Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha

Tetsuro Yamakage

Akira Tsuboi

Toshiharu Takashima

Takeshi Ohta

Takao Yoneda

Kyosuke Haga

Kunihiko Eto

Kunimichi Nakashima

Kenichi Munekata

Yoshio Sakakibara

Akihiro Matsuura

Isao Suzuki

Yoshio Shima

Yoshio Doi

Kohsei Imamura

Yoshiki Ochiai

Katsuyoshi Noro

A pallet changing system for a machine tool including a pallet changing device which is horizontally rotatable for exchanging a pallet on the work table of the tool with another pallet in a standby station. A plurality of pallet storing shelves are arranged in a plurality of concentric circular arrays and each shelf has a plurality of pallet supporting racks located one above another. The standby station forms a part of those circular arrays defining a central space surrounded by the racks. A rotary table is rotatably disposed in the center of that space. A pair of guide posts are upstanding from the rotary table. A structure is vertically movably supported on the posts. A pallet handling fork is provided on the structure horizontally movably to and away from the standby station. A pair of guide rails guide the horizontal movement of the fork. The fork has one end defining a pallet supporting portion. The system further includes a device for rotating the rotary table in an indexed way, a device for moving the vertically movable structure vertically and a device for moving the fork horizontally.

Pallet changing system for a machine tool

Life of a tool used in a machining center having various sorts of tools can be detected by steps that a tool selection code at every execution of NC program is detected and the current-use tool number is stored, the machining distance of each tool is calculated, the machining distance is accumulated per each tool, the cumulative machining distance is compared with predetermined machining life distance to indicate the life of each tool, and then the life of each tool is determined on the basis of a result obtained in the comparing step.

Method of detecting lift of tool based upon cumulative machining distance

A machine tool having an automatic tool changer for transferring tools between a tool magazine and a horizontal tool spindle rotatably mounted in a spindle head and which includes a vertical head which rotatably carries a vertical tool spindle and a horizontal drive shaft connected thereto is removably mounted on a vertical head support. In advance of a machining operation on a top surface of a workpiece, relative movement between the vertical head support and the spindle head is effected in a vertical direction and first and second horizontal directions, so that the vertical head is mounted on the spindle head, with the drive shaft being drivingly connected with the horizontal tool spindle. A tool support station mounted on the vertical head support is provided with two tool grippers each for vertically holding a tool. The tool support station is brought under the vertical head being mounted on the spindle head and selectively presents the two tool grippers in vertical axial alignment with the vertical tool spindle. In this state, the spindle head is moved in the vertical direction and the axial direction of the horizontal tool spindle and enables the vertical tool spindle to return a used tool therefrom to one of the tool grippers and then, to receive therein a new tool from the other tool gripper. A tool transfer device, which cooperates with the tool changer to receive a new tool therefrom and hand over a used tool thereto, is provided between the tool changer and the tool support station and transfers tools therebetween.

Machine tool with tool change function

A numerical controller for a machining center comprising a microprocessor, which selectively executes an automatic programming function and a numerical control function. The microprocessor selectively displays on a CRT display unit various information which instructs an operator to input machining information regarding the blank and finished shapes of a workpiece and the mounting position of the workpiece on a work table. The operator inputs the machining information with a key board-type data input device in response to the information displayed on the CRT screen, and the machining information is stored in a data storage device. Based upon the stored machining information, the microprocessor then displays on the CRT screen the blank shape and the finished shape of the workpiece so that the operator can observe if the machining information has been correctly input. Unless modification of the stored machining information is required, the microprocessor prepares the numerical control (NC) program based upon the stored machining information. The microprocessor, in response to a machining start command, executes the numerical control function and controls the operation of the machining center in accordance with the NC program.

Method of inputting machining information to a machine tool numerical

A pallet changer for a machine tool is provided wherein a pallet clamper for guiding a work pallet during transfer movements onto and away from a rotary table of the machine tool is supported at its center portion and vertically movable by a hydraulic cylinder. This cylinder moves the clamper up to unclamp the pallet from the rotary table prior to the transfer movements and moves the clamper down to clamp the pallet on the rotary table upon completion of the transfer movement onto the rotary table. Auxiliary hydraulic cylinders are further provided at either end portions in a pallet transfer direction of the clamper and between the rotary table and the clamper for auxiliarily supporting the clamper while the pallet is unclamped, so that the clamper can be prevented from being deformed due to the weight of a mass of the pallet and workpiece supported only by the clamper during such time.

Pallet changer

A tool holder having a shank receivable in a machine tool spindle, a tool mounting shell securedly connected to the shank and adjustably movably carrying a cutting tool in a radial direction thereof, and a pair of contact detection members respectively protruded from the outer surface of the mounting shell in opposite directions. The tool holder, when used while received in the machine tool spindle, operates not only to make a bore in a workpiece, but also to be a measuring probe in measuring the diameter of the bore so that a machine tool using the tool holder is able to successively perform boring and measuring operations of the bore. Further, the tool holder incorporates a tool position adjusting mechanism therein.

Boring tool holder with probes for measuring bore

A tool holder incorporating a tool position compensating mechanism is disclosed, which includes a screw shaft axially slidably but non-rotatably supported in a tool mounting shell and formed with a cam surface. A rotary member is rotatably received and threadedly engaged with the screw shaft. A ring shaped internal gear and a reduction gear device including a planet gear are arranged to transmit rotation of a tool spindle to the rotary member at a predetermined reduction gear ratio. When rotated, the rotary member moves the screw shaft in the axial direction which causes adjustment of a tool position in the radial direction by the wedging action of the cam surface.

Tool holder with tool position compensating mechanism

A machine tool includes a tool holder supporting a cutting tool and receivable in a tool spindle. A device is provided in the tool holder to be engageable with a work table for adjusting the radial position of the cutting tool by utilizing the relative movement between the tool spindle and the work table. A contact detecting device detects the contact between the work table and the adjusting device. Relative movement between the tool spindle and the work table is caused to adjust the radial position of the cutting tool after the contact between the work table and the adjusting device is detected.

Machine tool with tool position compensating apparatus and contact

A tool holder incorporating a tool position compensating mechanism which comprises a screw shaft rotatably supported in a tool mounting shell in axial alignment therewith and engageable with a stationary member on a machine tool for relative rotation with the mounting shell is disclosed. A sleeve is threadedly engaged with the screw shaft to be axially moved at the time of relative rotation between the mounting shell and the screw shaft. This sleeve, when axially moved, actuates a transmitting member, supported in the shell, by the wedge action of a cam surface formed thereon, so that a cutting blade support end of a tool secured on the mounting shell is bent to adjust the position of a cutting blade on the tool.

Tool position compensating mechanism

A machine tool including a tool holder supporting a boring tool and receivable in a tool spindle. A device is provided in the tool holder for adjusting the radial position of the boring tool by utilizing rotation of the tool spindle. A contact detecting head with a known predetermined diameter is secured to the tool holder in co-axial relationship therewith. A contact detecting device detects the contact between a workpiece bore and the contact detecting head. A bore diameter measuring device measures a diameter of the workpiece bore by causing relative movement between the contact detecting head and the workpiece from a first position to a second position wherein at each of the first and second positions the contact detecting head contacts the workpiece, along a path passing through the center of the workpiece bore. The tool spindle is rotated in response to the measuring device to adjust the radial position of the boring tool.

Machine tool with bore diameter measuring apparatus and tool position

A tool breakage detecting apparatus is provided with a preset counter to be preset with a predetermined value. The content of the counter is subtracted one by one each time either one of a tool and a workpiece to be machined is moved a unit distance toward the other thereof from a cutting movement start position being spaced a predetermined distance from the other thereof. If the content of the counter is reduced an amount corresponding to a distance larger than the predetermined distance, tool breakage is detected.

Tool breakage detecting apparatus

In a machine tool with an automatic tool change apparatus, a tool storage magazine for removably storing a plurality of tools is installed, extending within a column which slidably supports a spindle head. The column is formed with an opening. Means are provided for moving a tool from the magazine outside the column, through the opening therein, for effecting a tool change operation.

Machine tool with automatic tool change apparatus

In a tool transfer apparatus, a pair of support shafts, which have tool transfer arms fixed thereto, are coaxially mounted for rotational and axial movement. A pair of driven gears are respectively formed on the support shafts. A pair of elongated drive gears are engaged with each other and engageable with the driven gears. One of the drive gears is driven by a single drive device. The driven gears are selectively shiftable together into a first predetermined position where the driven gears are rotatable in opposite directions through the drive gears and into a second predetermined position where the driven gears are rotatable in the same direction through one of the drive gears.

Growing community of inventors

Anjoh, Japan

Tetsuro Yamakage