Automated artefact handling system for machine tools
US5478300A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 3, 1993 |
| Grant date | Dec 26, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 3, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T483/1855
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
An automatic pallet handling system for a machine tool is described in which the pallets are formed as lightweight cassettes (10) which can be mounted by means of shaped locating features on the external periphery of a receiving device (4) mounted, for example, for rotation with a horizontal indexing spindle (2) in a vertical spindle CNC machine. A portable cassette-loading system (15) which consists of a chain conveyor (17) having links (18) pivotably connected side-by-side and formed from lightweight extrusions is positionable adjacent the machine or removable to a loading station. The extruded links form features for engaging the same cassette-locating features on the cassettes and a transfer mechanism (50) slides the cassettes from the loading conveyor to the periphery of the receiving device. The advantages are that several cassettes holding tools, workpieces or calibration artefacts, all references (26), can be loaded onto or removed from the machine independently of other cassettes which remain in place, to provide great flexibility of operation. The invention can be applied to horizontal spindle CNC machines.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.