A machine tool includes a spindle including a tool insertion portion having a shape of an opening into which a shank of a tool is inserted and configured to attach the tool thereto, a tool change unit configured to change the tool attached to the spindle while gripping the tool, an air supply unit configured to supply air to a gap between the tool insertion portion and the shank of the tool when the tool change unit changes the tool, and a controller configured to control driving of at least any one of the spindle and the tool change unit to allow the tool and the tool insertion portion to reciprocate relative to each other in a predetermined direction with the shank of the tool inserted into the tool insertion portion and with a gap provided between the tool insertion portion and the shank of the tool.

A cutting tool holding mechanism for detachably holding a cutting tool includes: a collet chuck configured to clamp and unclamp the cutting tool; a piston disposed deeper on the proximal side of the spindle than the collet chuck and configured to urge the collet chuck by the pressure of a fluid supplied from the proximal side of the spindle in the direction from the proximal side toward the distal end side of the spindle so that the collet chuck unclamps the cutting tool; a spool valve provided in the piston and configured to open thanks to centrifugal force at the time when the spindle is turned, so as to supply the fluid fed from the spindle side to the cutting tool.

A chain link includes a base area, confined by four sides, and first to third link portions respectively on first to third sides. The first and second link portions respectively receive first and second connection elements for connecting the chain link to first and second adjacent chain links, and respectively and relatively define first and second rotational axes of adjacent first and second chain links. The third link portion receives a third connection element for connecting the chain link to a tool receptacle and defines a third rotational axis of a rotary motion of the tool receptacle in relation to the chain link. The first and second axes define a first plane, the first plane is parallel to the chain link base area, and the third axis lies outside the first plane. A tool magazine for a machine tool includes a link chain from chain links for the tool transport.

A tool changer is composed of a support shaft, a forward/backward movement drive motor moving the support shaft upward and downward, a rotation drive motor rotating the support shaft about an axis, a tool change arm having tool grippers formed at both ends thereof, and an air blow mechanism discharging compressed air to a tool and a next tool gripped by the tool grippers. In tool change using this tool changer, in a positioning operation, the tool change arm is rotated by degrees and compressed air is discharged toward the tool and the next tool by the air blow mechanism.

The controller for a machine tool according to the present invention makes it possible to discharge both a coolant and an oil mist from a through hole provided in the tool equipped to a main axis of a machine tool, allows a processing program to instruct the discharge of either the coolant or the oil mist, and carries out such a control that a state where the above-described tool is detached from the main axis is maintained during a predetermined period of time at the time of replacing the tool, and at the same time, the oil mist is discharged from the above-described oil mist unit so as to remove the coolant from the above-described piping during the predetermined period of time.

A cutting tool holding mechanism for detachably holding a cutting tool includes: a collet chuck configured to clamp and unclamp the cutting tool; a piston disposed deeper on the proximal side of the spindle than the collet chuck and configured to urge the collet chuck by the pressure of a fluid supplied from the proximal side of the spindle in the direction from the proximal side toward the distal end side of the spindle so that the collet chuck unclamps the cutting tool; a spool valve provided in the piston and configured to open thanks to centrifugal force at the time when the spindle is turned, so as to supply the fluid fed from the spindle side to the cutting tool.

A system for reconditioning barrels comprising: a robot arm; a router assembly for routing the inside surface of a barrel; and a laser assembly for measuring the inside profile of a barrel, wherein: the router assembly is fixedly attached to the robot arm; and the laser assembly is removably attached to the router assembly thus allowing the laser assembly to be removed while the barrel is being routed in order to protect the laser from airborne particles and vibrations from the router.

A tool changer is composed of a support shaft, a forward/backward movement drive motor moving the support shaft upward and downward, a rotation drive motor rotating the support shaft about an axis, a tool change arm having tool grippers formed at both ends thereof, and an air blow mechanism discharging compressed air to a tool and a next tool gripped by the tool grippers. In tool change using this tool changer, in a positioning operation, the tool change arm is rotated by degrees and compressed air is discharged toward the tool and the next tool by the air blow mechanism.

A tool changer configured so that a turret is turned to index a desired tool to change the tool is provided with front and rear covers that cover front and rear surfaces, respectively, of the turret. A projection or a recess, which defines a passage for chips or a cutting fluid, is formed on or in an outer peripheral portion of the rear cover. Thus, the chips produced during machining and the cutting fluid used in the machining can be prevented from getting into the turret through a gap between the front and rear covers.

A device (10) for the automatic connection of a high speed spindle (40) to a numerically controlled machine is described, comprising a first connecting element (11) and a second connecting element (31), the first connecting element connection (11) comprising a first electrical contact element (14) and a first duct (12) for the passage of pressurized air; the second connecting element (31) comprising a second electrical contact element (34) configured to establish an electrical contact with said first electrical contact element (14) and electrically power the spindle at high speed (40), and a second conduit (32) for the passage of the pressurized air coming from the first duct (12); a method is also described for automatically sealing the first and second connecting elements (11, 31) of the device (10).