Tool exchange device

Abstract

The objective of the present invention is to facilitate an overlap of operations for gripping and releasing tools with other operations of an arm. This tool changer comprises a magazine, an arm, and a grip interlocking mechanism. The magazine has a magazine body and multiple tool pots attached to the magazine body. One of the multiple tool pots is placed in a changing position by rotation of the magazine body. The arm has first and second gripping members. The arm uses one of the gripping members to remove a tool to be used next from the tool pot in the changing position and attach this tool to a main spindle, and the other gripping member to remove a previously used tool from the main spindle and attach this tool to the tool pot in the changing position. The grip interlocking mechanism causes the magazine-side gripping member to rotate to grip / release the tool in an interlocked manner with movement of the arm relative to the magazine, and the main spindle-side gripping member to rotate to grip / release the tool in an interlocked manner with the movement of the arm relative to the main spindle.

Claims

1. A tool changing device that removes a previously used tool, as one of several tools, from the spindle of a machine tool, and attaches a next-to-use tool, which is a different tool from the previously used tool, to the spindle, A magazine comprising a rotatable magazine body and a plurality of tool pots attached to the magazine body, each of which a tool can be attached, and in which rotation of the magazine body positions one of the plurality of tool pots to the replacement position, The arm comprises first and second gripping members, each rotatable around a direction perpendicular to the axial length of the main spindle, wherein one gripping member removes the next tool to be used from the tool pot at the replacement position and attaches it to the main spindle, and the other gripping member removes the previously used tool from the main spindle and attaches it to the tool pot at the replacement position, A gripping interlocking mechanism that rotates the gripping member on the magazine side in conjunction with the relative movement of the arm with respect to the magazine to grip and release the tool, and rotates the gripping member on the spindle side in conjunction with the relative movement of the arm with respect to the spindle to grip and release the tool, A tool changing device equipped with the following features.

2. The gripping interlocking mechanism comprises a magazine-side cam, a spindle-side cam, and arm rollers attached to each of the gripping members, which move relative to the magazine-side cam and the spindle-side cam together with the arm. The arm roller of the gripping member on the magazine side contacts the cam on the magazine side, causing the gripping member on the magazine side to rotate. The arm roller of the gripping member on the main spindle side contacts the cam on the main spindle side to rotate the gripping member on the main spindle side. The tool changing device according to claim 1.

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