Claims:
I claim
1. A covering device for the slideway of a machine tool, which comprises: a plurality of boxes successively decreasing in width and height so as to be adapted to telescope in each other, each of said boxes having a top wall and two sidewalls extending in the longitudinal direction of and being connected to said top wall, each of said boxes also having a rear wall connected to the pertaining sidewalls, the top walls of each two adjacent and successive boxes when in at least partially telescoped condition defining passage means with each other and having a wiper strip between said top walls supporting the outer top wall on the inner top wall, and transversely extending fluid-collecting channel means adjacent said rear wall communicating with said passage means and arranged on the outside of the respective smaller box of each two adjacent successive boxes.
2. A covering device according to claim 1, in which said fluid-collecting channel means is located on the outside of the rear wall of each box.
3. A covering device for the slideway of a machine tool, which comprises: a plurality of boxes successively decreasing in size so as to be adapted to telescope in each other, each of said boxes having a top wall and two sidewalls extending in the longitudinal direction of and being connected to said top wall, each of said boxes also having a rear wall connected to the pertaining sidewalls, the top walls of each two adjacent and successive boxes when in at least partially telescoped condition defining passage means with each other, and collecting channel means communicating with said passage means and arranged on the outside of the respective smaller box of each two adjacent successive boxes, said channel means being formed by spacer means offset downwardly and inwardly with regard to the plane of the pertaining top wall and sidewalls and by a splash wall arranged substantially parallel to the pertaining rear wall and engaging said spacer means while having its upper end extending close to the top wall of the respective next preceding larger box, said channel means being located on the outside of the rear wall of each box.
4. A covering device according to claim 3, in which said collecting channel means is formed by a rail connected to the pertaining rear wall.
5. A covering device according to claim 3, in which said collecting channel means is formed progressively by a trough-shaped rail connected to the pertaining rear wall.
6. A covering device according to claim 3, in which the splash wall of each box slidably engages the top wall of the next preceding larger box.
7. A covering device according to claim 3, in which said collecting channel means slopes to at least one side of the pertaining box.
8. A covering device for the slideway of a machine tool, which comprises: a plurality of boxes successively decreasing in size so as to be adapted to telescope in each other, each of said boxes having a top wall and two sidewalls extending in the longitudinal direction of and being connected to said top wall, each of said boxes also having a rear wall connected to the pertaining sidewalls, the top walls of each two adjacent and successive boxes when in at least partially telescoped condition defining passage means with each other, collecting channel means communicating with said passage means and arranged on the outside of respective smaller box of each two adjacent successive boxes, said channel means being located on the outside of the rear wall of each box, and a wall of said collecting channel means remote from the pertaining rear wall extending upwardly beyond the respective pertaining top wall and forming a narrow air gap with the top wall of the respective next preceding larger box.
9. A covering device for the slideway of a machine tool, which comprises: a plurality of boxes successively decreasing in size so as to be adapted to telescope in each other, each of said boxes having a top wall and two sidewalls extending in the longitudinal direction of and being connected to said top wall, each of said boxes also having a rear wall connected to the pertaining sidewalls, the top walls of each two adjacent and successive boxes when in at least partially telescoped condition defining passage means with each other, collecting channel means communicating with said passage means and arranged on the outside of the respective smaller box of each two adjacent successive boxes, said channel means being located on the outside of the rear wall of each box, the collecting channel means being formed by groove means in the pertaining top wall and at least one pertaining sidewall.
10. A covering device according to claim 9, in which the rear portion of said groove means is defined by a splash wall.
Description:
The present invention relates to an arrangement for covering the slideways of machine tools, which arrangement comprises a plurality of telescoping boxes each of which has a top wall extending parallel to the plane of the slideway, two sidewalls extending in the longitudinal direction of the slideway, and a rear wall interposed between said sidewalls.
Cover arrangements or devices of the aforementioned kind are intended to prevent dust, cuttings or liquids from penetrating into the oil-circulating passages of the machine tool and into the enclosed space above the slideway or slideways. To this end, the gaps between the individual boxes are sealed off by seals with suitably designed lips and/or by wiper strips. In the heretofore known devices of the aforedescribed kind, despite the presence of the lip seals or wiper strips, it is impossible to completely prevent the entry of water. In particular where large quantities of water are present and are spilling over the cover, the lip seals or wiper strips will let some water pass through with each stroke. In this connection, there also exists the danger that the water may entrain very fine dust particles and carry them onto the slideways or into the oil circuit of the machine tool.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a covering device of the aforementioned general type, which will overcome the above outlined drawbacks.
It is another object of the present invention to design a covering device for the slideways of machine tools, which while comprising a plurality of telescoping boxes will prevent water and dust and other impurifications from passing into the slideway or into the oil circuit.
It is a further object of this invention with a device as set forth in the preceding paragraph to see to it that water or dust which has penetrated beneath the lip seals or wiper strips, into the space between the top and sidewalls of the boxes, will be reliably prevented from reaching the slideway and the oil circuit.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates in side elevation the bed of a machine tool with lateral overhangs and covering means at either end of a tool slide.
FIG. 2 is a section through a cover box and the bed of a machine tool, said section being taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 illustrates on a larger scale than FIG. 1 two cover boxes, said section being taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is another embodiment of the invention, in which the collector groove takes the form of a crease.
Starting with a known covering device for the slideways of machine tools, which comprises telescoping boxes each having a top wall extending parallel to the slideway plane, two sidewalls extending in the longitudinal direction of the slideway, and a rear wall intermediately disposed of the latter, the present invention is characterized primarily in that on the external side of the rear wall of each box there is provided a collector groove.
According to one practical embodiment of the invention, the collector groove may be formed by a spacer strip downwardly offset with regard to the plane of the top wall and by a splash wall. According to another modified embodiment of the invention, however, it is equally possible to make the collector groove in the form of a U-section or L-section profiled strip, preferably of synthetic material.
Again, it has been found convenient to arrange for the splash wall or the vertical leg of the strip to protrude beyond the plane of the top wall and of planes of the sidewalls, so that there is just a small clearance between it and the inside of the box of next larger size. This substantially improves the seal in the region of overlap between the covering boxes. A further improvement in the sealing action can be achieved if the splash wall or the strip, is made of an elastic material and bears against the inside of the box of next larger size.
Also, it has proved expedient to give the collector groove a certain drop towards one sidewall or to give it a ridge-shaped line so that there is a drop towards both sidewalls.
Referring now to the drawing in detail, on the bed 1 of a machine tool (not illustrated), there is arranged a tool slide or carriage 2 which is longitudinally displaceable. At either end of the tool slide 2, covering devices are provided which comprise a plurality of boxes able to telescope into one another over cantilever arrangements 4.
Each box has a top wall 5, two sidewalls 6 and a rear wall 7 located between said sidewalls 6. In the rear wall 7, supporting rollers 8 are provided by means of which the cover boxes rest upon the slideways 9 of the bed 1 of the machine tool. At the forward end, each box rests upon the box of next smaller size through the medium of a wiper strip 11. In addition to the wiper strip 11, a lip seal 12 is provided between two boxes 3.
To the outside of the rear wall 7 of each box there are fixed a spacer strip 13 and a splash wall 14. Since the spacer strip 13 is offset slightly downwardly and inwardly in relation to the planes of top wall 5 and sidewalls 6, at the rear wall 7 of each box 3 a collector groove 15 is formed. The collector groove 15 is open at the bottom end of the sidewalls.
If, during the telescoping extending or contracting movements of the boxes 3, water penetrates beneath the lip seals 12 and the wiper strips 11, into the space between the top walls 5 and sidewalls 6, then it is deflected to one side through the collector groove 15 and drained off at the bottom. In order to assist the water to displace more rapidly, the groove 15 has a certain drop.
Also, dust not associated with water is captured by the collector groove and deflected to one side and out underneath, because the splash wall 14 has only a small clearance 16 from the inside of the box 3 of next larger size.
If, for reasons of space, the cover device is to be as short as possible in the contracted state, the collector groove 15 may also be arranged in the box itself and take the form of a corrugation or channel 17. The channel 17 is machined in the top wall 5 and the sidewalls 6, of each box 3. With this kind of design, the splash wall 14 consists of a separately attached strip 18 of any suitable light material.
It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the specific showing in the drawing, but also comprises modifications within the scope of the appended claims.