System for positioning a workpiece on a machine worktable
AssigneeThermwood Corporation
InventorKenneth J. Susnjara
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for positioning a workpiece on the worktable of a machine including at least one stop device mounted on such machine, including a first component provided with a fluid passageway having an inlet connected to a fluid pressure line including a pressure sensor, and an outlet disposed in an abutment surface thereof, and a second component displaceable relative to such abutment surface, into and out of obstructive relation with such outlet, affecting the pressure in such supply line and correspondingly effecting a hold down of a workpiece positioned on such worktable.
Claims25
A system for positioning a workpiece provided with a pair of angularly displaced edges, on the worktable of a machine, provided with a pair of angularly displaced edges, comprising:
- at least one workpiece stop device supported on said machine adjacent each of said angularly displaced worktable edges, including a first component provided with a fluid passageway therethrough including an inlet port and an outlet port, and a second component displaceable by an engaging edge of a workpiece disposed on said worktable along a line of travel intersecting said outlet port of said first component, functional to close said outlet port;
- means for supplying a fluid under a first pressure to said passageway inlet;
- means responsive to a second pressure in said fluid supply means effected by a closure of said outlet port of said first component by said second component, greater than said first pressure, operative to conjoin said workpiece and said worktable.
The system according to claim wherein said second component includes at least one pin having an end portion thereof inserted into a channel of said first component for guiding said second component along said line of travel.
A stop assembly mountable on the bed of a machine provided with a worktable for supporting a workpiece thereon, functional to fix the position of an edge of said workpiece, comprising:
- a shaft supportable on said bed, having an axis disposed substantially parallel to a support surface of said worktable;
- a first stop component pivotally mounted on said shaft provided with an abutment surface facing in the direction of said machine, and a fluid passageway including an inlet connectable to a source of fluid under pressure and an outlet in said abutment surface;
- a second stop component supported on said first component, displaceable relative to said first stop component along a line of travel including said fluid outlet port in said abutment surface of said first stop component, and including a first surface intersecting said line of travel disposed in opposed relation to said abutment surface and a second surface intersecting said line of travel engageable by an edge of a workpiece disposed on said worktable;
- and
- a fluid operated cylinder assembly including a cylinder mountable at a base end thereof to said bed and a rod connectable to said first stop component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.