Abstract: A power operated clamp includes a cylinder having a reciprocal piston rod. A hollow body is aligned with and connected to the cylinder and mounted upon a support. The body includes a pair of spaced side plates at their one ends secured to the cylinder. The piston rod extends into the body. A clamp arm is pivotally mounted upon the body and in one position is adapted to retainingly engage a workpiece relative to a workpiece support. A linkage is pivotally connected to the clamp arm; the improvement which comprises a series of vertically spaced pairs of longitudinally spaced transverse mount holes extending through the side plates. The mounting of the body includes an upright riser extending between the side plates and has a series of longitudinal similarly spaced apertures corresponding to some of the side plate apertures. Pivot bolts extend through some of the side plate apertures and riser, whereby the body may be mounted in one of a plurality of longitudinal locations relative to the riser.

Abstract: A clamp for clamping parts on cutting machine tools includes a housing containing a rotary disc having a clamp arm and a toothed sector projecting from the disc which meshes with a tangential screw which rotates the disc to apply a clamping force to the clamp arm. The disc is journalled in a pair of cheek members that are fixed within the housing, and cooperate with the disc to present cylindrical radial bearing surfaces and planar annular lateral bearing surfaces. The annular lateral bearing surfaces of the disc are contiguous with the cylindrical outer surface of the disc on which a pair of scraper blades run, and the annular lateral bearing surfaces of the cheeks are substantially flush with the inner wall of the housing so as to protect the housing against ingress of foreign matter. The diameter of the outer cylindrical surface portion of the disc is less than the inner diameter of the toothed sector to enable a fixing screw to be accessible by a tool from the top of the 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 power operated clamp includes a cylinder having a reciprocal piston rod. A hollow body is aligned with and connected to the cylinder and mounted upon a support. The body includes a pair of spaced side plates at their one ends secured to the cylinder. The piston rod extends into the body. A clamp arm is pivotally mounted upon the body and in one position is adapted to retainingly engage a workpiece relative to a workpiece support. A linkage is pivotally connected to the clamp arm; the improvement which comprises a series of vertically spaced pairs of longitudinally spaced transverse mount holes extending through the side plates. The mounting of the body includes an upright riser extending between the side plates and has a series of longitudinal similarly spaced apertures corresponding to some of the side plate apertures. Pivot bolts extend through some of the side plate apertures and riser, whereby the body may be mounted in one of a plurality of longitudinal locations relative to the riser.

Abstract: A toggle actuated bench clamp including an elongated bar mounted on a swivel plate and having a fore and aft motion and an up and down motion but being constricted by said toggle actuated bench clamp, and a toggle mechanism to force one end of the bar down to clamp, the other end of the bar resting on a fulcrum point, or the like, rising from the top surface of the swivel plate. The swivel plate may be mounted on a table or bench.

Abstract: An adjustable clamp for clamping a work piece in a T slot of the bed plate of a machine tool. The clamp comprises a one piece rocker body with a work engaging portion at one end to hold down a work piece. The lower center of the clamp has a fulcrum portion of less width than the T slot and pivotally connected below the bedplate which anchors the clamp thereto. The other end of the clamp has a thrust screw which enters the T slot in the bed plate. A pair of oppositely projecting studs, each with a curved upper surface, enable the clamp to rock in the T slot, when the thrust screw is tightened, to firmly lock the work piece on the bed plate.

Abstract: A fluid-operated clamping device comprises a support forming a cylinder in which a piston is reciprocatable. A piston rod fixed to piston has a free end projecting beyond the cylinder. A bell crank is pivotally mounted on a portion of the support extending beyond the cylinder. A clamping arm is preferably releasably connected to one arm of the bell crank and has a V-shaped end portion extending transverse to the remainder of the clamping arm adapted to clamp a sheet metal or the like between the V-shaped end portion and a matching V-shaped notch on the upper surface of a stationary anvil. A link comprising at least one spring plate partly divided by a preferably T-shaped slot extending from one side thereinto into two resilient end portions is arranged between the free end of the piston rod and the other arm of the bell crank with one end portion pivotally connected to the free end of the piston rod and the other end portion pivotally connected to the other arm of the bell crank.

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: Toggle clamps, such as used for factory fixtures, typically have clamping arms which in use extend over a workpiece or workpieces; to remove the workpieces and insert new ones, the clamping arms must be opened wide, typically through an angle greater than 90.degree.. In prior fixtures this is done by utilizing a conventional four-bar linkage; the fixed geometry of such linkages provides no tolerance for clamping workpieces of different thicknesses except by screw-adjustment of a clamping foot.The present toggle clamp adjusts itself to a wide range of thicknesses. One of its members has a hollow containing a sliding locking wedge mechanism pivot-connected to the toggle link member of the mechanism; before it assumes the angle for toggle action, the wedge mechanism is held from locking by a cam on this link member. The sides of the hollow member are slotted, the pivot pin extends through the slot so that, for wide angle opening, the link can pull on the pin.

Abstract: A clamp is disclosed which has a clamp block provided with a clamp surface for engaging a mould, die or the like. The clamp has a wedging member engageable with the clamp block and a rod receivable in a bore in the block. The rod is normally biased out of the bore so that a piston and cylinder assembly can be actuated so that the piston moves the rod and wedging member and also the clamp block to a position adjacent the mould, die or the like, whereupon continued movement of the piston forces the rod into the bore and the wedge member under the clamp block to pivot the clamp block into clamping engagement with the mould, die or the like.

Abstract: Clamp for pressing a workpiece to a miter square and advancing the workpiece through a saw or the like. The clamp comprises two spanning arms and two other arms pivotally joined in a four-sided structure such that, if the arms comprise two pairs of equal length arms, the clamp comprises a parallelogram. One of the short arms is upstanding and pivotally mounted to the miter square. An opposite arm has secured thereto a foot for engaging the workpiece and a handle for pressing the foot against the workpiece through lever action while simultaneously pushing the workpiece toward the saw.

Abstract: A work table for machine tools such as pillar-type drills and the like comprising a substantially horizontal plate forming a work surface through which are cut a plurality of longitudinal or radially extending grooves. A flange depending from the peripheral edge of the horizontal plate is supported on a base plate and is provided with a plurality of vertical openings aligned with the grooves in the work surface. A clamping plate is mounted to move vertically beneath the work surface within a space defined by said flange and said base plate and is also provided with grooves arranged in alignment with the grooves in the work surface. The clamping plate is connected to power transmission means which allows the clamping plate to be moved into positions which are inclined relative to the work surface.

Abstract: A hold-down clamp comprises a base member adapted to be affixed to the bed of a machine tool, a clamping face adapted to clamp a work piece thereto, a vertical member rigidly affixed to the base member, a dogleg-shaped arm having one end pivoted to a mid-point in said vertical member and the other end to said clamping face, and an elongated screw between the upper end of the vertical member and the knee of the dogleg for moving the clamping face to and from the work piece.

Abstract: An attachment kit is disclosed for converting a standard radial arm saw to a horizontal drill press. The kit includes a drill holder that attaches to the arbor of the radial arm saw's motor, a drill, a work support platform for holding a workpiece at a correct height and a work holder assembly for holding the workpiece to the upper surface of the work support platform.

Abstract: A gripping arrangement includes a gripping member operatively connected with a differential both-side acted piston movable in a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder. The piston stroke includes a first step and a second step. The pressure acted upon the piston to move the same into the respective gripping position is partially counteracted at the first step so as to eliminate an undesirably fast movement of the gripping member during at least initial portion of the stroke. The remaining portion of the stroke the piston moves under full pressure exerted by the pressure medium supplied in the cylinder without any counteracting effect.

Abstract: A work holder pallet or fixture for carrying a workpiece from station to station in a sequential machining line in combination with a workpiece clamp loosely carried by the pallet in a manner to permit loading and unloading of the pressure and the application of pressure to a workpiece to hold it against the pallet with a force developed by the clamp without any distortion reaction forces on the pallet.

Abstract: A universal jig fixture for tree castings includes longitudinally spaced port blocks mounted on a base structure, the support blocks having top openings with converging, sloping sides that engage similarly shaped sides on the runner of the casting, and hold down clamps for pressing the runner down on the support blocks. The casting is longitudinally located by a stop engaging a sprue cup of the casting or an end stop on the support block. The sprue cup includes a spring finger cup, and the hold down clamp can be fluid actuated. Lateral and vertical location of the casting by the support blocks; longitudinal location of the casting is by the sprue cup stop or the end stop.

Abstract: Apparatus for clamping a workpiece or workpiece fixture in a machine tool comprising pin-type clamping elements which are insertable into the work table and engage with locking elements mounted therein. More specifically, the table has a surface adapted to support a workpiece or fixture which includes a plurality of openings and removable covers thereon to prevent chips and other debris from collecting in the openings and to prevent the loss of pneumatic pressure in machine tables of the air float type. The clamping apparatus comprises a hydraulically actuated piston mounted within the table having a central bore with means for releasably retaining one end of a locking pin. The locking pin is adapted to be inserted into the bore and in one embodiment is provided with high pitch threads which are engageable with mating threads in the piston bore.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system for releaseably securing workpieces to a worktable, including a pressure element and/or a draw element. Both said elements have means for coarse- and fine adjustment. According to the invention the draw element is flexible and consists of a link chain, the coarse adjustment means consists of at least one bracket for engagement with at least one chain link, said bracket having means for direct or indirect engagement with a groove of a worktable and that the fine adjustment means consists of a member wherein a threaded bar may be screwed. Said member and said bar are arranged to be attached to an abutment respectively to a bracket and to said chain.

Abstract: The clamping device comprises a housing and an anchoring device for fixing the housing to the table of a machine tool. A jaw for clamping the work to be machined to the table and a lever extending the jaw are both pivotally mounted on a pivot pin carried by the housing. An actuating device engages one end of the lever for shifting the lever about the pivot pin and is accessible from outside the housing. A detachable coupling device renders the lever rigid with the jaw in any one of a number of relative angular positions so that, when the actuating device shifts the lever, the lever and the jaw move together for clamping the work. A spacer block can be combined with the clamping device. The block has on its top side a cavity for receiving the anchor device of the clamping device and a lock member for engaging an aperture in the housing.

Abstract: A first plate is provided and a second plate is disposed generally normal and secured to the first plate centrally intermediate opposite marginal portions thereof with the second plate projecting outwardly from a first side of the first plate and disposed normal to a path extending between the opposite marginal portions of the first plate. An elongated abutment member including opposite end portions and an intermediate portion extending between the opposite end portions is provided and the end portions of the abutment member are offset to one side of the intermediate portion thereof. The intermediate portion of the abutment member has a central opening formed therethrough and the second plate includes an elongated endwise outwardly projecting mounting portion on its outer end remote from the first plate.

Abstract: A workpiece holder is provided for selectively clamping a workpiece to a work table. The workpiece holder comprises a base secured to the table, an elongated clamp member positioned above the base and generally parallel thereto, and a bending arm secured at one end to the base and at its other end to the clamp member at a point intermediate the longitudinal ends of the clamp member thus dividing the clamp member into a first and second leg. The bending arm is dimensioned so as to form a slot having a predetermined width between the base and the first leg of the clamp member. A plunger is axially received within the slot and includes an upper inclined surface adapted to abut against the first leg of the clamp member and force the first leg away from the base as the plunger is moved axially into the slot. Simultaneously, the bending arm bends so that the second leg of the clamp member moves toward the work table for clampingly engaging the workpiece.

Abstract: In the disclosed process, a multiplicity of like fibers of fusible material are arranged in a bundle which is brought to the drawing temperature. The bundle is drawn to reduce its cross sectional area while retaining its cross sectional configuration. During the drawing step, a fluid pressure is maintained in the peripheral rows of fibers which exceeds that of the remaining fibers of the bundle to maintain a substantially uniform diameter of the fiber elements in the resulting drawn fiber bundle.

Abstract: A swing clamp having a clamp arm pivotally mounted on a rotatable pivot shaft for movement between operative and inoperative positions and with the rotation of the pivot shaft being under the control of a pair of oppositely-acting pistons engageable with a crescent-shaped cam integral with the pivot shaft. Externally adjustable stops control the action of the pistons and limit the forces applied to the pivot shaft. The body of the swing clamp has two sets of passages alternately usable for controlling the direction of operation of the swing clamp and including a relocatable sequence valve.

Abstract: A work element, such as a wire stitching head, is provided which is adapted to be manually advanced and positioned along a support rail. The work element is carried by a carriage adapted to be movably mounted on a support rail, said carriage including bearing means, such as roller means, operably connected thereto and adjustable between engaging and retracted positions and adapted to contact the support rail and facilitate movement of the carriage along the support rail when the bearing means is in its engaging position. Each carriage also includes selectively positionable securing means, such as clamping members, for preventing the advance of the carriage along the support rail when the bearing means is in its retracted position, which means are adjustably connected to the carriage and adapted to engage the support rail.

Abstract: This clamping device provides opposed banks of clamping units attached to an associated reaction beam above a work table, for clamping workpiece plates to the table during seam welding. Each clamping unit includes an upright clamping member, having an inclined finger engageable with a workpiece plate, and each member is connected to its reaction beam by a pair of transverse link members: the clamping member, link members and the reaction beam cooperate to provide a four-bar linkage. Downward pressure is applied to the clamping members by an inflatable flexible hose positioned between the lower link member of each unit and an associated reaction beam and the clamping members are upwardly biased by individual return springs extending between the upper link member and the reaction beam.