Abstract:
A LARGE MACHINE TOOL HAVING A BED, AND AN UPRIGHT EXTENDING ABOVE THE BED, THE UPRIGHT CARRYING VERTICAL GUIDEWAYS FOR A SLIDE WHICH CARRIERS HORIZONTAL GUIDEWAYS FOR A WORKHEAD. THE WORKHEAD IS ADAPTED TO CARRY A RANGE OF DIFFERENT ATTACHMENTS. IN ORDER TO RELIEVE THE GUIDEWAYS, AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE SLIDE, THE WORKHEAD AND ITS ATTACHMENTS, THE SLIDE IS SUSPENDED, BY A PULLEY SYSTEM, FROM THE TOP OF THE UPRIGHT, A COUNTERBALANCING HYDRAULIC ACTUATOR BEING PROVIDED ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE UPRIGHT, THE WORKHEAD IS MOUNTED ON AN INTERMEDIATE MEMBER WHICH IS SUSPENDED IN THE SAME WAY AS THE SLIDE, THE INTERMEDIATE MEMBER CARRIERS A TRACK ALONG WHICH THE WORKHEAD CAN SLIDE, THE TRACK IS CURVED IN A VERTICAL PLANE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE EXTENSION OF THE CABLES AS THE WORKHEAD MOVES ALONG THE HORIZONTAL GUIDEWAYS OF THE SLIDE. A CAM AND FOLLOWER ARRANGEMENT IS PROVIDED CO COMPENSATE FOR THE SHIFT IN THE CENTER OF GRAVITY AS DIFFERENT ATTACHMENTS ARE CONNECTED TO THE WORKHEAD.
Abstract:
A device having a lead screw and a grooved block the grooves of which form a threaded portion for cooperation with the thread of the lead screw. The lead screw has internal passages with outlets at the thread faces for supplying a hydrostatic support fluid, such as a lubricating oil, to the interface between cooperating threads. The side walls of the grooves have recesses into which the hydrostatic support fluid can flow from the said passageways. A distributor valve is provided for supplying the hydrostatic fluid only to the passageways which at any time are communicating with the recesses in the grooved block.
Abstract:
A tool-carrying part of a machine tool is supported to prevent lateral displacement and vibration of the part in operation by a number of support elements which are displaceable radially in unison under the action of fluid pressure to engage a supporting surface of, for example, a workpiece bore. The support elements do not exert a resultant lateral force on the machine tool part, and moreover any lateral displacement or vibration of said part at a speed in excess of a predetermined speed is effectively damped by the reaction of the support elements.