Abstract: A magnetic fanner for providing a gap between stacked, magnetically permeable sheets has a housing formed of non-magnetically permeable material defining a sealed chamber within which a piston is reciprocable between a first position in which magnets carried by the piston are adjacent the stacked sheets to another position in which the magnets are remote from the stacked sheets. The piston is movable in response to the presence of unequal fluid pressures in the housing on opposite sides of the piston and pressurized fluid may be delivered to a selected side of the piston in controlled relation to the exhaust of pressure fluid from the opposite side of the piston. Pressure fluid delivery and exhaust is obtained via passages in rods which span the housing chamber and guide the piston during its movements.

Abstract: A workpiece positioning fixture for use in a multiple axis machining center having a pallet and a tool holder, and being capable of changing the relative positions of the pallet and tool holder along X, Y and Z linear axes and along a B rotational axes, includes a base, a workpiece holder, and a structure for rotating the workpiece holder in response to circular interpretation of the tool holder with respect to the base. When the workpiece holder reaches its desired angular orientation, a locking pin is used to prevent rotation of the workpiece during the machining operation.