Shuttle vise assembly for a feed table apparatus

A feed table apparatus for moving a workpiece toward a machine tool comprising:

• (1) a roller assembly including;
• (a) an elongated roller framework having a longitudinally extending first wall and a spaced apart longitudinally extending oppositely facing second wall, and
• (b) a plurality of rollers rotatably mounted between said first wall and said second wall for rolling support of said workpiece on said roller framework;
• (2) a shuttle vise assembly movably mounted to said roller framework and formed to clamp and for moving said workpiece longitudinally along said roller assembly, said shuttle vise assembly including;
• (a) a reaction frame having a first upright post positioned proximate said first wall and a second upright post positioned proximate said second wall,
• (b) two opposed vise jaws mounted to said reaction frame between said first upright post and said second upright post, said jaws defining a workpiece clamping channel therebetween proximate and above said roller means, and at least one of said jaws being mounted to said reaction frame for movement to clamp said workpiece therebetween, and
• (3) coupling means movably mounting said reaction frame to said roller framework for longitudinal relative movement therealong, said coupling means including guide rail means extending longitudinally and secured to said first wall and said second wall, and said coupling means further bearing means mounted to said reaction frame and movably coupling said reaction frame to said guide rail means on said roller framework in a manner transferring reaction forces caused by clamping said workpiece from said opposing jaws to said roller framework;
• and
• (4) drive means coupled between said roller framework and said reaction frame assembly for urging said reaction frame longitudinally relative to said roller framework.

In a feed table apparatus for moving a workpiece toward a machine tool, the feed table apparatus including a roller assembly having an elongated framework including a first framework member and a spaced apart oppositely facing second framework member, cross-bracing member extending between and rigidly secured to said first framework member and said second framework member, and roller means rotatably mounted between said first framework member and said second framework member for rolling support of said workpiece on said roller assembly, said feed table apparatus further including a shuttle vise assembly for moving said workpiece longitudinally along said roller assembly including a reaction frame assembly having a first upright post positioned proximate said first framework member, an opposite facing second upright post positioned proximate said second framework member, and two opposed jaws mounted to said reaction frame assembly between said first upright post and said second upright post, said jaws defining a workpiece clamping channel therebetween proximate and above said roller means, the improvement in said feed table apparatus comprising:

• said first upright post positioned proximate said first framework member positioned proximate said second framework member;
• and
• coupling means movably mounting said reaction frame to said roller framework for longitudinal relative movement therealong, said coupling means further coupling said reaction frame to said roller framework for transfer of reaction forces caused by clamping said workpiece from said opposing jaws to said roller framework.

A feed table apparatus for clamping a workpiece for cutting by a machine tool comprising:

• (1) a roller assembly including;
• (a) an elongated roller framework having a longitudinally extending first wall and an oppositely facing longitudinally extending second wall, and
• (b) a roller rotatably mounted between said first wall and said second wall for rolling support of said workpiece along said framework assembly;
• and
• (2) a shuttle vise assembly mounted for movement longitudinally along said elongated roller framework including;
• (a) a reaction frame having a first post positioned proximate said first wall and a second post positioned proximate said second wall,
• (b) two opposed jaws mounted to said reaction frame assembly between said first post and said second post, said jaws defining a workpiece gripping channel therebetween proximate and above said roller device, and at least one of said jaws being mounted to said reaction frame assembly for movement toward the other of said jaws to clamp said workpiece therebetween, and
• (c) a coupling mechanism including a first guide rail extending longitudinally along said first wall for movably coupling said first post to said first wall, a second guide rail extending longitudinally along said second wall for movably coupling said second post to said second wall, and guide rail bearings cooperatively engaging said first and second guide rails in a manner permitting longitudinal displacement relative to said guide rails for movement therealong while preventing lateral displacement thereof for transfer of reaction forces caused by clamping said workpiece from said reaction frame to said elongated roller framework.

A feed table apparatus for clamping a workpiece for cutting by a machine tool comprising:

• (1) a roller assembly including;
• (a) an elongated roller framework having a longitudinally extending first wall and an oppositely facing longitudinally extending second wall, and
• (b) a roller device rotatably mounted between said first wall and said second wall for rolling support of said workpiece along said framework assembly;
• and
• (2) a shuttle vise assembly mounted for movement longitudinally along said elongated roller framework including;
• (a) a reaction frame having a first post positioned proximate said first wall and a second post positioned proximate said second wall,
• (b) two opposed jaws mounted to said reaction frame assembly between said first post and said second post, said jaws defining a workpiece gripping channel therebetween proximate and above said roller device, and at least one of said jaws being mounted to said reaction frame assembly for movement toward the other of said jaws to clamp said workpiece therebetween,
• (c) a coupling mechanism movably coupling said reaction frame to said elongated roller framework for movement therealong and for transfer of reaction forces caused by clamping said workpiece from said reaction frame to said elongated roller framework, and
• (d) a drive mechanism coupled between said roller framework and said reaction frame for longitudinally displacing said reaction frame along said roller framework, and including a first drive sleeve mounted to said first post, and a first screw drive rotatably mounted to said first wall and formed to drivably engage said first drive sleeve to reciprocate said first post axially along said first drive screw, and a second drive sleeve mounted to said second post, and a second screw drive rotatably mounted to said second wall and formed to drivably engage said second drive sleeve to reciprocate said second post axially along said first drive screw.

A feed table apparatus for clamping a workpiece for cutting by a machine tool comprising:

• (1) a roller assembly including;
• (a) an elongated roller framework having a longitudinally extending first wall and an oppositely facing longitudinally extending second wall,
• (b) a plurality of spaced-apart cross-supports rigidly mounted to and transversely extending between said first wall and said second wall, and
• (c) a roller device rotatably mounted between said first wall and said second wall for rolling support of said workpiece along said framework assembly;
• and
• (2) a shuttle vise assembly mounted for movement longitudinally along said elongated roller framework including;
• (a) a reaction frame having a first post positioned proximate said first wall and a second post positioned proximate said second wall,
• (b) two opposed jaws mounted to said reaction frame assembly between said first post and said second post, said jaws defining a workpiece gripping channel therebetween proximate and above said roller device, and at least one of said jaws being mounted to said reaction frame assembly for movement toward the other of said jaws to clamp said workpiece therebetween, and
• (c) a coupling mechanism movably coupling said reaction frame to said elongated roller framework for movement therealong and for transfer of reaction forces caused by clamping said workpiece from said reaction frame to said elongated roller framework, said coupling mechanism including a first guide rail movably coupling said first post to said first wall for longitudinal movement therealong, and a second guide rail movably coupling said second post to said second wall for longitudinal movement therealong.