Tooling base

A tooling base for removably aligning and attaching a tooling fixture to a work surface of a machine comprising:

• a) a base housing attached to the work surface of the machine, the base housing having a top surface, a bottom surface and a plurality of vertical side surfaces, an interior and tooling holes in the top surface, the tooling holes fitted with at least one alignment stud, each of the at least one alignment studs having an indentation and the alignment studs attached to the tooling fixture,
• b) a clamping fixture fit inside the base housing and fixed to one of the plurality of vertical side surface, the clamping fixture including at least one tapered region, the at least one tapered region sized and shaped to fit the indentation on the at least one alignment stud, and, when pressed and held against the indentation locks the alignment stud in place, the clamping fixture further including at least one spring having a first end that contacts the clamping fixture, and, a second end of the spring pressing against one of the plurality of vertical side surfaces of the tooling base, and the spring provides a force to press and hold the at least one tapered region of the clamping fixture against the indentation on the at least one tooling stud thereby locking the alignment stud in place within the tooling base, and, the clamping fixture further including a contact surface that when pressed compresses the spring and disengages the at least one tapered region on the clamping fixture from the indentation on the alignment stud and release the alignment stud from the tooling base, and,
• c) a cam that is moved is moved in a sliding motion along a shaft by an actuator such that when the cam is moved in a first direction a surface on the cam presses against the contact surface on the clamping fixture compresses the spring and releases the alignment stud from the tooling hole, and, when the cam is moved by the actuator in a second, opposite direction to the first direction, releases pressure against the contact surface on the clamping fixture and thereby causes the at least one tapered region of the clamping fixture to be pressed into the indentation on the alignment stud and thereby locks the alignment stud in place within the tooling base.