US 5,848,480 AGranted

Reconfigurable supporting fixture, particularly for a measuring machine

AssigneeBrown & Sharpe DEA S.p.A.

InventorsDomenico Sola, Enrico Garau

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Abstract

A fixture for positioning and supporting parts for measurement on a measuring machine, the fixture presenting a number of reconfigurable supporting elements, each presenting a first portion positionable on a reference surface of the measuring machine, a second portion positionable in relation to the first portion in a direction perpendicular to the reference surface, and clamping members for clamping the first portion in relation to the reference surface and the second portion in relation to the first portion; and a gripping tool movable automatically by the measuring machine and cooperating with the second portion of a supporting element in a position of mutual engagement to set the supporting element in a predetermined position; the gripping tool presenting control means, which, in the aforementioned position of mutual engagement, provide for simultaneously releasing the clamping members clamping the first portion and second portion of the supporting element to enable the supporting element to be repositioned by means of a single gripping operation.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A reconfigurable fixture (10) for positioning and supporting parts on a machine (1) comprising a reference surface (5) and a movable unit (3), particularly a measuring machine;

said fixture (10) comprising:
at least one reconfigurable supporting element (11) comprising a first portion (14) positionable on said reference surface (5), first clamping means (19) for clamping said first portion (14) in relation to said reference surface (5), first release means (15) for releasing said first clamping means (19), a second portion (16, 49) positionable in relation to said first portion (14) in a direction (Z) perpendicular to said reference surface (5), second clamping means (28) for clamping said second portion (16, 49) in relation to said first portion (14), and second release means (35) for releasing said second clamping means (28);
and
a gripping tool (13) movable by said movable unit (3) and presenting connecting means (78, 86, 88) cooperating with said second portion of said reconfigurable support element in a position of mutual engagement;
gripping tool (13) comprising control means (79) for controlling both said first and second release means (15, 35) simultaneously, said control means being operable in said position of mutual engagement with said second portion of said reconfigurable supporting element.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.