Tool tongs

Abstract

The invention relates to tool tongs for the releasable holding of a tool, for example in a machine tool. The invention is characterized in that the tool tongs are formed by a tongs basic element and a tongs clamping element interacting and connected with the tongs basic element, wherein in the tool holding position the tongs basic element and the tongs clamping element hold the tool clampingly at its gripping elements, wherein the tongs basic element and/or the tongs clamping element is/are formed of flat material or plate-like material, such as, for example, steel sheet or the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . Tool tongs provided for the releasable holding of a tool in a machine tool, wherein the tool tongs are formed by a tongs basic element and a tongs clamping element interacting and connected with the tongs basic element, wherein in the tool holding position the tongs basic element and the tongs clamping element hold the tool at its gripping elements, wherein the tongs basic element and the tongs clamping element is/are formed of inherently elastic flat material or plat-like inherently elastic material, such as for example steel sheet, wherein the tongs clamping element is put on the tongs basic element and is fastened there, and wherein an elastic deformation of the tongs clamping element is provided for releasing and/or clamping the tool. 
     
     
         2 . Tool tongs according to  claim 1 , wherein the tongs clamping element is formed of spring steel, and/or by applying a force on the tongs clamping element against the elasticity of the tongs element removes the end of the tongs clamping element facing the tool from the tongs basic element. 
     
     
         3 . Tool tongs according to  claim 1 , wherein at the tongs clamping element one, preferably two folding(s) is/are provided in which the tongs clamping element deforms elastically when a force or opening force is applied. 
     
     
         4 . Tool tongs according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one folding axle or folding edge is provided extending essentially rectangularly to a longitudinal axis of the tool, and/or folding area(s) are provided and the folding area(s) extend(s) rectangularly to the longitudinal axis of the tool. 
     
     
         5 . Tool tongs according to  claim 1 , wherein a tool holding position and a tool changing position of the tool tongs are provided, wherein the tool change position can be actively set or reached by applying or engaging a force and/or an opening force, and the tool holding position in the condition, when no force is applied, is set automatically, wherein in particular at least one drive is provided for generating the force or the opening force, and wherein in particular preferred the tool in the tool holding position is held form-fitting in the tool tongs and thus cannot be released from the tool tongs. 
     
     
         6 . Tool tongs according to  claim 1 , wherein for generating a force and/or an opening force at least one actuator, in particular a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, an electro-mechanic drive or a linear drive is provided, wherein preferably a first actuator is provided at the hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder as drive for generating the force, and a second actuator is provided at a spindle or a spindle head of the machine tool for interacting with a cam arranged at the tongs clamping element as drive for generating the force. 
     
     
         7 . Tool tongs according to  claim 1 , wherein the tongs basic element shows a larger thickness of material, in particular a material thickness that is three to five times larger, preferably four times larger than the tongs clamping, and/or the tongs basic element and/or the tongs clamping element has/have been manufactured by means of simple processing operations, such as, for example, cutting, welding and tearing, punching, laser machining or the like, from the flat or plate-like material, and/or the tongs basic element has on the side facing the tool a semi-circle- or one third of circle-like shaping as tool holder interrupted by at least one, preferably two position segment(s). 
     
     
         8 . Tool tongs according to  claim 1 , wherein a tool holder is provided and the tool holder is formed, seen in section, tapering wedge-like outwards or facing the tool in working position so it can engage in a circumference groove of the tool in the tool holding position, and/or the tongs clamping element is supported on the tongs basic element in at least one attachment spot, and/or the tongs basic element has a U-shaped recess on the side opposite the tool, so that on the outside two lateral webs form, at least one web forming an attachment spot, and/or a tongs joint is formed by at least one attachment spot each at the webs of the tongs basic element, and/or the tongs clamping element is slotted in mounted position preferably exactly corresponding with the edges of the U-shaped recess of the tongs basic element so that in the center a flap is formed which is arranged in the area of the U-shaped recess. 
     
     
         9 . Tool tongs according to  claim 1 , wherein the application of a force on the flap shifting the flap in the U-shaped recess so that the tongs clamping element is elastically deformed around a folding edge in a first and/or second folding area in such a way that the end of the tongs clamping element facing the tool moves away from the tongs basic element, and/or wherein at the tongs basic element between the tool holder and the attachment spot at least one penetration opening is provided that is covered on one side by the tongs clamping element, and the opening force acts on the tongs clamping element through the penetration opening so that the tongs clamping element deforms elastically around another folding edge or in the second folding area (B 2 ) in such a way that the end of the tongs clamping element facing the tool moves away from the tongs basic element, and/or the force and the opening force act in opposite directions. 
     
     
         10 . Tool tongs according to  claim 1 , wherein the tongs clamping element has a C-shaped clamping depression ( 20 ) on the side facing the tool, the outer ends ( 21 ,  22 ) of the depression being designed hook-like engaging in centering grooves ( 81 ,  82 ) of the tool in the tool holding position, and/or at the tongs clamping element at least one alignment edge ( 23 ) is provided engaging, when employed as intended, in an alignment corner ( 83 ) provided at the tool, and/or the tool is configured as metal-cutting tool or as measuring and tactile tool. 
     
     
         11 . Tool changer for putting a tool in or removing a tool from a holder, for example a tool holder of a working spindle of a machine tool, wherein the tool changer has at least one tool tongs according to  claim 1 , and a controlled drive is provided for positioning the tool tongs at the working spindle. 
     
     
         12 . Tool magazine in which a multitude of tools can be supplied removably, wherein the tool magazine has at least two pairs of tool tongs, provided for the releasable holding of a tool in a machine tool, wherein the tool tongs are formed by a tongs basic element and a tongs clamping element interacting and connected with the tongs basic element, wherein in the tool holding position the tongs basic element and the tongs clamping element hold the tool at its gripping elements, wherein the tongs basic element and the tongs clamping element is/are formed of inherently elastic flat material or plat-like inherently elastic material, such as for example steel sheet, wherein the tongs clamping element is put on the tongs basic element and is fastened there, and wherein an elastic deformation of the tongs clamping element is provided for releasing and/or clamping the tool. 
     
     
         13 . Tool magazine according to  claim 12 , wherein a tongs carrier, in particular a carrier plate or a circulating tape or chain is provided carrying a multitude of single, each time independently arranged tool tongs, and/or the tool magazine has a tongs basic element plate on which at least two tongs basic elements are arranged in one piece, and the tool magazine has a tongs clamping elements plate on which at least two tongs clamping elements are arranged in one piece, and the tongs basic element plate and the tongs clamping element plate are arranged to and connected with each other such that at least two tool tongs result. 
     
     
         14 . Tool magazine according to  claim 12 , wherein a tongs basic element plate and a tongs clamping element plate are provided and the tongs basic element plate and the tongs clamping element plate are designed contour-like, and/or the tongs basic element plate and the tongs clamping element plate are designed ring- or disc-like, and/or the tongs basic element plate and the tongs clamping element plate consist of plate-like, each time evenly thick material from which the single tongs basic elements and tongs clamping elements, respectively, are worked out by cutting, punching or metal cutting machining. 
     
     
         15 . Tool magazine according to  claim 12 , wherein a tongs basic element plate and a tongs clamping element plate are provided and the tongs basic element plate carries a multitude of tongs clamping elements, wherein preferably the tongs basic element plate is designed contour-like, so that at least one, preferably a multitude of tongs basic elements is worked out, at least one, preferably a multitude of single tongs clamping elements is fastened to the tongs basic element plate congruently or correspondingly on the shaped tongs basic elements, so that one or more tool tong(s) is/are formed, and/or as fastening means for a releasable, fixed definition of the attachment spots one screw, bolt or the like each is provided, and/or the tongs clamping element(s) can be exchanged each time separately.