01 专利 组合机床 Machining apparatus with modular machine tools - Patent Review 5720090.doc

Claims What is claimed is: 1. A machining apparatus comprising: a) a supporting structure mounted adjacent a work holding platform; b) a turret operatively connected to said supporting structure and mounted to rotate about an axis extending parallel to said work holding platform; c) a primary drive member mounted to rotate about a fixed axis of rotation with respect to said supporting structure; d) a plurality of tool assemblies supported on said turret in circumferentially spaced apart relationship, each tool assembly having a respective driven member operatively connected thereto which is mounted to rotate about a respective axis of rotation relative to said turret; e) a secondary drive member operatively connected to said supporting structure and configured to transmit rotational motion between said primary drive member and a selected one of said driven members frictionally engaged with said secondary drive member, said secondary drive member mounted to translate along an axis extending perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said primary drive member; f) a transmission assembly for effectuating the rotation of said turret relative to said supporting structure to align a selected one of said tool assemblies with said work holding platform and consequently frictionally engage a corresponding one of said driven members with said secondary drive member; and g) a linear drive assembly for effectuating the axial translation of said secondary drive member relative to said selected driven member. 2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said secondary drive member is mounted to translate relative to said selected driven member and said primary drive member, while remaining in frictional contact therewith, to vary the relative rotational speeds thereof. 3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said secondary drive member is mounted to translate along an axis which is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of said primary drive member. 4. An appar