Loading system for a machining station

Abstract

The invention refers, among others, to a loading system for a machining station which machines on work pieces, the loading system having a loading device which interacts with a pallet carrying the work piece. Several swivelling levers are arranged on the loading device in a way that they can be driven. The pallet is held by several swivelling levers on the gripping device.

1 . Gripping device serving for gripping goods like work pieces or pallets carrying work pieces, and the gripping device having a gripping drive, which operates swivelling levers in such a way that they engage in a first position in gripping pockets or undercuts of the good in a holding way and that they are swivelled out of them in a second position and release the good in such a way that good and gripping device can move relatively toward each other in one plane.  
   
   
       2 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the plane is rectangular to a connection line ( 46 ) between the good ( 4 ) and the gripping device ( 6 ).  
   
   
       3 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the plane is parallel to a contact surface ( 47 ) between the good ( 4 ) and the gripping device ( 6 ).  
   
   
       4 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the swivelling axis ( 69 ) of the swivelling levers is parallel to the plane.  
   
   
       5 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the good ( 4 ) and the gripping device ( 6 ) can be moved toward each other without collision.  
   
   
       6 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the distance of the swivelling levers ( 60 ) is smaller than the external dimension of the good ( 4 ).  
   
   
       7 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the swivelling levers ( 60 ) interact coming from the same side with the respective gripping pockets ( 40 ) and undercuts of the good ( 4 ).  
   
   
       8 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the distance of the swivelling axes ( 69 ) of the swivelling levers ( 60 ) is smaller than the external dimension of the good ( 4 ).  
   
   
       9 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the gripping device ( 6 ) has a contact plate ( 68 ) and the external surface of the good ( 4 ) sits close to the contact plate ( 68 ) in the first position.  
   
   
       10 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the turning levers ( 60 ) are arranged on shafts ( 62 ), and the gripping drive ( 61 ) drives the shafts ( 62 ) in an opposite direction, preferably two swivelling levers ( 60 ) being arranged per shaft ( 62 ) and two shafts ( 62 ) being arranged.  
   
   
       11 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the swivelling levers ( 60 ) are arranged on shafts ( 62 ) and the gripping drive ( 61 ) has a slider ( 63 ) acting on the shafts ( 62 ) which is driven via a self-locking gear, in particular a knuckle joint arrangement ( 64 ) by a working cylinder, and/or the gripping device ( 6 ) is designed self-locking in such a way that the good ( 4 ) is not separated from the gripping device even when the gripping drive breaks down.  
   
   
       12 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the good ( 4 ) is supported for the time being on a support ( 7 ), in particular a conveying line or the like, and, after the gripping device ( 6 ) has taken hold of the good ( 4 ), the support ( 7 ) and/or the gripping device is moved away.  
   
   
       13 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that, before the gripping device ( 6 ) releases the good ( 4 ), at least one support ( 7 ) for the good ( 4 ) is positioned, preferably below the good ( 4 ).  
   
   
       14 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the good ( 4 ) is suspended from the gripping device ( 6 ) or stands on the gripping device.  
   
   
       15 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the swivelling levers ( 60 ) are swivelled relatively to the good ( 4 ), in order to hold the good ( 4 ), each time toward the edge of the good, in particular from the inside to the outside.  
   
   
       16 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the gripping device ( 6 ) can be moved by a running carriage ( 24 ), in particular with a running carriage drive, in a guide ( 21 ).  
   
   
       17 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the gripping device has a running carriage and the gripping device ( 6 ) with the picked up good is located with a running carriage drive below or above the running carriage ( 24 ).  
   
   
       18 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the gripping device has a running carriage and the gripping device ( 6 ) projects over the running carriage in particular with the picked up good ( 4 ).  
   
   
       19 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the gripping device ( 6 ) is narrower than the good/the pallet ( 4 ).  
   
   
       20 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the gripping device has a running carriage with a running carriage drive and the opening and closing movement of a door ( 90 ) closing the machining station is derived from the running carriage drive ( 20 ) or from the movement of the running carriage ( 24 ).  
   
   
       21 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the gripping device ( 6 ) is part of an elevator or a turntable.  
   
   
       22 . Gripping device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that a pallet carrying the work piece or a work piece is provided as good ( 4 ).  
   
   
       23 . Good, for example a pallet carrying the work piece or a work piece for interaction with a gripping device, the good having at least gripping pockets or undercuts, which interact with the swivelling levers of the gripping device, characterised in that the gripping pockets/undercuts ( 40 ) are located on one side of the good ( 4 ).  
   
   
       24 . Good according to  claim 23 , characterised in that the gripping pocket/undercut ( 40 ) is located on the side of the good facing the gripping device ( 6 ).  
   
   
       25 . Good according to  claim 23 , characterised in that the good ( 4 ) is designed as pallet and the work piece can be mounted on the pallet.  
   
   
       26 . Good according to  claim 23 , characterised in that the planes of the undercuts/gripping pockets ( 40 ) of the good, respectively the pallet ( 4 ), the planes interacting with the swivelling lever ( 60 ) of the gripping device, are parallel or at an sharp angle to an external plane, in particular one facing the gripping device ( 6 ).  
   
   
       27 . Good according to  claim 23 , characterised in that the gripping pockets ( 40 ), respectively the undercuts, are arranged, respectively accessible, on the side of the pallet ( 4 ) opposing the work piece ( 8 ).  
   
   
       28 . Good according to  claim 23 , characterised in that the gripping pockets ( 40 ), respectively the undercuts, are shaped by recesses of the good.  
   
   
       29 . Good according to  claim 23 , characterised in that the good, in particular the pallet ( 4 ), is designed like a case or a frame ( 41 ), and the internal edge of the case, respectively the frame ( 41 ) forms at least section-wise the undercut, respectively the gripping pocket ( 40 ).  
   
   
       30 . Loading system for a machining station which machines on work pieces, the loading system having a gripping device, which interacts with a good, for example a work piece directly or a pallet carrying the good, characterized in that the gripping device ( 6 ) can be positioned relatively to the pallet/the good ( 4 ) in such a way that the swivelling levers ( 60 ) of the gripping device can engage in undercuts/gripping pockets ( 40 ) in the surface ( 48 ) of the pallet/the good ( 4 ) which faces the gripping device ( 6 ).  
   
   
       31 . Loading system according to  claim 30 , characterised in that the swivelling levers ( 60 ) grip the good, respectively the pallet ( 4 ), from above.  
   
   
       32 . Loading system according to  claim 30 , characterized in that the good is suspended from the gripping device.  
   
   
       33 . Loading system according to  claim 30 , characterised in that the good ( 4 ) is, for the time being, supported by a support ( 7 ), in particular a conveying line, and the interaction of the swivelling levers ( 60 ) with the good ( 4 ), in particular on the inclined edge of the good ( 4 ), lifts the good ( 4 ) slightly, and, after that, the support and/or the gripping device is moved away.  
   
   
       34 . Loading system according to  claim 30 , characterized in that the good is, for the time being, supported on a support, and the support ( 7 ), respectively the conveying line, can be moved away in a horizontal plane.  
   
   
       35 . Loading system according to  claim 30 , characterized in that the good is, for the time being, supported on a support, and at least a part of the support ( 7 ), for example a roller conveyor ( 72 ) of the conveyor line can be moved away, in particular swivelled away, in a plane orientated essentially horizontally.  
   
   
       36 . Method for loading a machining station with a work piece, the work piece being held by a gripping device directly below or indirectly by a pallet, the gripping device having swivelling levers, which hold the work piece/pallet, and the work piece/pallet being conveyed in a clamping device, in particular the machining station, by the gripping device, and the clamping device having at least one holding device which interacts with the edge of the pallet or work piece, afterwards the holding device and the pallet, respectively the work piece moving relatively toward each other, in particular lifting it, that the pallet/the work piece sits close at least to the holding device, afterwards the pallet/the work piece being clamped and eventually the swivelling levers being swivelled outside and becoming disengaged with the pallet/the work piece.  
   
   
       37 . Method according to  claim 36 , characterized in that the movement of the holding device is derived from the movement of the work piece sledge of the machining station.  
   
   
       38 . Method according to  claim 36 , characterised in that the gripping device deposits the work piece on the holding device or picks it up.  
   
   
       39 . Method for unloading a machining station with a work piece, the swivelling levers of a gripping device engaging in the pallet or the work piece clamped by the clamping device of the machining station in order to hold it, afterwards the clamping device being released, and then at least one holding device of the clamping device being moved, in particular being lowered, in such a way that the gripping device carries the work piece either directly or indirectly by a pallet, and after that the gripping device conveying the pallet/the work piece out of the machining station.  
   
   
       40 . Method according to  claim 39 , characterised in that the movement of the holding device is derived from the movement of the work piece sledge of the machining station.  
   
   
       41 . Method according to  claim 39 , characterised in that the gripping device deposits the work piece on the holding device or picks it up.