"Chip suction and removal device" DESCRIPTION From a more general aspect, the subject of the present invention is a chip suction and removal device that can be associated with a machine for machining parts.

According to a particular aspect, the present invention relates to a machine for machining parts, such as, for example, parts that must be machined at the ends to form a tenon and/or corresponding seats or mortices.

In the latter case it is a question, for example, of parts for furniture such as slats, arms, and also components of chairs, armchairs, frames and the like.

According to a further aspect, the present invention relates to a work centre for the machining of parts, for example for furniture and the like, which allows the simultaneous machining of the ends of the part itself.

A known type of machine for machining parts substantially comprises a head equipped with a rotating tool. Said head is mounted on a support member which can traverse along three axes to assume a position relative to the workpiece.

The aforesaid head further has a structure such as to be able to rotate with respect to the support member

on which the head itself is mounted.

As is known, during the machining of the parts by means of a tool, for example a milling cutter or a bit, a specific quantity of material is cut away with the formation of chips which must be removed from the work area.

In this field there is therefore a particular requirement to. remove the chips which are formed during machining, following the rotational movement of the head and without introducing particular structural complications into the machine.

The problem underlying the present invention is that of proposing a chip suction and removal device, a machine and a work centre for the machining of parts which have structural and functional characteristics such as to fulfil the aforesaid requirements.

Said problem is solved by means of a chip suction and removal device that can be associated with a machine for machining parts which is provided with at least one support member and with a head rotating about an axis with respect to said support member, according to claim 1.

Similarly, the technical problem is solved by means of the provision of a machine according to claim 8 and of a work centre according to claim 9.

Further characteristics and advantages of the device according to the invention will become clear from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment thereof, provided by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a machine according to the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a detail of the head of the machine in Figure 1 in a different operating state; Figure 3 shows, in partially sectional perspective view, the detail of Figure 2 in a further operating state.

With reference to the aforesaid drawings, 10 indicates as a whole a machine for machining parts, and in particular a machine for machining the ends of parts for furniture, such as slats, arms, and also components of chairs, armchairs, frames and the like.

Said machine 10 comprises a base 12, or a frame, provided with longitudinal members 14 supporting first parallel slideways, defining a first axis (X-X) of movement.

A carriage 16 is coupled by means of sliding blocks to said first slideways. The carriage 16 is operably

connected to motor means supported by the base 12. For example, a motor of the type known as"brushless"is keyed directly to a screw received in a ball bearing nut screw fixed to the underside of the carriage 18. Said motor means are operably connected to an actuating device operated in a controlled manner. For example, there is operably connected to the motor means a feedback position transducer with a numerical control device operably connected to said actuating device.

A column 18 rises vertically from the carriage 16 and has on one side second parallel slideways, defining a second axis (Z-Z) of movement, perpendicular to said axis (X-X). The column 18 has, for example, a C-shaped cross-section. The opening formed by the arms of the C receives the service devices of the machine 10 and the motor means of the upper axes described hereinafter.

A saddle cross 20 is provided, operably connected to the column 18 and able to traverse along the aforesaid second axis (Z-Z).

A support member 22 is associated with the saddle cross 20 in a substantially known manner such as to allow the support member itself to be able to traverse along a third axis (Y-Y) of movement perpendicular both to the axis (X-X) and the axis (Z-Z).

The saddle cross 20 is operably connected to

further motor means, for example motors of the type known as"brushless", keyed to screws received in ball bearing nut screws fixed to the inner side of the opening of the C-shaped column. Said motor means are operably connected to the actuating device operated in a controlled manner.

A machining head, indicated as a whole by the reference 24, is mounted on the support member 22 so as to be able to rotate about a first positioning axis (A- A) parallel to the axis (X-X).

The head 24 comprises a yoke 26 having an axis of symmetry coinciding, for example, with the first positioning axis (A-A) of the head itself.

Motor means, not illustrated, are operably connected to the yoke so as to regulate the angular position thereof about the first positioning axis (A-A).

Said motor means are also operably connected to the actuating device and feedback is provided by means of a position transducer to the numerical control device.

Internally and adjacent to the free end of shoulders 28, the yoke 26 has grooves suitable for slidably receiving cradle or sector guides 30. Said cradle guides 30 slide in the grooves of the shoulders 28 so as to swing about a second positioning axis, not illustrated, parallel to the axis (Y-Y) and orthogonal

to the first axis (A-A) for positioning of the yoke 26.

To this end, the cradle guides 30 are operably connected to motor means, not illustrated, fixed to a shoulder 28 of the yoke 26. Said motor means may, for example, comprise a self-braking motor of the type known as"brushless", operably connected to the actuating device and with feedback by means of a position transducer to the numerical control device.

An electro-chuck 32 is connected to the cradle guides 30 and receives a tool 34, for example a milling cutter for producing tenons or mortices, or a drill bit ; and also a polishing pad.

Around the tool 34 a casing 36 is provided, comprising a rigid wall 38 from which extends a flexible portion 40, for example produced in the shape of a brush.

The rigid wall 38 has a coupling portion 42 to which is fitted one end of a flexible type suction pipe 44.

An outer cylindrical wall 46 is mounted on the support member 22, coaxially with the axis of rotation of the head 24.

Said cylindrical wall has a diameter greater than the transverse overall dimension of the head 24 and in particular of the yoke 26. The reference 47 indicates a

tubular portion which extends substantially in a tangential direction from the cylindrical wall 46.

A cover 48, consisting of a disk associated with the yoke 26, is fitted to close the outer cylindrical wall 46. Suitable sealing means are provided between the cover and the outer cylindrical wall.

The aforesaid cover 48 has an aperture from the edge of which extends a corresponding coupling portion 50 for one of the ends of the suction pipe 44. The latter is then fitted to the rotating head-by one of its ends rigidly connected to the casing 36 and the other end rigidly connected to the cover 48.

The cylindrical wall 46, the cover 48 and the wall of the support member 22 define a suction chamber 52, having a structure substantially symmetrical with respect to the axis (A-A) of rotation of the head 24.

More generally, the outer cylindrical wall 46 and the wall of the support member 22 define first walls rigidly connected to the support member itself, while the cover 48 forms part of second walls rigidly connected to the head 24 in its rotational motion about the axis (A-A).

The suction pipe 44 is then mounted on the rotating head 24 so as to place the casing 36 and the suction chamber 52 in communication.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the rotating head 24 extends inside the suction chamber 52 as far as the support member 22 to receive the rotational motion of the motor means housed inside it.

Finally, 54 indicates a removal pipe fitted to the coupling portion 50 and therefore in communication with the suction chamber 52.

Said removal pipe connects the suction chamber 52 to suction means and to chip collecting means, not illustrated.

The suction pipe 44, the chamber 52 and the removal pipe 54 constitute the elements of a chip suction and removal device that can be associated with a machine 10, for example of the type for machining ends of parts.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, two machines 10 are provided for machining the ends of parts, arranged opposite each other so as to act simultaneously on the two ends of the part, constituting a work centre. The two machines 10 are advantageously slidably arranged on the same frame or base. Each of the two machines 10 may advantageously provide a device for suction and removal of chips produced by the head when machining the part.

The operation of the machine 10, of the work centre and of the chip suction and removal device is described

below with reference to the drawings.

With the part locked in a working position, the machine 10 is moved along the axis (X-X) so as to bring the head 30 in proximity to the work area.

The positioning of the tool is effected by regulating the position of the electro-chuck by means of the rotation (or yaw) of the yoke about the first positioning axis (A-A) and the swing (or pitch) of the cradle guides about the second positioning axis.

With the tool arranged in the predetermined direction, owing to the controlled movement of the three orthogonal axes (X-X, Z-Z, Y-Y) it is possible to move the saddle cross and the carriage so as to move the tool along the desired path.

The machining of both ends of the part may take place at the same time owing to the provision in the work centre of the two opposed machines 10 operating simultaneously.

During the machining of the part, the chips are conveyed into the casing, drawn off through the suction pipe 44 and the chamber 52 to be discharged through the removal pipe 54.

As illustrated in the drawings, the suction device is such as to adapt to the angular position of the head, following the movement. In fact, the suction pipe 44

has both ends mounted on elements rigidly connected to the machining head during its rotational motion about the axis (A-A).

From the suction chamber 52, the chips are removed through the removal pipe 54.

From the above it will be appreciated that one of the principal advantages of the invention is provided by the fact that the suction device allows efficient removal of the chips from the work area, following the head in all its movements.

Furthermore, owing to the structure of the means for support and movement of the head, and to the structure of the head itself, the machine of the invention proves to be extremely flexible, making it possible to execute all the machining of the ends of parts with a notable variety in the shapes that can be obtained, for example milling and in particular tenoning and morticing of any form or shape, grooving, and also drilling and polishing.

Said flexibility is also ensured by the presence of the device according to the invention which follows the head in its machining movements. In particular, the presence of the suction chamber which surrounds the head makes it possible to keep down the overall dimensions and avoid the presence round the tool of long and bulky

pipes suitable for the removal of the chips which are generated round the rotating head.

It is clear that variants and/or additions to what is described and illustrated above may be provided. In particular, the aforesaid machine is provided for the machining of ends of wooden parts, but may also be provided for different machining operations.

A person skilled in the art, in order to fulfil contingent and specific requirements, may apply to the preferred embodiment of the suction and removal device described above numerous modifications, adaptations and substitution of elements with other functionally equivalent elements, without however departing from the scope of the following claims.