Abstract: A machine vise holds two parts against a center mounting block, and has simultaneously moving jaws slidable on a vise body toward opposite sides of the center jaw for clamping. One of the jaws is driven through a torque limiting clutch to the drive screw to provide a preload on one of the parts, after which the clutch releases for final, high pressure tightening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a modular, multiple actuator assembly for providing a clamping force on a machine tool vise or other clamp which includes a plurality of parallel operating pistons and cylinders providing an additive force to a movable clamp jaw. The modular assembly can be installed easily in existing vises as well as in new vises. The modular actuator has a number of individual piston-cylinder assemblies acting to be additive in force so a high clamping force can be obtained using standard air pressure supplies found in machine tool shops and factories.

Abstract: A two station, single action vise has a body, with a fixed center block forming oppositely facing fixed jaws, and movable jaws at opposite ends of the body that are moved by operation of a vise screw toward one of the respective oppositely facing fixed jaws in the center of the body. The vise screw is spring centered and will yield to apply a preclamp with one of the jaws onto a piece part. The movable jaws are shown operated by a vise screw that has left-hand threads for operating one of the movable jaws and right-hand threads for operating the other movable jaw, so that as the screw is rotated both movable jaws move simultaneously toward the center block forming the fixed jaws. In this way two work pieces can be clamped by the movable jaws against the center fixed jaw. In order to preclamp piece parts under a spring load the screw is moved so it can shift axially slightly under spring load after preclamping one part until both movable jaws are positioned to clamp their respective piece parts tightly.

Abstract: A machine vise that can serve multipurpose uses is constructed utilizing a cast base made so that it can be easily mounted for NC machining, or mounted on a swivel base, and can be used mounted on its sides or on one end. The cast base is made to simplify clamping to a tool table by providing an accessible ledge for clamping along the sides and ends. The ledge also provides a coolant drain trough. A support for the distal end of the vise screw is mounted to simplify manufacturing without losing precision operation. The same vise body can be adapted for use with interchangeable screws for manual operation of a movable jaw from either end of the vise or using a hydraulic actuator for clamping the movable jaw.

Abstract: A power operated wrench for acuating the drawbars on machine tools, such as vertical spindle milling machines, which permits the operator to move a single handle, and after release of a safety interlock move a pneumatic wrench into position to engage the drawbar nut and either tighten or loosen the drawbar depending on the direction of motion of the operator handle. The mechanical operation permits the operator to rotate the operator handle in the same direction as would be done if the drawbar was being manually tightened or loosened, in order to tighten or loosen the drawbar under power. The safety interlock prevents movement of the power motor into engagement with the drawbar until the machine has been shut off.

Abstract: A gas bearing designed for instantaneous 5-10 micro inch separation at startup due to regulated entry and activation of rarefield molecular gas particles. This bearing has two opposing bearing faces with carefully matched geometries. One surface having grooves with lands formed between the grooves that are designed for hydrodynamic operation. The other surface being smooth such as an optically flat plane. The lift-off occurs at startup through the friction-energized gas molecules increasing their volume, and forcing the slowly rotating bearing faces apart.

Abstract: A carriage drive apparatus positions a carriage along a guide rail. First and second front drive rollers are rotatably mounted on a carriage drive housing on opposite sides of a nonrotating guide rail. The first and second front drive rollers are adapted to frictionally engage the guide rail. Third and fourth rear drive rollers are also mounted on the carriage drive housing on opposite sides of the guide rail. The third and fourth rear drive rollers are adapted to frictionally engage the guide rail. A motor is mounted on the carriage drive housing and is coupled to the front and rear drive rollers. The motor is used to drive the carriage drive housing along the guide rail. A sensor is used to sense the position of the carriage housing along the guide rail. The drive can be disengaged from the drive rail while the sensor remains engaged to permit teaching the controls various stop positions while manually moving the carriage drive housing.

Abstract: A robot assembly includes a support for mounting at least two arm portions and a wrist portion about an upright axis. The wrist has three axes of movement that are mutually perpendicular, and they are controlled by a single motor through an arrangement of electromagnetic clutches and gears so that one motor controls movement about all three axes of movement of the wrist. Additionally, gear drives are used for other movements on the robot arm to provide movement about seven independent axes in the arrangement shown with only two drive motors.

Abstract: A carriage drive apparatus positions a carriage along a guide rail. First and second front drive rollers are rotatably mounted on a carriage drive housing on opposite sides of a nonrotating guide rail. The first and second front drive rollers are adapted to frictionally engage the guide rail. Third and fourth rear drive rollers are also mounted on the carriage drive housing on opposite sides of the guide rail. The third and fourth rear drive rollers are adapted to frictionally engage the guide rail. A motor is mounted on the carriage drive housing and is coupled to the front and rear drive rollers. The motor is used to drive the carriage drive housing along the guide rail. A sensor is used to sense the position of the carriage housing along the guide rail. The drive can be disengaged from the drive rail while the sensor remains engaged to permit teaching the controls various stop positions while manually moving the carriage drive housing.

Abstract: A vise clamp has an elongated body which fits into a T-shaped slot of a tool table. The body has a head at one end which extends out of the slot and pair of pivotal lugs which fit under the side shoulder of the slot. Means are provided to provide a pivoting action which tends to pivot the head toward the table surface to tend to clamp a tool such as a vise against the table. The major portion of the clamp thus remains recessed below the table surface. The clamp permits making a low profile swivel base vise that has the clamps positioned below the vise base and yet they are easily operated.

Abstract: A feedback system for a robot controller provides feedback signals representing incremental motion along an axis in either a first or second direction based upon a pair of encoder signals from a position encoder. The feedback system includes circuitry which produces a pair of signals indicating the state of the first encoder signal and whether the first encoder signal has changed state, and circuitry which produces a pair of signals indicating the state of the second encoder signal and whether the second encoder signal has changed state. A read only memory receives these four signals at its address inputs and produces the first and second feedback signals at its data outputs based upon stored microcode. The encoder signals may be in the form of pulsed up/down feedback, where one of the two encoder signals contains pulses and the other encoder signal remains unchanged.

Abstract: A combination vise that comprises a box construction frame that has three side surfaces for supporting the vise so that the jaws can be placed perpendicular to the table surface by laying the vise on either side and clamping it in position, or the jaws can be positioned on the top of the vise in a normal manner when the vise is set on its bottom.The three side surfaces of the vise which do not carry the jaws are machined so they will lay flat on a machine tool table and properly orient the jaws when the vise is clamped on any one of the three usable sides.

Abstract: A vise clamp has an elongated body which fits into a T-shaped slot of a tool table. The body has a head at one end which extends out of the slot and pair of pivotal lugs which fit under the side shoulder of the slot. Means are provided to provide a pivoting action which tends to pivot the head toward the table surface to tend to clamp a tool such as a vise against the table. The major portion of the clamp thus remains recessed below the table surface. The clamp permits making a low profile swivel base vise that has the clamps positioned below the vise base and yet they are easily operated.

Abstract: A carving machine which has a tubular framework that allows easy attachment of one or more supplemental frames and additional carving spindles to the base frame. The length of the machine frame also can be extended very easily to accommodate longer workpieces. The carver includes individual motors driving the carving tools. The motors are mounted in housings provided with vacuum attachments for inducing a flow of cooling air for the individual motors. The housings also are sound deadened to reduce the noise level.

Abstract: A machine vise protractor which can be installed onto and removed from the base of a machine vise while the vise is mounted on a table, to permit rotating the vise about a known center point to a desired angle. The protractor assembly is easy to make, can be adapted to a wide number of machine vises, and can be removed once the vise is properly located to keep the table uncluttered while the vise is clamped in place. The protractor can also be used with a plurality of vises for setting up several machine tools, or with several vises on the same machine tool without incurring the expense of separate protractors for each vise.

Abstract: A clamp effort intensifier that multiplies the manual effort used for clamping vise jaws onto a workpiece through the use of a cam that actuates the vise jaws together to provide adequate clamping forces while substantially reducing the manual effort necessary to achieve a safe clamp force. The effort intensifier acts to load the vise jaw through a heavy spring which deflects as the jaws are loaded. The amount of deflection can be used to indicate the clamping force exerted on the jaws. An interlock to the machine tool used will prevent operation of the tool until the clamp force exceeds a desired level.

Abstract: A carving machine which has universally movable multiple work spindles mounted on a frame, and movable along rails in a normal manner. The tracing station (the station which holds the pattern used in the carving operation) is located outboard of one lateral side of the rails, and outboard of the frame, so that a worker can easily trace on large patterns at the tracing station.

Abstract: A cutter for use on wood working tools such as for carving machines which is formed from a tubular segment cut along two planes which are nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the tube axis to provide cutting edges and adequate tool edge clearance, so that the rotating cutting tool can be moved axially along its rotational axis and cut cleanly in this direction as well while moving the tool in direction transverse to the rotational axis.

Abstract: A blade sharpener includes a handle to which first and second sharpening members are pivotally attached. The handle has first and second receiving slots for the first and second sharpening members, each slot being on a side opposite the other within the handle. The sharpening members are capable of pivoting from a slot engaging position to an upwardly inclined position, the upwardly inclined position being defined by engagement of a stop within the handle. The sharpening members are inclined in opposite directions resulting in their upper portions being in a spaced relationship. When the blade sharpener is not in use, the sharpening members are pivoted into their respective receiving slots forming a compact unit for storage.

Abstract: A bench vise which incorporates a self locking fixed jaw operating with a pair of interlocking surfaces reacting as the fixed jaw is loaded. As the workpiece is tightened down, the jaw tends to be forced downwardly against the sliding portion of the vise to tightly lock the workpiece being held. The reaction of the load is carried directly into the support shaft for the fixed jaw, which also forms a swivel member for the vise.