Automated drilling station

• US 5,081,763 A
• Filed: 05/30/1989
• Issued: 01/21/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Jones, Everett E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilinsky, Z. R.
• Application Number:
  US07/358,429
• Time in Patent Office: 966 Days
• Field of Search: 29/26 A, 29/568, 279/1 M, 408/3, 408/6, 408/11, 408/12, 408/15, 408/44, 408/51, 408/52, 408/72 B, 408/88, 408/89, 408/95, 408/97, 408/98, 408/241 B
• US Class Current: 483/7
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 39/205 Turret head drilling machines
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/0957 Detection of tool breakage detecting failure of drills B23B49/001
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/0995 Tool life management
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/15713 a transfer device taking a single tool from a storage device and inserting it in a spindle B23Q3/15793 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/23 with magnetic or electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/14 Responsive to condition of Tool or tool-drive
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/172 Responsive to Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/173 Responsive to work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/20 Responsive to condition of work or product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/56245 including tool-guide [or bushing]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/569 Bushing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/97 Drill bushings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/13 with control means energized in response to activator stimulated by condition sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/1776 including intermediate tool changer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/1783 including linearly translatable tool changer [e.g., shuttle, ram, etc.]

Abstract

An automated drilling station for use in a computer controlled manufacturing system comprising an adjustable frame structure for releasably clamping a work piece in a planar work position, a chuck assembly adapted to operatively receive a selected drill bit, a drive train for selectively moving the chuck assembly on an axis perpendicular to the plane of the work position, feed racks for storing a plurality of drill bits of various predetermined sizes, a robot assembly for transferring a selected drill bit between the feed racks and the chuck assembly at a transfer station remote from the work position, a drive train for selectively translating the chuck assembly between the transfer station and work position and between locations on one side of the work piece aligned with predetermined drilling locations in the work position and a selectively rotatable turret having bushings of various sizes disposed about the periphery thereof for selective disposition in opposed relation to the chuck assembly at each predetermined drilling locations.

Claims

1. An automated drilling station for use in a computer controlled manufacturing system, said drilling station comprising:

means adjustably defining a planar work position having a central reference point for releasably clamping a planar work piece in said work position;

a chuck assembly adapted to operatively receive a selected drill bit;

means for selectively moving said chuck assembly on an axis perpendicular to the plane of said work position;

means for storing a plurality of drill bits of various predetermined sizes;

means operable independently of said chuck assembly for transferring said selected drill bit between said storing means and said chuck assembly at a transfer station remote from said work position;

means for selectively translating said chuck assembly between said transfer station and said work position and between locations on one side of said work piece aligned with predetermined drilling locations in said work position; and

means for selectively disposing a bushing having a size corresponding to said selected drill bit on the other side of said work piece aligned with said predetermined drilling drill locations in opposed relation to said chuck assembly.

2. The drilling station of claim 1 wherein said clamping means comprises a base, a cantilever frame including opposed side elements extending from said base to a first support ledge remote from said base, a second support ledge disposed on said base in spaced opposition to said first support ledge, said side elements and support ledges defining said work position, means responsive to the dimensions of said work piece for proportionally varying the spacing between said support ledges to maintain equidistant spacing from said reference point and to receive opposed edges of said work piece, a clamp attached to each support ledge for movement therewith, and means for selectively shifting said clamps between clamped positions securing said work piece in said work position and an open position releasing said work piece.

3. The drilling station of claim 2 wherein said varying means comprises a motor and drive screw structure fixed to said base which simultaneously moves said side elements and first ledge and said second ledge relative to each other to vary one transverse dimension of said work position in response to signals representative of that transverse dimension of said work piece.

4. The drilling station of claim 3 wherein said shifting means comprises a separate command cylinder and actuating lever assembly connected to each said clamp and supported for movement therewith, the cylinder of each said assembly being responsive to signals representative of placement of a work piece in said work position and of completion of work on the work piece.

5. The drilling station of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of drill bits includes an adaptor comprising a generally planar, annular base and an integral shaft extending from the center of one side of said base to a distal end, said drill bit being removably secured in the distal end of said shaft.

6. The drilling station of claim 5 wherein said chuck assembly comprises a support plate, a drive motor supported by said plate and including a drive shaft selectively rotatable by said motor, an armature fixed to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, and means for selectively fixing the base of each said drill bit adaptor to said armature for rotation therewith.

7. The drilling station of claim 1 wherein said chuck assembly includes a support plate, a chuck for fixedly receiving said selected drill bit, and a drive motor supported by said support plate, said chuck being connected to said drive motor for selective rotation thereby.

8. The drilling station of claim 7 wherein said moving means comprises a housing supporting said support plate for limited movement on an assembly axis perpendicular to the plane of the work position, a power cylinder supported by said housing and connected to said support plate to selectively move said support plate, chuck and drive motor between axially-spaced steps, and cam drive means for selectively reciprocating said chuck and drive motor relative to said support plate along a cam axis parallel to said assembly axis.

9. The drilling station of claim 8 wherein said cam drive means comprises a cam drive motor fixed to said housing means fixing said drive motor to said support plate for slidable movement along said cam axis, a cam supported by said housing for selective rotation by said cam drive motor, and a cam follower fixed to said drive motor and disposed for operative engagement by said cam.

10. The drilling station of claim 5 wherein said storing means comprises a plurality of feed racks, each feed rack including a terminal platform and being adapted to contain a plurality of adaptors each including a drill bit of one predetermined size, the feed racks being so disposed that gravity biases adaptors contained therein toward their respective platform, and each feed rack further including means for selectively permitting only one adaptor at a time to move to its respective platform.

11. The drilling station of claim 10 wherein said permitting means comprises a cam element pivotally fixed to said feed rack remote from the respective platform and disposed to engage the base of an adaptor in said feed rack, said cam element being so shaped that pivotal movement thereof releases said engaged adaptor for movement to the respective platform and engages the following adaptor in said feed rack, and means responsive to a signal representative of a need for a drill bit in the respective platform for releasing said ca for pivotal movement.

12. The drilling station of claim 10 wherein said transferring means comprises means for replacing the selected drill bit in said chuck at said transfer station with a drill bit disposed on the terminal platform of on of said feed racks.

13. The drilling station of claim 12 wherein said replacing means includes a selectively moveable robot gripper disposed to selectively engage the adaptor of a drill bit on any of the terminal platforms of said feed racks.

14. The drilling station of claim 13 wherein said robot gripper is operatively fixed to a transfer carriage selectively moveable relative to the terminal platforms of said feed racks on a first axis perpendicular to the plane of said work position, said gripper including gripper arms moveable between closed and open positions gripping and releasing drill bit adaptors, respectively, means for selectively actuating said gripper arms between said closed and open positions means for moving said gripper arms relative to said transfer carriage on a second axis parallel to said first axis, and means for selectively rotating said gripper arms about said second axis.

15. The drilling station of claim 14 wherein said transferring means also includes a transfer platform fixed to said transfer carriage for movement therewith and disposed to receive the base of a drill bit adaptor, said transfer platform including first electromagnetic means for selectively magnetically securing a drill bit adaptor to said transfer platform, and a transfer carriage assembly including a transfer receiver, a second electromagnetic means for selectively magnetically securing a drill bit adaptor to said transfer receiver, and means for selectively displacing said transfer receiver between first and second positions on an axis perpendicular to said first axis, said first position being axially opposed to said transfer platform and said second position being axially opposed to said chuck in said transfer station.

16. The drilling station of claim 15 wherein said chuck includes third electromagnetic means for selectively magnetically securing the base of a drill bit adaptor to said chuck.

17. The drilling station of claim 1 wherein said transferring means further includes means responsive to a signal indicating a worn or damaged drill bit for selectively disposing of drill bits.

18. The drilling station of claim 8 wherein said translating means comprises a two axis platform supporting said housing and a drive assembly connected to said two axis platform for selectively moving said housing on one or both of two perpendicular axes defining a plane parallel to the plane of said work position.

19. The drilling platform of claim 1 wherein said disposing means comprises a turret including a plurality of bushings circumferentially spaced about its periphery, said bushings being of various predetermined sizes corresponding to the various predetermined sizes of said drill bits, means for selectively placing said turret in alignment with predetermined drilling locations, and means for selectively rotating said turret to place a selected bushing in opposed relation to said chuck at said predetermined drilling locations.

20. The drilling station of claim 18 wherein said disposing means comprises:

a turret including a plurality of bushings circumferentially spaced about its periphery, said bushings being of various predetermined sizes corresponding to the various predetermined sizes of said drill bits, said turret being connected to said housing for movement therewith in opposed relation to said chuck;

means for selectively shifting said turret relative to said housing on an axis perpendicular to the plane of said work position between first and second positions; and

means for selectively rotating said turret to place a selected bushing in opposed relation to said chuck at said predetermined drilling locations.

21. The drilling station of claim 20 wherein said housing is formed in two integral sections separated by a slot disposed to selectively receive the work piece in said work position, said chuck assembly being supported by one said section for operation on said one side of the work piece and said turret being supported by the other said section for operation on said other side of the work piece.

22. The drilling station of claim 21 wherein the first position of said turret is remote from the work piece in said work position and the second position of said turret disposes said selected bushing a predetermined axial distance from said work piece.

23. The drilling station of claim 1 also including means for sensing completion of a hole drilled in said work piece by said selected drill bit.

24. The drilling station of claim 22 also including means for sensing completion of a hole drilled in said work piece by said selected drill bit

25. The drilling station of claim 24 wherein said sensing means comprises means for conveying predetermined air pressure through the bore of said selected bushing and an air pressure sensor to sense a drop in said air pressure representative of removal of a drill bit from a hole drilled in said work piece.

26. The drilling station of claim 1 also including means for determining when a drill bit is broken in a hole in said work piece.

27. The drilling station of claim 25 also including means responsive to a failure of said air pressure sensor to note a drop in said air pressure for determining if a drill bit is broken in said hole in the work piece.

28. The drilling station of claim 27 wherein determining means comprises an eddy current probe disposed on the periphery of said turret for disposition proximate the hole in the work piece for which no drop in air pressure was sensed.

29. The drilling station of claim 1 also including a drill guard selectively connectable to said chuck assembly for disposition between said chuck assembly and the one side of said work piece in said work position.

30. The drilling station of claim 8 also including a drill guard having a contact surface and a bore therein and being selectively connectable to said mounting plate for disposition of said contact surface between said chuck and the one side of said work piece in said work position.

31. The drilling station of claim 30 also including means for supporting said drill guard proximate said work position, means on said mounting plate for selectively engaging said drill guard in a position wherein said bore is coaxially aligned with a drill bit in said chuck, means on each of said supporting and engaging means for selectively fixing thereto and releasing therefrom said drill guard in cooperation with said fixing and releasing means on the other of said supporting and engaging means.