Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha

Fumihiko Ohkoshi

Toshifumi Hasegawa

Kenichi Munekata

Tamaki Tomita

Yoji Kamiya

Kunimichi Nakashima

Hideo Nishimura

Akira Tsuboi

Norikazu Kanii

Kazuo Eguchi

A spindle head for a machine tool rotatably carries a tool spindle, which is drivingly connected with an output shaft of a drive motor provided in axial alignment therewith. A drawing bar received in an axial through hole of the tool spindle is urged by means of springs for clamping on the tool spindle a tool being inserted into a front tapered bore of the tool spindle. In order to move the drawing bar against the springs and thereby to unclamp the tool from the tool spindle, an annular cylinder device is provided around the tool spindle. This cylinder device, when supplied with pressurized fluid, moves first and second operating members toward and away from each other in the axial direction of the tool spindle. The first operating member is abuttable with a first abutting member fixed on the tool spindle, while the second operating member is abuttable with a second abutting member, which is secured to the drawing bar, with opposite end portions thereof extending externally of the tool spindle through elongate holes formed in the tool spindle. Accordingly, movement of the first and second operating members toward each other causes the second abutting member and the drawing bar to move against the springs without applying substantial thrust force to the tool spindle.

Spindle head for a machine tool

A machine tool with an automatic tool change function wherein a rotatable tool spindle carries a movable key engageable with either of a pair of key-ways formed on a tool. A tool changing arm, serving as a tool support device, friction-rotatably supports at least one tool for being selectively inserted within and removed from the tool spindle. When tool changing operation is to be performed, rotation of the spindle is changed to a predetermined speed permitting key-engagement. A first confirming device is provided for confirming the fact that the spindle has reached a first predetermined position during rotation thereof. The tool change arm is then operated to remove the tool from the spindle in response to the first confirming device. A second confirming device is provided for confirming that the spindle has reached a second predetermined position during rotation thereof. Prior to insertion of the tool into the spindle, the movable key is withdrawn, and in response to the second confirming device the movable key is moved outwardly into engagement with the predetermined key-way of the first and second key-ways.

Machine tool with automatic tool change function

In a machine tool with an automatic tool change function, a rotatable tool spindle carries a movable key engageable with a key-way formed on a tool. A tool changing arm, serving as a tool support device, friction-rotatably supports at least one tool for selectively inserting and removing same into and from the tool spindle. When a tool change operation is to be performed, rotation of the spindle is changed into a predetermined speed permitting key-engagement. A detecting device is provided for detecting movement of the movable key to confirm engagement of the movable key with the key-way of the tool. A clamp device clamps the tool inserted into the spindle in response to the detecting device. After the tool is clamped on the spindle, rotation of the spindle is changed into a machining speed. A confirming device is provided for confirming that the spindle is reached at a predetermined angular position during rotation thereof. The tool change arm is operated to remove the tool from the spindle in response to the confirming device.

Machine tool with automatic tool change

A tool storage magazine of the type wherein a plurality of tool sockets each for removably storing a cutting tool therein are pivotably carried on an indexable element is provided with an engaging member moved by a hydraulic cylinder for pivoting each tool socket at a tool taking out position from a horizontal position to a vertical position through engagement with a pair of engaging rollers which are rotatably supported by each tool socket and located outside the side faces of each tool socket. The magazine is further provided with a locking mechanism which prevents a holding plunger of any tool socket indexed to the tool taking out position from being disengaged from a tool received in the tool socket until the tool socket is pivoted to its vertical position.

Tool storage magazine for machine tool

In a pallet exchange apparatus for a machine tool, a rotary member carried to be rotatable in a horizontal plane mounts thereon a pallet support means which in turn supports a pallet unloaded from the machine tool and a pallet to be loaded into the machine tool. Each pallet is provided with an engaging hook. A transfer member is provided with a transfer hook engageable with the engaging hook to move the pallet to be loaded on the machine tool toward the machine tool. A fixed hook is provided to be engageable with the engaging hook. The rotary member is rotated to move the engaging hook of the pallet to be loaded on the machine tool into engagement with the transfer hook and to move the engaging hook of the pallet unloaded from the machine tool into engagement with the fixed hook.

Growing community of inventors

Anjo, Japan

Fumihiko Ohkoshi