Loading mechanism for a machine tool

Claim 1

A machine tool having a plurality of workpiece holding pallets, means for moving the pallets sequentially past a fixed raw workpiece loading station and past at least one workpiece working position at a controlled substantially constant rate; each of the workpiece holding pallets having a first fixed jaw and a second moveable jaw defining a recess to receive the workpiece; the second jaw being moveable relative to the first jaw in a direction parallel to and opposite the direction of pallet movement; the improvement comprising loading means at the loading station for holding workpieces and adapted for moving a workpiece normal to the direction of movement of a movement of a pallet; first cam-actuated means responsive to the position of a pallet for causing the loading means to insert a workpiece into the work receiving recess of a pallet while that pallet is passing the loading station; second cam-actuated means responsive to the position of the pallet for moving the second jaw toward the first jaw while the pallet is passing the loading station; the second jaw includes guide means on the face thereof adjacent the first jaw to restrain lateral movement of the workpiece and to properly position the workpiece when clamped between the jaws; the first and second cam-actuated means being coordinated so that the workpiece initially enters the work receiving recess close to the second jaw and the workpiece remains close to the second jaw throughout the time that the recess between the two clamping jaws is being reduced by movement of the pallet to a clamping engagement with the workpiece.