Disclosed are solid forms of 8-chloro-N-[(2-chloro-5-methoxyphenyl)sulfonyl]-6-(trifluoromethyl)-imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-2-carboxamide (Compound 1). Methods for the preparation of solid forms of Compound 1 and for the conversion of one solid form of Compound 1 into another are disclosed. Disclosed are nematocidal compositions comprising a nematocidally effective amount of a solid form of Compound 1 and at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of surfactants, solid diluents and liquid carriers. Compositions comprising a mixture of a solid form of Compound 1 and at least one other nematicide, insecticide and/or fungicide are also disclosed.Also disclosed are methods for protecting a plant from nematodes comprising applying to the plant, or portion, or seed thereof, or to the growing medium of the plant, a nematocidally effective amount of Compound 1 comprising the polymorph Form A.

The invention is directed to novel substituted benzylamino quinolines, compounds comprising substituted benzylamino quinolines, methods of making substituted benzylamino quinolines, the use of substituted benzylamino quinolines for treating or preventing a variety of conditions or diseases associated with lipoprotein metabolism, and the use of substituted benzylamino quinolines as cholesterol ester-transfer protein inhibitors.

Many GTPases such as Ras, Ral and Rho require post-translational farnestylation or geranylgeranylation for mediating malignant transformation. Dual farnesyltransferase (FT) (FTI) and geranylgeranyltransferase-I (GGT-1) inhibitors (GGTI) were developed as anticancer agents from based on an ethylenediamine scaffold. On the basis of a 4-fold substituted ethylenediamine scaffold, the inhibitors are structurally simple and readily derivatized, facilitating extensive structure-activity relationship studies. The most potent inhibitor is compound exhibited an in vitro hFTase IC50 value of 25 nM and a whole cell H-Ras processing IC50 value of 90 nM. Several of the inhibitors proved highly selective for hFTase over the related prenyltransferase enzyme geranylgeranyltransferase-I (GGTase-I). A crystal structure of an inhibitor cocrystallized with farnesyl pyrophosphate in the active site of rat FTase illustrates that the para-benzonitrile moiety is stabilized by a π-π stacking interaction with the Y361β residue, suggesting an importance of this component of the inhibitors.

There are provided compounds of formula (I), wherein R1, R6, R8, Q2, Q3, Q3a, Q4, L and A have meanings given in the description, and pharmaceutically-acceptable salts thereof, which compounds are useful in the treatment of diseases in which inhibition of the activity of a member of the MAPEG family is desired and/or required, and particularly in the treatment of inflammation and/or cancer.

The disclosure relates to BAX activators and therapeutic uses relates thereto. In certain embodiments, the disclosure relates to methods of treating or preventing cancer, such as lung cancer, comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a compound disclosed herein or pharmaceutically acceptable salt to a subject in need thereof.

The invention provides a chemical entity of Formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, Y and Z have any of the values described herein, and compositions comprising such chemical entities; methods of making them; and their use in a wide range of methods, including metabolic and reaction kinetic studies, detection and imaging techniques, and radioactive treatments; and therapies, including inhibiting PDE4, enhancing neuronal plasticity, treating neurological disorders, providing neuroprotection, treating a cognitive impairment associated with a CNS disorder, enhancing the efficiency of cognitive and motor training, providing neurorecovery and neurorehabilitation, enhancing the efficiency of non-human animal training protocols, and treating peripheral disorders, including inflammatory and renal disorders.

Compounds according to Formula I and Formula II are potent inhibitors of Arginase I and II activity: where R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, D, M, X, and Y are defined as set forth in the specification. The invention also provides pharmaceutical compositions of the compounds and methods of their use for treating or preventing a disease or a condition associated with arginase activity.

Herein are disclosed fluorescent dyes based around a framework for a ligand comprising a pyridyl group linked to a diaryl anilido unit. A variety of ligands based on this framework are disclosed. The ligands chelate to a BF2 center to produce the fluorescent dye. The disclosed dyes combine longer Stokes shifts (approximately 100 nm) with increased quantum yields. They are also photostable in aqueous and organic solutions for several hours. These dyes may be used in the labeling of biomolecules for bioimaging and assays. Also disclosed are methods for the synthesis of these dyes.

The present invention provides processes for the preparation of saturated ketone morphinan compounds. In particular, the invention provides processes for the conversion of a morphinan comprising an allyl alcohol ring moiety into a morphinan comprising a saturated ketone ring moiety by an isomerization reaction catalyzed by an inorganic salt of a late transition metal.

The invention provides novel inhibitors of IAP that are useful as therapeutic agents for treating malignancies where the compounds have the general formula I: wherein A, Q, X1, X2, Y, R1, R2, R3, R4, R4', R5, R6 and R6' are as described herein.

The present invention relates to novel bicyclic thiazoles which are positive allosteric modulators of the metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (“mGluR5”) and which are useful for the treatment or prevention of disorders associated with glutamate dysfunction and diseases in which the mGluR5 subtype of receptors is involved. The invention is also directed to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds, to processes for preparing such compounds and compositions, and to the use of such compounds and compositions for the prevention and treatment of disorders in which mGluR5 is involved.

Disclosed are compounds which inhibit the activity of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL proteins, compositions containing the compounds and methods of treating diseases during which are expressed anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein.

The invention provides a chemical entity of Formula (I) wherein R1, R2, R3, Y, and n have any of the values described herein and compositions comprising such chemical entities; methods of making them; and their use in a wide range of methods, including metabolic and reaction kinetic studies, detection and imaging techniques, and radioactive treatments; and therapies, including inhibiting MAO, and MAO-B selectively, enhancing neuronal plasticity, treating neurological disorders, providing neuroprotection, treating a cognitive impairment associated with a CNS disorder, enhancing the efficiency of cognitive and motor training, providing neurorecovery and neurorehabilitation, enhancing the efficiency of non-human animal training protocols, and treating treating peripheral disorders (including obesity, diabetes, and cardiometabolic disorders) and their associated co-morbidities.

A method of manufacturing fastenings or fasteners with radial outer contours, especially screws or threaded bolts, made of solid metal is performed by a device. The method manufactures the fastenings or fasteners preferably on a multi-stage press. Several recesses running in an axial direction at a fixed radial distance are formed in the shank-shaped section of a blank. The prefabricated blank with the recesses is inserted into a multi-part split mold within a multi-stage press, whose die stocks have an inner profiling forming the outer contour, and are opened in the starting position, that at the places where the die stocks are opened, there are the recesses. During the closing movement of the die stocks, at least one radial outer contour is pressed on the shank-shaped section of the blank by radial action of forces, with the recesses preventing material from getting between the die stocks during the pressing process.

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a fitting that has a configuration where a fitting plate and a blind nut are integrally formed and also provides a tap tool for use in this method. According to the present invention, performing tap processing to an internal diameter portion to integrally form a portion corresponding to the blind nut, when a tap tool having a protrusion at an end thereof is utilized to be inserted into the bag-like blind hole at a planned part of the blind nut and the tap processing is carried out, the protrusion provided at the end of the tap tool comes into contact with an inner wall at the end of the bag-like blind hole, and a pressed material thereby forms a convex shape on an outer side of the bag-like blind hole.

A magnetized nut for fastening a compressor wheel of an exhaust turbocharger to a turbo shaft. The nut has a base body made of a non-magnetic material forming a hollow space for accommodating a magnetic material, and a method for the production of the magnetized nut. In order to provide a magnetized nut that is produced in a simple and cost-effective manner and ensures as equal a distribution of mass as possible with regard to the rotational axis of the nut, the magnetic material is introduced into the hollow space using injection molding.

A set of tooling for making pointed headed bolts of a given diameter in numerous lengths with roll thread ready threaded to the head and partially threaded shanks in a four forming station forming machine, the tools being configured to work on wire stock as received at the first station of a diameter larger than or substantially the same as the roll diameter and not greater than the nominal diameter of the bolt, including at least two sequential head forming tools for mounting on the slide, an extrusion pointing tool for mounting on the die breast, a roll diameter extrusion tool for mounting on the die breast and a head support tool mountable in a station on the slide at multiple axial positions corresponding to standard lengths of the bolts being made, the head support tool being arranged to work at either the extrusion pointing station or the roll diameter extrusion station.

In FIG. 2, a diameter Dd of drilling edges of a drill is selected smaller than a valley diameter d1 of a male thread of a tap portion, and an inner diameter D1 of a female thread is defined by the valley diameter d1 of the male thread. Therefore, a predetermined radial gap is formed between the male thread 30 formed by the tap portion and the drill. When a tap with the drill is reversely rotated to be pulled out from the female thread after cutting the female thread, the tap released from the restriction may deflectively displace in the diameter direction upon pulling out the male thread of the tap portion from the female thread. However, the drill hardly contacts with the female thread, so that the occurrence of the defective product due to the contact is suppressed.

An anchor bolt locator is provided that is inexpensively manufactured on automatic die-press machines from sheet steel and a structural nut that does not require any welding, while also being easy to use and install with current, commonly-used building practices and anchor designs. The anchor bolt locator is made from a galvanized sheet metal chair and a structural nut attached to the chair by way of a friction fit.

The invention relates to a method for producing hollow body elements (200), for example, nut elements which are applied to components which are normally made of steel (280), in particular, for producing hollow body elements having an essentially quadratic or rectangular external profile (202). Said method consists of cutting individual elements of a profile in the form of a profile rod (1) or a winding after holes (204) have previously been stamped in the profile, a threaded cylinder (206) is subsequently, optionally, formed using a follow-on composite tool (10) which consists of several working stations. The invention is characterized in that a penetrating process and a punching process are carried out in the working station. The invention also relates to hollow body elements (200), components, follow-on composite tools (10) and rolling mills (600, 602).

A slotted inverse tap, compressible for insertion past damaged entry threads in blind holes. (FIG. 1 thru FIG. 5) The tool can be made to smaller sizes than that of prior art. An elongate slot (23) proceeds through a first threaded end (21), then well into a reduced diameter cylindrical body (25). After insertion to the hole bottom, a tabbed shim (28) is inserted to the slot from its side, then pressed down until stopped. The shim (28) enforces mating engagement with undamaged internal threads. A second end of hex and/or squared or other configuration facilitates use of a tap wrench or other tool for rotational extraction. Damaged threads are reformed/re-cut upon rotational withdrawal.

An apparatus to produce a self-piercing and clinch nut includes a first forging die assembly, a second forging die assembly, a third forging die assembly, a transfer mechanism, and a controller. The first forging die assembly is configured to subject a blank to first processing. The second forging die assembly is adjacent to the first forging die assembly and configured to subject the blank to second processing after the blank has undergone the first processing in the first forging die assembly. The third forging die assembly is adjacent to the second forging die assembly and configured to subject the blank to third processing after the blank has undergone the second processing in the second forging die assembly. The controller is configured to control the first forging die assembly, the second forging die assembly, the third forging die assembly, and the transfer mechanism to operate.

A method for manufacturing a bolting part, such as a screw or a nut. The bolting part having a head with a periphery having at least one shoulder extending in a radial plane. The method includes at least the following forming steps: shearing of a wire of material so as to obtain a part of determined length, calibration of the part so as to correct the geometry of the part, rough machining of the calibrated part so as to obtain the head of the bolting part, and finishing of the rough-machined part by means of a third punch so as to form a head having at least one shoulder. The calibration, rough machining and finishing steps being carried out only by cold heading.

A polishing pad, having a polishing layer comprising a thermoset polyurethane foam, wherein the polishing layer has an in-plane variation of 12 or less in microrubber A hardness, the variation being obtained by measuring the polishing layer from a polishing surface side of the layer, the thermoset polyurethane foam contains, as raw material components, an isocyanate component and active-hydrogen-containing compounds, and the active-hydrogen-containing compounds comprise a trifunctional polyol having at least one terminated hydroxyl group that is a secondary hydroxyl group, and having a hydroxyl group value of 150 to 1,000 mg KOH/g in an amount of 10 to 50 parts by weight for 100 parts by weight of the active-hydrogen-containing compounds.

A fiber optic connector fiber stub remover and method for automated fiber stub removal. The device has a top plate with a platen opening, and a platen with a well that carries a polishing film over the well. An air pocket is formed between the polishing film and the well. The platen is positioned with a top surface of the polishing film accessible via the platen opening. A fixture holds connector ends of fiber optic cables with fiber stubs extending therefrom, and a weight biases the fiber stubs into contact with the polishing film. A motor is controlled by a motor control unit to control a ramp up time and final speed of movement of the platen over a timespan. Each connector ends moves independently relative to the polishing film. The air pocket provides shock absorption of the polishing film so that an ideal pressure is exerted on each fiber stub during stub removal.

A dart restoration tool includes a stator having a conical milling surface and a rotor mounted for rotation about a longitudinal axis of the stator. The rotor includes a guide adapted to accept a tip end portion of a game dart such that the tip end portion engages the conical milling surface. Rotation of the rotor about the longitudinal axis produces an orbital motion of the game dart against the conical milling surface to sharpen the tip end portion of the game dart.

An abrasive tool including a CMP pad conditioner having a substrate including a first major surface, a second major surface opposite the first major surface, and a side surface extending between the first major surface and the second major, wherein a first layer of abrasive grains is attached to the first major surface and a second layer of abrasive grains is attached to the second major surface. The conditioner further includes a first sealing member extending in a peripheral direction along a portion of the side surface of the substrate.

A method of chemical mechanical polishing a substrate includes polishing a metal layer on the substrate at a polishing station, monitoring thickness of the metal layer during polishing at the polishing station with an eddy current monitoring system, and controlling pressures applied by a carrier head to the substrate during polishing of the metal layer at the polishing station based on thickness measurements of the metal layer from the eddy current monitoring system to reduce differences between an expected thickness profile of the metal layer and a target profile, wherein the metal layer has a resistivity greater than 700 ohm Angstroms.

Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for monitoring a glass plate polishing state. The apparatus may include a location measuring unit for measuring a location on a glass plate being polished by a polishing machine, a current measuring unit for measuring an electric current flowing into the polishing machine, a memory unit for storing a reference value of the electric current flowing into the polishing machine for each polishing location of the glass plate, and a control unit for determining whether a polishing state is faulty, by comparing a value of the electric current measured by the current measuring unit for each polishing location measured by the location measuring unit with a corresponding reference value of the electric current stored in the memory unit for each polishing location.

A grinder for sharpening the blades of reel mowers automatically to grind the underside of the blade of the reel mower.

Disclosed is a grinding tool, which includes a first disk having an installation hole in a center portion thereof such that the grinding tool is installed on a grinder, a second disk forming a discharge passage with partitions on a bottom surface of the first disk, wherein air intaken from a central lower portion of the grinding tool is discharged to an outside thereof through the discharge passage, and a ring-shaped shank disposed under the second disk and including grinding tips to grind a target.

The present invention provides: a method of polishing an object to be polished for processing a surface of the object to be polished into a concave or convex state with a high degree of accuracy; and a polishing pad. An object to be polished is placed on a polishing pad over the boundary between the first polishing region and the second polishing region, the first polishing region has grooves and the second polishing region has grooves different from those of the first polishing region, and either one of the two regions being formed on a region on the center side, and the other on the outer side in a radial direction on the surface of the polishing pad; and the object to be polished is polished by rotating the polishing pad and the object to be polished.

A tool is disclosed for selective honing of the outer diameter of a cylinder using an abrasive belt in semi-circular contact upon the outer-diameter of a cylindrical work-piece to perform a similar function to honing the inner-diameter of a hollow cylinder. The belt is retained within the tool body by U-shaped restraint arms, and a slot in the tool body. A clamp block retains the ends of the belt which exit the slot. Springs on the arms, and contact of the block on the outside of the tool body, force the belt into a triangular shape inside the body. A cylindrical work-piece inserted within the triangular shaped belt causes the belt to deform into three semi-circular areas of contact between the belt and work-piece. When the work-piece is rotated, the belt abrades material from the work-piece.

A dust collecting attachment that is mounted on a sander includes a suction portion mounted on a portion of a front housing where an output shaft projects, a flexible hose having a front end of the flexible hose connected to the suction portion, a discharge portion connected to a rear end of the flexible hose and a changeable member placed on both a motor housing and the discharge portion. The changeable member allows the discharge portion to be mounted at any position around an axis of the motor housing.

A combined processing tool includes a shank of a cylindrical shape, a mandrel fixed to the shank, a frame rotation-universally fitted outside the mandrel, a burnishing unit for performing a burnishing to an inner peripheral surface of a workpiece by rolling members, a dimple forming unit for performing a dimple forming to the surface of the workpiece by surface compression members so as to universally appear from and disappear in the frame, a body fixed to a top portion of the shank, and a skiving unit for performing a cutting, wherein, on an outer peripheral region of the mandrel, an outer peripheral surface 31c and a concave and convex shape area which consists of concave parts and convex parts alternately arranged along an outer peripheral direction of the mandrel are formed, and wherein the concave and convex parts are alternately engaged in the compression members with being rotated.

Described are embodiments of an invention for a method and a tool to produce a textured surface on the retention tab of a storage cell. The tool has a form that fits within the storage cell. The form has a hard material with a hard surface with contacts a surface of the retention tab within the storage cell. The movement of the hard surface across the surface of the retention tab produces a textured surface on the retention tab. The textured interface between a notch of a data storage cartridge and a retention tab of a storage cell provides a consistent and low friction force that retains the data storage cartridge within the cell but allows the accessor to easily remove the data storage cartridge when needed.

Methods and apparatus for making and using tools, for example concrete cutting blades. The tool includes a first layer and second layer that are oppositely disposed. The first and second layers include working surfaces that support at least one working element when the working element is applied to a work piece. Additionally, an intermediate structure is included between the first and second layers. The intermediate structure can include a plurality of components extending in the area between the structural surfaces and the working surfaces.

The present invention provides transgenic soybean event MON87769, and cells, seeds, and plants comprising DNA diagnostic for the soybean event. The invention also provides compositions comprising nucleotide sequences that are diagnostic for said soybean event in a sample, methods for detecting the presence of said soybean event nucleotide sequences in a sample, probes and primers for use in detecting nucleotide sequences that are diagnostic for the presence of said soybean event in a sample, growing the seeds of such soybean event into soybean plants, and breeding to produce soybean plants comprising DNA diagnostic for the soybean event.

Provided for are lubricant base stocks with improved filterability. The lubricant base stock includes a bright stock and an effective amount of a heavy neutral. The filterability of the base stock as measured by the Membrane Filtration Method is less than or equal to 400 seconds. Also provided for are lubricating oils with improved filterability and methods of improving the filterability of lubricant base stocks.

Disclosed herein are compounds of formula I: X-(L-Z)p-L-R[L-(Z-L)p-Y]q (I) wherein L is a perfluoropolyether; R is q can be an integer equal to or greater than 1; p can independently be integers from 0 to 7; X and Y can independently be chosen from: —OH, —CH2CH2OH, CH2CH2OCH2CH2OH, —CH2CH(OH)CH2OH, —C6H5, —CH2C6H5, —CH2CH(OH)CH3, F, —CF3, —CF2CF3, piperonyl, triazine, benzotriazole, and derivatives thereof; and Z, if present, can independently be chosen from: —C6H4—, —CH2C6H4CH2—, —CH2CH(OH)CH2—, —CH2CH(OH)CH2CH(OH)CH2—, —CH(OH)CH(OH)CH2—, —CH(CH2OH)—, or —CH(C6H5)—.

Corrosion by ammonia/amine salts in hydrocarbon streams such as distillation overhead streams that contain a mineral acid and water can be prevented, avoided or minimized by adding certain strong amines to the streams. The amines have a pKa between about 10.5 to about 12 and include, but are not necessarily limited to, dimethylamine, diethylamine, dipropylamine, diisopropyl-amine, di-n-butylamine, diisobutylamine, di-sec-butylamine, di-tert-butylamine, pyrrolidine, piperidine, and combinations thereof. If the hydrocarbon stream further includes a nitrogen-containing compound such as ammonia, a tramp and/or a residual amine which can form a corrosive salt with the mineral acid, then the added amine is a stronger base than the tramp or residual amine, if present. The amount of added amine is greater than total amount of nitrogen-containing compound, so that any corrosive salts formed are less corrosive than the salts that would otherwise form from the ammonia and/or tramp amine.

It is known by the inventor that a universal synthetic lubricant additive that can greatly enhance the performance standards of existing lubricants, petroleum based or synthetic, imparts a new and desirable property not originally present in the existing oil or it reinforces a desirable property already possessed in some degree can greatly benefit the consumer. Although additives of many diverse types have been developed to meet special lubrication needs, their principal functions are relatively few in number. This universal synthetic lubricant additive (invention) with micro lubrication technology, when used as directed will reduce the oxidative or thermal degradation of the host oil, substantially reduce the deposition of harmful deposits in lubricated parts, minimize rust and corrosion, control frictional properties, reduce wear, temperature, sludge, varnishes and prevent destructive metal-to-metal contact, reduce fuel consumption and harmful emissions while improving performance through increased horsepower and torque.

The invention relates to a process for producing ketones or hydrocarbon base oil from fatty acids preferably derived from a biological origin or other renewable source. The process is directed at making an aliphatic ketone or a mixture of aliphatic ketones having 14 to 52 carbon atoms, comprising a ketonization reaction of a fatty acid in a vapor phase with a decarboxylation-coupling catalyst to provide ketones, which can be deoxygenated to give saturated hydrocarbons, unsaturated hydrocarbons, and mixtures thereof. Base oils and transportation fuels may be produced from the process herein.

A tool, magazine (11) for accommodating a plurality of tools (T) comprising a first tool housing portion (17) and second tool housing portions (19, 21, 23) in which a plate-like member having a plurality of tool receiving holes (17a, 17b) and tool receiving recesses (19b, 21b, 23b) formed thereto and each of the tool receiving holes and the tool receiving recesses has at least three supporting members having a convex portion which engages with a V-shape trench of a tool, and a tool transporting means (25) so disposed to face a back surface of the first and second tool housing portions for transporting the tool to/from the first and second tool housing portions from/to a tool exchange position (P), wherein the second tool housing portions are disposed rearwardly offset with respect to the first tool housing portion.

A chain-type magazine includes a box, a chain-type conveyor and a spinning unit. The box includes a port defined therein. The chain-type conveyor includes links connected to one another so that each of the links can be pivoted relative to the other links about two axes in parallel to each other. A tool can be inserted in a holder inserted in each of the links. The spinning unit includes a mounting assembly, an elevating assembly, a rotary claw assembly and a connecting rod. The mounting assembly is connected to the box. The elevating assembly is movably connected to the mounting assembly. The rotary claw assembly is rotationally connected to the mounting assembly for catching a selected one of the links. The connecting rod connects the elevating assembly to the rotary claw assembly. The driving element drives the elevating assembly to spin the rotary claw assembly.

There is provided an automatic tool changer which, in a precision roll turning lathe which feeds a tool post at a high speed, can automatically change a tool, such as a cutting tool, without stopping the machine, thereby enabling highly efficient ultra-Precision machining of a roll mold for molding of a large-sized plastic sheet. The automatic tool changer includes: a change device including a vertically movable pivot arm having a pivot axis and which pivots in a horizontal plane, a hand portion, mounted at the front end of the arm, for detachably gripping a tool holder, a pivot drive section for pivoting the pivot arm, and a lifting drive section for vertically moving the pivot arm; a tool holder stocker, having a plurality of circumferentially-arranged stages disposed at a predetermined distance from the pivot axis, each stage detachably holding a tool holder; a holder base, mounted to the tool post, for fixing and unfixing a tool holder through the rotation of a clamp shaft; and a clamp shaft operating device including an operating portion for clamping/unclamping the tool holder by rotating the clamp shaft.

A machine tool is provided with a tool magazine including a guiding plate, a turntable and holders. The guiding plate includes an annular groove with a semi-circular section and a semi-oval section. The semi-circular section is defined by a radius. The semi-oval section is defined by a semi-major axis identical to the radius of the semi-circular section and a semi-minor axis shorter than the semi-major axis. The turntable includes claws extending from the periphery. Each of the holders is pivotally connected to a related one of the claws and includes an end for holding a tool and another end formed with a ball movably located in the annular groove. Thus, some of the holders of which the balls are located in the semi-circular section of the annular groove close while the other holders of which the balls are located in the semi-oval section of the annular groove open.

A method of placing a bottom block includes: placing bottom blocks on a block storage area in which a spindle can hold the bottom blocks; attaching a block-transferring tool to the spindle, the block-transferring tool having a main shaft attachment attached to the spindle and a block holder for holding the bottom block; and holding the bottom blocks by the block holder of the block-transferring tool and placing the held bottom blocks on a predetermined workpiece placing position on an upper surface of a table by relative movement.

A tool stocker includes main stockers for holding a plurality of tools detachably mounted on a main spindle for machining a workpiece, an auxiliary stocker for holding and transferring tools to and from the main stockers, and a tool transfer mechanism for transferring tools between the main stockers and the auxiliary stocker. The auxiliary stocker includes a plurality of tool pods for removably supporting the tools therein, a rail in sliding engagement with outer surfaces of the tool pods, a chain for moving the tool pods in sliding engagement with the rail, and a motor for actuating the chain. The rail has a recess defined therein in alignment with the tool transfer mechanism, such that the tools transferred by the tool transfer mechanism pass through the recess.

A magnetic tool to enable a robot arm to grip a metallic workpiece includes a hollow housing having a coupling member adapted to attach the tool to the robotic arm. A sleeve depends from the housing having a shaft slidably received therein. The shaft has a first end disposed in the housing and a second end extending axially outwardly from an open end of the sleeve. A magnetic member is disposed on the second end of the shaft. The magnetic member includes a main body having a cavity formed therein. A magnet is slidably disposed within the cavity and attached to an actuator adapted to adjust the distance between the magnet and an inner surface of a magnetic face of the main body of the magnetic member to vary the magnetic attraction force at the magnetic face.