Machine for producing spiral-toothed bevel gears

Abstract

A CNC machine for producing spiral-toothed bevel gears is described, which has a first carriage supporting a tool spindle and is displaceable in height, and whose guide is disposed on a lateral surface of a machine housing, which is horizontally guided in a straight coordinate axis on a machine base. The tool spindle axis is parallel with the lateral surface and with the coordinate axis. Furthermore, the machine has a workpiece spindle support having a second carriage and a pivoting device with a vertical axis and is also horizontally guided on the machine base. The parallel arrangement of the tool spindle axis results in a new machine concept with a compact structure and optimal chip flow. Therefore the machine is particularly suited for heavy-duty dry milling. Since the tool spindle is not located above the area of the machine having a horizontal guide, it is possible to arrange a chip collector underneath the tool spindle, which can be reached by the chips essentially under the force of gravity.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A machine for producing spiral-toothed bevel gears comprising: 
       a base having first and second transversely located horizontal guides;  
       a housing horizontally guided in a straight coordinate axis on the first horizontal guide, the housing having a lateral surface with a third guide being disposed thereon;  
       a first carriage mounted on the housing, the first carriage being displaceable in an upward and a downward direction along the third guide;  
       a tool spindle supported on the first carriage, the tool spindle having a tool spindle axis, a tool being mountable on the tool spindle, the tool spindle axis being parallel with the straight coordinate axis;  
       a second carriage mounted on the base, the second carriage being horizontally guided transverse to the straight coordinate axis on the second horizontal guide, the second carriage including a pivoting device mounted for movement about a vertical axis;  
       a workpiece spindle support being located on the pivoting device, a workpiece spindle being supported by the workpiece spindle support, and a workpiece being mountable on the workpiece spindle, the first and second horizontal guides located away from an area beneath the tool spindle axis such that a chip collector can be mounted in an area of the base away from the first and second horizontal guides and that during gear cutting the workpiece spindle ( 23 ) and the tool spindle ( 20 ) come into engagement over the area of the base away from the horizontal guides.  
     
     
       2. The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the lateral surface has been selected in such a way that the tool spindle is located above an area of the machine which is free of the first and second horizontal guides. 
     
     
       3. The machine in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein a chip collector is arranged underneath the tool spindle, which chips essentially reach under the force of gravity. 
     
     
       4. The machine in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the workpiece spindle and the tool spindle are disposed such that during gear cutting, the workpiece and the tool come into engagement at a location over the area of the machine which is free of the first and second horizontal guides. 
     
     
       5. The machine in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the third guide for the first carriage is disposed on the machine housing in a further straight coordinate axis which is inclined in respect to the vertical direction. 
     
     
       6. The machine in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the workpiece spindle and the tool spindle are disposed such that during gear cutting the workpiece and the tool come into engagement at a place which is essentially located over the area of the machine which is free of the first and second horizontal guides. 
     
     
       7. The machine in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the first carriage has on the machine housing a guide in a further straight coordinate axis which is inclined in respect to the vertical direction. 
     
     
       8. The machine in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein the first carriage has on the machine housing a guide in a further straight coordinate axis which is inclined in respect to the vertical direction. 
     
     
       9. The machine in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the first carriage has on the machine housing a guide in a further straight coordinate axis which is inclined in respect to the vertical direction.