Title of Invention	IMPROVED GUARD FOR VERTICAL MACHINING CENTERS
Abstract	The invention relates to a machine guard for vertical machining centres used for machining various components such as components for automobiles, dies and moulds and general engineering components. The proposed guard provides a shield between the machining center and the machine operator.

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION This mvention relates to a machine claddmg/guard for vertical machming centres used for machining various components such as components for automobiles, dies and moulds and general engineering components. The proposed guard provides a shield between the machining center and the machine operator. DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART Various types of machine guards are known in the milling industry. U. S. Patent No. 4,162,647 provides a millmg machine guard, which is intended to provide a barrier between a milling cutter and work piece (or other relevant part thereof) on the one hand and a machine operator on the other. U. S. Patent No. 4,484,845 relates to safety shields or guards, and more particularly to guards, are mountable to machine tools and which can be removed whenever required. However, there are no special cladding/guard for vertical machining centres and this invention proposes a machine guard for vertical machining centres. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to provide a unique machine cladding/guard for vertical machining centres, which is compact and also cost effective. This invention thxxs provides a xxnique machine cladding/guard for vertical machining centres comprising: a. Cxxrved front panels; b. Embossed curved middle panel; c. Ergonomically designed control pendant; d. RH and LH side doors for maintenance; e. Front sliding front doors; f. Maintenance friendly Pneumatic panel; and g. Rolling coolant tank and chip trays. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Fig. la, illustrates the front view of the proposed machine cladding/guard; Fig. lb, illustrates the side view of the proposed machine cladding/guard; Fig. Ic, illustrates the back view of the proposed machine cladding/guard; and Fig. 2, illustrates the perspective view of the machine cladding/guard of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS a. Curved front panels: These are shown in Fig. 1, part 1, having two front panels in the machine placed one on the right and one on the left. These panels are designed with curvature to get very good esthetics and to avoid sharp edges and comers. The design and material inputs for these panels gives very good rigidity advantage to the end user of the machines. The main functions of these panels are: • To prevent the operator getting injured from flying and rotating parts of the machine. • To avoid splashing coolant and flying chips to come out. b. Embossed curved middle panel: This is shown in Fig. 1, part 2, with a front middle panel. This panel is ergonomically designed to load/imload the component on the machine table without any fatigue to operator. This means that the machine table is very close to the operator to load/imload even heavy components without using any special loading equipment. Also this panel gives support to the operator legs while loadmg/unloading the component. c. Ergonomically designed control pendant: This control pendant is shown in Fig. 1, part 3, which is of hanging type at the fi-ont side of the machine. The pendant swings to the required position. With this feature operator can take the control pendant inside the machine while setting the component on the machine table. The pendant also rotates along its axis to make it more operators' convenient. Push buttons are placed on a slant face to elimmate fatigue on operator fingers. d. RH and LH side doors for maintenance: This is shown in Fig. 1, part 4 and Fig. 2, where there are two doors provided on either side of the machine. These doors help maintenance personnel to carryout maintenance work easily. The left side door is used to load the tools on tool magazine conveniently. Also this door with hood gives protection to tool magazine against falling objects. e. Front sliding doors: There are two sliding doors shown in Fig. 2, part 5, at firont of the machine. These doors are fitted with polycarbonate sheets. The polycarbonate sheets provide the visibility of the component and the machining process when doors are closed. Also the polycarbonate sheets provide the safety to the operator against any flying parts & chips fi-om the machine. The polycarbonate sheets acts as bulletproof glass. The doors are provided with handles to open and close. f. Maintenance friendly Pneumatic panel: This is shown in Fig. 2, part 6, with all the pneumatic elements and centralized automatic lubrication system being mounted on a single panel This panel is fixed in a sheet metal box. This sheet metal box is mounted on the backside of the machine. The operator can reach pneumatic panel and lubrication unit conveniently for adjusting the air pressure and refilling the lubrication oil. Also the position of this box is very convenient for maintenance personal to carryout the maintenance work. g. Rolling coolant tank and chip trays: This is shown in Fig. 1, part 7, with the cladding is designed with two coolant tanks connected each other. Two chip trays one on each coolant tank is provided for chip collection. The chips generated inside the machine by cutting the material and coolant used is directly falling on these chip trays. Coolant tanks can be rolled out easily for maintenance work. Also chip trays can be rolled out easily to empty the chip trays. The complete cladding is designed with modules and when all the modules moxmted on the machine it acts as complete enclosure to the machine. Finally the cladding will become part of the machine. WE CLAIM: A machine guard to be used in vertical machining centers, with the proposed guard providing a shield between the machining center and the machine operator comprising: Two curved front panels, being placed one on the right and one on the left, said panels being curved with material inputs for these panels giving superior rigidity advantages to the end user of the machines; embossed curved middle panel, in the front with the machine table placed proximally to the operator; ergonomically designed control pendant, the said control pendant is of hanging type at the front side of the machine, the said pendant swinging to the required position enabling the control of the pendant inside the machine while setting the component on the machine table, the said pendant also rotating along its axis, with push buttons being placed on a slant face; RH and LH side doors for maintenance, being provided on either side of the machine, the left side door being used to load the tools on the tool magazine conveniently, the said door also provided with a hood; Two front sliding doors, at the front of the machine, fitted with polycarbonate sheets, the said polycarbonate sheets acting as bulletproof glass having handles to open and close; Maintenance friendly pneumatic panel, with all the pneumatic elements and centralized automatic lubrication systems being mounted on a single panel, the said panel bemg fixed in a sheet metal box, the sheet metal box being moimted on the backside of the machine; Rolling coolant tank and chip trays, with the cladding being arranged with two coolant tanks connected to each other, two chip trays one on each coolant tank being provided for chip collection with the chips generated inside the machine by cutting the material and coolant used directly falling on these chip trays with the ability for the coolant tanks and chip trays to be rolled out easily, with the completely assembled cladding acting as complete enclosure to the machine.

Documents:

1298-che-2004 abstract-duplicate.pdf

1298-che-2004 claims-duplicate.pdf

1298-che-2004 description (complete)-duplicate.pdf

1298-che-2004 drawings-duplicate.pdf

1298-che-2004-abstract.pdf

1298-che-2004-claims.pdf

1298-che-2004-correspondnece-others.pdf

1298-che-2004-correspondnece-po.pdf

1298-che-2004-description(complete).pdf

1298-che-2004-description(provisional).pdf

1298-che-2004-drawings.pdf

1298-che-2004-form 1.pdf

1298-che-2004-form 18.pdf

1298-che-2004-form 5.pdf