Cylindrical grinder

Abstract

To provide a table tooling-type cylindrical grinder that even when a tooling device is moved and changed and arrangement of the device is switched in accordance with change of a type of a work-piece to be processed, can easily prevent an NC tailstock from colliding with the tooling device.SOLUTION: An NC cylindrical grinder 1 comprises a table 14, a headstock 15, an NC tailstock 16, and a moving mechanism 17 that moves at least either of the headstock 15 and the NC tailstock 16, in a Z-axis direction, as well as a tooling device 19 arranged at a position between the headstock 15 and the NC tailstock 16. A dog 2 is arranged at a position between the tooling device 19 and the NC tailstock 16 on the table 14 so that the dog can move freely in the Z-axis direction and can be fixed at a required position. A detection switch 3 that is operated by the dog 2 is mounted on the NC tailstock 16.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a cylindrical grinding machine equipped with a tooling device.

[0002] In the following description, the lower sides of FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 are referred to as the front, the opposite side as the rear, and the left and right sides of the same figures as the left and right. Also, the upper and lower sides of FIGS. 2 and 5 are referred to as the upper and lower.

Background Art

[0003] Cylindrical grinding machines generally include tooling devices such as sizing devices and work rests. Cylindrical grinding machines equipped with tooling devices include a so-called table tooling type cylindrical grinding machine in which the tooling device is provided on the table and a so-called bed tooling type cylindrical grinding machine in which the tooling device is provided on the bed.

[0004] Figures 4 and 5 show an example of an NC cylindrical grinding machine of the table turret type equipped with a numerically controlled NC steady rest, in which the NC steady rest is automatically moved in the Z-axis direction, which is the axial direction of the workpiece to be machined, according to the length of the workpiece. In Figures 4 and 5, the NC cylindrical grinding machine 10 includes a bed 11, a grinding wheel table 12 movably arranged on the bed 11 in the X-axis direction (front-rear direction) orthogonal to the Z-axis direction (left-right direction), which is the axial direction of the workpiece W, a rotatable grinding wheel shaft (not shown) provided on the grinding wheel table 12 and holding a grinding wheel 13 at its tip, a grinding wheel shaft motor for rotating the grinding wheel shaft, a table 14 movably arranged on the bed 11 in the Z-axis direction on the front side (operator side) of the grinding wheel table 12, a spindle headstock 15 arranged on the table 14 and holding one end of the workpiece W, an NC steady rest 16 movably arranged on the table 14 in the Z-axis direction and holding the end of the workpiece W opposite to the side held by the spindle headstock 15 on the workpiece W, a moving mechanism 17 for moving the NC steady rest 16 in the Z-axis direction by numerical control, a protective cover 18 for protecting the moving mechanism 17 from coolant or the like, and a turret device 19 arranged to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position at a position between the spindle headstock 15 and the NC steady rest 16 on the table 14.

[0005] Guide rails 141 extending in the Z-axis direction are provided at the front-end side and the rear-end side portions near the front end and the rear end on the table 14, respectively, and the NC steady rest 16 is mounted straddling both guide rails 141 and is adapted to move in the Z-axis direction along both guide rails 141. The moving mechanism 17 consists of a ball screw 171 including a ball screw shaft extending in the Z-axis direction arranged between both guide rails 141 and a ball nut screwed to the ball screw shaft via a plurality of balls, and a motor 172 arranged on the right side of the NC steady rest 16 and rotating the ball screw shaft of the ball screw 171, and the motor 172 is numerically controlled by a control device (not shown). The protective cover 18 covers both guide rails 141, the ball screw 171, and the motor 172.

[0006] The turret device 19 comprises a device base 21 that is movably arranged in the Z-axis direction above the protective cover 18, and a device body 22 such as turret equipment provided on the device base 21. The device base 21 is provided with at least one of a portion protruding forward (operator side) and a portion protruding rearward (opposite operator side) from the protective cover 18. Here, a forward protruding portion 211 protruding forward is provided, and a downward protruding leg portion 212 is integrally provided on the forward protruding portion 211.

[0007] The guide mechanism for the turret device that guides the turret device 19 in the Z-axis direction and can fix it to the table 14 at a required position includes at least one of the front side and the rear side of the protective cover 18 on the upper surface of the table 14. In the illustrated example, a guide groove 23 formed on the front side and extending in the Z-axis direction in a groove shape, a clamp slider 24 for the turret device movably fitted in the Z-axis direction in the guide groove 23, and a table device clamp bolt 25 that penetrates the forward protruding portion 211 and the leg portion 212 of the device base 21 in the vertical direction and fixes the device base clamp slider 24 at a required position in the guide groove 23 to fix the device base 21 of the turret device 19 to the table 14.

[0008] In the cylindrical grinding machine 10 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the NC center rest 16 is moved in the Z-axis direction along the guide rail 141 by the moving mechanism 17 in accordance with the length of the workpiece W to be machined and fixed at a required position. The protective cover 18 may expand and contract as the NC center rest 16 moves, or may enter the space provided below the spindle head 15 as the NC center rest 16 moves. The device base 19 can be moved in the Z-axis direction in a state where the clamp bolt 25 is loosened and the clamp slider 24 can slide in the guide groove 23, and is fixed to the table 14 by fixing the clamp slider 24 in the guide groove 23 by tightening the clamp bolt 25 at a required position in accordance with the length of the workpiece W to be machined.

[0009] The cylindrical grinding machine 10 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is of a table turret type in which the turret device 19 is arranged on the table 14, and has a great advantage that the NC steady rest 16 can be automatically moved and fixed in the Z-axis direction according to the length of the workpiece W. However, there is a risk that the NC steady rest 16 may collide with the turret device 19 and the turret device 19 may malfunction. Also, since the turret device 19 is moved, changed, and rearranged depending on the type of workpiece W to be machined, it is not easy to detect to prevent a collision.

[0010] On the other hand, in a cylindrical grinding machine of a bed turret type in which the turret device is arranged on the bed, there is known one that can prevent the steady rest from colliding with the turret device (see Patent Document 1).

[0011] The cylindrical grinding machine described in Patent Document 1 is provided with a Z-axis guide rail provided on the bed so as to be parallel to the table, a turret device movable along the guide rail, means for fixing or releasing the turret device to the bed, and means for pushing the turret device by the headstock or the steady rest when the table moves, and is characterized in that the turret device is moved before the headstock or the steady rest interferes with a sizing device or a work rest on the turret device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0012]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0013] However, in a cylindrical grinding machine of a table turret type as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, there is no known one that can prevent the steady rest from colliding with the turret device.

[0014] The object of the present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and regardless of the tooling device used and the arrangement, collision prevention detection can be performed at an arbitrary position. As a result, even when the movement, change, and replacement of the arrangement of the tooling device are performed due to a change in the type of workpiece to be machined, it is possible to easily prevent a collision between the NC steady rest and the tooling device. The present invention provides a table-type cylindrical grinding machine.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0015] The present invention comprises the following aspects in order to achieve the above object.

[0016] 1) A table provided on a bed, a headstock arranged on the table for rotatably supporting one end of a workpiece, a steady rest arranged on the table for rotatably supporting the other end of the workpiece, a moving mechanism provided on the table for moving at least one of the headstock and the steady rest in the Z-axis direction which is the axial direction of the workpiece, and a tooling device arranged at a position between the headstock and the steady rest on the table so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position. A cylindrical grinding machine in which either one of a detection switch and a dog for operating the detection switch is arranged at a position between the tooling device and the steady rest on the table so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position, and the other of the detection switch and the dog is attached to the steady rest.

[0017] 2) The dog is guided in the Z-axis direction by a dog guide mechanism provided on the table and is fixed at a required position with respect to the table. The dog guide mechanism includes a guide groove formed on the upper surface of the table and extending in the Z-axis direction, a dog fixing clamp slider movably fitted in the guide groove in the Z-axis direction, and a dog fixing clamp bolt provided on the dog for fixing the dog fixing clamp slider at a required position in the guide groove to fix the dog with respect to the table. The cylindrical grinding machine according to the above 1).

[0018] 3) The turret device is guided in the Z-axis direction by a turret device guide mechanism provided on the table and is fixed at a required position with respect to the table. The turret device guide mechanism includes the guide groove of the dog guide mechanism, a turret device fixing clamp slider movably fitted in the guide groove in the Z-axis direction, and a turret device fixing clamp bolt provided on the turret device for fixing the turret device fixing clamp slider at a required position in the guide groove to fix the turret device with respect to the table. The cylindrical grinding machine according to the above 2).

Effect of the Invention

[0019] According to the cylindrical grinding machines of the above 1) to 3), when the tailstock moves in the Z-axis direction and approaches the turret device, the detection switch is actuated by the dog, and thereby the tailstock stops. Therefore, regardless of the type and arrangement of the turret device used, collision prevention detection can be performed at an arbitrary position. As a result, even when the movement, change, or rearrangement of the turret device is performed due to a change in the type of workpiece to be machined, it is possible to easily prevent a collision between the NC tailstock and the turret device.

[0020] According to the cylindrical grinding machine of 2) above, it becomes possible to relatively easily guide the dog so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fix it at a required position with respect to the table, and moreover, the structure of the guide mechanism also becomes relatively simple.

[0021] According to the cylindrical grinding machine of 3) above, the guide groove of the dog guide mechanism and the guide groove of the tooling device guide mechanism can be shared, and a relatively simple configuration can be achieved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0024] FIGS. 1 to 3 schematically show the overall configuration of the NC cylindrical grinding machine.

[0025] In the following description, the same components and the same parts as those shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof are omitted.

[0026] In FIGS. 1 and 2, the NC cylindrical grinding machine 1, similar to the NC cylindrical grinding machine 10 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, includes a bed 11, a grinding wheel table 12 having a grinding wheel shaft (not shown) for holding a grinding wheel 13, a table 14 disposed on the bed 11 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction on the front side of the grinding wheel table 12, a spindle headstock 15 disposed on the table 14, an NC center rest 16 disposed on the table 14 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction and moved and fixed in the Z-axis direction in accordance with the length of a workpiece W to be machined, a moving mechanism 17 for moving the NC center rest 16 in the Z-axis direction by numerical control, a protective cover 18 for protecting the moving mechanism 17 from coolant or the like, and a tooling device 19 disposed at a position between the spindle headstock 15 and the NC center rest 16 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position.

[0027] The NC cylindrical grinding machine 1 according to the present invention further includes a dog 2 disposed at a position between the spindle headstock 15 and the NC center rest 16 on the table 14 and between the tooling device 19 and the NC center rest 16 so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position, a detection switch 3 attached to the NC center rest 16 and actuated by the dog 2, a guide mechanism for the dog for guiding the dog 2 in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position with respect to the table 14, and a guide mechanism for the tooling device provided between the table 14 and the tooling device 19 for guiding the tooling device 19 in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position with respect to the table 14.

[0028] The dog 2 includes a dog base 4 having a constant length in the vertical direction disposed at a position corresponding to a guide groove 23 on the front side of the protective cover 18, at least one of the front side and the rear side of the protective cover 18 on the upper surface of the table 14. In this embodiment, the dog base 4 is disposed on the table 14, and the upper end is located at a height position higher than a portion closer to the front end of the protective cover 18. The dog base 4 is formed by a dog body 5 provided so as to protrude rearward from the upper end portion of the dog base 4.

[0029] The dog guide mechanism includes a guide groove in the shape of a groove extending in the Z-axis direction formed directly below the dog base 4 on the upper surface of the table 14, which is the guide groove 23 of the guide mechanism for the turret device in this embodiment, a dog fixing clamp block 6 movably fitted in the guide groove 23 in the Z-axis direction, and a dog fixing clamp bolt 7 that penetrates the dog base 4 in the vertical direction and fixes the dog fixing clamp block 6 at a required position in the guide groove 23 to fix the dog base 4 to the table 14.

[0030] In the cylindrical grinding machine 1 described above, the movement and fixation of the NC center rest 16, the operation of the protective cover 18 when the NC center rest 16 moves, and the movement and fixation of the turret device 19 are the same as those of the cylindrical grinding machine 10 shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0031] The dog 2 can be moved in the Z-axis direction in a state where the dog fixing clamp bolt 7 is loosened and the dog fixing clamp block 6 can slide in the guide groove 23. The NC center rest 16 that can be moved according to the length of the workpiece W to be processed does not interfere with the turret device 19, and the detection switch 3 attached to the NC center rest 16 is moved to a position where it can be actuated by the dog 2. At this position, the dog fixing clamp bolt 7 is tightened to fix the dog fixing clamp block 6 in the guide groove 23, thereby fixing the dog 2 to the table 14. Then, when the NC center rest 16 moves to the left and approaches the turret device 19, the detection switch 3 is actuated by the dog 2 and the NC center rest 16 stops.

[0032] As a result, even when the movement, change, and replacement of the arrangement of the turret device 19 are performed due to the change in the type of the workpiece W to be processed, the collision between the NC center rest 16 and the turret device 19 can be prevented.

[0033] In the above-described embodiment, the dog 2 is arranged to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position, and the detection switch 3 is attached to the NC center rest. Conversely, the detection switch 3 may be arranged to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position, and the dog 2 may be attached to the NC center rest 16.

[0034] Also, in the above-described embodiment, the guide groove of the dog guide mechanism is shared with the guide groove 23 of the turret device guide mechanism, but it is not limited thereto, and it may be formed separately from the guide groove 23 of the turret device guide mechanism.

Industrial Applicability

[0035] The cylindrical grinding machine according to the present invention is suitably used as an NC cylindrical grinding machine in which the center rest is moved in the Z-axis direction according to the length of the workpiece machined by numerical control.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0036] 1: NC cylindrical grinding machine, 2: dog, 3: detection switch, 6: dog fixing clamp block, 7: dog fixing clamp bolt, 11: bed, 14: table, 15: spindle headstock, 16: NC center rest, 17: moving mechanism, 19: turret device, 23: guide groove.

Claims

1. A table provided on a bed, a spindle head arranged on the table for rotatably supporting one end of a workpiece, a steady rest arranged on the table for rotatably supporting the other end of the workpiece, a moving mechanism provided on the table for moving at least one of the spindle head and the steady rest in the Z-axis direction which is the axial direction of the workpiece, and a turret device arranged at a position between the spindle head and the steady rest on the table so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position. A cylindrical grinding machine, wherein either one of a detection switch and a dog for actuating the detection switch is arranged at a position between the turret device and the steady rest on the table so as to be movable in the Z-axis direction and fixable at a required position, and the other of the detection switch and the dog is attached to the steady rest.

2. The cylindrical grinding machine according to Claim 1, wherein the dog is guided in the Z-axis direction by a dog guide mechanism provided on the table and fixed to the table at a required position, and the dog guide mechanism includes a guide groove formed on the upper surface of the base and extending in the Z-axis direction, a dog fixing clamp block movably fitted in the guide groove in the Z-axis direction, and a dog fixing clamp bolt provided on the dog for fixing the dog fixing clamp block at a required position in the guide groove to fix the dog to the table.

3. The cylindrical grinding machine according to Claim 2, wherein the turret device is guided in the Z-axis direction by a turret device guide mechanism provided on the table and fixed to the table at a required position, and the turret device guide mechanism includes the guide groove of the dog guide mechanism, a turret device fixing clamp block movably fitted in the guide groove in the Z-axis direction, and a turret device fixing clamp bolt provided on the turret device for fixing the turret device fixing clamp block at a required position in the guide groove to fix the turret device to the table.

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