Abstract: A self-compensating hydrostatic (pressurized fluid film) linear bearing that maintains a fluid gap between a carriage and a rail when relative forces are applied. The geometric shape of the rail and mating carriage enable the bearing to have very high stiffness and load capacity without exessive detrimental carriage deformation. The carriages contain bearing grooves and lands which control and use fluid pressure to provide a very high degree of restoring force in response to changes in the fluid gap. The fluid emanating from the bearing gap is prevented from immediately leaking from the bearing carriage, and is instead routed back to the source from which it is pumped, thereby sealing the bearing carriage and simplifying the handling of the lubricating fluid. The hydrostatic bearing is particularly designed to be compact and to be bolt-for-bolt compatible with conventional linear bearings.

Abstract: A self-compensating hydrostatic (pressurized fluid film) linear bearing that maintains a fluid gap between a carriage and a rail when relative forces are applied. The geometric shape of the rail and mating carriage enable the bearing to have very high stiffness and load capacity without exessive detrimental carriage deformation. The carriages contain bearing grooves and lands which control and use fluid pressure to provide a very high degree of restoring force in response to changes in the fluid gap. The fluid emanating from the bearing gap is prevented from immediately leaking from the bearing carriage, and is instead routed back to the source from which it is pumped, thereby sealing the bearing carriage and simplifying the handling of the lubricating fluid. The hydrostatic bearing is particularly designed to be compact and to be bolt-for-bolt compatible with conventional linear bearings.

Abstract: A bushing has an externally threaded portion with a thread pitch P1. A collet body has an internally threaded portion with a thread pitch P2, which is smaller than P1 by a pitch differential, ?P. To assembly the bushing and collet body, the collet body is heated relative to the bushing to reduce the ?P. The threaded portions of the bushing and collet body are then threadingly engaged with each other. The temperatures of the bushing and collet body are then equalized, which tends to increase the ?P, which causes the threaded portions to bind with each other and resist relative loosening rotation. The threaded portions may additionally/alternatively be reverse tapered and/or include variable thread pitches that cause the threaded portions to further bind with each other.

Abstract: A workholding assembly for releasably holding a work piece includes a master variable-volume fluid chamber disposed between a machine and the machine's axially-movable draw bar such that the workholding assembly converts the mechanical axial force/movement of the draw bar into fluid pressure/fluid flow. The resulting fluid pressure operates a fluid-driven gripping assembly such as a radial-piston-based hydraulic collet assembly or a diaphragm-based hydraulic gripping assembly. The hydraulic collet assembly may be a quick-change assembly that enables an operator to quickly and easily change between differently sized or shaped collets.

Abstract: A failsafe workholding clamping assembly includes a base, an axially slidable draw bar and collet, and a force amplifier. A driver applies a continuous driving force to the force amplifier. The force amplifier amplifies the driving force and applies a resulting amplified force to the draw bar to bias the draw bar toward its closed position and the collet toward its gripping position. A collet opener mounts to the base and selectively applies an opening force to the draw bar to counteract the driving force and move the collet into its released position. The workholding clamping assembly holds a collet in a predetermined rotational orientation and includes a draw bar rotating mechanism to enable an operator to rotate the draw bar to threadingly engage the draw bar and a rotationally-fixed collet.

Abstract: A self-compensating hydrostatic (pressurized fluid film) linear bearing that maintains a fluid gap between a carriage and a rail when relative forces are applied. The geometric shape of the rail and mating carriage enable the bearing to have very high stiffness and load capacity without exessive detrimental carriage deformation. The carriages contain bearing grooves and lands which control and use fluid pressure to provide a very high degree of restoring force in response to changes in the fluid gap. The fluid emanating from the bearing gap is prevented from immediately leaking from the bearing carriage, and is instead routed back to the source from which it is pumped, thereby sealing the bearing carriage and simplifying the handling of the lubricating fluid. The hydrostatic bearing is particularly designed to be compact and to be bolt-for-bolt compatible with conventional linear bearings.

Abstract: A self-compensating hydrostatic (pressurized fluid film) linear bearing that maintains a fluid gap between a carriage and a rail when relative forces are applied. The geometric shape of the rail and mating carriage enable the bearing to have very high stiffness and load capacity without exessive detrimental carriage deformation. The carriages contain bearing grooves and lands which control and use fluid pressure to provide a very high degree of restoring force in response to changes in the fluid gap. The fluid emanating from the bearing gap is prevented from immediately leaking from the bearing carriage, and is instead routed back to the source from which it is pumped, thereby sealing the bearing carriage and simplifying the handling of the lubricating fluid. The hydrostatic bearing is particularly designed to be compact and to be bolt-for-bolt compatible with conventional linear bearings.

Abstract: A self-compensating hydrostatic (pressurized fluid film) linear bearing that maintains a fluid gap between a carriage and a rail when relative forces are applied. The geometric shape of the rail and mating carriage enable the bearing to have very high stiffness and load capacity without exessive detrimental carriage deformation. The carriages contain bearing grooves and lands which control and use fluid pressure to provide a very high degree of restoring force in response to changes in the fluid gap. The fluid emanating from the bearing gap is prevented from immediately leaking from the bearing carriage, and is instead routed back to the source from which it is pumped, thereby sealing the bearing carriage and simplifying the handling of the lubricating fluid. The hydrostatic bearing is particularly designed to be compact and to be bolt-for-bolt compatible with conventional linear bearings.