Open center turntable assembly

An assembly for positioning an object, said assembly comprising:

• an open center stationary base, said base having an inner peripheral base edge that defines an open center of said base, wherein said said base includes indented support surfaces forming a profile;
• an open center platform having an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge, said inner peripheral edge defining an open center of said platform and said platform adapted to support the object;
• means for movably supporting said platform on said base for rotational movement of said platform relative to said base, wherein said means for movably supporting said platform on said base are disposed between said outer peripheral edges of said platform and said inner peripheral edge of said platform, and wherein said means for movably supporting said platform on said base comprises rollers rollingly mounted to said platform, each said roller supported within said support surfaces of said base and having a profile for mating engagement therewith;
• and
• drive means disposed substantially beneath said platform, said drive means supported by said base and operably connected to said platform for rotationally moving said platform about said base.

A method of placing an object in position for performing an operation thereon, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing an open center stationary base, said base having an inner peripheral base edge that defines an open center of said base;
• providing an open center platform movably supported on said base proximate said object, said platform having an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge, said inner peripheral edge defining an open center of said platform;
• supporting said object on said platform;
• providing a means for movably supporting said platform on said base for rotational movement of said platform relative to said base, wherein said means for movably supporting said platform on said base are disposed between said outer peripheral edge of said platform and said inner peripheral edge of said platform and do not extend into said open center of said platform;
• providing drive means disposed substantially beneath said platform between said outer peripheral edge of said platform and said inner peripheral edge of said platform and do not extend into said open center of said platform, said drive means supported by said base and operably connected to said platform for rotationally moving said platform about said base, wherein said drive means includes a drive pulley having a rotational axis parallel to a rotational axis of said platform;
• and
• driving said platform for rotation relative to said base by said drive means from a position substantially beneath said platform thereby positioning said object at one or more selected angular positions.