Improved gantry machine tool

Abstract

A gantry machine tool includes a pair of vertical uprights joined atop by a transverse beam, on which a tool holder head is slidingly mounted, and a worktable for anchoring a workpiece, above which the tool holder head is movable. Each upright includes a carriage adapted to slide along a longitudinal support structure, which includes a horizontal surface coplanar to the worktable and a lateral surface embedded in the floor and having a guide system for the carriage.

Claims

1. A gantry machine tool (1), comprising: a pair of vertical uprights (2) joined atop by a transverse beam (3), on which a tool holder head (4) is slidingly mounted; and a worktable (5) for anchoring a workpiece, above which said tool holder head (4) is movable, wherein each upright (2) comprises a carriage (7) adapted to slide along a longitudinal support structure (8), and wherein said support structure (8) comprises a horizontal surface (9) coplanar to said worktable (5) and a lateral surface (10, 10) embedded in a floor (P) and provided with a guide system (11) for said carriage (7).

2. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said horizontal surface (9) is completely walkable.

3. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said guide system (11) comprises guides (12) anchored to said lateral surface (10, 10), on which skids (13) installed on said carriage (7) slide.

4. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein between said carriage (7) and said support structure (8) there are interposed movement means (14) for moving said carriage (7) on said support structure (8).

5. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 4, wherein said movement means (14) comprise a rack (15) integral with said lateral surface (10, 10) and a pinion (16) integral with said carriage (7).

6. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 4, wherein said movement means (14) comprise at least one linear motor.

7. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support structure (8) is monolithic and comprises a polygonal cross section.

8. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 7, wherein said carriage (7) has an inverted-U or inverted-Y cross section, with at least one side portion (18) facing said lateral surface (10, 10).

9. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein said support structure (8) is spaced from said worktable (5).

10. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 9, wherein between said support structure (8) and said worktable (5) there is a gutter (19) for collecting processing chips, said gutter (19) being configured to be housed in a pit (20) and being covered by a walkable grid (21).

11. The gantry machine tool as claimed in claim 10, wherein a bottom of said gutter (19) comprises means for collecting and transporting (22) the processing chips.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Further features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent in the light of the detailed description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of a gantry machine tool like the one mentioned above, shown by way of non-limiting example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the gantry machine according to the invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine of FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 3 is a front view along the section III-III of the machine of FIG. 2;

[0034] FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of a detail of the machine of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0035] With particular reference to the figures, there is shown a gantry machine tool, indicated in its entirety with reference numeral 1, for industrial processing operations, for example for removing material on semi-finished products or mechanical workpieces, generally made of metal.

[0036] In its most essential embodiment, the machine 1 comprises a pair of substantially vertical uprights or walls 2 joined atop by a transverse beam 3 on which at least one tool holder head 4 slides, as better shown in FIGS. 1-3.

[0037] Furthermore, the machine 1 comprises a substantially horizontal worktable 5 for anchoring a workpiece, not shown in the figures, and above which the tool holder head 4 is movable.

[0038] Optionally, the worktable 5 may be provided with grooves 6 at which the workpiece may be anchored in a conventional fashion.

[0039] Each upright 2 comprises a carriage 7 adapted to slide along a substantially longitudinal support structure 8.

[0040] Hereinafter, the expression support structure 8 shall be used to indicate a substantially horizontal structure adapted to support the longitudinal movement of each upright 4 by means of the carriage 7, such as for example a pallet or a base.

[0041] Preferably, the support structures 8 are arranged longitudinally adjacent to the worktable 5, as better shown in FIG. 2.

[0042] According to a peculiar aspect of the machine 1, the support structure 8 comprises at least one horizontal surface 9 substantially coplanar to the worktable 5 and at least one lateral surface 10, 10 embedded in the floor P and provided with guide means 11 for the carriage 7.

[0043] Advantageously, the horizontal surface 9 of each support structure 8 is completely walkable.

[0044] Due to the absence of different heights between the horizontal surface 9 and the worktable 5, the operator is facilitated in the access in the direction transverse to the worktable 5 during the equipping and centring operations without having to skirt around obstacles or the support structures 8.

[0045] Furthermore, the coplanarity between the horizontal surface 9 of the support structure 8 and the worktable 5 allows to increase the safety of the working area avoiding potential accidents due to different heights.

[0046] Furthermore, the walkability of the horizontal surface 9 allows access to the worktable 5 even by using wheeled lifting means.

[0047] The advantages described heretofore would not have been achieved if the lateral walls 10, 10 of the support structures 8 were even only partially lifted with respect to the floor P and to the worktable 5.

[0048] Preferably, the guide means 11 comprise guides 12 anchored to the lateral surface 10, 10 of the support structure 8 on which the skids 13 installed on the carriage 7 slide.

[0049] Furthermore, between the carriage 7 and the support structure 8 there are interposed movement means 14 for moving the carriage 7 on the support structure 8.

[0050] The movement means 14 may comprise, by way of example, a rack 15 integral with the lateral surface 10, 10 and a pinion 16 integral with the carriage 7, preferably actuated by an electric motor 17.

[0051] Alternatively, the movement means 14 may comprise equivalent movement systems of another type, for example with screw and nut screw, recirculating ball screws or linear motors, not shown in the figures.

[0052] It is clear that the particular conformation of the horizontal 9 and lateral surfaces 10, 10 of the support structure 8 and their particular position with respect to the worktable 5, allow to avoid using devices for protecting the guide means 11 and/or the movement means 14 from being walked on by the staff, allowing improvement and cost-effectiveness in the construction, installation and maintenance of the machine.

[0053] As a matter of fact, it has been observed that the costs relating to excavation works to embed the support structures 8 in the floor P, while maintaining the horizontal surface 9 coplanar with that of the worktable 5, are much lower than those that would be needed for the installation and maintenance of the known means for protecting the guide means 11 and/or the movement means 14 from walking thereon by the staff.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, schematically shown in FIG. 4, the support structure 8 is monolithic and it comprises a polygonal, preferably rectangular, cross-section.

[0055] In this embodiment, the carriage 7 has a substantially inverted-U or inverted-Y cross section and with at least one side portion 18 facing the lateral surface 10, 10.

[0056] In an alternative embodiment of the machine 1, not shown in the figures, the support structure 8 may comprise a trapezoidal cross-section and the carriage 7 a substantially inverted-Y cross-section.

[0057] As better visible in FIGS. 2 and 3, the support structure 8 is spaced from the worktable 5.

[0058] Preferably, between the support structure 8 and the worktable 5 there is a gutter 19 for collecting processing chips, the gutter being suitable to be housed in a pit 20 arranged below the worktable 5.

[0059] Furthermore, the gutter 19 is preferably covered by a walkable grid 21 and the bottom of the gutter 19 may comprise means 22 for collecting and transporting the processing chips outside the working area.

[0060] Optionally, suitable scrapers or removal devices 23 adapted to remove any processing chips from the horizontal surface 9 and push them toward the gutter 19 or outside the working area of the machine 1 may be installed between each carriage 7 and the support structure 8.

[0061] Such scrapers or removal devices may be of the mechanical type and operative during the movement of the upright 2 along the respective support structure 8, as better shown in FIG. 4, or of the automatic and telescopic type.

[0062] In the light of the above it is clear that the gantry machine tool according to the invention achieves the pre-established objects and in particular it allows to increase the safety and accessibility for an operator of the machine while simultaneously decreasing installation and maintenance costs.

[0063] The machine according to the invention is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants all falling within the inventive concept outlined in the attached claims.

[0064] Even though the machine has been described with reference to the attached figures, the reference numbers utilised in the description and in the claims are meant for improving the intelligibility of the invention and thus do not limit the claimed scope of protection in any manner whatsoever.

[0065] Throughout the description, reference to an embodiment or the embodiment or some embodiments indicates that a particular characteristic, structure or element described is comprised in at least one embodiment of the object of the present invention.

[0066] Furthermore, the particular characteristics, structures or elements may be combined in any appropriate fashion in one or more embodiments.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0067] The present invention can be applicable at industrial level in that it can be produced in an industrial scale by industries belonging to the field of machine tools for industrial processing operations.