Rotatable multispindle drill head - has outer locking sleeve enabling drill head to be rotated by programmed movement against stop

摘要

Existing multi-spindle drill heads used on machining centres can be translated from point-to-point on the work but the drilling patterns cannot be rotated. In a representative form of the invention the housing (19) of the drill head has a cylindrical extension (21) through which passes the input drive shaft (22). Rotatable on the extension (21) is a sleeve (29) which has next to it a friction disk (39) secured to the extension. The sleeve and extension are normally locked against relative rotation by the pressure of a spring loaded bolt (36) bearing against the friction disk. When the drill head is inserted in the spindle nose a torque reaction pin (18) on the machine frame pushes back a spindle locking pin (33) and prevents rotation of the sleeve (29) and housing (19). However, the housing can be released by bringing the bolt (36) against a stop (43) on the machine frame. A toothed disk (42) also engages with the stop (43) and by programmed movements along the machine axes the drill head can be rotated a required amount. USE/ADVANTAGE - A computer drill head fitting into a conventional magazine can be used to produce a variety of complex hole patterns.