Machine tool having an improved cover

• US 20030185641A1
• Filed: 03/25/2003
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thorlabs GmbH (Fortive Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Tanigawa, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 6,835,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 409/134
• 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: B23Q 1/66 Worktables interchangeably movable into operating positions
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/0825 Relatively slidable coverings, e.g. telescopic
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/10 Arrangements for cooling or lubricating tools or work incorporated in tools, see the relevant subclass for the tool , e.g. B23B27/10, B23B51/06, B23C5/28, B23D77/006; for circular saw blades B23D59/02, for cooling grinding surfaces B24B55/02
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/30392 with means to protect operative or machine [e.g., guard, safety device, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/303976 with means to control temperature or lubricate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/304032 Cutter or work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 409/304088 with means to remove chip

Abstract

The machine tool includes a column that can be moved back and forth. The column supports a spindle which is adapted to hold a tool for machining a workpiece at an end thereof. A worktable located in front of the column which is adapted to hold the workpiece. A back cover is located behind the column to prevent swarf of the workpiece from being scattered into a space behind the column. The back cover is arranged to move back and forth integrally with the column.

Claims

1. A machine tool, comprising:

a bed;

a worktable mounted on said bed;

a table mounted on said bed, said table being movable in back and forth direction relative to said worktable;

a column mounted on said table, said column being movable in a right and left direction, said column having a front side and a rear side, said front side of said column facing said worktable;

a spindle supported by said column, said spindle being movable in up and down direction, one end of said spindle being adapted to hold a tool for machining said workpiece;

a main cover mounted on said bed to prevent swarf of the workpiece from being scattered around said bed, said main cover located at a front side and right and left sides of a space defined above said bed; and

a back cover fixed to said table at the rear side of said column, said back cover being long in right and left direction of said bed.

2. The machine tool according to claim 1, further comprising;

a coolant supplying device provided to the rear side of said bed; and

a tube located between said coolant supplying device and said back cover, the coolant supplied from said coolant supplying device flowing through said tube.

3. The machine tool according to claim 1, further comprising:

a power supply provided to the rear side of said bed, said power supply providing power required for moving said column; and

a cable located between said power supply and said back cover, the power being transmitted from said power supply through said cable.

4. The machine tool according to claim 1, further comprising:

a control device provided to the rear side of said bed, said control device generating control signals for moving said column; and

a cable located between said control device and said back cover, the control signals being transmitted from said control device through said cable.

5. The machine tool according to claim 1, wherein gaps are formed between said main cover and side edges of said back cover.

20. The machine tool according to claim 1, further comprising a device box accommodating at least one device required for the operation of said machine tool, and

wherein said back cover is located between said column and said device box.

21. The machine tool according to claim 1, which is connected with a device box located behind said machine tool, the device box being connected with said machine tool with at least one of cable and tube, said at least one of cable and tube being located between said back cover and the device box.

6. A machine tool, comprising:

a column that can be moved back and forth, said column supporting a spindle, said spindle being adapted to hold a tool for machining a workpiece at an end of said spindle;

a worktable located in front of said column, said worktable being adapted to hold the workpiece;

a back cover located behind said column to prevent swarf of the workpiece from being scattered into a space behind said column, said back cover being arranged to move back and forth integrally with said column.

7. The machine tool according to claim 6, further comprising:

a table located behind said worktable, said table being movable toward and away from said worktable,

wherein said column is mounted on said table to be moved back and forth, and

wherein said back cover is fixed to said table to move integrally with said column.

8. The machine tool according to claim 7,

wherein said table has a front side and a rear side, said front side facing said worktable, and

wherein said back cover includes a blocking plate supported by a plurality of supporting members fixed to the rear side of said table, said blocking plate being arranged to block the swarf scattered toward the space behind said column.

9. The machine tool according to claim 8, wherein said blocking plate is made of a material having large tensile strength.

10. The machine tool according to claim 8, wherein said blocking plate is made of a material having high chemical resistance.

11. The machine tool according to claim 8, wherein said blocking plate is a metal sheet.

12. The machine tool according to claim 8, wherein said blocking plate is a flexible board made of synthetic fibers.

13. The machine tool according to claim 7, further comprising:

a pair of cover plates located near right and left sides of said table in parallel to a moving direction of said table,

wherein said blocking plate is arranged between and substantially perpendicular to said pair of cover plates, predetermined gaps being formed between side edges of said blocking plate and said pair of cover plates, said gaps being sufficiently wide to avoid being clogged with the swarf of the workpiece.

14. The machine tool according to claim 7, further comprising,

a pair of table covers located on right and left side portions of said table extending beyond right and left sides of said column, said pair of table covers preventing swarf from accumulating on said right and left side portions of said table.

15. The machine tool according to claim 14,

wherein said column is movable along said table in right and left direction, and

wherein each of the table covers has a telescopic structure that expands and contracts so as to prevent the exposure of said table irrespective of the position of said column on said table in right and left direction.

16. The machine tool according to claim 14, wherein each of said table covers is formed such that the swarf on said table cover slides down into a work area, which is defined in front of said table, of said machine tool.

17. The machine tool according to claim 14, further comprising an inclined cover fixed at a front side of said back cover, said inclined cover extending substantially along the entire width of said back cover, right and left side portions of said inclined cover being overlaid at least on a rear portion of said table covers so that swarf sliding down along said back cover is guided onto said plate covers by said inclined cover.

18. The machine tool according to claim 17, further comprising a roof shape cover placed on said inclined cover between said column and said back cover, said roof shape cover having right and left inclined surfaces connected to each other to form a ridge line of said roof shape cover, said right and left inclined surfaces being inclined such that the swarf slides down on said right and left inclined surfaces toward said right and left side portions of said inclined cover, respectively.

19. The machine tool according to claim 18, further comprising an inversely inclined cover fixed at a front end of said roof shape cover, said inversely inclined cover being inclined such that the rear end thereof is lower than the front end thereof.