MACHINE TOOL WITH CHANGEABLE DEVICE FOR FASTENING UNITS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a machine tool with at least one workpiece support and a gantry which can be moved over the workpiece support and which is or can be equipped with various tools.

[0002] Such machine tools are widely known, for example from European patent application EP 2 143 524 A1, and are used in particular for woodworking and prefabricated house construction. The gantry forms a work bridge that can be moved linearly over a workpiece support, often in the shape of a table. Various tools are arranged on the gantry and can be inserted into a work spindle of the machine using a tool changer. The tools can be moved along the bridge so that they can reach any point in an xy plane of the tool support with the help of the bridge. Angle adjustments of the tools are usually also possible using multi-axis units provided on the gantry. Typical tools include saws, milling cutters or drills.

[0003] These machine tools can also be used to assemble building elements. For example, it is possible to produce a wooden frame and attach panel-like elements such as plasterboard or wood panels to the frame. Nails or staples are preferred as fasteners, and these can also be inserted into the workpieces via the gantry. To date, this has involved manually attaching the required nailing or stapling devices to the gantry and connecting them to the machine control system. Often, both fasteners—nails and staples—are required for assembly, which necessitates exchanging the devices on the gantry during assembly. However, the necessary changeover times slow down the production process. On the other hand, nailing and stapling devices cannot be automatically changed using a tool changer because they are not connected to the machine's work spindle but are standalone devices.These devices also have a magazine for the fasteners and are therefore relatively heavy and bulky, so that a permanent arrangement of various fastening devices on the portal of the machine tool is not possible.

[0004] The present invention is based on the object of developing a machine tool in such a way that changeover times for the use of different fastening units can be significantly shortened.

[0005] The object is achieved by a machine tool with at least one workpiece support and a gantry which is movable over the workpiece support and which is equipped or can be equipped with various tools, which is characterized in that a magazine is provided for various fastening units such as pneumatic nailers, staplers, impulse nailers, screwdrivers, adhesive or glue application devices, wherein the fastening units are each stored in holders in the magazine, and at least one receiving station for a holder of a fastening unit is provided on the gantry and the receiving station can be moved over a selected holder in the magazine and lowered in the z-direction with the aid of the gantry, so that coupling devices provided on the holder for the fastening unit and on the receiving station can be connected to one another.

[0006] The various fastening units required for component assembly can be stored in the magazine. The gantry then automatically retrieves only the fastening unit required for each assembly step. There is no need for manual retooling, nor is it necessary to move multiple different fastening units along with the gantry, which would significantly reduce the gantry's working speed due to the weight of these devices. Furthermore, the gantry can be built narrower than if the fastening units were stored on the gantry.

[0007] The magazine for the fastening units can be arranged so that the holders containing the fastening units are easily accessible to the machine operator. This not only allows the units to be replaced without interrupting machine operation, but also allows the units' fastener storage containers to be refilled without stopping the machine.

[0008] By using standardized holders for the various fastening units, commercially available coupling systems can also be used to connect the holders to the receiving station.

[0009] In a preferred embodiment of the machine, a changing station is provided on the magazine, wherein the changing station has at least one coupling device for coupling to a holder of a fastening unit and lifting the same in the z-direction and transferring it to a receiving station. Here, the changing station selects the desired fastening unit and presents it to the receiving station for transfer. Lifting the holder by the changing station opens up more arrangement options for the magazine. In a machine tool with two support tables as tool supports, the magazine can be arranged, for example, between the tables and below the level defined by the table surfaces.

[0010] Further decisive advantages can be achieved if the coupling device of the receiving station or the receiving station itself is arranged so that it can rotate about a vertical axis and / or pivot about a horizontal axis. This allows the fasteners to be driven into the workpieces at different angles. This is particularly important for wooden workpieces, as wood has a grain direction and fasteners such as nails, staples, or screws should be inserted perpendicular to this grain direction rather than parallel to it to ensure secure fastening.

[0011] If a change station is provided on the magazine, it can preferably be coupled laterally to the holders for the fastening units and then lifted in the z-direction. This allows for an additional coupling point on the top side of the holders for connection to the coupling elements of the receiving station.

[0012] The fastening units of the machine tool according to the invention can be used in particular for fastening plate-shaped workpieces to a wooden frame structure resting on the workpiece support. The gantry can be movable in an x-direction over the workpiece support, and the fastening units can be moved in a y-direction along the gantry with the aid of the receiving station, so that the fastening means can be placed at any desired location in an xy-plane.

[0013] Particularly for fastening plate-shaped workpieces to a substructure, it is further advantageous if the holders for the fastening units are equipped with rollers or sliding plates on their underside. With the help of the rollers or sliding plates of the holders, the fastening units can be moved over the surface of the plate-shaped workpieces to the desired positions. While the fasteners are being driven, screwed in, or shot in, the rollers or sliding plates also hold the plate-shaped elements down and in position. If the fastening units can be connected to a machine tool control system via control lines, preferably when coupling them into the receiving station, the fasteners can be inserted into the workpieces in any desired position and at any distance and angle to one another.

[0014] However, the application of the machine tool is by no means limited to the fastening of plate-shaped workpieces. The machine can be equipped with a tool changer on the gantry, in a conventional manner, allowing various tools to be connected to the gantry. The tools can be saws, milling cutters, or drills, for example, so the machine can also cut wooden beams to length, chamfer them, and drill holes. The machine can also process workpieces that are not made of wood.

[0015] Furthermore, it is possible to use at least one of the portal's receiving stations to pick up marking devices stored in holders.

[0016] In the following, the elements of an embodiment of a machine tool according to the invention which are essential to the invention are described in more detail with reference to the drawing.

[0017] They show: Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a magazine for fastening units of a machine tool; Fig. 2 shows a partial perspective view of a portal of a machine tool with receiving stations for fastening units.

[0018] In Fig. 1 a magazine 10 for fastening units (not shown in detail here), such as staplers or nailers, is shown. The magazine 10 has a rail 11 which is fastened to a machine tool (not shown in detail) or adjacent to it. Several holders 12, 13, 14 and 15 for the fastening units are arranged so as to be longitudinally displaceable on the rail 11. The holders 12 - 15 are each connected or connectable to coupling devices 16 on their sides facing the rail 11. A changing station 17 can engage these coupling devices and lift one or two of the holders 12 - 15 in the z-direction. To select the holder(s) 12 - 15 with the desired fastening unit(s), the changing station 17 can also be moved along the rail 11 by means of a machine control.

[0019] The holders 12 - 15 have further standardized coupling devices 18 on their upper sides, with the aid of which they can be connected to a Fig. 2 shown portal 30 of a machine tool.

[0020] Holders 12 and 13 are provided with rollers 19 on their underside, while holders 14 and 15 each have a sliding plate 20 on their underside. Using the rollers 19 and the sliding plates 20, holders 12-15 can be moved over the surface of plate-shaped workpieces (not shown) in order to connect these workpieces to a substructure at multiple points using fastening devices such as staples or nails. Sliding plates 20 are used when the plate-shaped workpieces have a relatively soft and sensitive surface, so that rollers 19 would leave marks.

[0021] Fig. 2shows a section of a gantry 30 of the machine tool. Arranged on the gantry 30 are two receiving stations 31, 32 for holders 12-15 for fastening units, which can be moved in the y-direction along the gantry 30. The receiving stations 31, 32 can be lowered in the z-direction in order to accommodate two holders 12-15 selected and raised by the changing station 17. For this purpose, the receiving stations 31, 32 are each provided on their underside with a standard coupling device 33, which can be engaged with the coupling devices 18 on the holders 12-15. The coupling devices 33 are mounted on the receiving stations 31, 32 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, whereby the fastening angle of the fastening devices such as clamps can be adjusted.Due to the displaceability of the receiving stations on the portal 30 in the y-direction and the movability of the entire portal 30 in the x-direction, fastening units arranged at the receiving stations 31, 32 can reach any point in an xy-plane of a workpiece support not shown here.

Claims

1. Machine tool comprising at least one workpiece support and a portal (30) which can be moved over the workpiece support and which is or can be equipped with various tools, characterized in that a magazine (10) is provided for various fastening units such as pneumatic nailers, staplers, impulse nailers, screwdrivers, and adhesive or glue application units, the fastening units each being stored in holders (12 - 15) in the magazine (10) which are provided with a coupling device (18), and at least one receiving station (31, 32) having a coupling device (33) for a holder (12 - 15) of a fastening unit is provided on the portal (30), and the receiving station (31, 32) can be moved with the aid of the portal (30) over a selected holder (12 - 15) in the magazine (10) and can be lowered in the z direction, as a result of which the coupling devices (18, 33) provided on the holder (12 - 15) for the fastening unit and on the receiving station (31, 32) are connected to one another.

2. Machine tool according to claim 1, characterized in that a changing station (17) is provided on the magazine (10), the changing station (17) having at least one coupling device (16) for a holder (12 - 15) of a fastening unit and it being possible for the fastening unit to be lifted in the z direction with the changing station (17) and transferred to a receiving station (31, 32).

3. Machine tool according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the coupling device (33) of the receiving station (31, 32) or the receiving station (31, 32) itself is arranged so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis and / or pivotable about a horizontal axis.

4. Machine tool according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the changing station (17) is coupled laterally to the holder or holders (12 - 15) for the fastening units.

5. Machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening units can be used to fasten in particular planar workpieces to a wooden frame structure resting on the workpiece support.

6. Machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the holders (12 - 15) for the fastening units are provided with rollers (19) or sliding plates (20) on their underside.

7. Machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the portal (30) can be moved in an x direction over the workpiece support and the fastening units can be moved in a y direction along the portal (30) with the aid of the receiving station (31, 32).

8. Machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastening units are connected to a control of the machine tool via control lines.

9. Machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one receiving station (31, 32) of the portal (30) can also be used to receive marking units stored in holders (12-15).

10. Machine tool according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a tool changer is provided on the portal (30).