Turret lathe apparatus

• US 4,054,975 A
• Filed: 03/06/1975
• Issued: 10/25/1977
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Carl William Lundstrom
• Original Assignee: Carl William Lundstrom
• Inventors: Lundstrom, Carl William
• Primary Examiner(s): Simpson, Othell M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bilinsky, Z. R.
• Application Number:
  US05/555,856
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 29/27 C, 29/39, 29/40, 29/42, 29/26 A, 408/35, 90/87
• US Class Current: 29/27.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 29/242 Turrets, without description of the angular positioning device turret lathes for turning individually-chucked workpieces B23B3/16; turrets with manually operated angular positioning devices B23B29/282; turrets with power operated angular positioning devices B23B29/323
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 3/161 lathe with one toolslide carrying one turret head
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 1/0009 Energy-transferring means or control lines for movable machine parts; Control panels or boxes; Control parts control handles for driving or feeding mechanisms B23Q5/54
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5114 Lathe and tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5153 Multiple turret
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5155 Rotary tool holder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/37 Turret of tools

Abstract

Tools on a lathe having an automatically indexable and translatable turret are powered and controlled by automatically driving the turret to one or more predetermined positions to automatically couple or uncouple one or more detachable power coupling devices which connect power and/or control signals to turret-carried tools while the turret is translated to perform machining operations. Means are shown for effecting flexible mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and/or pneumatic power and control signals to turret-carried devices.

Claims

1. In a turret lathe having a machine base, headstock means carried on said base for rotating a workpiece about a first axis, a turret rotatably indexable about a second axis to a plurality of discrete index positions to selectively present successive tools carried on said turret to said workpiece, means for indexing said turret about said second axis, and means for translating said turret relative to said base in a first coordinate direction parallel to said first axis, the combination of:

a first detachable power-coupling device carried on said turret and connected to power a first tool carried on said turret, and a power-coupling assembly mounted on said base, said assembly including a second detachable power-coupling device, means for detachably supporting said second detachable power-coupling device in a first predetermined location relative to said maching base, and flexible means for connecting power to said second detachable power-coupling device during movement of said second detachable power-coupling device in said first coordinate direction away from said first predetermined location, said first and second detachable power-coupling devices being adapted to be connected to and disconnected from each other by translation of said turret with said turret in a first one of said index positions to move said first detachable power-coupling device along a first predetermined line to a reference position having a predetermined coordinate in said first direction.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said means for translating said turret is also operable to translate said turret relative to said base in a second coordinate direction perpendicular to said first coordinate direction, said flexible means is operative to connect power to said second detachable power-coupling device during movement of said second detachable power-coupling device in said second coordinate direction, and wherein said first predetermined line has a predetermined coordinate in said second direction.

3. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said flexible means for connecting power to said detachable power-coupling device comprises rotary motive means pivotally mounted on said machine base to pivot about an axis perpendicular to said first and second coordinate directions, said motive means having a rotary output shaft, a longitudinally-extensible splined shaft means having one of its ends connected to said rotary output shaft, and a flexible coupling connecting the other end of said splined shaft means to said second detachable power-coupling device.

4. The combination of claim 2 having a second turret rotatably indexable to a plurality of index positions to selectively present successive tools carried on said second turret to said workpiece and translatable relative to said base in said first and second coordinate directions, a third detachable power-coupling device carried on said second turret and connected to power a tool carried on said second turret, and a second power-coupling assembly mounted on said base, said second assembly including means for detachably supporting a fourth detachable power-coupling device in a second predetermined location relative to said machine base and second flexible means for connecting power to said fourth detachable power-coupling device upon movement of said fourth detachable power-coupling device in said first and second coordinate directions away from said second predetermined locations, said third and fourth detachable power-coupling devices being adapted to be connected to said disconnected from each other by translation of said second turret with said second turret in a predetermined one of its index positions to move said third detachable power-coupling device along a second predetermined line having a predetermined coordinate in said second direction to a second reference position having a predetermined coordinate in said first direction.

5. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said flexible means for connecting power to said second detachable power-coupling device comprises rotary motive means affixed to said base and having an output shaft, bearing means mounted to pivot relative to said base an axis perpendicular to said first and second directions, a longitudinally-extensible splined shaft means having a first of its ends rotatably journalled in said bearing means, a flexible coupling connecting the other end of said splined shaft means to said second detachable power-coupling device and pulley-belt means interconnecting said first end of said shaft means and said output shaft of said motive means.

6. The combination according to claim 2 wherein said flexible means for connecting power to said second detachable power-coupling device comprises rotary motive means, first gear means connected to be driven by said motive means, a longitudinally-movable first shaft means, bearing means fixed relative to said motive means for rotatably and longitudinally slidably supporting said first shaft means, second gear means affixed to said shaft means and engaging said first gear means, and a second longitudinally-movable shaft means and a flexible coupling means connecting said first shaft means to said second detachable power-coupling device.

7. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said means for detachably supporting said second detachable power-coupling device comprises clamp means, and an actuator situated at a predetermined position relative to said machine base, said actuator being selectively operable to move said clamp means into and out of engagement with said second detachable power-coupling device.

8. The combination according to claim 7 wherein said means for detachably supporting said second detachable power-coupling device comprises a plate having an aperture, said aperture being situated at a predetermined position relative to said aperture, and wherein a length of said flexible means is movable through said aperture.

9. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said flexible means for connecting power to said second detachable power-coupling device comprises rotary motive means fixedly mounted on said machine base, said motive means having a rotary output shaft, first and second flexible couplings, a longitudinally-extensible splined shaft means, said first flexible coupling interconnecting said second detachable power-coupling device and one of said splined shaft means, said second flexible coupling interconnecting said rotary output shaft and the other end of said splined shaft means.

10. The combination according to claim 9 wherein said longitudinally-extensible splined shaft means comprises a first shaft of non-circular cross-section telescopingly-engaging a hollow recess of non-circular cross-section in a second shaft of said shaft means.

11. The combination accordingly to claim 1 wherein said first detachable power-coupling device includes rotary shaft means mechanically connected to drive said first tool.

12. The combination according to claim 1 having electrical motive means carried on said turret and mechanically connected to drive said first tool, and wherein said first and second detachable power-coupling devices comprise a pair of mating electrical connectors and said flexible means comprises flexible electrical cable, said first detachable power-coupling device being electrically connected to said electrical motive means.

13. The combination according to claim 12 having spring-operated retractable reel means adapted to pay out and reel in portions of said cable during said movement of said second detachable power-coupling device.

14. The combination according to claim 1 having hydraulic motive means carried on said turret and mechanically connected to drive said first tool, and wherein said first and second detachable power-coupling devices comprise a pair of mating hydraulic connectors and said flexible means comprises flexible hydraulic hose means, said first detachable power-coupling device being hydraulically connected to said hydraulic motive means.

15. The combination according to claim 1 having a third detachable power-coupling device fixedly mounted on said turret and connected to power a second tool carried on said turret, said first and second tools being carried at different index positions of said turret, said third detachable power-coupling device being adapted to be connected to and disconnected from said second detachable power-coupling device upon indexing of said turret to a second one of its index positions and translation of said turret to move said third detachable power-coupling device along said first predetermined line to said reference position.

16. The combination according to claim 1 having a third detachable power-coupling device mounted on said turret and connected to power a second tool carried on said turret, said first and second tools being carried at different index positions of said turret, said power-coupling assembly including means for detachably supporting a fourth detachable power-coupling device in a second predetermined location relative to said machine base and second flexible means for connecting power to said fourth detachable power-coupling device during movement of said fourth detachable power-coupling device in said first coordinate direction away from said second predetermined location, said third and fourth detachable power-coupling devices being adapted to be connected to and disconnected from each other by translation of said turret with said turret in a second one of said index positions to move said third detachable power-coupling device along a second predetermined line to a position having a predetermined coordinate in said first direction.

17. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined coordinate in said first direction corresponds to maximum translation of said turret away from said headstock means in said first coordinate direction.

18. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said lathe includes support means adapted to support a tailstock, said power-coupling assembly being fixedly mounted on said support means.

19. The combination according to claim 1 having means for angularly positioning said workpiece about said first axis to a selected angular position.

20. The combination according to claim 19 wherein said means for angularly positioning said workpiece comprises a stepping motor connected to said headstock means through a clutch, and means for engaging said clutch and applying selected numbers of actuating pulses to said stepping motor.

21. The combination according to claim 1 having means carried on said turret for rotatably journalling said first detachable power-coupling device for rotation about an axis parallel to said first axis.

22. The combination according to claim 21 having a tool spindle journalled on said turret for rotation about an axis perpendicular to said first axis and including means for driving said first tool, and gear means carried on said turret for connecting rotary mechanical torque from said first detachable power-coupling means to said tool spindle.

23. The combination according to claim 1 having means responsive to translation of said second detachable power-coupling device to said first predetermined location for temporarily blocking removal of said second detachable power-coupling device from said first predetermined location, whereby translation of said turret and said first detachable power-coupling device in said first coordinate direction toward said headstock means serves to disconnect said first detachable power-coupling device from said second detachable power-coupling device.

24. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said second detachable power-coupling device includes a body portion and a release sleeve means operable upon movement relative to said body portion to release said second detachable power-coupling device, and wherein said power-coupling assembly includes controllable releasing means operable to engage said release sleeve means upon movement of said second detachable power-coupling means to said first predetermined location.

25. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said second axis is parallel to said first axis.

26. The combination according to claim 1 having automatic program control means for controlling said means for indexing said turret and said means for translating said turret in said first and second coordinate directions.

27. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first tool comprises a hollow sleeve having a radially expansible end adapted to surround and frictionally engage the end of a bar of workpiece stock and a cutter tool reciprocable within said sleeve to extend beyond said end of said sleeve, reciprocating motive means carried on said turret to reciprocate said cutter tool, and means for connecting power from said first detachable power-coupling means to said reciprocating motive means.

28. The combination according to claim 1 having a third detachable power-coupling device fixedly mounted on said turret and connected to power a second tool carried on said turret, said power-coupling assembly including means for detachably supporting a fourth detachable power-coupling device in a second predetermined location relative to said machine base and second flexible means for connecting power to said fourth detachable power-coupling device during movement of said fourth detachable power-coupling device in said first coordinate direction away from said second predetermined location, said first and third detachable power-coupling devices being mounted on said turret with a relative spacing corresponding to the relative spacing between said first and second predetermined locations, whereby both said first and third detachable power-coupling devices may be simultaneously connected to or disconnected from said second and fourth detachable power-coupling devices, respectively.

29. The combination according to claim 1 including braking means carried on said turret and operable to brake motion of said first tool in the absence of a connection of power to said first tool.

30. The combination according to claim 29 having electrical motive means carried on said turret and mechanically connected to power said first tool, said first detachable power-coupling device comprises electrical conductor means connected to supply electrical current to said motive means, and wherein said braking means comprises a spring-set electrically released brake mechanically connected to brake movement of said first tool and electrically connected to said connector means to be energized simultaneously with said electrical motive means.

31. The combination according to claim 29 having a hydraulic motive means carried on said turret and mechanically connected to power said first tool, said first detachable power-coupling device comprises hydraulic connector means connected to supply hydraulic current to said motive means, and wherein said braking means comprises a spring-set hydraulically released brake mechanically connected to brake movement of said first tool and hydraulically connected to said connector means to be energized simultaneously with said hydraulic motive means.

32. The combination according to claim 29 having pneumatic motive means carried on said turret and mechanically connected to power said first tool, said first detachable power-coupling device comprises pneumatic connector means to supply pneumatic current to said motive means, and wherein said braking means comprises a spring-set pneumatically released brake mechanically connected to brake movement of said first tool and pneumatically connected to said connector means to be energized simultaneously with said pneumatic motive means.

33. The combination according to claim 29 wherein said braking means comrises a mechanical brake operable to prevent rotation of said first detachable power-coupling device in the absence of connection of said second detachable power-coupling device to said first detachable power-coupling device.

34. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said flexible means for connecting power to said second detachable power-coupling device comprises rotary motive means slidingly mounted on said machine base to slide in said first coordinate direction, said motive means having a rotary output shaft, a piece of flexible shafting having one end connected to said second detachable power-coupling device, and flexible mechanical coupling connecting said output shaft of said motive means to the other end of said piece of flexible shafting.

35. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first detachable power-coupling device comprises a shaft having a recess, and said second detachable power-coupling device comprises a member having a bore adapted to receive said shaft of said first device, a passage extending radially from said bore, a ball situated within said passage, and release means carried on said member for forcing said ball radially inwardly to seat in said recess of said shaft to retain said shaft within said bore and mechanically interconnect said first and second detachable power-coupling devices.

36. The combination according to claim 35 wherein said release means comprises a spring-biased sleeve surrounding said member.

37. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first and second detachable power-coupling devices comprise a pair of mating hydraulic connectors.

38. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first and second detachable power-coupling devices comprise a pair of mating pneumatic connectors.

39. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said first and second detachable power-coupling devices comprise a pair of mating electrical connectors.

40. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said motive means and said bearing means are mounted to pivot about an axis perpendicular to said first and second directions.