The invention relates to a moving system (100) for moving workpieces that are provided for gear cutting on a workpiece spindle (200) and have a workpiece axis of rotation, from a first position (A), taken up while they are being fed, into a third position (C) that differs from the first position by at least a smaller distance between the workpiece axis of rotation and the workpiece spindle axis, having a first movement unit (36, 32, 34) which moves a workpiece from the first position into a second position (B), different from the first and the third position, along a first movement path (AB), and a second movement unit (35) which moves the workpiece from the second position into the third position along a second movement path (BC), wherein the moving system is also designed to move machined workpieces back out of the third position and to hold and move more than one workpiece at the same time, wherein, while it is being moved on the first and on the second movement path, the workpiece is held by one and the same holding unit (10, 10′) that directly holds the workpiece, without a movement caused by the second movement unit entailing a movement of the first movement unit.

A workpiece replacing apparatus delivers a pre-machined workpiece into an intra-machine space inside a machine tool from an extra-machine space outside the machine tool, and delivers a workpiece machined by the machine tool to the extra-machine space from the intra-machine space. The workpiece replacing apparatus includes a secured cover, an arm device, and a movable cover. The secured cover is secured to a securing member of the machine tool. The secured cover defines a partition between the intra-machine space and the extra-machine space. The secured cover is provided with an opening. The arm device delivers the workpieces between the intra-machine space and the extra-machine space through the opening. The movable cover is integral with the arm device or in engagement with the arm device such that the movable cover is operable in conjunction with operation of the arm device. The movable cover closes the opening, with the arm device located in the extra-machine space.

The invention relates to a moving system (100) for transposing workpieces that are provided for gear cutting on a workpiece spindle (200) and have a workpiece axis of rotation, from a first position (A), taken up while they are being fed, into a second position (C) that differs from the first position by at least a smaller distance between the workpiece axis of rotation and the workpiece spindle axis, having a first movement unit (36, 32, 34) which transposes a workpiece from the first position into a third position (B), different from the first and the second position, along a first movement path (AB), and a second movement unit (35) which transposes the workpiece from the third position into the second position along a second movement path (BC), wherein the moving system is also designed to transpose machined workpieces back out of the second position and to hold and move more than one workpiece at the same time, wherein, while it is being moved on the first and on the second movement path, the workpiece is held by one and the same holding unit (10, 10′) that directly holds the workpiece, without a movement caused by the second movement unit entailing a movement of the first movement unit.

The present invention is provided with: gear chamfering tools that perform cutting for chamfering a tooth profile ridge section of a gear to be cut; tool holding parts for holding the gear chamfering tools at one end portion thereof; substantially linear movement means which cause substantially linear movement of the other end portion opposed to the one end portion for holding the gear chamfering tools in the tool holding parts; and circular movement means for causing circular movement of an intermediate portion between the one end portion for holding the gear chamfering tools and the other end portion subjected to the substantially linear movement by the substantially linear movement means in the tool holding parts. By combining the substantially linear movement means and the circular movement means, substantially elliptical movement of tip end parts of the gear chamfering tools is achieved.

A method wherein by reducing the amount of current, and therefore torque, to the linear servo motor (50) and/or rotary servo motor (52) of a loader mechanism (9), the loader mechanism is operable for determining proper workpiece positioning in a machine tool such as a gear manufacturing machine, particularly a machine (4) for manufacturing bevel and hypoid gears.

A workpiece replacing apparatus delivers a pre-machined workpiece into an intra-machine space inside a machine tool from an extra-machine space outside the machine tool, and delivers a workpiece machined by the machine tool to the extra-machine space from the intra-machine space. The workpiece replacing apparatus includes a secured cover, an arm device, and a movable cover. The secured cover is secured to a securing member of the machine tool. The secured cover defines a partition between the intra-machine space and the extra-machine space. The secured cover is provided with an opening. The arm device delivers the workpieces between the intra-machine space and the extra-machine space through the opening. The movable cover is integral with the arm device or in engagement with the arm device such that the movable cover is operable in conjunction with operation of the arm device. The movable cover closes the opening, with the arm device located in the extra-machine space.

The invention relates to a method for loading and unloading an internally toothed workpiece or a workpiece that is to be provided with internal toothing into/out of a clamping position, in which the workpiece, which is held by a retaining device, is brought into the clamping position by means of a conveying movement so that said workpiece, when clamped, has internal toothing cut by a gear cutting tool that occupies a cutting chamber and, after cutting, said workpiece, which is held by the retaining device, is returned from the clamping position in a return movement, wherein, prior to cutting, the retaining device is permitted to carry out an evasive movement that is different from the return movement/reverse conveying movement and that frees the cutting chamber, or the cutting chamber is already kept free of the retaining device as soon as the clamping position is reached.

The invention concerns a method to generate and/or machine gear teeth on a workpiece, wherein the workpiece is subjected to a movement from a first location where the workpiece, while being held by a clamping device connected to a workpiece spindle, is brought into machining engagement with a first tool, to a second location where the work piece, while remaining in its clamped condition, is brought into machining engagement with a second tool, wherein prior to performing the movement, the connection between the clamping device and the workpiece spindle is released, and after the movement, the clamping device is connected to another workpiece spindle for the machining engagement with the second tool.

The present invention is provided with: gear chamfering tools that perform cutting for chamfering a tooth profile ridge section of a gear to be cut; tool holding parts for holding the gear chamfering tools at one end portion thereof; substantially linear movement means which cause substantially linear movement of the other end portion opposed to the one end portion for holding the gear chamfering tools in the tool holding parts; and circular movement means for causing circular movement of an intermediate portion between the one end portion for holding the gear chamfering tools and the other end portion subjected to the substantially linear movement by the substantially linear movement means in the tool holding parts. By combining the substantially linear movement means and the circular movement means, substantially elliptical movement of tip end parts of the gear chamfering tools is achieved.

The invention relates to a method for loading and unloading an internally toothed workpiece or a workpiece that is to be provided with internal toothing into/out of a clamping position, in which the workpiece, which is held by a retaining device, is brought into the clamping position by means of a conveying movement so that said workpiece, when clamped, has internal toothing cut by a gear cutting tool that occupies a cutting chamber and, after cutting, said workpiece, which is held by the retaining device, is returned from the clamping position in a return movement, wherein, prior to cutting, the retaining device is permitted to carry out an evasive movement that is different from the return movement/reverse conveying movement and that frees the cutting chamber, or the cutting chamber is already kept free of the retaining device as soon as the clamping position is reached.