Apparatus for and method of utilizing vacuum in machine tool operations

A securing mechanism in combination with a vacuum base plate comprising:

• a removable button fixture plate, and
• at least one vacuum button;
• wherein
• said vacuum base plate comprises means for providing vacuum to a plurality of holes in said button fixture plate, each said hole being able to receive one of said vacuum buttons, and
• each said vacuum button comprises a main body and a protrusion that is received in one of said holes, the vacuum from said base plate passing through said holes in said button fixture plate and through a central opening in said vacuum button;
• such that
• vacuum created by said base plate passes through said button fixture plate to secure a work piece placed on said at least one vacuum button.

A vacuum button adapted for use in securing a work piece in a machining operation comprising:

• a main body with at least one support rib raised above a surface of said annular recess, a top surface of said support rib being coplanar with a top surface of said main body,
• a protrusion,
• an annular recess in a top surface of said main body, and
• a central opening;
• wherein
• an airway is formed through said central opening and into said annular recess through a slot in a central portion of said main body, said annular recess thereby forming a vacuum area, and
• said support rib comprises a gap therein, said gap being aligned with said slot in said central portion of said vacuum button so that an airway is formed through said slot and said gap.

A method of securing a work piece in a machining operation without the use of clamps comprising the following steps:

• a) providing a vacuum source with a plurality of vacuum ports,
• b) securing a button fixture plate on top of said vacuum source, said button fixture plate comprising a plurality of vacuum ports,
• c) placing a desired number and pattern of vacuum buttons in said vacuum ports, each said vacuum button comprising a central opening that forms an airway with a corresponding one of said vacuum ports and a recessed vacuum area, said number and pattern of vacuum buttons being selected based on characteristics of a work piece,
• d) blocking vacuum ports that are not to receive a vacuum button, and
• e) securing said work piece on a top surface of said vacuum buttons.