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US 8,181,948 B2Granted
Tilt machining device and method
OwnerJohn Blick, Daniel Wacholderinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The support system and method enables exact and preferably machine assisted manual location and height placement of a vacuum operated hold down with rigid pre-set support on a conventional working table. A height adjustable jack screw support with angularly flexible hold down enables a holding support engaging the bottom of a work piece even where a lower surface of the work piece has an irregular shape due to the ability of the upper cup support to passively tilt to engage the work piece.
Claims13
A support for supporting and holding a work piece for processing comprising:
- a body having a base with a first vacuum port for securing the body to a table using the first vacuum port, the body having an internal threaded structure;
- a threaded main support member having an external thread engaged with the internal threaded structure of the body to adjust a height of the threaded main support member;
- a central bearing nut threadably inserted into a set of internal threads carried by the threaded main support member, the central bearing nut having an upper portion having an uninterrupted curved surface and having maximum height at an axial center of the central bearing nut and curving radially evenly away from the maximum height at the axial center for facilitating bearing against and supporting an object having surfaces having a non-normal angle with respect to the central bearing nut;
- and
- an internally threaded locking nut threadably engaged with the external thread of the threaded main support member to lock the threaded main support member from threaded rotation with respect to the body.
2 more elements
A support for supporting and holding a work piece for processing comprising:
- a body having a base with a first vacuum port for securing the body to a table using the first vacuum port, the body having an internal threaded structure;
- a threaded main support member having an external thread engaged with the internal threaded structure of the body to adjust a height of the threaded main support member;
- a central bearing nut threadably inserted into a set of internal threads carried by the threaded main support member, the central bearing nut having an upper portion for bearing against an object for being supported;
- an area of flexible elastomeric material supported between the threaded main support member and the central bearing nut;
- an upper cup support spaced apart from the central bearing nut and engaging the area of flexible elastomeric material at a position spaced apart from the engagement of the area of flexible elastomeric material between the threaded main support member and the central bearing nut such that the upper cup support is flexibly supported;
- and
- a second vacuum port supported by the body and in fluid communication adjacent the upper cup support for creating a vacuum between the upper cup support and an object to be supported.
4 more elements
A process for setting up a support for supporting and holding a work piece for processing comprising the steps of:
- providing an adjustable height support having a body including a base with a first vacuum port for securing the body to a table using the first vacuum port, a threaded main support member having an external thread engaged with the internal threaded structure of the body to adjust a height of the threaded main support member, and a central bearing member supported at the other end of the threaded main support member;
- positioning a motor unit having a locator block, having a horizontal surface and a lateral surface, at an exact lateral position and height over a surface from which a work piece is to be indirectly supported with the locator block assuming a position over which a lower surface of the work piece is to be located during working;
- bringing the adjustable height support to a position generally centered underneath the locator block;
- turning the threaded main support member with respect to the base to cause the threaded main support member central bearing member to contact the locator block horizontal surface and lateral surface to enable the adjustable support to assume a position of support for supporting a work piece during working.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.