Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
  • B25B—TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FOR FASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING OR HOLDING
  • B25B5/00—Clamps
  • B25B5/06—Arrangements for positively actuating jaws
  • B25B5/12—Arrangements for positively actuating jaws using toggle links
  • B25B5/122—Arrangements for positively actuating jaws using toggle links with fluid drive

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the field of centering and clamping tools for handling parts to be fixed in position such as sheets and, more particularly, a centering and clamping tool of at least one part comprising a through and adjusted passage.
• a centering and clamping tool of at least one part comprising a through and adjusted passage.
• for said tool of the type comprising a pilot member carried at the end of a casing, clamping members and means for driving the clamping members between a centering position in which they are withdrawn in the pilot member and a plurality of clamping positions in which the clamping members protrude outside the pilot member and bear on the workpiece.
• Clamping tools known have generally a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder to 1 "actuation of a clamping member such as a clamping arm which is drivable in pivot between an active position for clamping the workpiece and an inoperative position.
• a clamping member such as a clamping arm which is drivable in pivot between an active position for clamping the workpiece and an inoperative position.
• Such a tool may also include a pilot which is introduced into a passage formed in the part to be treated, which makes it possible to center the part correctly on the tool.
• a clamping tool is known, one clamping arm of which abuts against the part to be clamped by the pivoting drive of this clamping arm. This pivoting drive of the clamping arm between the loosening position and the clamping position is obtained using an articulated linkage mounted on a rod driven in linear movement by a jack.
• the point of contact of the clamping arm on the workpiece is relatively distant from the centering point of the tool on said workpiece, which can cause a certain imbalance or requires a more complex structure of the tool.
• Such a tool comprises a device for indexing a part through a hole in this part and comprising a sleeve having an upper face forming a support for the part, a piston mounted in the sleeve to slide under the effect of drive means between a retracted position inside the sleeve and a deployed position in which it extends projecting from the upper bearing face of the sleeve by an end portion forming an indexing pin, a jaw for clamping the part on the upper bearing face of the sleeve, movably mounted on the centering pin and means for controlling the jaw comprising a slide mounted in an axial bore of the piston and having a cam end.
• control means are constituted by a slide mounted in an axial bore of the piston to slide under the effect of the drive means between a first position in which it ensures the locking of the jaw in its active position by means of a part.
• active cam forming pivoting the clamping jaws towards said active position and a second position in which it releases the locking of this jaw by controlling the pivoting of the clamping jaws towards the inactive position.
• the drive means comprise inter alia a first return spring disposed between the piston and the sleeve to return the piston to its deployed position and a second return spring arranged between the sleeve and the slide to return the slide to its position unlocking of the jaw.
• Such a centering and clamping tool makes it possible to correctly position the clamping members on the part to be fixed during the centering step carried out by the positioning of the pilot member through the through and adjusted passage of the part. and the pivoting drive of the clamping members allows the projecting drive of said clamping members out of the pilot member and their lowering on either side of the pilot member to come to bear on the part to be fixed in position; the simultaneous translation and pivoting drive of said clamping members causing the clamping of the part to be fixed in position against the end of the casing, on the upper face of said casing forming a support.
• it ensures perfect deployment of the clamping members projecting from the pilot member and a plurality of clamping positions is obtained on the part to be fixed.
• the clamping tools are calibrated to treat a part of a given thickness and cannot treat a part of another thickness without incurring, in the case of different thickness, a risk of punching. the part treated. It is then advisable to change the centering and tightening tool by another suitable for treating this new thickness.
• a centering and tightening tool which comprises a fixing support comprising a support piece provided with a chimney in which the pilot member is mounted, the pilot member projecting from the free end constituting the bearing face of the part to be treated, while the body of the tool is clamped against a face of the support opposite the bearing face.
• a removable wedge can be inserted which makes it possible to vary the interval between the bearing face and the clamping means deployed outside the pilot member. It is thus possible, by simple change of the shim, several pieces of different thicknesses.
• Such a tool is advantageous because it makes it possible not to change tools for treating parts of different thicknesses but it still requires manipulation to adapt the tool to the new part.
• the present invention provides a centering and tightening tool which can process parts of different thicknesses without requiring a change of the tool or its manipulation to adapt it to the thickness of the new room.
• the subject of the invention is a tool for centering and tightening at least one part to be fixed in position and comprising a through passage and adjusted for said tool, of the type comprising, preferably, a pilot member brought to 1 • end of a casing having an upper face forming a support for said part and clamping members, further comprising means for driving the clamping members between a centering position in which the clamping members are erased at the inside the pilot member and a plurality of clamping positions in which the clamping members are projecting outside the pilot member and resting on the workpiece, the clamping members being constituted by two levers articulated around a median axis to form a deformable X, each lever having a first free end coming in support on the part to be fixed, their second end being connected to the drive means, characterized in that the drive means consist of two connecting rods, one end of which is articulated on said second end of the levers by means of a articulation pin, the connecting rods being arranged on either side of a cam having
• the clamping members are retracted into the pilot member, which allows easy insertion of the tool into the through passage of the part to be fixed.
• the cam moves in the direction of the pilot member and certain studs of each connecting rod slide along the wall of the cassette while the others remain in abutment on the cam profiles.
• the articulation pins of the connecting rods on the clamping members pressing against the same wall of the cassette also slide along this wall and drive the clamping members in translation up to the groove where the articulation pins can be accommodated. .
• the cam continues its linear movement under the effect of the jack and the pivoting of the studs against the cam profiles then causes the displacement of the articulation pins in the groove, which causes the spacing of the clamping members until these, deployed on either side of the pilot member, come to bear on the part to be fixed.
• the cylinder rod is retracted and all of the movements described above are carried out in the opposite direction, bringing the clamping members in the retracted position in the pilot member.
• the drive means cease their action as soon as the clamping members are in abutment on the part while ensuring a certain clamping, the force of the jack being calibrated so that it is not opposed to the mechanical blocking of the clamping members coming in support on the part or, preferably, under the control of detection means.
• the clamping members are erased in the pilot member which has a slot for this purpose.
• This slot communicates the interior of the clamping and centering tool with the exterior. In particular, it makes the clamping members and the drive means accessible.
• a tool according to the invention makes it possible to treat parts of different thicknesses at the same station and without - manipulation or adjustment of said tool.
• the pilot member is partially retractable and the means for driving said pilot member between its retracted position and its projecting position are the same as the means for driving the clamping members.
• the pilot member is in connection with at least one connecting rod by means of one of its studs bearing on a cam profile so that, during the stroke of actuation of the cam by the jack , the pilot tool is driven in linear translation with the clamping members towards its workpiece centering position. Then, the clamping members deploy and close behind the fallen edge of the through passage of the part to be fixed if there is one.
• a pneumatic cylinder is used, as well as a hydraulic cylinder or an electric cylinder.
• FIGS. 1 a and 1 b respectively represent a perspective view of the tool according to the invention and a view in perspective of the tool from which certain parts have been removed;
• FIG. 2 represents a view in longitudinal section of the tool according to the invention
• FIG. 3 represents a view in longitudinal section of the tool according to FIG. 2 in the clamping position of a part
• FIG. 4 shows a view in longitudinal section of the tool according to Figure 3 in the clamping position of a workpiece of different thickness
• FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a yoke of the tool according to the invention.
• Figures 6a and 6b respectively show an exploded perspective view of the tool according to Figure 2 provided with the pilot member and a perspective view of said pilot member.
• the centering and tightening tool 1 comprises a casing 2 containing a pneumatic supply device for the drive means comprising a distributor 3 and a distribution block 4 connected to a jack 5 of the drive means .
• a flange 9 forming a support for the part to be treated.
• the body 6 contains a cassette 10 made up of two identical half-housings 11 between which are housed the means for driving the clamping members 8.
• a face 2a of the casing 2 is used for fixing said tool 1 in a standard manner.
• the tool also includes means 13 for detecting the state of the tool engaged or the tool not engaged.
• the drive means which consist of a cam 14 and two connecting rods 15.
• the cam 14 is connected to the jack 5 by means of a yoke 16.
• the cam 14 has on each side two divergent cam profiles 14a and 14b, said cam 14 having substantially the shape of a diamond.
• the connecting rods 15 are placed on either side of the cam 14 and each have two studs 15a and 15b respectively bearing against the profile 14a and the profile 14b of the cam 14.
• Each connecting rod 15 further comprises a stud 15c bearing against a wall 10 • linear of the cassette 10 and more precisely against a wall of a half-housing 11 and against a wall of the other half-housing 11.
• This wall 10 'linear is parallel to the sliding axis xx' of the cylinder rod 5.
• the end of the connecting rods 15 opposite the end of the side of the yoke 16 is articulated on the clamping members 8 by means of a hinge pin 17.
• the clamping members are constituted by two levers 8 articulated around a median axis 8c to form a deformable X, each lever 8 having a first end 8a in the form of a hook bearing on the part to be fixed P and the second end 8b being connected to a connecting rod 15.
• the levers 8 are preferably bent around their axis of articulation 8c.
• the hook shape of the end 8a of the levers 8 allows easy crossing of a sheet of flanged sheet at the level of the through passage of the part P.
• the pilot member 7 is positioned opposite a through passage 19 formed in the part to be fixed P. For reasons of clarity, the pilot member 7 has not been shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.
• the pilot member 7 is partially retractable and can be driven between its retracted position and its centering position by the means for driving the clamping members.
• the pilot member 7 is connected to the connecting rods 15 by 1 • via studs 15b engaged in notches 7a of said pilot member 7 (see FIGS. 6a and 6b).
• the drive means for the clamping members 8 can be actuated which are retracted in said pilot member 7.
• the rod of the jack 5 is deployed. so as to move the cam 14 in displacement in direction A towards the part P.
• the cam 14 tends to slide against the studs 15a and 15b of the connecting rods 15 which are supported respectively on these divergent cam profiles 14a and 14b.
• the studs 15b are pushed back towards the outside of the cassette 10 while the studs 15a are brought back towards the inside, which induces a pivoting movement of each connecting rod 15.
• the studs 15c of each link 15 and the articulation pins 17 bearing against the walls 10 ′ of the cassette 10 transform this pivoting in translation of the connecting rods 15 with the cam 14.
• the clamping members 8 are therefore driven in translation, but also the pilot member 7 engaged on the studs 15b which allows the centering of the part P.
• each connecting rod 15 pivots under the effect of the cam 14, the cam profiles 14a and 14b moving against the studs 15a and 15b, and the pin hinge 17 guided in the groove 18 causes 1 • separation of the ends 8b of the clamping members 8 and the deformation of the X to lower the ends 8a on the part P until they are in abutment on the part P .
• the stroke of the cylinder rod 5 is different depending on the thickness of the part P, the stroke of the cylinder 5 being stopped as soon as the ends 8a are supported on the part P.
• the stroke in the groove 18 is adjustable so as to determine the two extreme clamping positions of the tool 1 between which a plurality of clamping positions is defined.
• the adjustment means are constituted by a screw 20 engaged in said groove 18 from the outside of the cassette 10 and therefore easily adjustable.
• the cam 14 pivots the levers 8 and the connecting rods 15 until the pins d articulation 17 emerge from the groove 18, then moves the connecting rods 15 and the members of tightening 8 in translation in the direction of arrow B and thus brings the pilot member 7 in the retracted position.
• the cam 14 has, on each side, between the two cam profiles 14a and 14b, a recess 14c which abuts against the stud 15a on the side of the jack 5.
• the tool 1 according to the invention comprises means making it possible to ensure the safety of said tool even in the event of power supply to the jack 5 being cut off.
• the yoke 16 is connected to the cassette 10 by means of two bistable springs 21, each spring 21 being pivotally mounted on said cassette 10 and on the yoke 16 and, in the clamping position and in the retracted position of the clamping members 8, the springs 21 are in a stable position (see FIGS. 3, 4 and 5) and, during actuation of the jack, are in the non-stable position.
• the displacement drive of the yoke 16 causes the springs 21 to pivot relative to their point of attachment in the cassette 10, which leads to compression of the springs 21.
• the springs 21 are constituted by corrugated blades which makes it possible to obtain a sufficient return force with a reduced bulk.
• the jack 5 is pneumatic, or hydraulic or electric.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Jigs For Machine Tools (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=8849201

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Families Citing this family (5)

Family Cites Families (2)

• 2000
  • 2000-04-12 FR FR0004729A patent/FR2807685B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2001
  • 2001-04-10 AT AT01923777T patent/ATE329725T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2001-04-10 AR ARP010101691A patent/AR028000A1/es unknown
  • 2001-04-10 AU AU2001250468A patent/AU2001250468A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2001-04-10 WO PCT/FR2001/001089 patent/WO2001078942A1/fr active IP Right Grant
  • 2001-04-10 EP EP01923777A patent/EP1274538B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2001-04-10 DE DE60120673T patent/DE60120673D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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