AUTOMATIC TOOL CHANGER, TOOL CHANGING METHOD THEREFOR, AND MACHINE TOOL USING THE TOOL CHANGER

摘要

An automatic tool exchange apparatus is provided, which dispenses with a robot hand for grasping and moving a tool, and a mechanism for mechanical movement of a tool, such as a tool conveyance device for conveyance of a tool, and which is simple in construction and enables to surely and automatically exchange a tool in a short time.;An automatic tool exchange apparatus comprising a tool exchange unit and a main spindle part, wherein the tool exchange unit comprises a tool magazine, which rotates about a rotating shaft and includes a plurality of tool storage parts, means, which moves the tool magazine toward the rotating shaft, and an air supply source, which supplies an air flow to move a tool to the main spindle part, and the main spindle part comprises a motor, which rotates the tool, a tool clamp, which holds the tool, and an air supply source, which supplies an air flow to move the tool to the tool exchange unit.