Abstract: A tool storage drum which is adapted to receive and store a plurality of toolholders is rotatably mounted on top of the upright of a horizontal machining center behind the spindle thereof. A tool changer carriage carrying a tool change arm is pivotally mounted on the upright above the spindle and is pivotable between a parked position in which an end of the tool changer arm is adjacent to the tool storage drum and an exchange position in which an end of the tool changer arm is adjacent to the spindle. The tool changer arm is slidably mounted on the carriage for movement between an extended and a retracted position to remove toolholders from their sockets or insert them therein and is rotatable through 180.degree. to interchange its ends for the purpose of exchanging a tool in the spindle for a tool previously removed from the tool storage drum.

Abstract: Two pairs of crossed tool change arms are mounted adjacent to four spindles which are rotatably mounted on a common spindlehead. Each pair of crossed tool change arms is mounted on a common shaft which is rotatable and is movable along its axis and is positioned to simultaneously insert a pair of tools into or remove a pair of tools from the corresponding pair of spindles. A tool storage chain carrying a plurality of tool storage sockets is movably mounted on a frame in position to interact with the tool change arms which are operable to transfer tools from the tool storage sockets to the spindles and vice versa. Each tool storage socket is pivotally mounted for movement between a vertical storage position and a horizontal tool change position. Four tool storage sockets are pivoted from the vertical storage position to the horizontal tool change position for each tool change operation.

Abstract: An extendable spout for a container formed of blown plastic in which the top of the container is formed of convoluted plastic which may be nested into the container. This eliminates the protruding spout when the container is being shipped to save the space but the spout may be extended from the container by expanding the convolutions to form a convenient pouring spout or funnel. The bottom of the container is likewise formed of convoluted plastic and the convolutions expand for extending the bottom into the container to compensate for the volume added to the container by the spout when the latter is extended.

Abstract: A rotary table is driven by a pair of perpendicularly disposed linear slides which are each driven by a ballscrew drive. One of the linear slides is mounted on the movable member of the other linear slide and is coupled to the rotary table by a crank stud. The linear slides are driven at speeds which vary in accordance with the sine and cosine of the table angle to translate the linear slide motion into rotary motion.

Abstract: The feed rate of a computer controlled machine tool is periodically calculated every 9.6 milliseconds to produce a horsepower equal to a target horsepower at the cutting tool during a milling operation. When the feed rate rises above a predetermined level, the target horsepower is progressively lowered, and when the feed rate drops below a predetermined level, the target horsepower is progressively raised. The total amount of cutting time for each tool is measured and the amount of cutting time under increased target horsepower is also measured. When the amount of cutting time under increased target horsepower exceeds a predetermined percentage of the total cutting time for any given tool, a DULL TOOl signal is generated and the designated tool is subsequently replaced. If no cutting time is recorded, a BROKEN TOOL signal is generated and the broken tool is replaced.

Abstract: A Drawbolt is rotatably mounted within the spindle of a machine tool to secure a toolholder to a socket in the front end of the spindle. First and second spur gears are formed on the rear end of the spindle and drawbolt, respectively, and are positioned side by side. The two spur gears are equal in diameter, but have differing numbers of teeth. A planetary gear cage surrounds the spur gears and has pinion gears which are meshed with both spur gears. The planetary gear cage is attached to the armature of an electric motor which, when energized, rotates the cage and thus causes rotation of the drawbolt at a reduced speed. The speed reduction depends on the difference in the number of teeth in the two spur gears. The armature is axially shiftable to move a locking ring on the planetary gear cage into and out of engagement with the spur gear on the spindle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transferring digital data between a mass memory and a random access memory. The mass memory has a plurality of memory loops, each having a plurality of memory cells, and a read/write device which either outputs data from the memory cells or inputs data to the memory cells. Each memory cell is identified by an address that specifies its place in the loop sequence starting from a reference cell. A loop position counter is set at zero when the reference cell of the selected memory loop is at the read/write device. The loop position counter is advanced by one count each time the next memory cell in the sequence is moved into operative relationship with the read/write device. Transfer of data between the mass memory and the random access memory is accomplished without any delay under the control of a random access memory address counter which is synchronized with the loop position counter.

Abstract: The spindle head of a gantry type vertical spindle machining center is slidably mounted on a spindle base which is pivotally mounted on the saddle for rocking movement about a horizontal axis to cause the axis of the spindle to tilt from the vertical. A tool storage magazine is mounted on the spindle base and is tiltable along with the spindle to enable toolholders to be transferred between the spindle and tool storage magazine at any spindle tilt angle. A tool changer arm is mounted on the tool storage magazine for transferring tools between the spindle and the tool storage magazine.

Abstract: A numerically controlled machining center has a tool magazine, automatic tool changer, workpiece shuttle, and a workpiece magazine which holds enough workpieces for operation by the machining center for an entire shift of approximately eight hours. The numerical controls are programmed to perform predetermined machining operations on each workpiece, in turn, and to replace each finished workpiece with a fresh workpiece at the end of each machining program. A proximity switch is mounted on the machining center for checking tools to detect broken or incorrect tools. The tools are positioned adjacent to the proximity switch and are rotated while the output of the proximity switch is counted for one complete rotation of the tool to determine the number of radially extending teeth on the tool. If the tool has too few or too many teeth, thus indicating a broken or incorrect tool, it is replaced by another tool of the same type.

Abstract: The bed and upright of a machine tool are made of structural steel tubes which are welded together to form unitary structures. Each of the structural steel tubes is substantially rectangular in cross-sectional shape.

Abstract: The worktable and pallet shuttle of a machine tool are driven by a common motor which is mounted on the worktable base. The motor is coupled to the worktable by gears which engage when the worktable is raised to be indexed and disengage when the worktable is lowered. The motor is coupled to the pallet shuttle by gears which engage when the worktable base is moved into the shuttle position and disengage when the worktable base is moved out of the shuttle position.

Abstract: A tool storage drum which is adapted to receive and store a plurality of toolholders is rotatably mounted on top of the upright of a horizontal machining center behind the spindle thereof. A tool changer carriage carrying a tool change arm is pivotally mounted on the upright above the spindle and is pivotable between a parked positon in which an end of the tool changer arm is adjacent to the tool storage drum and an exchange position in which an end of the tool changer arm is adjacent to the spindle. The tool changer arm is slidably mounted on the carriage for movement between an extended and a retracted position to remove toolholders from their sockets or insert them therein and is rotatable through 180.degree. to interchange its ends for the purpose of exchanging a tool in the spindle for a tool previously removed from the tool storage drum.

Abstract: A tool changer drum is rotatably mounted on a machine tool for rotation about an axis which is perpendicular to the spindle axis thereof. A plurality of tool changer arms are swingably mounted on the tool changer drum for swinging movement along radii of the drum between a storage position parallel to the central plane of the drum and a transfer position perpendicular to the central plane of the drum. A pneumatic cylinder is used to index the tool changer drum to place any selected tool changer arm in the ready position. Another pneumatic cylinder is used to swing the ready tool changer arm from its storage position to its transfer position to transfer a toolholder from storage to the spindle and later to swing the tool changer arm back to the storage position to return the toolholder to storage. Before the tool transfer operation, the spindle is moved to a tool transfer position in which the swinging movement of the tool changer arm either places a toolholder in the spindle or removes a toolholder therefrom.

Abstract: A coffin for a human being molded of papier-mache. The coffin is formed with ribs that provide strength to the structure and at the same time have a decorative effect. The improved method of forming the coffin includes drawing paper pulp onto the molds while the latter are inverted so that there is a heavy flow of pulp by gravity to the open end of the coffin to produce heavier flanges. When the mold is received from the pulp with the coffin molded onto it, an air impervious blanket is placed over the coffin when the vacuum is applied to suction the water from the papier-mache so that greater compression of the pulp is obtained to produce a stronger papier-mache structure and reduce the drying time.

Abstract: The tape in a tape reader is braked to a stop relatively slowly instead of being stopped on one character. Two sprocket reading photocells are mounted on the tape reader to provide quadrature sprocket waveforms which are applied to a bi-directional sprocket counter coupled to the address conductors of a buffer memory. The data read off the tape by the tape reader is written into the buffer memory at the addresses indicated by the sprocket counter. An output pointer counter is also coupled to the buffer memory address conductors in parallel with the sprocket counter through a time division multiplexer. During the time interval in which the output pointer counter is connected to the buffer memory address conductors, data can be read out of the buffer memory at the address indicated by the output pointer counter independently of the sprocket counter.

Abstract: An electronic data processing system which utilizes a variable timing period that is varied in accordance with the access time of the digital devices or circuits utilized in each step of the data processing program. In one embodiment, the data processing system is a computer which performs the basic arithmetic and logical operations. The computer utilizes three memories which have different access times. One memory stores instruction words specifying steps in a computer program for performing basic arithmetic and logical operations involving predetermined data words; another memory stores the data words; and, the third memory stores control words specifying the various machine operations required to execute the corresponding instruction. The three memories can be read out simultaneously, two at a time, or one at a time. In each case, the timing strobe which initiates the next step in the program is generated immediately after the slowest memory utilized in that step is ready for the next readout.

Abstract: A probe is mounted on the nose of a toolholder which fits into the spindle of a numerically controlled machine tool. An oscillator is mounted within the toolholder and is powered by a battery within the toolholder. The output of the oscillator is coupled to a primary coil on the toolholder which is inductively coupled to a ring-shaped secondary coil on the spindlehead of the machine tool. Switches within the toolholder are wired to the oscillator to cause it to shift frequency when the probe stylus makes contact with a workpiece when moving along any one of the X, Y or Z axes. The ring-shaped secondary coil is coupled to the machine tool's NC circuits to indicate when the probe makes contact with the workpiece.

Abstract: A pair of gripper jaws are pivotally mounted on a machine tool spindle within a central bore that opens into the toolholder socket on the outer end of the spindle. The gripper jaws have serrated outer ends that extend into the toolholder socket in position to engage a threaded opening in the inner end of a toolholder which is to be clamped in the toolholder socket. Cam surfaces on a drawbar which extends between the gripper jaws interact with cam follower surfaces on the gripper jaws to cause the gripper jaws to move radially outwardly to clamp the toolholder within the toolholder socket when the drawbar is moved axially away from the toolholder socket. The gripper jaws have axial play therein. The drawbar is spring biased axially away from the toolholder socket to clamp the toolholder in the toolholder socket and press the toolholder against the margins of the toolholder socket.

Abstract: A pair of substantially identical shuttle tables are mounted on the bed of a vertical spindle machine tool on opposite sides of the worktable thereof. A first pallet is mounted on the worktable and a second pallet is mounted on one of the shuttle tables. Both pallets have a tunnel therein that extends all the way through the pallet. A hydraulic ram with an elongated piston rod is mounted on each shuttle table. Each piston rod is long enough to pass completely through the tunnel in an adjacent pallet and to bear against a pallet on the worktable while the base of the piston rod bears against the adjacent pallet. When the piston rod is extended, both pallets are simultaneously pushed in the same direction so that the pallet on the worktable is shifted to the empty shuttle table while the pallet on the other shuttle table is shifted onto the worktable. When the piston rod is subsequently retracted, both pallets remain in their shifted position.