Auto-clamper for pallets

Abstract

In construction of a clamper for automatically clamping a pallet carrying a workpiece to a clamp table on, for example, a cutting machine, a clamp spring is attached to a hook piece used for hoisting the pallet in an arrangement such that turning of the hook piece in the unclamping direction at hoisting the pallet should deform the clamp spring to store its strain energy, and that opposite turning of the hook piece should cause release of the strain energy by the clamp spring on restoration from deformation to firmly engage a clamper head to an anchor block on the clamp table. Use of the strain energy for clamping operation well avoids conventional need for pneumatic or hydraulic pressure and interfaces to be otherwise interposed between a pressure source and the clamper.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.