Automated turret lathe

Abstract

automatic turret lathe with a synchronous spindle in the tool turret which is drivable in synchronism with the main spindle and comprises a workpiece chuck means. To enable workpieces to also be worked on the rear side, i.e., on the side on which they were severed from a stock rod, while the next workpiece held in the main spindle is already being machined with the aid of a further tool carrier, a third tool carrier is arranged on the side of the tool turret mounted on a compound slide system facing away from the main spindle.

Description

The invention relates to an automatic turret lathe with a main spindle comprising a first workpiece chuck means, a tool turret displaceable parallel to the main spindle axis, and a further tool carrier displaceable vertically to the main spindle axis, wherein at least one station of the tool turret has a second workpiece chuck means mounted at the tool turret for rotation about an axis (synchronous spindle axis) and drivable in synchronism with the main spindle, and is so positionable by adjustment of the tool turret that the synchronous spindle axis is aligned with the main spindle axis. "Flush" both here and hereinafter does not necessarily mean "coaxially" since parallelism may also prevail.

Such cam controlled automatic turret lathes equipped with a so-called synchronous device in the turret head are already known (e.g. automatic turret lathes of the types INDEX C 19 and INDEX C 29 of the applicant company), for cutting-off, i.e., severing a machined workpiece smoothly, i.e., without an undesired projection, from a stock rod. To this end, the machined workpiece is gripped by the workpiece chuck means which is provided in the tool turret and is driven in synchronism with the main spindle via a mechanical gear. After the workpiece has been severed from the stock rod, the tool turret is indexed .10 100 with an indexing axis 102 mounted on a compound slide system, not illustrated, (126, 128, 130, 132) and arranged in the headstock 12, so that it is displaceable in a known way in the drawing plane of FIG. 1 vertically to the main spindle axis 24 and vertically to the drawing plane parallel thereto. Of the tools of this second tool turret, only a cutting-off tool 106 is shown in FIG. 1.

In accordance with the invention, the automatic lathe comprises in addition to the tool turrets 38 and 100 a third, rear tool carrier 110, which may be stationarily secured to the machine bed 10 and have, for example, three tool receptors 112 for various tools 114. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the axes of the tool receptors 112 extend parallel to the main spindle axis 24 and are located on the same level as it, as is apparent from FIG. 2.

The automatic lathe according to the invention may be used as follows: After the front end of the stock rod 22 protruding from the main spindle workpiece chuck means 16 has been machined by tools, not illustrated, of the tool turrets 38 and/or 100, the tool turret 38 is positioned by displacement of its compound slide system 28, 32 and by rotation about its indexing axis 74 so that the axis 120 of the synchronous spindle 44 is flush with the main spindle axis 24, whereupon, with the workpiece chuck means 46 open, the tool turret 38 is pushed forward along the Z axis so far in the direction towards the main spindle workpiece chuck means 16 that the workpiece 122 formed by the front stock rod end enters the synchronous device 42. The synchronous spindle 44 is then driven synchronously with the main spindle 14 with the aid of the direct current motor M₂ and the workpiece is gripped in the chuck means 46, whereupon it can be cut-off smoothly, i.e., without a projection, from the stock rod 22 with the aid of the tool 106. Subsequently, the tool turret 38 is rotated through 180°, so that after the chuck means 16 opens, the stock rod 22 can immediately be pushed forward slightly so as to machine a new workpiece with tools of the tool turret 100. If the previously cut-off workpiece 122 is to be subjected to further machining on the rear side, for example, provided with a bore, the tool turret 38 is moved by its compound slide system up to the third tool carrier 110, as is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, so as to make a corresonding corresponding bore with the aid of one of the tools 114 with the synchronous spindle 44 in driven operation. The rear side of the workpiece 122 may, of course, also be machined in a different way; for example, it would be possible to turn the rear end face of the workpiece by the tool turret 38 being made to pass by a turning chisel held by the tool carrier 110 in the direction of the X axis with the synchronous spindle 44 in running operation.

It is, of course, also conceivable to place the tool carrier 110 on a compound slide system so that with the aid of tools of the tool turret 38 both a workpiece held by the chuck means 16 and a previously cut-off workpiece can be machined with the aid of the tools of the tool carrier 110. Furthermore, the third tool carrier can take the form of an indexable tool carrier, in particular, a tool turret (FIG. 4). If the third tool carrier rests on a compound slide system, it is adequate for the tool turrent turret 38 to be displaceable solely parallel to the main spindle axis 24.

The same reference numerals were used for the second embodiment shown in FIG. 3 as in FIGS. 1 and 2, but with the addition of a prime. This second embodiment differs from the first described one only in that the turret indexing axis 74' forms with the main spindle axis 24' not a right-angle but an acute angle α; accordingly, the axis of the synchronous spindle 44' also forms with the indexing axis 74' the same angle α. In accordance with the invention, the third tool carrier 110' is so oriented relative to the main spindle axis 24' that the axes 112a' of its tool receptors 112' form with the main spindle axis 24' an angle (180°-2α) so that the axis of the synchronous spindle 44' after an indexing motion of the tool turret 38' through 180° can be made to be flush with the axis 112a' of one of the tool receptors.

As is apparent from a turning chisel and a boring bar in FIG. 1, the synchronous spindle axis 120 and the tool 114 which is just being employed do not have to be coaxially flush with one another-this is only the case with a simple stationary boring appliance 114 and the synchronous spindle 44 in driven operation. From a boring bar on, an approximate parallelism to the synchronous spindle axis 120 is sufficient, and a turning chisel may be oriented in any way with respect to this axis.

Claims

1. An automatic turret lathe comprising a main rotatable spindle; means for rotatably mounting said spindle for rotation about a main spindle axis; drive means associated with said main spindle for rotatably driving the same about said main axis; a first workpiece chuck means associated with said main spindle and rotatable therewith; a first tool carrier comprising a tool turret rotatably mounted about an indexing axis; a second workpiece chuck means mounted on the first tool carrier turret for rotation about an auxiliary spindle axis; a second tool carrier for machining a workpiece held by said first chuck means located adjacent the latter for movement relative to a workpiece held by the first chuck means; a stationary third tool carrier disposed on the side of said first tool carrier facing away from said first chuck means; said third tool carrier carrying a plurality of tool holders; and cross slide means on which said first tool carrier is rotatably mounted for movement of said turret along axes normal and parallel to said main spindle axis so that by appropriate adjustment of said slide means and appropriate indexing of said tool turret said auxiliary spindle axis can be brought into axial alignment with said main spindle axis and a workpiece held by said second chuck means may approach each of said tool holders of the third tool carrier.

2. The automatic lathe according to claim 1, in which the indexing axis of rotation of the first tool carrier turret is inclined at an angle α relative to the main spindle axis, ad and a machining tool held by mounted in the second third tool carrier forms an angle of 180°-2α with the main spindle axis.

3. The automatic lathe according to claims 1 or 2 in which the second third tool carrier has a rotatable and drivable tool holder.

4. The automatic lathe according to claim 1 in which the stationary third tool carrier comprises an indexable tool turret. 5. An automatic turret lathe comprising a main rotatable spindle; means for rotatably mounting said spindle for rotation about a main spindle axis; drive means associated with said main spindle for rotatably driving the same about said main axis; a first workpiece chuck means associated with said main spindle and rotatable therewith; a first tool carrier comprising a tool turret rotatably mounted about an indexing axis; a second workpiece chuck means mounted on the first tool carrier turret for rotation about an auxiliary spindle axis; a second tool carrier for machining a workpiece held by said first chuck means located adjacent the latter for movement relative to a workpiece held by the first chuck means; a stationary third tool carrier disposed on the side of said first tool carrier facing away from said first chuck means; said third tool carrier carrying at least one tool holder; and cross slide means on which said first tool carrier is rotatably mounted for movement of said turret along axes normal and parallel to said main spindle axis so that by appropriate adjustment of said slide means and appropriate indexing of said tool turret said auxiliary spindle axis can be brought into axial alignment with said main spindle axis and a workpiece held by said second chuck means may approach each tool holder of the third tool carrier. 6. The automatic lathe according to claim 5, in which the indexing axis of the first tool carrier turret is inclined at an angle α relative to the main spindle axis, and a tool held by the third tool carrier forms an angle of 180°-2α with the main spindle axis. 7. The automatic lathe according to claims 5 or 6 in which the third tool carrier has a rotatable and drivable tool holder. 8. The automatic lathe according to claim 5 in which the stationary third tool carrier comprises an indexable tool turret. 9. The automatic lathe according to claim 5 in which said third tool carrier carries a plurality of tool holders each of which can be approached by a workpiece held by said second chuck means by appropriate adjustment of said cross slide means and appropriate indexing of said first tool carrier turret. 10. An automatic turret lathe comprising a machine bed; a main rotatable spindle; means for rotatably mounting said spindle for rotation about a main spindle axis; first drive means associated with said main spindle for rotatably driving the same about said main axis; a first workpiece chuck means associated with said main spindle and rotatable therewith; a first tool carrier comprising a tool turret rotatably mounted about an indexing axis; first cross slide means mounted on said bed on a first side of said main spindle axis, said tool turret being mounted on said first cross slide means for movement thereof along axes parallel to said main spindle axis and normal thereto; a second workpiece chuck means mounted on the first tool carrier turret for rotation about an auxiliary spindle axis; second drive means associated with said second chuck means for rotatably driving the same about said auxiliary spindle axis; a second tool carrier for machining a workpiece held by said first chuck means located adjacent the latter; second cross slide means mounted on said bed on a second side of said main spindle axis, said second tool carrier being mounted on said second cross slide means for movement thereof relative to a workpiece held by the first chuck means along axes parallel to said main spindle axis and normal thereto; a stationary third tool carrier disposed on the side of said first tool carrier facing away from said first chuck means, said third tool carrier carrying at least one tool holder for holding a tool; said first tool carrier turret being mounted such that by appropriate first and second adjustment of said first cross slide means and appropriate first and second indexing of said first tool carrier turret, respectively, said auxiliary spindle axis can be brought into axial alignment with said main spindle axis and a workpiece held by said second chuck means may approach said tool held by said tool holder of the third tool carrier. 11. The automatic lathe according to claim 10, in which the indexing axis of the first tool carrier turret is inclined at an angle α relative to the main spindle axis, and a tool held by the third tool carrier forms an angle of 180°-2α with the main spindle axis.

12. The automatic lathe according to claims 10 or 11 in which the third tool carrier has a rotatable and drivable tool holder. 13. The automatic lathe according to claim 10 in which the stationary third tool carrier comprises an indexable tool turret. 14. The automatic lathe according to claim 10, in which said third tool carrier carries a plurality of tool holders each of which can be approached by a workpiece held by said second chuck means by appropriate adjustment of said first cross slide means and appropriate indexing of said first tool carrier turret.