JPH0117824B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] Industrial Application Field The present invention allows a large number of tools to be centrally stored in a machine processing factory, and a desired tool can be taken out and used from the large number of tools as needed. Regarding tool stockers.

Prior Art With the high degree of automation in machining factories, tool storage magazines or tool stockers have been provided that function as tool storage warehouses in addition to machining centers equipped with tool magazines.
The tool storage magazine disclosed in No. 48-28387 connects a plurality of tool sockets for storing tools between an upper chain and a lower chain driven by a sprocket, and the tool storage magazine is operated by horizontal rotation of the upper and lower chains. and is configured to position the tool socket in its indexed position. In a tool storage magazine or tool stocker that functions as a tool storage warehouse, as many and various types of tools as possible are stored compactly and centrally in a limited area of the machine processing factory, and the desired tools are retrieved at a specified time. It is possible to easily and accurately determine the location.

Problems to be Solved However, conventional tool storage magazines or tool stockers lack the compactness to store as many tools as possible in a predetermined limited storage space, and the efficiency of tool indexing operations is insufficient. There is a need for improvement, and the present invention seeks to meet this need and provide a tool stocker that provides ample space to easily replace tools in a tool cartridge at a fixed tool replacement position.

Means for Solving Problems and Its Effects In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a tool stocker that centrally stores a large number of tools in a selectively removable manner, which includes a stocker frame installed in a storage area and a plurality of tool sockets. a tool magazine formed by sequentially connecting cartridges having the same structure in an annular manner by a chain means; and a tool magazine that is attached in an annular manner around the stocker frame, guides the circumferential conveyance of the tool magazine, and is provided in at least one corner. A track means formed to have an angular space of approximately right angle or more between adjacent cartridges so that tools can be replaced in a cartridge indexed to a tool replacement position, and a plurality of cartridges forming the tool magazine. a tool magazine driving means for driving the tool magazine so as to index a desired cartridge selected from the above to a tool replacement position of the track means; and a tool magazine driving means for driving the tool magazine so as to index a desired cartridge selected from and a cartridge fixing means for positioning and fixing the tool stocker, wherein the tool magazines are arranged in multiple stages on the stocker frame, and the tool magazines in each stage are configured to be able to be driven independently. A desired cartridge among a plurality of cartridges having a plurality of tool sockets is determined and stably held at the tool replacement position, and the tool replacement is performed in an extra space with an angular space of approximately right angle or more. It is possible. Moreover, by providing a plurality of tool magazine drive means and arranging them in multiple stages on the stocker frame, the tool magazines can be conveyed around each stage independently, and multiple cartridges can be indexed to the tool replacement position. be.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the tool stocker according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an embodiment of the tool stocker according to the present invention, and FIG.
It is a front view of the same tool stocker seen from.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the tool stocker is a frame 1 installed in a predetermined area of a machining shop.
0, and this frame 10 has a support column 10a.
It is usually formed as a skeleton-structured load support body that has internal structural members such as cross beams 10b and is firmly installed on the floor. The frame 10 of this embodiment has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is provided with a tool magazine 16 around its outer periphery, which has a plurality of tool cartridges 14 interconnected by a chain means 12, which will be described later. That is, in this embodiment, as is clear from FIG. It has a configuration in which it is rotated by a tool magazine drive means 18 held in one corner of the interior, and in this embodiment, as is clear from FIG. 2, each tool cartridge 14 is arranged in a vertical direction. By having three tool sockets (described later), each three tools 20 can be detachably stored, and three tool magazines 16 are provided around the outer periphery of the frame 10 in a three-stage structure. The tool magazines 16 are each independently movable around the frame 10.

Furthermore, the tool stocker of this embodiment has frame 1.
0 has a tool changing position (hereinafter referred to as the ATC position) 22 in a pre-selected corner of the tool magazine 16, which automatically takes out and stores tools. By performing an indexing operation to position the cartridge 14 at the ATC position, the desired tool cartridge 1 is
It is possible to take out a desired tool 20 from 4 or insert and store a used tool into an empty tool socket. ATC position 2 mentioned above
2, in order to smoothly take out or store the tool 20, when a desired tool cartridge 14 is indexed to this ATC position 22, the preceding tool cartridge 14 interferes with the taking out or storing of the tool 20 at the ATC position 22. A configuration must be adopted that does not cause Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, in the tool magazine 16 that rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow CW, the tool cartridge 14 preceding the tool cartridge 14 indexed to the ATC position 22 is at the ATC position. The ATC position 22 is located at a corner of the frame where the tool magazine 16 is moved with a small turning radius by a relatively small radius synchronous sprocket 24, which will be described later, so that the tool magazine 16 can advance to a position sufficiently far away from the tool magazine 22. Also,
A desired tool cartridge 14 is located at an inner position of the frame 10 corresponding to the ATC position 22 when the desired tool cartridge 14 is indexed to the ATC position 22. Cartridge fixing means 26 is provided to stably hold and stop the cartridge. The cartridge fixing means 26 can be configured, for example, as means for immovably clamping the desired tool cartridge 14 relative to the frame 10 under the action of a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder when the desired tool cartridge 14 reaches the ATC position 22. Good. In addition,
The circular transportation of the tool magazine 16 is driven by the tool magazine driving means 18 as described above, but at this time, the tool magazine 16 is smoothly guided by the track means provided around the outer periphery of the frame 10, which will be described later. The apparatus is provided with a traveling means, and as this traveling means, for example, rolling rollers may be used as described below.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are a side view and a plan view showing detailed structural examples of the above-mentioned tool magazine 16 and the tool cartridge 14 constituting it. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the tool cartridge 14 has three tool sockets 30a, 30b, and 30c in the vertical direction.
A tapered tool storage hole 32 is formed in each of the holes 32 so that the same or different types of processing tools can be stored therein as required. Further, each tool socket 30a, 30b, 30c is provided with a key member 34 for storing the tool in a constant posture at all times. The three tool sockets 30a mentioned above,
30b and 30c are mounted and fixed in the tool cartridge 14 at approximately equal intervals by appropriate fixing means such as bolt means, and an upper bracket is provided at each end of the upper support plate 36a and the lower support plate 36b of the tool cartridge 14. 38a and the lower bracket 38b, a pair of rolling rollers 40 are mounted, which have a vertical axis of rotation and are attached to the frame 10 (FIGS. 1 and 2). upper track 42 and lower track 44 fixed to the side of the
It is constructed to run along the Further, as shown in FIG. 4, these rolling rollers 40 are provided two each on the upper and lower sides of each tool cartridge 14, forming a set of four. Upper track 4 as described above
2. Being held by the lower track 44 prevents the tool cartridge 14 from collapsing on the side of the frame 10 even when a heavy machining tool 20 (FIG. 1) is stored in the tool sockets 30a to 30c. Prevented. Further, in each tool cartridge 14, a rolling roller 48 having a horizontal rotation axis is pivotally attached to a bracket 46 attached to the lower surface of the lower support plate 36b. It is provided to roll on the upper surface of a horizontal track 50 attached to the side, and by being received by the horizontal track 50, it facilitates the running of the corresponding tool cartridge 14 and prevents it from falling. It also serves a function.

On the other hand, the lower support plate 3 of each tool cartridge 14
On the bottom surface of 6b is the ATC position 22 mentioned above (Fig. 1).
A detection dog 52 is provided which enables the detection of a desired tool cartridge 14 in cooperation with appropriate cartridge detection means such as electrical detection means, photoelectric detection means or electromagnetic detection means when the tool cartridge 14 is in close proximity to the tool cartridge 14. Reference numeral 54 schematically represents cartridge detection means fixedly placed at a predetermined position near the ATC position.

Now, as shown in FIG.
Each tool cartridge 14 is configured to be movable along the upper and lower tracks 42 and 44 by interconnecting rolling rollers 40 of adjacent tool cartridges 14 by a number of links 56. A tool magazine 16 is formed which moves together with the tool magazine 16. In this case, an intermediate roller 58 is inserted between two adjacent tool cartridges 14, and the two tool cartridges 14 are connected by two links 56.
By providing a structure that interconnects the
A certain distance is maintained between both tool cartridges 14, so that when the tool cartridges 14 reach a corner of the frame 10 during circular movement, the direction can be changed smoothly. The plurality of tool cartridges 14 are sequentially interconnected by upper and lower chain means formed by the link 56 and the upper and lower brackets 38a and 38b provided on each tool cartridge 14. It is clear from the above description that one tool magazine 16 is formed by the above-mentioned links, but instead of the above-mentioned links, a structure using a well-known toothed flexible belt may be adopted as the linking means. .

In addition, in Fig. 4, 60 is the ATC position 22.
(FIG. 1)
positioning plates provided at the top and bottom to stably stop each tool cartridge 14 at the ATC position 22 in cooperation with the ATC position 22;
By inserting a taper cone pin (not shown) provided in the cartridge fixing means 26 into the pin hole 62 formed in the positioning plate 60 by cylinder operation, the tool cartridge 14 is stably held and stopped at the ATC position 22. The structure is such that Of course, when the cartridge fixing means 26 operates, the tool magazine drive means 18 (FIG. 1) is in a stop mode for rotating the tool magazine 16, and the tapered cone pin of the cartridge fixing means 26 is at the ATC position 22. Positioning plate 60 at the indexed desired tool cartridge 14
When the tool magazine 16 is inserted into the pin hole 62 of the tool magazine 16, the circular movement of the tool magazine 16 is completely stopped.

FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged plan view of the tool stocker of this embodiment shown in FIG. 1, showing in detail the construction of the tool magazine drive means 18, synchronizing sprocket 24, and cartridge fixing means 26. Further, FIG. 6 is a partial side view taken along the - line in FIG. 5, showing that each tool magazine 14 arranged in multiple stages is provided with a tool magazine driving means 18 independently.

Now, in FIG. 5, the tool magazine drive means 18 includes a drive motor 66 consisting of a well-known electric servo motor, a reducer 68 provided on the output shaft of this drive motor 66, and upper and lower parts of this reducer 68. It is composed of sprocket wheels 74 and 76 respectively attached to two output shaft ends 70 and 72 that protrude from the frame 10. , sprocket wheels 74, 76 at the corners of the frame.
are engaged with the upper and lower rolling rollers 40 of each of the tool cartridges 14 mentioned above, and the rotational driving force of the drive motor 66 is transferred to the reducer 68, sprocket wheels 74, 76,
It is transmitted to the tool magazine 16 configured to be integrally movable by a chain means via the rolling roller 40, and circulates around the tool magazine 16 along the upper and lower tracks 42, 44 (FIG. 3) as described above. By moving the tool cartridge 14, the tool cartridge 14 is transported around. As shown in FIG. 6, the three tool magazines 16 arranged in three stages around the outer periphery of the frame 10 each independently have a drive motor 66, a reduction gear 68, and upper and lower sprocket wheels 74, 76. Therefore, by independently controlling the operation of the drive motors 66, the tool magazines 16 in each stage are individually driven to rotate, and ultimately a desired tool cartridge 14 in the tool magazine 16 in each stage is rotated. Each can be independently indexed to the ATC position 22. In addition,
The tool magazine driving means 18 are respectively connected to the frame 1
Each tool magazine 1 is firmly attached to the inside of the tool magazine 1 using an appropriate support member, and therefore has a large weight.
The reaction force due to the rotational drive of 6 is also reliably supported by the frame 10.

In FIG. 5, the synchronous sprocket 24 is formed by a pair of upper and lower sprocket wheels 78, 80 similar to the sprocket wheels 74, 76 of the tool magazine drive means 18 described above, and is connected to the frame 10 in which the ATC position 22 is provided. It is arranged with a vertical axis of rotation near the corner of the machine. The feature of the synchronous sprocket 24 is that it is configured as a sprocket wheel with a relatively small turning radius, so that the tool cartridge 14 that precedes the tool cartridge 14 indexed to the ATC position 22 as described above is Complete the direction change and move to ATC position 22.
A large space can be secured in which the tool 20 can be easily taken out or stored.

On the other hand, the cartridge fixing means 26 provided at the ATC position 22 is attached to the positioning plate 6 of the tool cartridge 14 indexed at the ATC position 22 as described above.
This embodiment is provided in order to stably stop the tool cartridge 14 by inserting a taper cone pin into the pin hole 62 formed in the frame 10 by the cylinder 82. An arm 84 that reciprocates between the outside and the inside from the side is provided with a pair of upper and lower elevating plates 86 operated by another cylinder at the outer end thereof, and a tapered cone-shaped pin 88 is implanted in this elevating plate 86. The tapered cone-shaped pin 88
are the upper and lower positioning plates 6 of the tool cartridge 14.
The tool cartridge 14 is inserted into and removed from a pin hole 62 formed at 0, and stably holds and stops the tool cartridge 14 when inserted. Of course, other embodiments may be used, for example, a configuration in which the tool cartridge 14 indexed to the ATC position 22 is gripped and fixed by the gripping arm.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, a tool magazine is provided in which a large number of tool cartridges each having a plurality of tool sockets are integrally moved around the outer periphery of a stocker frame by a chain means. By rotating this by one tool magazine drive means, a desired cartridge containing a desired tool is indexed to a fixed position for taking out and storing the tool. By storing frequently used tools in the same tool cartridge, it is possible to take out and store a plurality of tools with a single indexing operation, and a compact tool stocker with high storage density can be obtained. In addition, by arranging multiple tool magazines in multiple stages around the outer circumference of the stocker frame and driving each stage independently, it is possible to retrieve the desired tool with a relatively small drive means even in a tool stocker that stores a large number of tools. The cartridge can be indexed to the ATC position.

Furthermore, according to the above-mentioned rotary drive method in which each stage is independent, a desired tool cartridge in any one stage can be moved by ATC.
In the process of indexing to a position and performing tool removal and tool storage operations, it is possible to perform an indexing operation for indexing a desired tool cartridge in another stage to the ATC position, and therefore the necessary It is possible to reduce the indexing time of the tool cartridge and maintain the operating efficiency of the tool stocker at a high level at all times.

Furthermore, when replacing a tool in a cartridge that has been indexed to the tool replacement position, the structure is such that an angular space of approximately right angle or more is left between adjacent cartridges, so that the automatic tool replacement device does not displace tools from other cartridges. without interfering with other tools.
This has the advantage that the tool to be replaced can be accessed, making it easier to carry out the replacement operation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view best showing the overall structure of an embodiment of the tool stocker according to the present invention, and FIG.
Fig. 3 is a partial side view showing the structure of each tool cartridge making up the tool magazine; Fig. 4 is a front view of the same tool stocker taken along the arrow line in the figure; Fig. 4 is a partial side view showing the structure of the tool magazine; 5 is a partially enlarged view of the tool stocker shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. Figure 5 -
FIG. 3 is a side view along the arrow line showing the configuration of the tool magazine drive means. 10...frame, 12...chaining means, 14...
...Tool cartridge, 16...Tool magazine, 1
8... Tool magazine driving means, 20... Tool, 4
2,44...upper, lower orbit, 50...orbit, 30
a, 30b, 30c...tool socket.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a tool stocker that centrally stores a large number of tools so that they can be selectively retrieved, a stocker frame installed in a storage area and a cartridge having a plurality of tool sockets are sequentially connected in a circular manner by a chaining means. A tool magazine formed by connecting a tool magazine, and tools in a cartridge that is attached in an annular shape around the stocker frame, guides the circumferential transportation of the tool magazine, and is indexed to a tool replacement position provided at at least one corner. So that it can be replaced,
A track means formed so that an angular space of approximately right angle or more is left between adjacent cartridges, and a desired cartridge selected from a plurality of cartridges forming the tool magazine is indexed to a tool replacement position of the track means. a tool magazine driving means for driving the tool magazine; and a cartridge fixing means for positioning and fixing the cartridge indexed to the tool replacement position with respect to the stocker frame, and the tool magazine is mounted on the stocker frame. A tool stocker, characterized in that the tool magazines are arranged in multiple stages on a frame, and the tool magazines in each stage are configured to be able to be driven independently. 2. The track means includes a first track that guides a fall prevention roller provided at the bottom of each of the cartridges forming the tool magazine, and a pair of fall prevention rollers provided at the top and bottom of the cartridge. The tool stocker according to claim 1, wherein the tool stocker is formed with a second guiding track. 3. According to claim 2, the cartridge chaining means is formed by a large number of link chains that connect the pair of rollers provided on each cartridge in a chain shape. Tool stocker as described. 4. Claims in which the cartridge fixing means comprises a positioning plate having a pin hole provided in each cartridge, and a cylinder device for inserting and removing a tapered cone-shaped pin into the pin hole of the positioning plate. The tool stocker according to any one of Items 1 to 3.