
ted to receive and to store a plurality of toolholders
78 (Fig. 2). A tool changer arm 86 (Fig. 1) is mounted
on tool storage magazine 82 to transfer toolholders 78
from tool storage magazine 82 to spindle 76 or vice versa.
When spindle base ~6 is rocked about axis 56 to tilt z
axis 74 (Fig. 2), tool storage magazine 82 (Fig. 1) and
tool changer arm 86 tilt by the same angles since they
are also mounted on spindle base 46. This enables tool
changer arm 86 to transfer toolholders between tool
stora~e ma~azine 82 and spindle 76 (Fig. 3) at any tilt
angle of Z axis 74.
In this particular embodiment of the invention, Z
`~ axis 74 can be tilted up to 15 degrees from the verti-
cal, but it will be obvious that larger or smaller max-
imum tilt angles can be employed with the above-describ-
ed tilt structure. Tilt motor 58, which determines the
degree of tilt, is controlled by conventional motor
control circuitry ~not shown) and can be energized to
achieve any desired tilt angle between the vertical
(Fig. 2) and the maximum tilt angle (Fig. 3) in response
to appropriate control signals.
Although this particular embodiment is used in com-
bination with a gantry type vertical spindle machining
center, the invention is applicable to any vertical
spindle machine tool. In this embodiment, saddle 36
acts as a frame upon which the tiltable components are
pivotally mounted, but in other embodiments, the tiltable
components are pivotally mounted on an upright.
Although the illustrative embodiment of the inven-
tion has been described in considerable detail for the
purpose of fully disclosing a practical operative struc-
ture incorporating ~he invention, it is to be understood
that the particular apparatus shown and described is in-
tended to be illustrative only and that the various novel
features of the invention may be incorporated in other
structural forms.
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