Abstract: A large surface area work piece, such as a piece of sheet metal to be three-dimensionally deformed is held by a suction cup member which in turn is pivotally supported by a bearing disk and by a support that holds the bearing disk as a pivot socket. Two cooperating slide bearing surfaces are formed between the support and the bearing disk and two further cooperating slide bearing surfaces are formed between the bearing disk and the suction cup member. As a result, the angular adjustment movement of the suction cup member is substantially increased with the aid of the bearing disk. In operation, the applied suction or reduced pressure holds the components and the work piece in place. Venting or a slight excess pressure is applied to release the work piece. A flexible loop holds the three components together when suction is not applied.

Abstract: A spindle of clamping apparatus is adjusted in height or elevation in an infinitely variable manner by means of a transmission. The transmission comprises a pinion connected with a motor meshing with a gear wheel, which is indirectly connected with the spindle. The apparatus is especially useful for clamping large-are a work pieces.

Abstract: A jig comprising a plurality of clamping heads arranged in an adjustment device, with each clamping head comprising two elements adjustable in different planes, with one of the actuating elements connected with a suction part which comes to contact the work piece and a vacuum thus pulls the work piece towards this clamping head. The adjustment arrangement is laid out in such a way that each clamping head is movable in elevational, longitudinal, and transverse directions and because of its adjustment possibility any position on the work piece to be machined is accessible.

Abstract: Large, spherically preshaped, thin workpieces are held and clamped in discrete, well-defined points under utilization of holding and clamping elements in which a portion of a head is universally pivotable about a point being the center of a sealing rim for a plenum chamber adjacent the engaging workpiece in which plenum chamber high pressure is established so that the workpiece can slide above the rim on an air cushion while it is being held through application of below-atmospheric suction pressure in the plenum.