Abstract: A satellite retrieval system (10) wherein first and second pairs of coacting parallel bars (40), and (94) are separately mounted in spaced parallel planes on the front of a spacecraft (14). The bars of one pair are at right angles to bars of the other pair, and together the two pairs of bars effect a variable aperture adapted to close around a rod (26) extending from a second spacecraft (22) to thereby effect the capture of the latter.

Abstract: A portable workbench having a combination tabletop/dual-screw vise in which the ends of the vise screws are connected to a movable vise jaw and in which the ends of the vise screws are constrained against both lateral and vertical movement. The workbench includes pipe legs which are readily installed in or readily removed from "twist-lock" leg sockets carried by the workbench without the necessity of utilizing any fasteners (e.g., bolts or screws) or even simple hand tools.

Abstract: A vise for use with sawhorses and workbenches in which swivel jaws having specially configured feet are detachably connected to an apertured channel. Advantageously, the jaws can be connected to either side or the top of the channel to position the workpiece either vertically or horizontally. In the preferred form, a movable box-like drive assembly carrying one of the jaws is driven by a threaded shaft upon rotation of a hand crank to move the driven jaw into clamping engagement with the workpiece.

Abstract: A workbench of a foldable, portable nature includes a working surface formed by a pair of vise bars. The vise bars are operated by a pair of clamping screws which are so interconnected with a movable one of the bars by connections which allow limited lateral movement of a nut, carried by one of the screws, and the movable vise bar to permit one clamping screw to be rotated at a different speed than the other clamping screw. The vise bars are carried by a supporting structure formed by two frame members, means being provided for retaining the frame members at an acute angle to each other in an erected position of the workbench and for enabling the frame member to lie adjacent each other in substantially parallel planes, when the frames are in a collapsed position of the workbench.

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 clamping retention structure for rough stones to enable mechanical operations to be performed which includes spaced support bars on a common threaded shaft and a link chain anchored at each end on one bar and looped around the other bar. Stone engaging teeth in spaced relation on the chain are stabilized by cross slides so that turning the threaded shaft in one direction forces the bars apart and tightens the chain to force the teeth into tight engagement with the stone.

Abstract: A workbench of a collapsible nature includes a top structure comprising a pair of vice members. These can either be spaced from a supporting surface in a first work-mode at saw-horse height or, by lowering of legs, in a second work-mode at full height.Each vise member is provided with two rows of cylindrical bores in which the shank portions of abutment members are axially and slidably received with a snug fit and are thereafter rotatable about a vertical axis to enable the gripping faces of the abutment members to self-align with a workpiece clamped between the abutment members.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a foldable, portable workbench having a work table and a support structure for supporting the work table. The support structure includes a pair of mutually spaced leg assemblies and each of these leg assemblies, in turn, includes a pair of legs pivotally connected at one end thereof to the work table. Articulated linkages pivotally interconnect, respectively, the two legs of each pair of legs to each other and at least one of the legs to the work table. The articulating linkages are connected so that the work table and leg structures are stacked in juxtaposition to each other when the workbench is in its folded position and, so that the other ends of the leg structures are spread apart from each other with the work table substantially transverse to the leg structures when the workbench is in the erected position.

Abstract: In the illustrative embodiments disclosed, a folding portable multiple-purpose work unit is interchangeably useable in three main work modes: as a stepladder, as a step stool, and as a small workbench having a vise. The substructure of the unit includes front and rear leg frames, the front frame having two steps, and is foldable to allow ready storage of the unit. The vise unit forms the top of the substructure. A seat member covers the vise unit when the work unit is in the step stool and stepladder modes and pivots to uncover the vise unit in the workbench mode. When so pivoted off the vise unit, the seat member forms a tool tray which also blocks use of the work unit as a stool or ladder while the seat is not in place.

Abstract: A work bench includes a frame formed of interconnected longitudinal and transverse section beams defining a frame plane; and a vise formed of a stationary vise jaw and a movable vise jaw movable towards and away from the stationary vise jaw generally in a direction parallel to the transverse beams. The movable vise jaw is displaceably supported on the transverse beams by a spindle-and-guide arrangement. Each transverse beam has an open side oriented in a direction parallel to the frame plane and a leg part extending in the length dimension of the transverse beam and having wall faces arranged parallel to the frame plane. A guide member is affixed to the movable vise jaw adjacent each transverse beam. The guide member, which has a part traversed by the spindle, is provided with a groove-like recess extending in the length dimension of the respective transverse beam. The leg of the respective transverse beam extends into the groove-like recess in the respective transverse beam.

Abstract: A worktable adapted to be mounted to the surface of an auxiliary support structure is disclosed having means for selectably orientating a worktable surface to enable a gripped work piece to be positioned at different attitudes.

Abstract: Machine vise for clamping workpieces in machine tools characterized by that it has movable strip (3) situated in the vise body guides terminated with a stationary jaw (2). The said strip has thrust recesses (4) a row of its top surface. The securing catch (5) of movable jaw (6) enters these recesses. In the bottom part of the movable strip there is a threaded hole (7) coacting with the vise lead screw (8). The securing catch (5) is in contact with the driving unit (9) secured in a proper position by the known securing member (10).

Abstract: A portable work table intended for home use, with or without detachable legs, has a rigid, elongated, rectangular frame and a pair of longitudinally extending members thereon forming a work surface and also functioning to clamp a workpiece therebetween, one member being fixed on the frame and the other member being moved thereon toward and away from the fixed member by a pair of independently operable, longitudinally spaced motion transmission screws; the work table being further provided with conveniently detachable, telescopically adjustable legs, and a compartment in the frame for storage of the detached legs.

Abstract: A workbench of saw-horse height has its top formed by a pair of longitudinally extending top members which form a working surface and which are carried by transverse supports. One of the top members is fixed with respect to the supports but the other is horizontally movable towards and away from the fixed top member to form a vice between the opposed vertical faces of the top members. Adjacent each end the top members are interconnected by screw threaded rods which are restrained against axial movement at their ends adjacent the fixed top members but which are received in nuts connected to the movable top member. The connection of the nut to the movable top member allows independent operation of the screw threaded rods to permit the gap between the vertical faces to be greater at one end than at the other.

Abstract: A workbench of saw-horse height has its top formed by a pair of longitudinally extending top members which form a working surface and which are carried by transverse supports. One of the top members is fixed with respect to the supports but the other is horizontally movable towards and away from the fixed top member to form a vice between the opposed vertical faces of the top members. Adjacent each end the top members are interconnected by screw threaded rods which are restrained against axial movement at their ends adjacent the fixed top members but which are received in nuts connected to the movable top member. The connection of the nut to the movable top member allows independent operation of the screw threaded rods to permit the gap between the vertical faces to be greater at one end than at the other.

Abstract: A workbench of saw-horse height has its top formed by a pair of longitudinally extending top members which form a working surface and which are carried by transverse supports. One of the top members is fixed with respect to the supports but the other is horizontally movable towards and away from the fixed top member to form a vice between the opposed vertical faces of the top members. Adjacent each end the top members are interconnected by screw threaded rods which are restrained against axial movement at their ends adjacent the fixed top members but which are received in nuts connected to the movable top member. The connection of the nut to the movable top member allows independent operation of the screw threaded rods to permit the gap between the vertical faces to be greater at one end than at the other.

Abstract: A clamp for exerting joining force perpendicular to the joint line of a miter joint includes first and second sets of parallel pins defining first and second planes respectively, each set comprising at least two pins, all the pins being substantially equal in length, the first plane being parallel to and co-extensive with the second plane, and means for applying force in a direction perpendicular to the two planes to move the first and second sets of pins toward each other. In a preferred embodiment, first and second members hold the first and second sets of pins respectively and a threaded cylindrical shaft passes through holes in the members; the hole in the first member is threaded to receive the shaft threads and the hole in the second member is unthreaded and just large enough for the shaft to rotate freely therein, the second member being fixed in axial position on the shaft. In such embodiment rotation of the shaft moves the first member axially along the shaft toward the second member.

Abstract: A workbench of a collapsible nature includes a top structure comprising a pair of vice members. These can either be spaced from a supporting surface in a first work-mode at saw-horse height or, by lowering of legs, in a second work-mode at full height. Each vice member is provided with two rows of cylindrical bores in which the shank portions of abutment members are axially, slidably received with a snug fit and are thereafter rotatable about a vertical axis to enable the gripping faces of the abutment members to self-align with a workpiece clamped between the abutment members.

Abstract: In the illustrative embodiments of the invention disclosed, a portable, dual-height workbench has front and rear elongate vice members forming the work surface of the bench and a collapsible supporting structure which allows selective positioning of the work surface at either workbench height or sawhorse height above the floor. The collapsible supporting structure includes front and rear, flat leg frames pivoted at the upper ends thereof to the top structure of the bench and closed at the lower ends thereof by horizontal cross pieces. The leg frames pivot relative to the bench top structure between an erected position, in which the frames extend downward from the bench top structure in front-to-rear splayed relation, and a collapsed position, in which the leg frames extend generally parallel to the working surface of the bench.

Abstract: A portable workbench has a supporting structure defining a supporting surface. The supporting structure includes a collapsible leg assembly for supporting the supporting surface above a floor surface. A first top member having an upper surface is supported by the supporting structure on the supporting surface. A second top member likewise has an upper surface and the upper surfaces lie in a substantially horizontal plane. The top members also have respective mutually adjacent side walls defining clamping surfaces. A guiding structure is provided for guiding the second top member relative to the supporting structure. The second top member can be moved along the guiding structure so as to adjust the position of the second top member with respect to the first top member.

Abstract: A workbench of saw-horse height has its top formed by a pair of longitudinally extending top members which form a working surface and which are carried by transverse supports. One of the top members is fixed with respect to the supports but the other is horizontally movable towards and away from the fixed top member to form a vice between the opposed vertical faces of the top members. Adjacent each end the top members are interconnected by screw threaded rods which are restrained against axial movement at their ends adjacent the fixed top members but which are received in nuts connected to the movable top member. The connection of the nut to the movable top member allows independent operation of the screw threaded rods to permit the gap between the vertical faces to be greater at one end than at the other.

Abstract: A portable workbench having a top surface including two vise members, one of which is connected to the supporting structure by a pair of releasable gripping devices which enables the vise member to move, in the plane of the support provided by the underlying support framework, toward the other vise member in a rectilinear motion and also in a rotational motion relative to the second vise member. One or the other of the vise members is also connected to the supporting framework by a pair of vise-operating devices which can be operated to exert a force for moving the vise member a small incremental distance toward the first vise member under force to effect the clamping action. A folding leg structure is provided to support the top surface at convenient working height above the floor.

Abstract: A generally vertical veneer slicing device having a plurality of holding hooks for supporting a wood-stock on a generally vertical supporting table. Each of the respective holding hooks include a pair of complementary adjustable jaw members for gripping the wood-stock therebetween wherein the complementary pairs of jaw members vary in length. The arrangement is such that the holding hooks are rendered selectively operative so that progressively smaller hooks are used for supporting the wood-stock as the wood-stock is reduced in size during a cutting operation with the larger length jaw members being shifted to an inoperative out-of-the way position.

Abstract: A locking jaw machine vise which includes a fixed jaw rigidly mounted on a frame, and a movable jaw slidably mounted on ways or guides for movement toward and away from the fixed jaw. The sliding jaw is driven by an actuating nut and screw. The actuating nut has an inclined surface that interlocks with the sliding jaw to provide a downward force on the sliding jaw to prevent the sliding jaw from tilting when it is clamped. A set screw is provided on the device to limit the amount of movement of the movable jaw toward the actuating nut to minimize any tendency of the jaw and the nut to bind on the ways or guides used for the sliding jaw.

Abstract: A workbench of saw-horse height has its top formed by a pair of longitudinally extending top members which form a working surface and which are carried by transverse supports. One of the top members is fixed with respect to the supports but the other is horizontally movable towards and away from the fixed top member to form a vice between the opposed vertical faces of the top members. Adjacent each end the top members are interconnected by screw threaded rods which are restrained against axial movement at their ends adjacent the fixed top members but which are received in nuts connected to the movable top member. The connection of the nut to the movable top member allows independent operation of the screw threaded rods to permit the gap between the vertical faces to be greater at one end than at the other.

Abstract: A workpiece supporting and clamping assembly includes a generally rigid base frame including a spaced apart parallel pair of elongated frame members having a pair of elongated top members mounted on the spaced apart frame members and extending generally transversely thereto. The top members have upper work supporting surfaces lying in a common plane and longitudinally extending opposed side portions defining clamping surfaces. Extensible and retractable clamping means are interconnected between the base frame and one of the top members for moving the latter along the frame members toward or away from the other top member to provide for clamping of the workpiece between the top members. The other top member is indexable along the elongated frame members to any one of a plurality of selected positions thereby to accommodate varying sizes of workpieces.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a torque limiting vise for holding work on a machine tool table. The vise has a pair of relatively adjustable jaws between which parts may be clamped and held on a machine tool table and one of the jaws of the vise is advanced toward the other one by means of screwthreaded means having torque limiting means adapted to limit the torque of the screwthreaded means to a predetermined amount so as to limit the clamping force between the jaws to a predetermined amount, and thereby to limit mechanical deflection of the jaws to a predetermined amount so that each time a part is clamped between the jaws, the amount of deflection of the jaws is repeated and thereby permitting repeated machining operations with precisely the same holding position of the part between the jaws as it may relate to a cutting tool spindle axis of the machine tool upon which the vise is used.

Abstract: A precision machine vise having fixed and movable jaws, the movable jaw being actuated by a traveling nut having a lug which extends into a recess formed in the movable jaw. The lug and movable jaw having opposed force-transmitting surfaces which are angled downwardly and which have a preloaded spring interposed between them so that force is resiliently applied both to a work piece between the jaws and to the horizontal way surfaces which support the movable jaw. The spring provides slight articulation of the movable jaw with respect to the traveling nut permitting self-alignment of the jaw with the engaged surface of the work piece. The spring, because of its preload, causes the movable jaw to bear resiliently against the horizontal way surfaces even prior to engagement of the work piece. The preloaded spring serves, in addition, to preclude any play between the lug and the movable jaw or any looseness in the drive system which might develop during the life of the device.

Abstract: A furniture upholstery stand comprising coacting first and second support members each including a transversely extending member rotatably mounted thereon, first and second coacting sleeves slidably mounted on each transversely extending member, means adapted to secure furniture intermediate said coacting sleeves, and means adapted to balance the weight of the furniture on said stand.