JPS587401B2 - automatic material feeding machine - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an automatic material feeder that automatically feeds bar-shaped material to a multi-spindle automatic processing machine such as a multi-spindle automatic lathe.

The applicant has already filed many applications for technology related to this type of automatic material feeder, some of which include Japanese Patent Application No. 47-61010 (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 49-20768); -91605 (Unexamined Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-49585)
, Utility Application No. 47-104226 (Utility Application No. 49-6227)
7) etc.

Conventionally, in this type of automatic material feeding machine, the same number of conveyor tubes as the number of spindles in a multi-axis automatic processing machine were placed on the same circumference at positions corresponding to the spindles, and the tubes were rotated synchronously with the spindles. .

The length of this conveying tube was the maximum length of the fixed-length bar plus (+) the length of the push rod, and was long.

In addition, the conveyor chain that slides inside each conveyor tube to send out the bars and move the push rod back and forth to pull back the remaining materials, and the drive devices such as motors that drive the conveyor chain are also adjusted according to the number of conveyor tubes. Each was provided in a transport tube.

Therefore, since these conveyor chains, drive devices, etc. also rotate together with the conveyor tube, the weight of the rotating part of the automatic material feeder becomes large, and it is quite difficult to quickly turn and stop the rotating part. Overload was applied to the indexing device that stopped and fixed the rotation, causing wear and damage to various parts.

The purpose of this invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems.The present invention is directed to an automatic material feeder that supplies bars to a multi-axis automatic processing machine equipped with an appropriate number of delivery positions. The number of feed-out drive mechanisms for advancing and retracting the push rods of the conveyance tube structures located at corresponding positions is provided in the same number as the feed-out positions, and the conveyance belt of the feed-out drive mechanisms is provided in a parallel direction close to the conveyance tube structure. , the conveyance belt is provided with a plurality of hook portions formed at appropriate intervals in the longitudinal direction and releasably engaged with the locking portion of the push rod; In an automatic material feeder that supplies bars to a multi-axis automatic processing machine equipped with a feed-out position, a feed-out drive mechanism for advancing and retracting a push rod of a conveying tube structure located at a position corresponding to the feed-out position is used as the feed-out position. The same number of conveyance belts of the feed-out drive mechanism are provided in parallel to the conveyance tube structure, and the remaining material held by the push rod is moved from the push rod near the rear end of the conveyance tube structure. An attachment/detachment device for detachment is provided, and a push rod accommodating portion for accommodating the push rod is provided behind the conveyance tube structure.

Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 to 3 show an overall view of an automatic material feeder according to the present invention.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an automatic material feeder connected to the rear of the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3 (left side in Fig. 1), which supports a long bar 4 and supports the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3. A conveying tube structure 5 for guiding to a spindle (not shown) is provided to pivot synchronously with the spindle.

7 is a frame of the automatic material feeder 1, and 9 is an index lock device for positioning the rotational position of the central tube body 11 rotatably supported on the frame 7 by a bearing 10.

The central tube body 11 is arranged coaxially in the direction of a rotatable pivot shaft (not shown) that integrally supports a spindle support (not shown) that supports a spindle in the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3. It is connected so that it can rotate.

The transport tube structure 5 includes a plurality of tube holders 13
, 13, . . . , and the same number of spindles are provided on the same circumference in correspondence with the spindles of the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3.

That is, the conveying tube structure 5 is connected to the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3.
The indexing operation of the spindle support is performed in synchronization with the spindle support.

A guide base 14 is fixed on the frame 7 and rotatably guides and supports the outer circumference of the tube holder 13.

The transport tube structure 5 is provided with a transport tube lid (not shown) that can be opened and closed at the top, and is used to collect bar materials one by one from a material storage section 15 provided above by a normal material extraction device 16. It is configured to accept 4.

Reference numeral 17 denotes a feed-out drive mechanism provided in a parallel direction close to the conveyor tube structure 5 located at a position corresponding to the material feed-out position of the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3, and is rotatably mounted near both ends of the frame T. The sprockets 19 and 20 are rotatably supported, the conveyor chain 21 is rotated around the sprockets 19 and 20, and serves as a conveyor belt that reciprocates along the conveyor tube structure 5, and the sprocket 19 is driven to rotate. It is constituted by a drive source 23 such as an electric motor for reciprocating the conveyance chain 21.

Reference numeral 25 denotes a push rod that is provided inside the conveying tube structure 5 so as to be able to move forward and backward.
The structure is as shown in No. 1, and the shaft center is equipped with a slidable push rod for protruding the remaining material.

This push rod 25 is formed with a locking portion that protrudes toward the conveying chain 21 .

The push rod 25 is moved forward by hook members 27 as hook portions provided protruding from the conveyance chain 21 at appropriate intervals at the delivery position by locking into the locking portions of the push rod 25. The bar material 4 is sent to the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3, and by being retracted, the remaining material is pulled back.

Reference numeral 29 denotes an attachment/detachment device such as a shutter that can be opened and closed and is provided on the frame 7 near the rear end of the transport tube structure 5. It moves in and out of the path of the push rod 25 to move the transport tube structure 5. It opens and closes at the rear.

When this attachment/detachment device 29 is in a state of protruding into the advance/retreat path, the push rod 25 retreats and its rear end comes into contact with it, so that the push rod protruding rearward from the push rod 25 is relatively pushed. This removes the remaining material held at the tip of the push rod 25.

Reference numeral 31 denotes a push rod guide tube as a push rod accommodating portion coaxially provided at the rear of the transport tube structure 5 at the delivery position, and is fixed to the frame 7.
The push rods 25 are drawn in and housed from the transport tube structure 5, and the number of push rods 25 is the same as the number of delivery positions of the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3.

The drive source 23 is provided to change the driving force by sensing the machining cycle of the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3 or the forward/backward position of the push rod 25.

In the above configuration, when the automatic material feeder 1 supplies the bars 4 to the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3, the bars 4 are first taken out one by one from the material storage section 15 by the material take-out device 16. , into the transport tube structure 5 which is indexed to the delivery position.

When the bar 4 is taken into the conveying tube structure 5,
The drive source 23 rotates forward at high speed and medium torque, and the hook member 27 of the conveying chain 21 contacts the locking portion of the push rod 25 to advance the push rod 25 and send out the bar 4.

When the tip of the bar 4 passes through a collet chuck (not shown) of the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3 and comes into contact with a product stopper (not shown), the rear end of the bar 4 is attached to the tip of the push rod 25. (not shown) and is held between the
The camshaft clutch (not shown) of the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3 is engaged, the collet chuck is closed, and the bar 4 is clamped.

Next, shortly before the indexing operation of the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3 is performed, the operation of the index lock device 9 is released, and the transport tube structure 5 is sent to the next processing position together with the spindle (not shown). After that, the index locking device 9 is activated again and the position is determined.

Similarly, the next processing position is sequentially indexed and processing in each step is performed.

Furthermore, the same processing is performed on the transport tube structure 5 at the subsequent position, with a delay of one step at a time.

Thus, when the transport tube structure 5 returns to the delivery position and is indexed, the machined product is cut off from the bar 4 and the collet chuck is opened.

At the same time, the drive source 23 rotates forward at high speed and with large torque to advance the push rod 25 until the tip of the bar 4 comes into contact with the product stopper again, and the collet chuck closes to push the bar 4 forward. It is clamped and sent to a re-coffining position where it is indexed and the process described above is repeated.

When the bar 4 in the conveying tube structure 5 is repeatedly machined and shortened, the most forward feeding position of the push rod 25 is detected by a limit switch or the like at the feeding position, and when the collet chuck is opened, the multi-axis The camshaft clutch of the automatic processing machine 3 is disengaged, and the camshaft (not shown) is stopped.

On the other hand, the drive source 23 is reversely rotated at high speed, and the push rod 25 is retreated while holding the remaining material.

When the rear end of the push rod 25 comes into contact with the attachment/detachment device 29 provided near the rear end of the transport tube structure 5, the push rod inside the push rod 25 is relatively moved, and the remaining material held by the fingers at the tip is removed. is ejected and ejected from the machine.

Next, when the attachment/detachment device 29 rises and retracts from the advance/retreat path of the push rod 25 and the retreat path of the push rod 25 is opened, the drive source 2
3 is switched to low speed, and the push rod 25 is retreated at low speed and drawn into the push rod guide tube 31.

When the push rod 25 reaches the most retracted position, the drive source 23 stops, the push rod 25 stops, and the material retrieval device 1
6 is activated and a new bar 4 is taken from the material storage section 15 again.
is taken out and introduced into the transport tube structure 5.

Thereafter, the above-described operations are repeated.

As understood from the description of the following examples, the present invention includes:
It has the following effects.

That is, in the automatic material supply according to claim 1, the number of delivery drive mechanisms is provided separately from the transport tube structure and the same number as the number of delivery positions, so the weight of the rotating portion is reduced by the amount of the delivery drive mechanism. Since the load applied to the index portion, etc. is reduced, the wear and damage that would occur in the conventional case can be prevented.

In addition, the index operation time can be shortened to improve efficiency, and the structure can be simplified to reduce manufacturing costs.

In particular, by providing the conveyance chain and the push rod so that they can be engaged and disengaged at the delivery position, it is possible to provide the same number of delivery drive mechanisms as the number of delivery positions, separate from the transport tube structure.

In the automatic material feeder described in the claims, by providing the same number of feed-out drive mechanisms as the number of feed-out positions separately from the conveyance tube structure, the weight of the rotating portion is reduced by the amount of the feed-out drive mechanism, It reduces the load applied to the index part, prevents the wear and damage that is conventional, and shortens the index operation time to increase efficiency.In addition, an attachment/detachment device is provided near the rear end of the conveyor tube, especially at the rear. By providing a push rod guide tube, the length of the conveying tube structure can be shortened by the length of the push rod, and the weight of the rotating portion can be further reduced.

That is, according to the present invention, the length of the conveying tube structure that rotates integrally with the central tube body can be shortened by the length of the push rod compared to the conventional structure, and the mechanism for moving the push rod forward and backward can be Since it is provided separately from the tube structure, the weight of the rotating portion can be reduced accordingly.

Therefore, the rotating parts such as the conveyor tube structure are extremely light compared to the conventional ones, and the rotating parts can be quickly rotated and indexed, and wear and damage to various parts can be prevented, and the structure can be simplified. This is something that can be done.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be implemented in other embodiments by making appropriate design changes.

For example, the attachment/detachment device can be configured in various ways by employing a known mechanism in an automatic bar feeder for a single-axis automatic lathe.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1, 2, and 3 are a plan view, a front view, and a side view, respectively, of an embodiment of the present invention. Explanation of the symbols representing the main parts of the drawing, 1...
Automatic material feeder, 3...Other axis automatic processing machine, 4.
... Bar material, 5 ... Transport tube structure,
9... Index lock device, 17...
...Feeding drive mechanism, 21...Transportation chain, 2
3... Drive source, 25... Push rod, 27
...Hook member, 29... Attachment/detaching device,
31...Push rod guide tube.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In an automatic material feeder 1 that supplies a bar 4 to a multi-axis automatic processing machine 3 equipped with an appropriate number of delivery positions,
The same number of feed-out drive mechanisms 17 as the feed-out positions are provided for advancing and retracting the push rods 25 of the conveying tube structure 5 located at positions corresponding to the feed-out positions,
The conveyance belt 21 of the feed-out drive mechanism 17 is provided in parallel to the conveyance tube structure 5, and a plurality of conveyor belts 21 are provided in the conveyance belt 21 and detachably engaged with the locking portions of the push rods 25. An automatic material feeder characterized in that hook portions 27 are formed at appropriate intervals in the longitudinal direction. 2. In the automatic material feeder 1 that supplies the bar material 4 to the multi-axis automatic processing machine 3 equipped with an appropriate number of delivery positions,
The same number of feed-out drive mechanisms 17 as the number of feed-out positions are provided for advancing and retracting the push rods 25 of the conveying tube structure 5 located at positions corresponding to the feed-out positions;
The conveyance band 21 of the feed drive mechanism 17 is provided in parallel to the conveyance tube structure 5, and the push rod 25 is provided near the rear end of the conveyance tube structure 5.
The automatic material is characterized in that an attachment/detachment device 29 is provided for detaching the remaining material held by the push rod 25 from the push rod 25, and a push rod accommodating section 31 for accommodating the push rod 25 is provided at the rear of the conveying tube structure 5. feeding machine.