Provided is a compact tool changer. The vertical machine tool includes a frame, a spindle, a moving device for moving the spindle, a magazine including a plurality of pots that move up and down installed in a pot holder, a pot lifter for moving up and down the pot at a pot tool changing position, and an intermediate arm assembly that moves among a magazine position, an intermediate position, and a spindle position. The intermediate arm assembly includes an arm having a first gripper and a second gripper, and an arm rotation device for positioning the first gripper or the second gripper to either a pot phase or a spindle phase.

Provided is a compact tool changer. The vertical machine tool includes a frame, a spindle, a moving device for moving the spindle, a magazine including a plurality of pots that move up and down installed in a pot holder, a pot lifter for moving up and down the pot at a pot tool changing position, and an intermediate arm assembly that moves among a magazine position, an intermediate position, and a spindle position. The intermediate arm assembly includes an arm having a first gripper and a second gripper, and an arm rotation device for positioning the first gripper or the second gripper to either a pot phase or a spindle phase.

A fast tool changing method with pre-unclamping step for controlling operations of the spindle, tool unclamping cylinder, and tool changing arm. The spindle has one end clamping the tool at the clamping position. The method includes following steps. In a tool pre-unclamping step, the clamp end of the spindle moves the used tool to a pre-unclamping position; the tool unclamping cylinder pushes the used tool to leave a taper of the spindle. In a tool changing step, the tool changing arm rotates to clamp the used tool and pulls the used tool away from the clamp end, and further aligns a target tool with the clamp end. In a tool inserting step, the tool changing arm inserts the target tool into the clamp end, to be clamped therein. Therefore, the tool unclamping and tool clamping operations are accelerated.

A fast tool changing method with pre-unclamping step for controlling operations of the spindle, tool unclamping cylinder, and tool changing arm. The spindle has one end clamping the tool at the clamping position. The method includes following steps. In a tool pre-unclamping step, the clamp end of the spindle moves the used tool to a pre-unclamping position; the tool unclamping cylinder pushes the used tool to leave a taper of the spindle. In a tool changing step, the tool changing arm rotates to clamp the used tool and pulls the used tool away from the clamp end, and further aligns a target tool with the clamp end. In a tool inserting step, the tool changing arm inserts the target tool into the clamp end, to be clamped therein. Therefore, the tool unclamping and tool clamping operations are accelerated.

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 present disclosure relates to a tool magazine of a machine tool such as a moving column-type machining center, in which a magazine unit is installed on a saddle, a tool accommodated in a gripper part of the magazine unit is loaded or unloaded in a direction perpendicular to a tool axis, and a gripping part of a change arm directly grips a flange portion of the tool at the time of changing the tools by means of a tool changing part movably installed on the saddle and a tool changing part transfer part configured to move the tool changing part independently of a column, thereby reducing tool change time, improving productivity, minimizing a collision or mechanical interference, and improving stability and reliability in the medium-sized or large-sized machine tool having a length in a width direction.

A tool holding part holds two boring bars in a manner in which axes of the boring bars are parallel to a spindle axis. A tool change mechanism has a circular arc movement mechanism in which the boring bar moves from a tool holding position to a tool change position by at least a circular arc movement on a plane surface including an axis of the spindle in the tool change position and an axis of the boring bar positioned in the tool holding part.

A tool changer includes a tool magazine, a support shaft disposed to have a center axis parallel to an axis of a tool spindle, a drive mechanism for rotating the support shaft about the center axis and moving the support shaft in the axial direction, three tool change arms fixed to the support shaft and each having a tool holding unit, a tool transfer mechanism for transferring a tool pot from the tool magazine to a standby position, and a provisional placing pot disposed at a provisional placing position. The tool changer starts a tool change operation in a state where a tool to be attached to the tool spindle, a tool to be used next, and a tool to be used after the next tool are held by the tool holding units of the tool change arms.

The present invention relates to a system, an apparatus and a method for providing tools on a machine tool. The system includes a first tool magazine for accommodating a plurality of tools; a first feeding device which is adapted to remove tools from the first tool magazine and feed them to the spindle; at least one second tool magazine for accommodating a plurality of tools; a second feeding device which is adapted to remove tools from the second tool magazine and provide them at a predetermined transfer position; and a transfer apparatus which is adapted to feed tools removed from the second tool magazine to the first tool magazine, with the result that the second tool magazine serves as a supply magazine for the first tool magazine.

A tool changer includes a holding member having a tool change arm, a rotating mechanism for rotating the holding member, a forward/backward moving mechanism for moving the holding member forward and backward, and a controller controlling the mechanisms. A zero return controller determines whether the tool change arm is holding tools. When it is not holding tools, the tool change arm is rotated to a predetermined non-interference angle, the tool change arm is translated to a forward/backward movement zero point, and the tool change arm is rotated to a rotation zero point. When it is holding tools, the tool change arm is translated to a forward end, the tool change arm is rotated to position it on an expected path, and the tool change arm is moved along the expected path, thereby moving the tool change arm to the rotation zero point and the forward/backward movement zero point.