Pneumatic tool-sensing system for machine tool

Claim 2

A pneumatic toolholder-sensing system for a machine toolhead including a spindle rotatably mounted in a quill and a toolholder for mounting in engagement with a bore in said spindle in a predetermined radially aligned position, wherein the improvement comprises a pressure source, a passageway connected between said source and said bore, an aperture through said spindle proximate its engagement with said holder, said aperture communicating to a lower pressure level, a peripheral groove portion in said holder alignable between said bore and said aperture, and a pressureresponsive means operatively connected to said passageway for providing an output signal responsive to pressure increase of a magnitude indicating the alignment of said groove portion with said aperture and, accordingly, of said toolholder with said spindle.

Claim 3

The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein a single-point tool is fixed in said holder and wherein a switching means is operatively connected between said head and said spindle for providing a single output defining its point orientation relative to the axis of said head.

Claim 4

The combination as set forth in claim 1 in which said pressure-responsive means comprises a pair of pressure-responsive switches, both operatively connected to said passageway, the first of said switches operable responsive to medium pressure level in said passage, the second of said switches operable responsive to relatively high pressure level in said passageway wherein an output from both said switches indicates the misalignment of said toolholder and said spindle, wherein an output from said first switch indicates alignment of said toolholder and said spindle, and wherein an output from neither of aid switches indicates absence of said holder from said spindle.

Claim 5

The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said passageway includes a conduit coupled between said source and said quill, said conduit external thereto, said aperture communicating between said bore and ambient pressure.

Claim 6

The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said toolholder includes a pair of radial lobes spaced substantially 180* one from the other and wherein said spindle includes a pair of like-spaced slots for containing said lobes and a cam portion mounted in alignment with one of said slots for operating said switching means.

Claim 7

In a machine toolhead including a quill, a spindle mounted thereon for rotation, said spindle having a longitudinal bore therein, and a toolholder pressure fitted to a surface of said bore in said spindle, a pneumatic sensing system for checking for the presence of said toolholder in said spindle and for its alignment to a predetermined radial relationship with respect to said bore, said system comprising a constant pressure source coupled to said bore, an aperture communicating between a point on said surface and ambient pressure, a groove portion formed in the periphery of said holder alignable between said bore and said aperture in said predetermined relationship, and pressure-responsive means operatively connected to the output of said source for providing an output signal representative of pressure change, indicating alignment in said relationship.

Claim 8

In a machine toolhead including a quill, a spindle mounted thereon for rotation, said spindle having a longitudinal bore therein, and a toolholder pressure fitted to a surface of said bore in said spindle, a pneumatic sensing system for checking for the presence of said toolholder in said spindle and for its alignment to a predetermined radial relationship with respect to said bore, said system comprising a constant pressure source coupled to said bore, an aperture communicating between a point on said surface and ambient pressure, a groove portion formed in the periphery of said holder alignable between said bore and said aperture in said predetermined relationship, and pressure-responsive means operatively connected to the output of said source for providing an output signal representative of pressure change, indicating alignment in said relationship.

Claim 9

The combination as set forth in claim 6 wherein a tool having a single point is mounted in said toolholder and wherein an additional means is operatively connected between said machine toolhead and said spindle for predetermining the orientation of said point and said holder relative to a defined axis of said machine toolhead.

Claim 10

The combination as set forth in claim 7 wherein said spindle includes a pair of radial slots, said toolholder including a pair of radial lobes engageable in said slots and wherein said additional means includes a cam fixed to said spindle in radial alignment with said slot, and a switch operable by said cam, said switch operator mounted on said machine toolhead along said axis.

Claim 11

In a machine tool having a support member and a spindle rotatably mounted thereon, a holder adapted to hold a member for machining operations, said spindle having a bore for engaging said holder and said member in predetermined radial position relative to said spindle, a pneumatic sensing system for sensing for the presence of said holder in said bore and for its registration in said radial position therein comprising, a pressure source, a conduit connected between said source and said bore, an aperture formed in said spindle between a point in its surface engaging said holder and ambient pressure, a groove portion formed in the periphery of said holder alignable between said bore and said aperture in said predetermined radial position, and a pressure-responsive means operatively connected to said conduit for providing an output signal responsive to pressure rise of a magnitude indicative of alignment of said groove portion with said aperture.

Claim 12

In a machine tool having a support member and a spindle rotatably mounted thereon, a holder adapted to hold a member for machining operations, said spindle having a bore for engaging said holder and said member in predetermined radial position relative to said spindle, a pneumatic sensing system for sensing for the presence of said holder in said bore and for its registration in said radial position therein comprising, a pressure source, a conduit connected between said source and said bore, an aperture formed in said spindle between a point in its surface engaging said holder and ambient pressure, a groove portion formed in the periphery of said holder alignable between said bore and said aperture in said predetermined radial position, and a pressure-responsive means operatively connected to said conduit for providing an output signal responsive to pressure rise of a magnitude indicative of alignment of said groove portion with said aperture.

Claim 13

The combination as set forth in claim 9 in which said pressure-responsive means comprises a pair of pressure-responsive switches, the first of said switches operable responsive to rise to medium pressure level in said conduit, the second of said switches operable responsive to rise to high pressure level in said conduit, wherein coincidence of output from said switches indicates misalignment of said holder and said spindle, wherein an output from said first switch indicates alignment of said holder and said spindle, and wherein failure of output from both said switches indicates absence of said holder form said spindle.

Claim 14

In a machine toolhead including a quill, a spindle mounted therein for rotation, said spindle having a tapered bore for receiving a toolholder therein, a pneumatic sensing system for checking for the presence of said tool holder in said bore and for its alignment to a predetermined radial relationship therewith, said system comprising a relatively low pressure constant pressure source, a conduit coupled between the output of said source and said quill, a passageway connected to said conduit and extending through said quill and said spindle to the closed end of said bore, a groove portion of said toolholder substantially axial with the body of said holder, an aperture in said spindle alignable with said groove portion in said predetermined radial relationship, said aperture extending through said spindle to atmosphere, and a pair of pressure responsive electrical switches operatively connected to said conduit and operable to provide an output signal responsive to pressure rise to a first or a second level of magnitude.

Claim 15

In a machine toolhead including a quill, a spindle mounted therein for rotation, said spindle having a tapered bore for receiving a toolholder therein, a pneumatic sensing system for checking for the presence of said tool holder in said bore and for its alignment to a predetermined radial relationship therewith, said system comprising a relatively low pressure constant pressure source, a conduit coupled between the output of said source and said quill, a passageway connected to said conduit and extending through said quill and said spindle to the closed end of said bore, a groove portion of said toolholder substantially axial with the body of said holder, an aperture in said spindle alignable with said groove portion in said predetermined radial relationship, said aperture extending through said spindle to atmosphere, and a pair of pressure responsive electrical switches operatively connected to said conduit and operable to provide an output signal responsive to pressure rise to a first or a second level of magnitude.

Claim 16

The combination as set forth in claim 11 wherein said pair of switches are operable responsive to pressures of intermediate and high levels, respectively and wherein operation of said first switch indicates presence and alignment in said predetermined radial relationship Of said holder and wherein operation of said second switch indicates mounting of said holder in said spindle but outside said predetermined radial relationship.

Claim 17

The combination as set forth in claim 11 in which said toolholder further includes a pair of radial lobes registerable with a corresponding pair of radial slots formed in said spindle.

Claim 18

In a machine toolhead including a quill, spindle mounted therein for rotation, said spindle having a tapered longitudinal bore for receiving a toolholder therein, a pneumatic sensing system for checking for the presence of said toolholder in said bore and for its alignment to a predetermined radial position therewith, said system comprising a constant pressure source, a conduit coupled between the output of said source and said quill, a passageway extending through said quill and said spindle to the closed end of said bore, a groove portion of said toolholder substantially axial with the body of said holder, an aperture in said spindle alignable with said groove portion in said predetermined position, said aperture extending through said spindle to atmosphere, and switching means operatively connected to said conduit responsive to change of pressure for providing an output signal representative of said alignment.

Claim 19

In a machine toolhead including a quill, spindle mounted therein for rotation, said spindle having a tapered longitudinal bore for receiving a toolholder therein, a pneumatic sensing system for checking for the presence of said toolholder in said bore and for its alignment to a predetermined radial position therewith, said system comprising a constant pressure source, a conduit coupled between the output of said source and said quill, a passageway extending through said quill and said spindle to the closed end of said bore, a groove portion of said toolholder substantially axial with the body of said holder, an aperture in said spindle alignable with said groove portion in said predetermined position, said aperture extending through said spindle to atmosphere, and switching means operatively connected to said conduit responsive to change of pressure for providing an output signal representative of said alignment.