A tool change unit includes a base and two tool arms rotatably mounted on the base and respectively located on two sides of the base. Each arm body includes a position-returning element, a gripping element, and an actuation element. The position-returning element enables the tool arm to rotate for upward and downward moving between a first position and a second position. The gripping element functions to grip a main-axle tool or a magazine tool. The tool change unit is combinable with a power unit to form a tool change device. The power unit drives the tool change unit to do rotation or rotation and upward and downward movement.

The present disclosure relates to a tool holder to receive and lock a tool taper on a tool magazine, an unlocking device to unlock a tool taper that is received and is locked in a tool holder of this type, and a tool magazine for a machine tool comprising one or more tool holders of this type and an unlocking device of this type.

This machine tool is provided with an arm for exchanging a tool between a main shaft in a machining chamber and a secondary tool standby position in a tool holding chamber, a shutter which is provided in an opening defined in a wall which partitions between the machining chamber and the tool holding chamber, a first motor for opening and closing the shutter, a shutter position detector which can detect the position of the shutter in the entire range between the fully open position and the fully closed position, a storage device which stores a prescribed position of the shutter associated with a prescribed operation of the arm and a control device which is configured to perform a prescribed operation of the arm on the basis of the position of the shutter detected by the shutter position detector and the prescribed position of the shutter stored in the storage device.

This tool conveying device is provided with an indexing device comprising an input shaft, a first output shaft, and a second output shaft which is positioned adjacent and parallel to the first output shaft, wherein the input shaft is linked to a servo motor, the first output shaft rotates during rotation of the input shaft and the second output shaft stops at a prescribed angular position in a certain period during rotation of the input shaft and rotates in the remaining period during said rotation of the input shaft; a gripper; a turning part which is driven by the second output shaft of the indexing device and which supports the gripper; and a gripper opening/closing member which is driven by the first output shaft of the indexing device.

This machine tool is provided with an arm for exchanging a tool between a main shaft in a machining chamber and a secondary tool standby position in a tool holding chamber, a shutter which is provided in an opening defined in a wall which partitions between the machining chamber and the tool holding chamber, a first motor for opening and closing the shutter, a shutter position detector which can detect the position of the shutter in the entire range between the fully open position and the fully closed position, a storage device which stores a prescribed position of the shutter associated with a prescribed operation of the arm and a control device which is configured to perform a prescribed operation of the arm on the basis of the position of the shutter detected by the shutter position detector and the prescribed position of the shutter stored in the storage device.

A tool change unit includes a base and two tool arms rotatably mounted on the base and respectively located on two sides of the base. Each arm body includes a position-returning element, a gripping element, and an actuation element. The position-returning element enables the tool arm to rotate for upward and downward moving between a first position and a second position. The gripping element functions to grip a main-axle tool or a magazine tool. The tool change unit is combinable with a power unit to form a tool change device. The power unit drives the tool change unit to do rotation or rotation and upward and downward movement.

A tool changer includes a holding member having a tool change arm disposed thereon, a rotation mechanism rotating the holding member at a first rotation speed in normal and reverse directions, a forward/backward movement mechanism moving the holding member forward and backward at a first forward/backward movement speed, and a controller comparing a first difference as a difference between a command value for the rotation and an output value of an encoder with a first threshold. When the first difference is equal to or greater than the first threshold, a rotational speed of the holding member is chained to a second rotation speed slower than the first rotation speed. Alternatively, when the first difference is less than the first threshold, the rotational speed of the holding member is maintained at the first rotation speed.

A tool changer includes a holding member having a tool change arm disposed thereon, a rotation mechanism rotating the holding member at a first rotation speed in normal and reverse directions, a forward/backward movement mechanism moving the holding member forward and backward at a first forward/backward movement speed, and a controller comparing a first difference as a difference between a command value for the rotation and an output value of an encoder with a first threshold. When the first difference is equal to or greater than the first threshold, a rotational speed of the holding member is chained to a second rotation speed slower than the first rotation speed. Alternatively, when the first difference is less than the first threshold, the rotational speed of the holding member is maintained at the first rotation speed.

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.