Sealing structure

Abstract

In a vertical machining center, side covers ( 22 ) are provided upright on a saddle on opposite sides of a column. The side covers ( 22 ) each have a surface having a fitting groove ( 22 c ) defined between an open/close door ( 22 b ) and an inspection window ( 22 a ) of a rhomboidal shape having anteroposteriorly inclined longitudinal edges. A front cover ( 25 ) is attached to the column. Elongate seal members ( 27 ) are respectively provided along opposite side edges of the front cover ( 25 ) as vertically extending in sliding contact with the surfaces of the side covers ( 22 ) for closing small gaps defined between the side edges of the front cover ( 25 ) and the surfaces of the side covers ( 22 ).

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A sealing structure comprising: 
 an object having a surface having a thin groove;    a member movable on the surface of the object with a gap defined between the movable member and the surface of the object; and    a seal member attached to the movable member and having a flexible edge portion kept in sliding contact with the surface of the object for closing the gap by the flexible edge portion;    wherein the seal member, which is moved in sliding contact with the surface of the object as the movable member is moved, is disposed as intersecting the thin groove present in the surface of the object.    
     
     
         2 . A sealing structure for a machine tool comprising: 
 a saddle movable laterally on a bed;    a column movable back and forth on the saddle;    a front cover attached to the column as covering a front surface of the column;    a side cover having a surface having a thin groove, and provided upright on the saddle along a direction of movement of the column with a gap defined between the side cover and a side edge of the front cover; and    a seal member attached to the front cover and having a flexible edge portion kept in sliding contact with the surface of the side cover for closing the gap by the flexible edge portion;    wherein the seal member, which is moved in sliding contact with the surface of the side cover as the column is moved, is disposed as intersecting the thin groove present in the surface of the side cover.    
     
     
         3 . A sealing structure as set forth in  claim 2 , 
 wherein the side cover has an inspection window,    wherein an open/close door having a slightly smaller size than the inspection window is removably fitted in the inspection window,    wherein the thin groove is a fitting groove defined when the open/close door is fitted in the inspection window.    
     
     
         4 . A sealing structure as set forth in  claim 3 , 
 wherein the seal member extends vertically,    wherein the inspection window has a rhomboidal shape having four edges inclined with respect to a vertical line.    
     
     
         5 . A sealing structure as set forth in  claim 3 , 
 wherein the seal member is inclined toward a front or rear side with respect to a vertical line,    wherein the inspection window has a rectangular or square shape having a pair of vertically extending opposite edges.    
     
     
         6 . A sealing structure as set forth in  claim 2 , 
 wherein the side cover comprises a plurality of steel plates combined with each other with opposed end faces thereof abutting against each other.    wherein the thin groove is an abutment groove defined along a juncture between the steel plates as extending vertically.    
     
     
         7 . A sealing structure as set forth in  claim 2 , 
 wherein the column comprises a spindle head movable up and down on the front surface thereof,    wherein the front cover comprises an extendible portion which extends and contracts in accordance with the up-and-down movement of the spindle head.    
     
     
         8 . A sealing structure as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising cover units provided at laterally opposite ends of the bed, 
 wherein the cover units respectively accommodate cover sheets which are wound so as to be paid out as biased in a winding direction,    wherein the cover sheets paid out of the cover units are each connected to a front edge of the side cover via a cover connector.    
     
     
         9 . A sealing structure as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising an extendible cover attached to a lower edge of the front cover, the extendible cover being adapted to extend and contract in accordance with the back-and-forth movement of the column.