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.

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.

A conveyance chain comprises a plurality of link plates alternately coupled and conveying plural tool pots each holding a tool. The plurality of link plates include an inner link plate and an outer link plate each including a rotation stop hole that stops a rotation of the tool pot and a rotation permit hole located upstream from the rotation stop hole with respect to a conveyance direction that permits a rotation of the tool pot. The plurality of tool pots includes a first tool pot and a second tool pot, the first tool pot is inserted through a rotation stop hole of the inner link plate and a rotation permit hole of the outer link plate, and adjacent to the first tool pot, the second tool pot is inserted through a rotation permit hole of the inner link plate and a rotation stop hole of the outer link plate.

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 conveyance chain comprises a plurality of link plates alternately coupled and conveying plural tool pots each holding a tool. The plurality of link plates include an inner link plate and an outer link plate each including a rotation stop hole that stops a rotation of the tool pot and a rotation permit hole located upstream from the rotation stop hole with respect to a conveyance direction that permits a rotation of the tool pot. The plurality of tool pots includes a first tool pot and a second tool pot, the first tool pot is inserted through a rotation stop hole of the inner link plate and a rotation permit hole of the outer link plate, and adjacent to the first tool pot, the second tool pot is inserted through a rotation permit hole of the inner link plate and a rotation stop hole of the outer link plate.

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.

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 tool magazine device includes a rail that is annularly formed and that has a separation section at a part in a circumferential direction of the rail and a holding ring that is arranged coaxially with the rail and that is rotated by a driving motor. The holding ring is provided with a plurality of holding sections that are open in an axial direction of the holding ring. The holding sections are arranged in the circumferential direction of the holding ring. A tool pot is held to be insertable into and extractable from each holding section. A conveyance unit sends out the tool pot placed in the holding section to an exchange position and sends the tool pot into the holding section from the exchange position. A roller supported by each tool pot rolls on the rail in response to the rotation of the holding ring.

A method, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, and tool changing system for changing tools on a machine. The tool changing system includes a tool magazine, a tool transporter, and an automatic tool changer (ATC). The ATC includes a tool holder and a tool changer. The tool magazine is configured to store at least one tool received at the tool loading station. The tool transporter is configured to transport a tool from the tool loading station or the tool magazine to a tool transfer position of the ATC, and to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during an automatic tool change process. The tool holder is configured to hold the tool at the tool transfer position during the automatic tool change process when the tool transporter is not positioned at the tool transfer position. The tool changer is configured to provide the tool at the tool transfer position to a tool change position of a machine during the automatic tool change process.