Pneumatic stamping press for aeronautical components has pair of drive couplings between motor and output shaft to drive tool carrying spindle

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The present invention relates to a machining machine, of the type comprising a motor comprising an output shaft, a tool-holder spindle extending along a spindle axis, a drive mechanism for the tool-holder spindle, the tool-holder spindle mechanism. The drive comprises at least one means for coupling to the output shaft of the motor for transforming a rotation of the output shaft into at least one movement of the spindle.

The invention applies in particular to pneumatic drilling machines used in aircraft construction.

Generally, drilling machines of the aforementioned type are marketed in two configurations to allow users to perform drilling in various environments.

In a first configuration, the axis of the rotor and of the output shaft of the motor is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the spindle. This configuration is generally referred to as an “angle transmission”.

In the second configuration, the axis of the rotor and the motor output shaft is parallel to the axis of the spindle. This is generally referred to as a “parallel motor” configuration.

Machines with an "angle transmission" configuration and those with a "parallel motor" configuration therefore have different drive mechanisms.

Thus, the unit cost of manufacturing such machines turns out to be particularly high.

An object of the invention is to solve this problem by providing a machining machine of the aforementioned type, the unit manufacturing cost of which can be reduced.

To this end, the invention relates to a machining machine of the aforementioned type, characterized in that the drive mechanism comprises at least two distinct means of coupling to the output shaft of the motor so that the motor occupies different positions relative to the spindle axis when the output shaft is coupled to one or the other of the coupling means.

According to particular embodiments, the machining machine can comprise one or more of the following characteristics, taken in isolation or in all the technically possible combinations:

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- It comprises a housing containing the drive mechanism and releasable means for mounting the motor on the housing in a first position where the output shaft is coupled with a first of the coupling means, and in a second position where the the output shaft is coupled with a second of the coupling means;

- the motor has an elongated shape along a motor direction and, in the first position, the motor direction is substantially orthogonal to the spindle axis, and in the second position, the motor direction is substantially parallel to the spindle axis,

- the drive mechanism is a drive mechanism for the spindle rotating around the spindle shaft;

- The drive mechanism is a drive mechanism of the spindle in translation along the spindle axis;

- The drive mechanism is a drive mechanism of the spindle in translation in a first direction of advance and in a second direction of retreat opposite to the first direction;

- It comprises at least two heads which can be releasably mounted on the output shaft of the motor to selectively couple it with one or the other of the coupling means;

- at least two of the coupling means are carried by the same rotary member belonging to the drive mechanism;

- the motor is a pneumatic motor; and

- it is a portable machine with a mass of less than 15 kg.

The invention will be better understood on reading which follows, given solely by way of example, and made with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic side sectional view of a machine according to the invention, the motor being in a first position, and

- Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 illustrating the engine in a second position.

In all that follows, the terms “right”, “left”, “. vertical ”,“ horizontal ”,“ lower ”and“ upper ”are understood in relation to the position of the machine in the figures.

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a portable pneumatic drilling machine 1 which essentially comprises a pneumatic motor 2, a tool-holder spindle 4 extending along a vertical axis A1 and a mechanism 6 for driving the spindle mechanically connecting the motor 2 and pin 4.

The motor 2 has an elongated shape along an axis A2 which is horizontal in FIG. 1. The motor 2 comprises a rotor 8 integral in rotation with an output shaft 10 which extends the rotor 8 to the left. The axis A2 constitutes a central axis common to the rotor 8 and to the shaft 10.

The motor 2 comprises a casing 12 provided at its right end with connecting means, not shown, to a pressurized air source for supplying the motor 2 with pressurized air and driving the rotor 8 and the output shaft in rotation. 10 around their common axis A2.

The left end 14 of the shaft 10 is externally threaded. A first head 16, in the form of a bevel gear, is screwed onto this end

14. This head 16, and in particular its toothed region, protrudes to the left out of the casing 12.

The spindle 4 is received in a housing 18 so as to be movable in rotation about its axis A1 and in translation along this axis A1. Conventionally, drilling tools can be removably mounted at the lower end 19 of the spindle 4.

The drive mechanism 6 is contained in a housing 20 integral with the housing 18 of the spindle 4, and for example integral with the housing 18.

The mechanism 6 comprises, housed in the casing 20, a vertical rotary shaft 22 provided at its lower end 23 with a second bevel gear 24 of which it is fixed in rotation, and at its upper end 26 with a cavity of hexagonal section. and leading to the top.

The shaft 22 is housed in a passage 30 of the casing 20 which opens out through its upper end 31 to the outside of the casing 20.

The upper end 31 of the passage 30 is closed by a shutter fixed in a removable manner, for example by screwing, on the casing 20. In the absence of this shutter 32, the cavity 28 of the shaft 22 is accessible from the outer casing 20.

The housing 20 has at its right end a passage opening to the right outside the housing 20. This passage 34 receives the left end of the motor 2, and in particular the head 16 so that it meshes with the second bevel gear 24.

The casing 12 of the motor 2 is removably fixed, for example by means of screws 35, on the casing 20 of the drive mechanism 6 so that these two casings 12 and 20 are integral.

The drive mechanism 6 also conventionally comprises the following elements so that it constitutes a so-called “mechanical advance” mechanism in French or “positive feed drill”:

- a first pinion / clutch 36 meshing with the second bevel pinion 24,

a pinion 38 meshing with the first pinion / clutch 36, this pinion 38 being integral in rotation with the spindle 4 and the spindle 4 being movable in translation with respect to this pinion 38 along the axis A1,

- a second pinion / dog clutch 40 surmounting the first pinion / dog clutch 36,

- a pinion 42 which surmounts the pinion 38, which meshes with the second pinion / dog clutch 40 and which is screwed onto a threaded section 43 of the spindle 4, and

- a fixed clutch 44 which surmounts the second pinion / clutch 40.

The second pinion / dog clutch 40 is carried by a slide 46 and the numbers of teeth of the pinions / dogs 36 and 40 and of the pinions 38 and 42 are adapted so that the drive mechanism 6 conventionally performs the following functions:

- rotational drive of spindle 4 via pinion / clutch 36 and pinion 38, and simultaneously

- advance of the spindle 4, that is to say its translational movement downward along the axis A1, when the slide 46 has moved downward with respect to the position of FIG. 1, the two pinions / dogs 36 and 40 then being clutched and the pinion 42 then rotating at a speed slightly greater than that of the pinion 38 to drive the spindle 4 downwards, or

- retraction of the spindle 4, that is to say its upward translational displacement along the axis A1, the second pinion / dog clutch 40 then being clutched with the clutch 44 (as shown in FIG. 1) so that the pinion / dog clutch 40 is fixed as well as the pinion 42, the rotation of the spindle 4 about its axis A1 ensuring the backward movement.

Thus, the mechanism 6 offers two drive modes, namely a first mode of simultaneous rotation and advance of the spindle 4 and a second mode of simultaneous rotation and retraction of the spindle 4.

To perform these functions, the movement of the rotor 8 of the motor 2 is transmitted to the shaft 22 by virtue of the second bevel gear 24 which forms a first means of coupling the mechanism 6 to the output shaft 10 of the motor 2.

The axes A1 and A2 being substantially orthogonal, the machine 1 as shown in FIG. 1 is in a so-called “angular transmission” configuration.

The machine 1 can be transformed to present a so-called “parallel motor” configuration.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the casing 12 of the motor 2 has been removed from the casing 20 of the drive mechanism 6 and the left end of the motor 2 has been withdrawn from the passage 34 by simple translation to the right.

A second shutter 50 was then fixed in a removable manner, for example by means of screws 52, on the right face of the casing 20 to close the passage.

34.

It will be noted that the shutter 50 comprises a plug 54 which extends towards the left substantially as far as the second bevel gear 24 to prevent the accumulation of grease in the passage 34.

The first shutter 32 has been removed to free access to the upper end 26 of the shaft 22 and in particular to its cavity 28.

The motor 2 has been placed so that its axis A2 is vertical and that it is located above the housing 20 of the drive mechanism 6.

The first head 16 has been unscrewed from the output shaft 10 and replaced by a second head 56, itself screwed onto the end 14 of the output shaft.

10. One end 58 of the head 56 protrudes from the housing 12 of the motor 2 downwards in FIG. 2. This end 58 has a hexagonal section corresponding to that of the cavity 28 of the shaft 2. This end 58 has been inserted. by downward translation in Figure 2 into cavity 28.

The casing 12 of the motor 2 has been removably fixed to the upper face of the casing 20 of the mechanism 6, for example by means of the screws 35. The head 56 fixed to the end 14 of the shaft 10 then couples the shaft 10 in rotation. output shaft 10 of the motor 2, and therefore its rotor 8, to the shaft 22 of the drive mechanism 6, so that all the movements of the spindle 4 described above can be caused.

The machine 1 is then in a so-called "parallel motor" configuration since the axis A2 of the motor 2 is substantially parallel to the axis A1 of the spindle.

4.

The cavity 28 therefore forms a second means of coupling the output shaft 10 of the motor 2 to the drive mechanism 6.

By virtue of the two distinct coupling means formed by the pinion 24 and by the cavity 28, the motor 2 can occupy, relative to the axis A1 of the spindle 4, a first position shown in FIG. 1 and a second position shown. in figure 2.

Thus, the same drive mechanism 6 can be used to manufacture a machine with an “angle transmission” configuration or a machine with a “parallel motor” configuration.

Thus, the constituent elements of the mechanism 6 have a greater standardization which makes it possible to reduce the unit costs of the machines 1, whether they are manufactured and sold in “bevel gear” configuration or in “parallel motor” configuration.

In addition, the machine 1 can be adjusted between these two configurations and therefore makes it possible to limit the number of machines 1 that a user needs to access different drilling zones.

In general, the mechanism 6 may comprise more than two coupling means and thus allow as many different positions of the motor 2 with respect to the axis A1 of the spindle 4. By way of example, a third position may be a position in which the axis A2 is perpendicular to the plane of Figures 1 and 2.

It will be noted that the above principles can be applied to machining machines other than drilling machines, and in particular to machines which do not provide advance or retreat movement of the spindle 4 and / or not ensuring the rotational drive of the spindle 4.

Moreover, even if the above principles have been described with regard to a portable machine, that is to say with a mass of less than 15 kg, they can also be applied to non-portable machines.