Processing system

A clamp device capable of clamping two different work pieces, comprising a lower pair of clamp members and an upper pair of clamp members, actuating means for independently actuating the lower and upper clamp members between respective clamped and unclamped positions, at least one of the upper clamp members being moveable between the unclamped position and a retracted position wherein the upper pair of clamp members are inoperable.

A clamp device capable of clamping two different work pieces, comprising a lower jaw unit, an intermediate jaw unit and an upper jaw unit, the lower jaw unit and the intermediate jaw unit having adjacent clamp surfaces to clamp a first work piece, the intermediate jaw unit and the upper jaw unit having adjacent clamp surfaces to clamp a second work piece, first actuating means for actuating either the lower jaw unit or the intermediate jaw unit or both to clamp the first work piece, second actuating means for actuating either the intermediate jaw unit or the upper jaw unit or both to clamp the second work piece, the upper jaw unit or the lower jaw unit being movable between an operative position and a retracted position, the retracted position being selected to permit the first work piece to be clamped and the operative position being selected to permit the second work piece to be clamped.

A work piece clamp assembly for supporting at least two different work pieces, comprising a frame, a plurality of clamp devices mounted on the frame and operable in a first phase to clamp a first work piece at a corresponding plurality of clamping sites thereon and in a second phase to clamp a second work piece at a corresponding plurality of clamping sites thereon, wherein the clamping sites on the first work piece are in substantially the same location as the clamping sites on the second work piece, each of the clamp devices having a lower pair of clamp members and an upper pair of clamp members, actuating means for independently actuating the lower and upper clamp members between respective clamped and unclamped positions, at least one of the upper clamp members or at least one of the lower clamp members being moveable between the unclamped position and a retracted position wherein the corresponding upper pair of clamp members or the lower pair of clamp members are inoperable.

A work piece clamp assembly for supporting at least two different work pieces, comprising a frame, a plurality of clamp devices mounted on the frame and operable in a first phase to clamp a first work piece at a corresponding plurality of clamping sites thereon and in a second phase to clamp a second work piece at a corresponding plurality of clamping sites thereon, wherein the clamping sites on the first work piece are in substantially the same location as the clamping sites on the second work piece, each clamp device comprising a lower jaw unit, an intermediate jaw unit and an upper jaw unit, the lower jaw unit and the intermediate jaw unit having adjacent clamp surfaces to clamp a first work piece, the intermediate jaw unit and the upper jaw unit having adjacent clamp surfaces to clamp a second work piece, first actuating means for actuating either the lower jaw unit or the intermediate jaw unit or both to clamp the first work piece, second actuating means for actuating either the intermediate jaw unit or the upper jaw unit or both to clamp the second work piece, the upper jaw unit being movable between an operative position and a retracted position, the retracted position being selected to permit the first work piece to be clamped and the operative position being selected to permit the second work piece to be clamped.

A clamp device comprising a support frame member, a lower clamp unit and an upper clamp unit supported by the support frame member, the lower clamp unit having a pair of lower jaws and first actuating means for actuating at least one of the lower jaws between clamped and unclamped positions, the upper clamp unit having a first upper jaw and a second upper jaw, and a second actuating means for actuating at least one of the upper jaws between clamped and unclamped positions, the first upper jaw being fixed for movement with one of the lower jaws.