Clamping apparatus
AssigneeKosmek Ltd.
InventorKeitaro Yonezawa
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A housing (11) includes an annular driving member (16), into which a cylindrical pull rod (12) is inserted. An actuation member (26) is inserted into the pull rod (12). At the time of clamping, the pull rod (12) has an upper end portion fitted into a stepped hole (2) of a workpiece (1) and the driving member (16) is lowered. Then, first the pull rod (12) descends relatively to the actuation member (26) to project a plurality of engaging balls (13) outwards and subsequently these balls (13) are brought into butting contact with a lower step portion (8) of the stepped hole (2). Thus the driving member (16) pulls the workpiece (1) downward through the pull rod (12) and the balls (13).
Claims12
A clamping apparatus including a housing (11) and adapted to pull an object (1) to be fixed, which has a stepped hole (2), toward the housing (11), the clamping apparatus comprising:
- a pull rod (12) having an axis extending longitudinally and a first end portion and a second end portion and provided with a cylindrical hole (12a) extending in the axial direction, the pull rod (12) being inserted into the housing (11) movably in the axial direction and adapted to have the first end portion fitted into the stepped hole (2);
- a plurality of engaging members (13) arranged at the first end portion of the pull rod (12) as peripherally spaced apart at a predetermined distance, the engaging members (13) being supported by the first end portion of the pull rod (12) so as to be movable between a projected position (X) far away from the axis and a retreated position (Y) close to the axis;
- an actuation member (26) inserted into the cylindrical hole (12a) of the pull rod (12), the actuation member (26) and the pull rod (12) being moved relatively to each other in the axial direction to thereby change over the engaging members (13) from the retreated position (Y) to the projected position (X);
- and
- a clamping mechanism (M) moving the pull rod (12) toward the second end portion at the time of clamp driving.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.