JPS6124145B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an article transfer device that prevents the article from falling by preventing the gripper from opening during transfer of an article, such as a tool, gripped by a gripper installed on a transfer arm, and its purpose. The purpose of this invention is to enable the locking operation of each gripper to be performed by a single drive device without using the axial movement of the transfer arm.

In general, for example, in an automatic tool changer, a tool is gripped by grippers that are provided at both ends of a transfer arm so that they can be opened and closed toward the gripping portion of the transfer arm, and the rotational movement and axial movement of the transfer arm cause the tool to be gripped by a spindle. Tools are now exchanged between the tool exchange position and the tool exchange position. In this case, the gripper opens due to centrifugal force while the transfer arm rotates, and the tool flies out from the gripper. Therefore, the locking device installed to lock the gripper from opening uses the axial movement of the transfer arm. Each gripper is simultaneously locked when the transfer arm is located at the axially forward end. Therefore, this type of device has the disadvantage that it cannot be applied to the case where each gripper gripping a tool is independently locked when the transfer arm is located at the axially retracted end.

The present invention has been made in order to eliminate such inconveniences of the conventional technology, in which a pair of sliding members are slidably mounted on a transfer arm each equipped with a gripper at both ends, and one end of each sliding member is is engaged with the cam groove of the control cam that rotates relative to the transfer arm, and a blocking member that prevents the gripper from opening is connected to the other end of each sliding member, so that the gripper slides as the control cam rotates at a fixed angle. It is characterized in that the gripper is locked by the blocking member by moving the member.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

First, reference numeral 1 indicates a main body of the article transfer device, and a sleeve-shaped support shaft 2 is rotatably supported on the main body 1 so as to be movable back and forth in the axial direction. A central portion of a transfer arm 5 consisting of pivot arms 3 and 4 integrally connected to each other is fixed to the tip of the support shaft 2 via a mounting member 6. A rotation shaft 7 is rotatably fitted into the support shaft 2, and a control cam 8 and a support plate 9 are spline-engaged to the tip of the rotation shaft 7 and prevented from coming off by a nut member 10. A cam groove 11 having a desired shape and having a required lift difference in the radial direction is continuously formed in the control cam 8 in the circumferential direction. A ball 12 biased by a spring 13 is supported on the outer periphery of the support plate 9 so as to be movable in a direction parallel to the axis of the rotating shaft 7, and this ball 12 is fixed to the front surface of the rotating arm 4. A rotation shaft 7 and a control cam 8 are inserted into notches 15 cut at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the positioning member 14.
is adapted to engage each time it is rotated by a predetermined angle by a drive device 65, which will be described later. When the rotation shaft 7 rotates at a fixed angle by the support plate 9, the ball 12, the spring 13, the positioning member 14, and the notch 15, a rotation restriction mechanism 16 is provided which restricts the relative rotation of the rotation shaft 7 with respect to the support shaft 2. It is configured.

The rotating arm 3 has arcuate gripping portions 20, 2 at both ends thereof for gripping a tool T as an article.
1 are formed respectively, and this gripping part 2
Gripper 2 that grips the tool T between 0 and 21
2 and 23 are pivotably supported by pivot shafts 24 and 25 at positions opposite to the grips 20 and 21 so as to be openable and closable. The grippers 22 and 23 are urged in the direction of rotation to close by springs 26 and 27, and the rotation ends thereof are brought into contact with the control members 28 and 29 screwed onto the rear portions of the grippers 22 and 23 formed on the swing arm 3. It is regulated by coming into contact with surfaces 30 and 31. Furthermore, blocking members 32 and 33 are mounted at both ends of the swing arms 3 and 4 so as to be slidable in a direction parallel to the axis of the support shaft 2 at positions opposite to the gripping portions of the grippers 22 and 23, respectively. , this blocking member 3
The outer peripheries of the grippers 2 and 33 engage with the inclined surfaces 22a and 23a formed on the grippers 22 and 23, so that the grippers 2
Cam surfaces 32a, 3 that prevent the opening operation of 2, 23
3a is formed. Each blocking member 32, 33 has its cam surface 32a,
33a is constantly biased in the direction in which it engages with the inclined surfaces 22a, 23a.

Furthermore, guide grooves 40 and 41 are formed on the rear surface of both ends of the swing arm 4.
A pair of sliding members 42 and 43 are mounted on the support shaft 2 so as to be slidable in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the support shaft 2. Sliding members 42, 4
Engagement members 44 and 45 made of rollers that engage with the cam groove 11 of the control cam 8 are attached to one end of the cam 3, and engagement grooves that are engaged with one end of each of the rotating arms 46 and 47 are attached to each other end. 42a and 43a are formed. The rotating arms 46 and 47 are rotatably supported by support blocks 48 and 49 fixed to the rotating arm 3, and each other end thereof is connected to the blocking member 3.
Notch groove 32 recessed in a part of the axial direction of 2 and 33
b, 33b, respectively. These engaging grooves 42a, 43a, notch grooves 32b, 3
3b, the rotating arms 46, 47, and the like constitute motion conversion mechanisms 50, 51 that convert the sliding motion of the sliding members 42, 43 into the sliding motion of the blocking members 32, 33.

Further, a hydraulic cylinder 55 for advancing and retracting is bored in the rotating shaft 7, and a piston 56 is fitted into the cylinder 55 so as to be relatively slidable and relatively rotatable. The piston rod 57 of this piston 56
is fixed to the rear end of the rotating shaft 7, and protrudes rearward from a cap 59 in which a ratchet wheel 58 is integrally formed, and is fixed to the main body 1. 6
0 is a fluid pressure cylinder device attached to the main body 1,
At the tip of a piston rod 62a of a piston 62 that is slidably fitted into a cylinder 61 of this device 60, a ratchet 63 that removably engages with the ratchet wheel 58 is rotatably supported. Furthermore, this ratchet 63 is a subring 64.
is biased toward the forward rotation end. The ratchet wheel 58, the fluid pressure cylinder device 60, the ratchet 63, and the like constitute a drive device 65 that rotates the rotating shaft 7 by a fixed angle in one direction.

70 is a fixed shaft fitted into the main body 1 in parallel with the support shaft 2;
A drive gear 73 that meshes with a gear 71 formed at the rear end of the drive gear 73 is rotatably supported. A rack piston 74 is meshed with the drive gear 73, and the piston 74 is slidably fitted into a cylinder 75 formed in the main body 1 for rotating the transfer arm. Further, an index plate 76 is fixed to the end of the drive gear 73,
A plurality of notches 77 are formed on the outer periphery of the index plate 76 at predetermined intervals. 78 is main body 1
This cylinder device 78 is equipped with a notch 77 at the tip of the piston rod 79.
An engaging member 80 that engages with to index and position the index plate 76 is integrally coupled.

Next, the operation of the above-described configuration will be explained.

First, as shown in FIG. 2, when gripping the tool T in the tool socket M located at the tool removal position IP, the rack piston 7 is
4 is advanced, whereby the transfer arm 5 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 2 together with the support shaft 2 and the rotation shaft 7 via the drive gear 73 and the gear 71.
When the transfer arm 5 rotates to the vicinity of the tool removal position IP, the gripper 22 is forcibly opened by the tool T against the spring 26, and the tool T is transferred between the gripper 20 and the gripper 22 without any gap. When gripped, the transfer arm 5 is positioned and stopped by engagement between the notch 77 of the index plate 76 and the engagement member 80. Subsequently, the ratchet wheel 58 is rotated by a fixed angle (45 degrees in the embodiment) by the ratchet 63 due to the forward and backward movement of the fluid pressure cylinder device 60, and the control cam 8 is rotated clockwise in FIG. 2 from the state shown by the imaginary line. rotated to As a result, the sliding member 43
remains as it is, the sliding member 42 is moved via the engager 44 in a direction to rotate the rotating arm 46 counterclockwise in FIG. 32a is engaged with the inclined surface 22a of the gripper 22 and prevents the gripper 22 from opening as shown in FIG. Thereafter, pressure fluid is supplied to the front chamber of the hydraulic cylinder 55, the transfer arm 5 is moved forward in the axial direction together with the support shaft 2 and the rotation shaft 7, and the tool T is removed from the tool socket M.

When the transfer arm 5 reaches the forward end, the engagement member 80 is disengaged from the index plate 76, and then the rack piston 74 of the cylinder 75 is retracted, and the transfer arm 5 is rotated clockwise in FIG. Based on the engagement between the engaging member 80 and the indexing plate 76, it is positioned and stopped at the original position. Thereafter, pressure fluid is supplied to the rear chamber of the hydraulic cylinder 55, and the transfer arm 5 is axially retracted. At this time, the tool socket M is evacuated by a transfer device (not shown) from the tool take-out position IP until the time when the tool T of the spindle S is stored at a position that does not interfere with the rotational movement of the transfer arm 5.

Furthermore, the gripping part 20 of the transfer arm 5 and the gripper 2
When exchanging the tool T held by the transfer arm 2 with the tool inserted into the main shaft S of the machine tool, the transfer arm 5 is first rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise based on the same operation as described above. As a result, the grip part 2 of the transfer arm 5
1 and the gripper 23 grip the tool T of the spindle S. After this gripping, the control cam 8 is rotated by a fixed angle clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 2 by the cooperation of the ratchet 63 and the ratchet wheel 58, as described above. As a result, the sliding member 42 does not move, but the sliding member 43 is moved in a direction that causes the rotating arm 47 to rotate clockwise in FIG. 33a prevents the gripper 23 from opening. The post-transfer arm 5 is moved forward in the axial direction to detach the tool T from the spindle S, and then moves clockwise 180 degrees.
The gripper 22 is moved back in the axial direction after being rotated.
Insert the tool T held by the spindle S into the spindle S.

When the transfer arm 5 reaches the backward end, the control cam 8
is further rotated by a fixed angle, and only the sliding member 42 is moved in a direction that rotates the pivot arm clockwise. The blocking member 32 is therefore retracted against the spring 34, allowing the gripper 22 to move open. Thereafter, the transfer arm 5 is rotated 90 degrees clockwise until it faces vertically, completing the tool exchange operation.

And the grip part 21 of the transfer arm 5 and the gripper 2
When returning the tool T gripped by 3 to the tool socket M, the tool socket M is at the tool take-out position.
IP, and then the transfer arm 5 is advanced in the axial direction, then pivoted counterclockwise to the tool take-out position IP, and then retreated in the axial direction to insert the tool T into the tool socket M. When this insertion is completed, the control cam 8 is again rotated by a fixed angle, and only the sliding member 43 is moved in a direction that rotates the rotating arm 47 in a counterclockwise direction, allowing the gripper 23 to move in the open direction. Thereafter, the transfer arm 5 is turned clockwise until it faces vertically, and the gripper 23 is removed from the tool T. At this time, the engagement positional relationship between the engaging element 44 and the cam groove 11 is as follows:
is consistent with that of

In the above embodiment, the blocking member 3 is used to prevent the grippers 22 and 23 from opening with a cam lock.
2 and 33 are connected to the other ends of the sliding members 42 and 43 via rotating arms 46 and 47, respectively, to move the blocking members 32 and 33 in a direction perpendicular to the sliding direction of the sliding members 42 and 43. Although it is designed to be slidable, sliding members 42 and 43 are used to make the lock structure simple.
The blocking members 32 and 33 are fixedly connected to the other ends of the gripper 2 in the same direction as the sliding direction of the sliding members 42 and 43.
It is also possible to move toward and away from 2 and 23.

Note that in the above embodiment, both grippers 22 and 23
If the tool T is to be held and replaced at the same time, the shape of the cam groove 11 of the control cam 8 may be changed as appropriate.

As described above, in the present invention, arc-shaped gripping parts are formed at both ends, and the gripper for gripping an article is pivotally supported between the gripping parts so as to be openable and closable, and the direction in which the article is gripped is controlled by a spring. In the article transfer device, the transfer arm is rotatably mounted on the main body by a support shaft and can move back and forth in the axial direction. A control cam is rotatably supported within a support shaft, and a control cam in which a cam groove of a desired shape is continuously formed in the circumferential direction is attached to this rotation shaft. A control member is mounted so as to be slidable in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the gripper, one end of each sliding member is engaged with a cam groove, and a blocking member is connected to each sliding member to prevent the gripper from opening. Since the structure is such that the gripper is locked by the blocking member as the cam rotates,
This has the advantage that, while the article is gripped between the gripper and the gripper without a gap, the action of preventing the gripper from opening can be performed independently or simultaneously depending on the shape of the cam groove of the control cam using a single drive device.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the article transfer device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the transfer arm section in FIG. 1 as seen from the arrow, and FIG.
It is an enlarged view of a line cross section. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Main body, 2... Support shaft, 5... Transfer arm, 7... Rotating shaft, 8... Control cam, 11... Cam groove, 20, 21... Gripping part, 22, 23...
Gritspa, 24, 25... Pivot shaft, 26, 27...
... Spring, 32, 33 ... Blocking member, 32
a, 33a...Cam surface, 42, 43...Sliding member, 44, 45...Engager, 50, 51...Motion converting mechanism, 65...Drive device, T...Tool (article).

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A support shaft is rotatably supported on the main body so as to be movable back and forth in the axial direction, and a transfer arm is fixed to the tip of the support shaft, each having an arc-shaped gripping portion for gripping an article at both ends. In the article transfer device, the support shaft is configured such that a gripper for gripping an article is pivotably supported at each end of the arm to be able to open and close between the gripper and the gripper, and is biased by a spring in a direction to grip the article. a control cam attached to the rotating shaft and having a cam groove having a required lift difference in the radial direction continuously formed in the circumferential direction; and the rotating shaft. a ratchet that removably engages with a ratchet wheel provided on the transfer arm; a drive device that is connected to the ratchet and drives the rotary shaft to rotate in one direction at a constant angle; A pair of slides that are slidably mounted in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the support shaft, each having an engager that engages with the cam groove at one end, and that are moved as the control cam rotates. and a blocking member that is connected to each other end of the sliding member and is moved between a position allowing and blocking the opening operation of the gripper based on movement of the sliding member. Goods transfer equipment.