CA1136168A - Means for supporting a workpiece during moderate working operations - Google Patents

Abstract

IMPROVED MEANS FOR SUPPORTING A WORKPIECE
DURING MODERATE WORKING OPERATIONS

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An improved vise for supporting a workpiece during moderate to light working operations comprises first and second jaw members and a support means formed of a polymer plastic. The support means comprises a support body for the jaw members and a base body. The support body includes a bowl shaped segment which is received in a cavity of the base body. A restraining means enables repositioning of the support body at a plurality of different orientations and for restraining the body at a selected orientation.

Description

. . 11361~i8 `~

BACKG~OUND OF TI~E INVENTION

Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to apparatus for supporting a workpiece. The invention relates more particularly to an im-proved vise for supporting a workpiece which is subjected to rela-tively moderate to light working operations.

Description of the Prior Art _ Bench top vises are known for ~ripping and supporting a workpiece during a working operation on the workpiece. These vise generally include a vise body having a pair of gripping ~aw mem-bers which are forced intoenya~m~nt with, and sandwich, a work-piece therebetween. Relative motion between the jaw members for gripping or releasing a workpiece is provided by the rotary motion of a lever actuated screw which engages internally threaded seg-ments of the jaw members. A means is provided for mounting the vise body to a table surface or bench top for rigidly securing the vise during a working operation. Typical mounting means comprise bolts, lag screws and clamps.

At times a working operation is facilitated by rotating the vise body and the gripped workpiece in order to present the workpiece at a more convenient attitude. To this end, a means has been provided for rotating the vise about various axes. In addi-tion, a vise is also often required to grip an elongated workpiece such as a pipe. ~oth thè construction of the vise and its mount--- 11361~i8 to a workbench can interfere with such use. These limitations have been circumvented by off center gripping of the workpiece and mounting of the vise. The jaw actuating screw is generally positioned at a centrally located position beneath the jaws thus necessitating positioning of an elongated workpiece at an off center location between the jaws so as to by-pass the trans-versely extending screw. The vise body must also be mounted to provide bench overhang for enabling a non-interferring extension of an elongated workpiece.

The working operations to which a vise supported workpiece are subjected include, for example, forming and shaping by pound-ing, hammering, filing, grinding, shearing, heating, welding, sol-dering, etc. In order to sustain the various working operations, some of which impose relatively large and severe impact forces on the vise, the bench top vise is ruggedly constructed, it is formed of solid metal, it has considerable weight and is relatively costly. Although the aforementioned vise provides satisfactory gripping~of workpieces at a workbench, their size, weight and configuration do not lend to ready portability of the vise and such a vise is considered to be stationary and not con-venient to movement from work place to work place.

In providing a vise suitable for relatively moderate to light working operations and hobby activities and which can ~e used free standing or can be readily mounted and demounted, the aforementioned vise arrangement has been scaled down in size.
~ile portability is imparted to the latter type of vise, none-theless this form of vise is fabricated of metal, is still rela-tively heavy and costly, has a substantially limited jaw opening and does not provide a desired angularity control between the ~1 1136168 ise jaws, a feature which is often desirable in various working applications.

SU~ ~RY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved vise.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved vise for supporting a workpiece during relatively moderate to light working operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved vise for stationary or portable use, which is of relatively light weight and which can be economically fabricated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable vise for supporting a workpiece during relatively moderate to light working operations and which has an enhanced gripping jaw spacing for supporting relatively large workpieces.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a portable vise for supporting an elongated workpiece during rela-tively moderate to light working operations and having an improved arrangement for providing clearance of a vertically supported elongated workpiece.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved portable vise having means for varying an angle between gripping jaw members of the vise.

Another object of the invention is ~o provide a portable vise which can be used free standing and which is readily mounted to and demounted from a worktable.

113~i168 Accordingly one form of the invention provides a compact lightweight portable vise suitable for use by model makers and hobbyists. It includes a frame having a pair of substantially flat coplanar top surfaces spaced from one another with a pair of elongated clamping jaws supported longitudinally on top of the frame and transversely of the coplanar surfaces. One of the jaws is fixed to the frame and the other jaw is mounted on the frame for parallel or non-parallel movement toward and away from the fixed jaw to permit tapered objects to be clamped between the jaws. The top of - the frame has a central aperture disposed between the coplanar surfaces and the clamping jaws. The aperture preferably extends substantially to the maximum extended opening betwen the clamping jaws. A member is secured to the frame and depends below the aperture, such member being substantially coterminous with the aperture so that an odd-shaped enlarged workpiece may be received within the member and yet may be clamped between the jaws. The member has a lowermost convex portion. A base is provided having a complementary concave portion for receiving the convex portion therein to support the member thereon so that the frame and hence the clamping jaws may be swivel adjusted with respect to the base. Means for clamping the member to the base in a desired adjusted position are provided these preferably being in the form of a cam actuated quick-release means.
The abo~e noted member thus provides for a limited extension of an elongated workpiece through the frame aperture and into the interior of the member. This member is preferably bowl-shaped. The workpiece being gripped can thus be centrally oriented on the vise.

A preferred arrangement according to the invention enables the jaw members to be relatively widely spaced along a length of the frame member for supporting a relatively large workpiece. The means for varying the spacing between the jaws preferably includes a pair of screw threaded rods mounted in the frame with respective pivot members carried by the moving jaw for engaging the rods.
As noted above, the support member is preferably bowl-shaped. The above-noted quick-release clamping means between the member and the base preferably includes a first clamping element received within the member adjacent to the opening therein, the concave portion of the base also having an opening therein. The first clamping element includes a portion extending through the opening in the base and keyed thereto. A second clamping element is disposed within the base and has a manually manipulatable lever portion extending through an opening in the side wall of the base. Cam means are formed between the second clamping element and the under-side of the concave portion of the base, respectively. Notch means are provided in the opening in the side wall of the base for retaining the lever portion of the second clamping element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and features of the invention will become apparent with reference to the following specification and to the drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a vise constructed in accordance with the features of this invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the vise of Figure l;

3~ Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom view of a support body of Figure l;
Figure 4 is a side elevation view of the support ~ody of Figure 3;

1136~8 Figure 5 is a side elevation view of the vise of Figure 1 illustrating a frame member of the vise at alternate orien~ations;
Figure 6 is a fragmentary view taken along lines 6-6 of Figure l;
Figure 7 is a fragmentary view taken along lines 7-7 of Figure l;
Figure 8 is a fragmentary view taken along lines 8-8 of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a fragmentary view tàken along lines 9-9 of Figure 8;
Figure 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a locking lever utilized with the vise of Figure l;
Figure 11 is a view of the vise of Figure 1 in a pre-selected orientation and partly broken away to illustrate a restraining means;
Figure 12 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of a locking means of the invention;
. Figure 13 is a view along 13-13 of Figure 12 illustrating non-interference engagement between surfaces;
Figure 14 is a side elevation view of the locking means of Figure 12 illustrating an interference between surfaces;
Figure 15 is an enlarged perspective view of a means for mounting the vise of Figure 1 to a support surface; and, Figure 16 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section of a swivel mounting arrangement.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 16, but showing the swivel in side elevation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTlO~

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figures 1-4, a vise 16 of the invention is shown supported on a surface 17 of a workbench or a support ta~le. The vise 16 includes first and second workpiece gripping jaw members 18 and 20 and a means for - 1131j168 - ~

supporting these members. The vise support means comprises a sup~ort body 22 and a base body 24. Support body 22 comprises an integrally formed frame member 26 and an integrally formed bowl shaped member 28. The jaw members 18 and 20, the support body 22 amd the base body 24 are fabricated of a relatively]ightweight economical material. One such material is a polymer plastic. A
preferable polymer plastic material is a structural foam.
The frame member 26 includes a surface segment 29, a peripheral skirt segment 30 and has a length 31 and a width 32.
The surface segment 29 includes parallelaligned segments 36 and 38 each having elongated slots 40 and 42 formed therein. An aperture 52 (Fig.2) is provided in the surface and extends in the direction of a plane defined by the mutually ~erpendicular axes 56 and 57 (Fig. 2). The first jaw member 18 is stationary and is mounted to the surfac~s 36 and 38 as indicated in more de-tail hereinafter. The second jaw member 20 extends between the surfaces36 and 38, and, as indicated hereinafter, is advanced toward and retracted f~om the stationary member 18 for respectively gripping and releasing a workpiece 60 as shown in Fig. S or a workpiece 61 as shown in Fig. 6.
The bowl member 28 communicates with the aperture 52 of the frame member. The bowl ~ember 28 which has a longitudinal axis 62 extends from the aperture 52 of the frame member in the direction of its longitudinal axis. The bowl member 28 includes a curved spherical segment 64 (Fig. 4) shown to be a thin walled hollow hemisphere and having a curved surface segment 66 located at a bottom section 67 of the member. The bowl member 28 has a depth extending in the direction of its onglt~dina1 axis 62 which enables extension of an elongated I1 113~ i8 workpiece into an interior of the member. The bowl member can comprise a hollow hemispherical body ox it includes an extension segment such as the integral cylindrical segment 69 (Fig. 4) which is positioned between the spherical segment 64 and the aperture 52. A cut-out 70 is formed in the spherical segment through which a component of a restraining means extends, as is indicated in greater detail hereinafter.
The base body 24 includes a plurality of upstanding wall segments 74, 76, 78 tFig. 1) and 80 (Fig. 7) which ~rovide an elevated platform surface 82 in which a depending cavity 84 is formed. The cavity 84 includes a curved surface 86 which conforms with the curvature of the surface 66 of the bowl segment 64. Cavity 84 is thus adapted to receive and seat the bowl member 28 for sliding engagement between the bowl and base body surfaces. A plurality of feet 89 are mounted to the bottom surface for spacing the base body from the table surface 17.
These feet made of a polymer for example provide against movement and slippage of the vise and avoid scratching of a finished surface 17.
A restraining means is provided for captivating the bowl member 28 in the cavity 84 and for alternatively enabling sliding movement between the surfaces ~6 and 86 or maintaining the bowl member 28 at a preselected orientation. The re-straining means includes a lock body 120 (Fig 7) ~haped as a spherical segment which is positioned in the bowl member 28.
A spherically curved surface 124 conforms in surface co~figura-tion with a spherically curved surface 125 of the interior of the bowl 2~. Body 12~ includes a hub segment 122 and a key ¦shaped~oss 123 extending axially from the hub segment 122 through I

~ - 113~ i8 - I

the cutout 70 and into the base body 24. A hexagonal shaped aperture 130 is formed in the hub segment 22 and a c~ylindrical shaped bore 131 of reduced diameter is formed in the hub and in the boss 123. A rod 132, having a hexagonal head engages the hexagonal aperture 130 and rotation thereof is inhibited. The rod 132 extends through the aperture 130 and the bore 131. The restraining means further includes a cylindrically shaped base body hub 133 integrally formed on the base body and through which a key shaped aperture 134 extends. The key shaped boss 123 of body 120 engages aperture 134 and inhibits rotary movement of the body 120. An annular array of raised ramp shaped segments 140, 142, 144 and 146 are integrally formed on a surface 136 of hub 133.
A locking lever 148 is provided having a surface 150, an aperture 152 formed therein, and an annular array of ramp shaped segments 154, 156, 158 and 160 which are integrally formed with the lever 148 and extend from the surface 150. The ramp segments are arrayed for providing that each ramp segment increases in height in a predeermined direction as, for example, in a counter-clockwise direction as shown in Figure 10. The lever 148 is main-tained in engagement with the surface 136 of the base body hub 133 by the screw 132 which extends through the aperture 152 in the lever arm 148, a washer 164 and a locking nut 166. The lock lever 148 includes a lever arm segment 162 which extends through the aperture 90 formed in the base body wall. As shown in Figure 5, this aperture includes a ratchet shaped segment 167 extending to a notch 168. Upon rotation of the lever arm 162 in a first direction/ the ramp segments 140, 142, 144 and 146 are forced into engagement with the corresponding ramp segments 154, 156, 158 and 160, thereby forcing the screw 132 to advanc~ in an axial direction toward the base body 24. The effect of movement is determined by the relative positioning of ramp segments 140-146 ana 154-160.
As shown, the lever arm is advanced about 30 to 60 D to establish interference. The captivating spherical body 120 then exerts a foroe ` - ~13~1~8 on the spherical segment 64 which is positioned between this body and the cavity surface 86. Movement of the bowl member 28 and support body is inhibited and it is maintained at a preselected orientation. By rotating the lever arm segment 162 in a second opposite direction/ the ramp ségments are disengaged, the sand-wiching force established by the spherical body 120 on the bowl member 28 is released and the bowl member, although captivated in the cavity, can be reorientated by the application of hand ~ressu~
Upon reorientation, the bowl member 28 can then be locked in the selected position by advancing the lever arm in the opposite direction. A tool 169/ such as a wrench, may be extended through the aperture 90 for adjusting nut 166 to compensate for wear.
Figures 10,11 and 12 illustrate an alternative cammed surface con-figuration wherein surfaces 136 and 150 are cammed or annularly tapered to provide interference therebetween. Figure 11 illus-trates non-interfering engagement while Figure 12 illus~rates the lever 148 rotated for establishing interference.
The bowl member 28 is advantageously adjustable in the cavity and has substantial freedom of movement in order to present the workpiece at a desired attitude. The extent of reorientation and movement of the bowl member 28 in the cavity about three axes is determined by the size and configuration of the cutout 70. The cutout 70 is configured and sized to provide on the one hand a substantial degree of unlimited movement, and, on the other hand, to provide a bowl surface segment 66 having an area sufficiently large to assure mechanical integrity of the bowl in supporting the bowl member and for enabling restraint of the same upon the application of a sandwiching force by the sphexical body 120. The restraining arrangement is advantageous in that the spherical configuration of the body 120 applies a restraining force across a gap of the cutout and contributes to the rigidity of the bowl member in the area of the cutout.
The cutout 70 is at least coextensive with the axis 21~ thgereby enabling the bow] member 28 to rotate 360 about this axis.
The cutout is formed for providing that the bowl member may be 11 113ti1~i8 rotated an angular distance ~c) about an axis 222 (Fig. 7).
Since the bowl member 28 can be rotated 360 about an axis 218, the angular rotation bc) is effectively doubled. Orientation about the axis 222 is shown in Figure 5. The cutout is also shaped to enable rotation for an angular distance (6) (Fig. 4) 220. Various orientations about the axis 220 are illustrated in Figures 1 and 11. Thus, a substantial degree of freedom is provided for reorientating the support body 22 to a desired attitude. The size and configuration of the cutout can be varied to suit particular needs. It has been found that the angles (~;) and~)can equal 40 and 20 respectively while providing sufficient structural integrity for a hem~pherical segment 64 formed of a structural polymer foam having a radius of 51 mm and a wall thickness of S mm. The restraining means thus described is disclosed and claimed in U.S. Patent No. 4,243,212 issued January 6, 1981 and which is assigned to the Assi~nee of this invention, A ~uick connect and disconnect mounting means comprises a clamp 92 (Fig.5,11 and 15) which is provided for mounting and demounting the base body 24 to the surfacé 17 of a worktable or bench top. The clamp 92 comprises a formed wire body having horizontal segments 94 and 96 which extend over an upper surface of the work support table, horizontal segments 98 and 100 which extend below a lower surface of the worktable, vertical segments 102 and 104, an~ segments 106 and 108 for engaging surfaces 109 and 110 in the base body 24. A plate 112 îs provided and extends between the lower horizontal segments 98 and 100. An aperture 113 is formed in the plate and a screw 114 engages and extends throu~h the aperture. The screw 114 includes a knob 116 and a tip 118 mounted at opposite ends of the screw for respectivel~

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rotating the screw and for engaging the lower section of the worktable. Alternatively, the vise 16 can be screw mounted to a table by screws 115 extending through apertures 117 in the segments 106 and 108 or it can be utilized freestanding without use of any mounting members.
The first gripping member 18 comprises an elongated stationary member having a lower, flat surface 171 engaging support surfaces 36 and 38 (Fig. 2) and upper angled surfaces 173. This member is mounted to the frame by screws 172 and 174. The second jaw member 20 is transported by means including first and second, elongated, rotatably mounted screws 176 and 178. Apertures 180 and 182 (Fig. 3) formed in the frame member 26 provide for support of the screws at one end thereof.
The arrangement of the screw support and jaw member transport is the same for each of the screws 176 and 178. The following description,which is applicable to the screw 176, is equally applicable to screw 178 and similar components are provided for supporting the screw 178. A distal segment of the screw 176 extends through the aperture 180 (Fig. 6) and engages a bore 181 of a crank arm 184. A rotatable knob 186 is pressed on and captivated by a lever segment 183 of the crank arm. A plate or washer 1~8 is positioned on the screw adjacent a wall segment of the frame member and a pin 190 extends through a transverse bore 191 in the screw for inhi~iting longitudinal movement of the screw through the aperture. The pin and washer ~s well as a surface 193 on the crank arm inhibits movement of the screw 176 in an axial direction. The screw 176 is ~pported at another location along its lengtn and is mechanically ~ 1136168 coupled to the transported jaw 20 by a travel body or pivot nut 192. The body 192 includes an internally threaded bore 198 which is engaged by the screw 176. A shoulder 200 is formed on the body 192 and an aperture 201 is formed therein. A screw 202 extends through this aperture and engages the gripping member 2a in a bore 205. The screw 202 while engaging the gripping member 20 includes a flat head segment 203 and is freely rotatable in the aperture 201. Vpon manual rotation of the crank arm 184, the screw 176 rotates causing movement of the travel body 192 in an axial direction in accordance with the direction of the rotation of the crank. Screw 202 extends through the elongated slot 42 formed in the frame member 26 surface 38 and causes jaw member 20 to travel there-with. As indicated, a similar supportable arrangement is provided near an opposite end of the member 20. By rotating cranks 184 and crank 2~7, the jaw member 20 is advanced and retracted relative to the stationary member 18 with jaw face 209 and 211 (Fig. 6) thereof parallel. ByrDtating only a single crank or by rotating the crank at different rates, the jaw faces 2~9 and 211 are positioned anti-parallel. This is advantageous in that tapered and wedge shaped workpieces can be conveniently gripped by the jaw faces. A workbench which exhibits the angularity control is disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,615,087, 3,841,619 and 4,076,229 to Arnold Hickman which are assigned to the Assignee of this invention.
In addition to gripping a workpiece directly with the jaw faces, the workpiece can be gripped through the use o~ swivel members 213 which are rotatably positioned in apertures 215 ~Fig. 13)formed in a jaw member. A swivel includes a ridge 217 113~i168 and swivelson opposite jaws are employed to support a workpiece which is positioned in the ridges 217. The jaws 18 and 20 are spaced apart a substantial distance in the described arrangement by advancement of the transportable member 20 along the frame member surface. This spacing is further increased through the use of the swivels 213.
An improved portable or stationary vise for moderate or relatively light working operations has thus been described.
The vise 16 will support a workpiece subjected to relative moderate to light pounding, hammering, etc. and during other working operations. It is particularly useful for hobby work, arts and crafts. The use of a support body including a frame and a bowl shaped member enables a relatively low cost,light weight vise to be fabricated of a material such as a polymer plastic yet which can support a workpiece during the application of relatively moderate or relatively light working forces on the workpiece. The vise can be orientated about three axes in a plurality of dlfferent attitudes and is locked at a selected orientation. The described arrangement further enables a limited extension of centrally gripped elongated workpieces into the interior of the bowl shaped member. The use of a frame member for supporting the grip~ing jaw members enables relatively wide spacing of these jaw members in a portable arrangement and the angularity jaw control enables gripping of tapered pieces and other non-linear arrangements.
While there has been described a particular embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. - 14 -

Claims (5)

CLAIMS:

1. A compact lightweight portable vise suitable for use by model makers and hobbyists, comprising a frame having a pair of substantially-flat top coplanar surfaces spaced from one another, a pair of elongated clamping jaws supported longitudinally on top of the frame and transversely of the coplanar surfaces thereof, means fixing one of the jaws to the frame, means mounting the other jaw on the frame for non-parallel movement towards and away from the fixed jaw, whereby tapered objects may be clamped between the jaws, the top of the frame having a central aperture disposed between the coplanar surfaces and the clamping jaws, the aperture extending substantially to the maximum extent of opening between the clamping jaws, a member secured to the frame and depending below the aperture, the member being substantially coterminous with the aperture, whereby an odd-shaped enlarged workpiece may be received within the member and yet may be clamped between the jaws, the member having a lowermost convex portion, a base having a complementary concave portion for supporting the member thereon, whereby the frame and hence the clamping jaws may be swivel adjusted with respect to the base, and means for clamping the member to the base in a desired adjusted position.

2. A compact lightweight portable vise suitable for use by model makers and hobbyists, comprising an integrally-molded rectangular frame having a pair of substantially-flat top coplanar surfaces spaced from one another, a pair of elongated clamping jaws supported longitudinally on top of the frame and transversely of the coplanar surfaces thereof, means fixing one of the jaws to the frame, means mounting the other jaw on the frame for non-parallel movement towards and away from the fixed jaw, whereby tapered objects may be clamped he-tween the jaws, said last-named means including a pair of screw-threaded rods mounted in the frame and respective pivot nut members carried by the moving jaw for engaging the rods, the top of the frame having a central aperture disposed between the coplanar surfaces and the clamping jaws, a bowl member integrally formed with the frame, the bowl member depending from the aperture and below the frame, whereby an enlarged workpiece may be partly received within the bowl member and yet may be clamped between the jaws, the bowl member having a lowermost convex portion, a base having a complementary concave portion for supporting the bowl member thereon; whereby the bowl member may be swivel adjusted relative to the bowl, and quick-release means for clamping the bowl member to the base is a desired adjusted position.

3. A compact lightweight portable vise suitable for use by model makers and hobbyists, comprising an integrally-molded rectangular frame having peripheral depending side edges including a front edge and further including respective side edges, the frame further having a pair of substantially-flat top coplanar surfaces spaced from one another, a pair of elongated clamping jaws including a front jaw and a rear jaw supported longitudinally on top of the frame and transversely of the coplanar surfaces thereof, means fixing the front jaw to the frame, means mounting the rear jaw on the frame for movement towards and away from the fixed jaw in a non-parallel relationship with respect to the fixed jaw, whereby a tapered workpiece may be clamped between the jaws, said last-named means including a pair of independently-operable screw-threaded rods rotatably mounted in the front edge of the frame and retained therein against axial movement, the rods being disposed within the frame inwardly of the respective side edges thereof, the coplanar surfaces having respective slots formed therein, respective pivot nut members carried by the moving rear jaw and extending through the slots for engaging the rods, the top of the frame having an aperture formed therein between the jaws and the coplanar surfaces, a member formed integrally with the frame, the member depending from the aperture between the rods and below the frame, whereby an enlarged workpiece may be partially received within the member and yet may be clamped between the jaws, a base for supporting the member, means for adjusting the orientation of the member with respect to the base, and clamping means for securing the member to the base in a desired adjusted position.

4. A compact lightweight portable vise suitable for use by model makers and hobbyists, comprising a frame having a pair of clamping jaws supported thereon, means for moving the jaws relative to one another for clamping a workpiece therebetween, the frame having an aperture formed therein between the clamping jaws, a bowl member secured to the frame, the bowl member being substantially coterminous with the aperture and depending beneath the aperture and below the frame, whereby a workpiece disposed within the bowl member may be clamped between the jaws, the bowl member terminating in a lowermost convex portion having an opening formed therein a base having a complementary concave portion for supporting the bowl member thereon, whereby the bowl member may be swivel adjusted relative to the base member, means for supporting the base on a bench or table, and cam-actuated quick-release clamping means for securing the bowl member to the base, said clamping means including a clamping element within the bowl member and a fastening element secured to the clamping element and extending through the opening in the convex portion of the bowl member, whereby the degree of swivel adjustment of the bowl member relative to the base is limited by the opening in the bowl member.

5. A compact lightweight portable vise suitable for use by model makers and hobbyists, comprising a frame having a pair of vise jaws supported thereon, means for moving the jaws relative to one another for clamping a workpiece therebetween, said means including a pair of independently-operable screw-threaded rods and respective crank handles mounted to the rods and projecting forwardly of the vise, a member secured to the frame, depending below the frame, and having a lowermost convex portion, a base having a top portion and respective sides, means for supporting the base on a bench or table, the top portion of the base having a concave recess formed therein complementary to the convex portion of the member, whereby the member is supported on the base and swivel adjusted relative thereto, the convex portion of the member having an enlarged opening formed therein, a quick-release clamping means between the member and the base, said clamping means including a first clamping element received within the member adjacent to the opening therein, the concave portion of the base having an opening therein, the first clamping element having a portion extending through the opening in the base and keyed thereto, and a second clamping element within the base and having a manually-manipulatable lever portion extending through an opening in a side wall of the base, cam means formed between the second clamping element and the underside of the concave portion of the base, respectively, and notch means in the opening in the side wall of the base for retaining the lever portion of the second clamping element.