Clamp assembly for a friction welding machine

A friction welding machine clamp assembly for securing a workpiece against rotation comprising

• a pair of opposed chuck means,
• means for supporting said pair of chuck means for relative slidable horizontal displacement,
• said supporting means being a single element uninterrupted structure capable of having applied thereto a pure tension horizontally acting load,
• means for controlling the displacement of said pair of opposed chucks so that said pair of chucks will be conjointly and equally displaced,
• means for displacing said pair of chuck means having
• first and second vertically oriented arms each pivotally secured at a medial location to said single element uninterrupted structure supporting means,
• first and second link means each connected at one end to one of said chuck means for limited pivotal displacement relative thereto and at the other end pivotally connected to the top of said corresponding arm, and
• hydraulic cylinder means extending horizontally between and pivotally mounted on the bottom of said arms, whereby balanced compressive loads are applied through both ends of said arms by means of said hydraulic cylinder means putting said supporting means into a pure tension load thereby preventing said supporting means from bending and
• a base for supporting said supporting means, said base having opening means for receiving said hydraulic cylinder means.