Free-floating hydraulic clamping device with edge-gripping arbor
OwnerCharles Chupickinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides a workholder and a method for securing a work piece by engaging either a bore contained in the work piece or by gripping the edge of the bore of the work piece. The workholder includes a support platform, and a bore clamping device that is mounted to the support platform. The clamping device has a cylindrical, expandable arbor extending upwardly from the support platform for positioning in and engaging the bore or for gripping an outer edge of the bore.
Claims19
A workholder for securing a work piece comprising:
- a platform;
- a clamping device assembly mounted to said platform, the clamping device assembly having an expandable arbor with an internal slot longitudinally extending through a center of the arbor with an edge gripping member located at a distal end, the edge gripping member having a cap portion and a shoulder portion the shoulder portion adapted to engage a top surface of the work piece;
- a wedge located within the slot of the arbor;
- an actuating device for moving the arbor;
- and
- means for adjusting a distance of the expandable arbor and wedge from the actuating device while the clamping device assembly is in an unclamped state.
A workholder for securing a work piece during a machining operation comprising:
- an actuating device;
- an arbor having a lower end and an upper end where the lower end is connected to the actuating device, the upper end having a slot extending axially along the arbor with a tapered profile, a plurality of spaced apart serrations circumscribing a perimeter near the upper end,. the upper end having a traverse slit and a cover;
- and
- a support platform for mounting the actuating device thereto.
A workholder for securing a work piece during a machining operation comprising:
- a support platform;
- a clamping device mounted to said support platform, said clamping device having a cylindrical expandable arbor extending upward from said support platform for positioning through a bore of the work piece and engaging an outer edge of the bore of the work piece, the arbor having a cap portion located at one end adapted to cover the bore, the arbor further having a longitudinally extending slot;
- a wedge positioned within the slot, the wedge having a tapered end portion that engages the slot so as to cause outward movement of the arbor;
- and
- means for adjusting a distance of the expandable arbor and wedge from the actuating device while the clamping device assembly is in an unclamped state.
A method of securing a work piece during a machine operation comprising the steps of:
- providing a work piece having an internal bore and an underside;
- providing a clamping device, the clamping device having an expandable arbor with a tip located on one end thereof, the tip having a plurality of spaced apart serrations circumscribing a perimeter near an upper end, said upper end having a traverse slit and a cover;
- positioning the arbor through the bore from the underside of the work piece;
- expanding the tip of the arbor causing the tip to engage the bore of the work piece;
- and
- moving the tip of the arbor down and securing the work piece in place.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.