Apparatuses and methods for applying pressure to edge surfaces
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorJesse P. Howard
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for applying pressure to at least a portion of an edge surface of a workpiece comprises a frame, a first roller, a second roller, a rotation-control member, a first biasing member, and a second biasing member. The first roller and the second roller are coupled to and are rotatable relative to the frame while at least one of the first roller or the second roller is translatable relative to the frame. The rotation-control member is coupled to and is movable relative to the frame, controlling rotation of the first roller and the second roller. The first biasing member is coupled to the first roller and to the second roller and configured to operate in tension. The second biasing member is positioned, in compression, between the frame and the rotation-control member.
Claims20
An apparatus for applying pressure to at least a portion of an edge surface, which bridges opposing faces of a workpiece, the apparatus comprising:
- a frame;
- a first roller, coupled to the frame and rotatable relative to the frame about a first pivot axis;
- a second roller, coupled to the frame and rotatable relative to the frame about a second pivot axis, and wherein at least one of the first roller or the second roller is translatable relative to the frame along a first axis, which intersects and is perpendicular to the first pivot axis and to the second pivot axis;
- a rotation-control member, coupled to the frame and movable relative to the frame;
- a first biasing member, coupled to the first roller and to the second roller and configured to operate in tension;
- and
- a second biasing member, positioned, in compression, between the frame and the rotation-control member;
- and wherein:
- when the rotation-control member is at a first location relative to the frame, the first roller and the second roller are rotatable relative to the frame;
- and
- when the rotation-control member is at a second location relative to the frame, the first roller and the second roller are rotationally fixed relative to the frame.
A method of applying pressure to at least a portion of an edge surface, which bridges opposing faces of a workpiece, using an apparatus that comprises a frame;
- a first roller, coupled to the frame and rotatable relative to the frame about a first pivot axis;
- a second roller, coupled to the frame and rotatable relative to the frame about a second pivot axis, at least one of the first roller or the second roller being translatable relative to the frame, and wherein the second pivot axis is spaced from the first pivot axis along a first axis, which intersects and is perpendicular to the first pivot axis and to the second pivot axis;
- a rotation-control member, coupled to the frame and movable relative to the frame;
- a first biasing member, coupled to the first roller and to the second roller;
- and a second biasing member, positioned, in compression, between the frame and the rotation-control member, the method comprising steps of:
- aligning the apparatus with the workpiece, such that the edge surface of the workpiece is centered along a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis and that extends between the first pivot axis of the first roller and the second pivot axis of the second roller;
- positioning the rotation-control member at a first location relative to the frame, such that the first roller and the second roller are rotatable relative to the frame;
- with the rotation-control member positioned at the first location relative to the frame, moving the apparatus and the workpiece relative to each other, such that the workpiece is received between the first roller and the second roller, stretching the first biasing member so that the first biasing member applies pressure to at least the portion of the edge surface of the workpiece, while increasing spacing (D1) between the first pivot axis of the first roller and the second pivot axis of the second roller along the first axis and the first roller, and the second roller apply equal and opposite forces to opposing faces of the workpiece;
- and
- positioning the rotation-control member at a second location relative to the frame, such that the first roller and the second roller are rotationally fixed relative to the frame, creating a frictional coupling between the apparatus and the workpiece, which maintains the pressure, applied to at least the portion of the edge surface by the first biasing member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.