Abstract: An object-sensing valve configured for integration in the suction duct (3) of a vacuum gripper includes a flexible and back-springing tongue (10), one end (11) of which is anchored by the side of the suction duct and the other end (14) of which extends freely outside a mouth (8; 8?) to the suction duct, the tongue dimensioned to be forced by an air flow (F) to bend towards the mouth of the suction duct and to cover the mouth incompletely in the loaded state of the tongue.

Abstract: A clamping device comprises a driving cylinder, a buffering assembly, a first clamping member, and a second clamping member. The first clamping member and the second clamping member are mounted to the driving cylinder. The buffering assembly comprises a fixing member, a guiding rail, a guiding rod, and an elastic member. The fixing member comprises a first mounting portion and a second mounting portion. The first mounting portion defines a through hole. The guiding rail is mounted to the fixing member and located between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion. The driving cylinder is mounted to the guiding rail. A first end of the guiding rod is movably received through the through hole, and a second end of the guiding rod is fixed to the driving cylinder. Opposite ends of the elastic member resist against the first mounting portion and the driving cylinder, respectively.

Abstract: The invention concerns a safety clamping system for the fastening of workpieces on machine tools, wherein, in addition to one clamping mechanism known from the state of the art, at least one positioning mechanism is also provided, which can pre-position the workpiece roughly before the affixing and move it into the final affixing position and, at the same time, can facilitate the monitoring for an undesired detachment of the workpiece.

Abstract: A gripping jig for assembling applies a force to a molded body in a direction perpendicular to an assembling direction. When an assembling load is applied to the molded body, the force is adjustable with an adjustment screw such that the molded body is guided to move in the assembling direction. Since the force is applied from a direction different from the assembling direction, the molded body can move in the assembling direction, and as the force is adjustable, application of the assembling load to the molded body and movement of the molded body can be adjusted. Since a plurality of molded bodies are fixed and assembled respectively, when there are variations in size of the molded bodies, if an excessive assembling load is applied, each molded body is guided to move, so that more uniform assembling load is applied to the plurality of molded bodies.

Abstract: Wafer verifying apparatus for receiving a wafer thereagainst and for verifying the wafer, wafer verifying apparatus comprising a fixture including a stage for receiving thereagainst a surface of the wafer, a vacuum assembly for effecting a vacuum coupling of the surface of the wafer to the stage, and sensor apparatus for accepting the wafer in the presence of a vacuum couple of the surface of the wafer against the stage and for rejecting the wafer absent a vacuum couple of the surface of the wafer against the stage.

Abstract: A workpiece location and support means as described which is free from any tendency to locate the workpiece in a predetermined position. The workpiece is supported and located by a series of hydraulic actuators which in one condition permit the workpiece to move freely but in another hydraulic condition lock the workpiece in one place and do not permit motion thereof. The present invention has particular application as a workpiece support in inertia bonding machines.

Abstract: Apparatus for gripping a workpiece including a pneumatic cylinder assembly having a locking valve for selectively locking air in the pneumatic cylinder to thereby maintain the gripping apparatus in clamped engagement with a workpiece.

Abstract: A clamping system is provided for securing a part to be machined to a fixture so that the fixture and part can be transported as an entity from work station to work station and the part subjected to successive machining operations safely and efficiently. The fixture incorporates a hydraulic system comprising hydraulically actuated means for quickly positioning the part and clamping it securely to the fixture without a high degree of dependence on human judgement. Fluid under pressure actuates the hydraulic means, each element of which is isolated by check valves from the rest of the system so that failure of any one element of the system does not jeopardize the safety of the part being machined or of personnel supervising the machining operations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of clamping tube-like members on a clamping support, for cutting off portions of the tube-like members are provided. Clamping forces are applied to the tubes alternately in horizontal and vertical directions in such a way that the clamping forces generated are higher than clamping forces which are applied only in a horizontal direction, without however causing permanent deformation of the tube-like members. The apparatus comprises a horizontal clamping mechanism and a vertically displaceable clamping member. A measuring device is associated with the horizontal clamping mechanism and the vertically displaceable clamping member, for measuring the geometrical deformation of the tube-like members which occurs during a clamping operation. The measuring device produces a signal to stop the clamping operation before the degree of deformation of the tube-like members reaches an inadmissible value.

Abstract: A hydraulically actuatable swing clamp, particularly for the clamping of objects on the table of a machine tool, includes a housing with a piston arranged therein, the latter having a piston rod extending in sealed manner out of the housing. The piston rod carries a clamping arm which in addition to a pure axial clamping motion, performs a swinging motion, effected by a guide device. The guide device includes a normally non-rotatable control bolt arranged on the housing extending into the piston, and at least one cam groove developed in a guide surface between the control bolt and the piston. The cam groove has a helical groove section for the swinging and simultaneous lifting motion, and an axial section for the pure axially directed clamping motion of the clamping arm. A guide member, preferably a ball, arranged on the piston or control bolt, extends into the cam groove.

Abstract: A quick-set hydraulic work holding clamping table assembly including an elongated stationary rigid base member having a front control portion, a pair of stationary transversely spaced flat lateral platen sections flanking an elongated dovetail slide channel, an elongated slide plate member shaped to slidably interfit in the slide channel having its top surface lying in the same common plane as the top surface of the lateral platen sections and forming a movable center platen section. The slide plate member is moved forwardly and rearwardly by a manually operable drive screw coupled to the slide plate member and hydraulic power means are connected to the drive screw for rapidly moving the slide plate member relative to the lateral platen sections to move workpiece engaging jaw pieces to the gripping position responsive to application of fluid pressure to the power means.

Abstract: A workpiece holder (10) having a plurality of elements (38) movable radially outwardly into engagement with an inner surface of a workpiece (74) in response to movement of a cam (48) and includes at least one spring-actuated latch (56) which engages the cam (48) and prevents disengagement of the workpiece holder (10) from the workpiece (74) during operation of the workpiece holder.

Abstract: A protection device is provided for a machine which works sheet shaped material to stop the displacement of the machine when the protection device encounters an obstacle. The machine includes clamps which are displaced by the machine and which hold the material. The protection device includes two blades arranged parallel to each other and disposed on the machine in a loop shape surrounding each clamp. The two blades form a pair of normally open contacts of which at least the outer blade is flexible and resiliently deformable to allow the blades to be brought into contact with each other and close the contacts when the outer blade encounters the obstacle. A stop device is coupled to the normally open contacts to stop the displacement of the machine when the contacts are closed.

Abstract: In a quick acting clamping device a pair of pressure levers are mounted in a cylindrical housing for displacement between an unclamped position and a clamped position. In the unclamped position the pressure levers extend obliquely to the cylindrical axis of the housing and in the clamped position they extend parallel to the cylindrical axis. Movement of the pressure levers between the clamped and unclamped positions is provided by mounting one end of each of the levers in a pressure piece. The pressure piece is located in a bore in a piston mounted in another bore within the cylindrical housing. The bore in which the piston is mounted extends transversely of the housing, while the bore in the piston extends in the direction of the cylindrical axis of the housing. The housing includes passageways for introducing pressurized hydraulic fluid into the opposite ends of the bore containing the piston.