What The World's Been Waiting For - Yet Another Power Drawbar Design

[vmax549]

 think a qc30 type spindle could be modified for the claw mechanism and would work just fine. It is ALREADY designed for the machine(lazy me)

I would change the lugs out and go with a cat30 holder to get the grooves for the tool fingers ad ready made toolholders.  Then use a mech on top like ray already has built to actuate the drawbar. You would really only need about max 1000 lbs so it is doable with air ( simple)

I have seen a few qc30 spindles on ebay go for cheap.

The rest would be basic mechanical design for the type of ATC you wanted.  Get the spindle working and the rest will follow.

(;-) TP

[vmax549]

I just took a peak inside of the qc30 cavity and here is a method that could work using the existing parts and spindle without modifying the spindle. Just add in the claw mech and modify the tool holder a bit. It uses the upper part of the toolholder taper to run the claw(;-)

[panaceabeachbum]

pretty far off the original topic of a new power drawbar design , but here is a link to a company that sells the grippers that pull the retention knobs used on cat and bt tool holders. They are avail in a variety of sizes and types

http://www.ortlieb.net/

[simpson36]

I just took a peak inside of the qc30 cavity and here is a method that could work using the existing parts and spindle without modifying the spindle. Just add in the claw mech and modify the tool holder a bit. It uses the upper part of the toolholder taper to run the claw(;-)

If you look back to the photos in Hood's reply #49, this is exactly how his power drawbar works.

Positive drive is the key whether by going with a new CAT spindle or modifying the R8. Either has product potential, methinks. The fast track solution would be a simple modification of the Tormach setup, but in the long run, of all the ideas presented, your spindle solution I think would offer the best perfrormance, and you only have to produce and/or modify one part. The rest are proven off-the-shelf items purpose built for the application.

[vmax549]

THere may be a way (;-) to do a claw type AND use the tormach style holders using a  R8 collet adaptor that has a couple of MODs.  The tormach style would need a stud added to the top and the claw would live inside the R8 adaptor and would work from the drawbar and RAYS mech would operate the drawbar on top.

(;-) TP