GB2196882A

GB2196882A - Screw-operated vice

Info

Publication number: GB2196882A
Application number: GB08725107A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rolf Peddinghaus
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-10-31
Filing date: 1987-10-27
Publication date: 1988-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 2007-10-27
Also published as: FR2605917A1; GB2196882B; IT1222917B; AT393472B; CN87107212A; ES2005664A6; ATA250887A; DE3637067A1; FR2605917B1; IN167726B; IT8722289A0; BR8705684A; GB8725107D0

Abstract

The vice has a base (1), a fixed jaw (2) attached to the base, a guide rail (3) sliding through the base, a moving jaw (4) attached to the guide rail, and a driving leadscrew. The base has a bridgepiece (7) with a rearward edge (8) passing over the guide rail (3), and the guide rail extends beyond the rearward edge (8) at all opening distances between the fixed and moving jaws (2, 4). The guide rail (3) is adapted as a scale holder (9), carrying a scale (10) corresponding to opening distances between the jaws (2, 4), and the edge (8) of the bridgepiece (7) serves as a reference mark for the scale divisions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Screw-operated vice This invention relates to a screw-operated vice having a base, a fixed jaw attached to the base, a guide rail sliding through the base, a moving jaw attached to the guide rail, and a driving leadscrew, in which the base has a bridgepiece with a rearward edge passing over the guide rail and the guide rail extends beyond the rearward edge at all opening distances between the fixed and moving jaws.

The base can be attached to a baseplate and swivel along with the baseplate. The driving leadscrew can be of any desired type, notably in accordance with DE-PS 32 28 646.

In a known vice of this type the guide rail performs the guiding actions referred to above, but has no other functions. Nevertheless, when using this type of screw vice, it is often required to set the jaws at a prescribed opening distance, so that a workpiece of the corresponding thickness can be inserted between the jaws without difficulties, and without further adjustment of the opening distance, so that it can be clamped by a small movement of the driving leadscrew. To achieve this using the known means, recourse must be made to a second tool, viz., to a gauge or rule, to determine the opening distance between the jaws. This is time-consuming, and is particularly troublesome when dealing with heavy workpieces, which operator must pick up before the opening distance can be set.In the case of screw vices having a baseplate swivellable about a central axis (DE PS 29 16 891), it is known to provide the moving baseplate with a scale indicating various angles and the fixed base with a reference mark, so that the baseplate can be set in accordance with the scale reading. This has contributed nothing towards alleviating the difficulties initially described.

The object of the invention is to modify and improve a vice of the type initially described, so that the opening distance beween the fixed and moving jaws can be set exactly, directly and without recourse to additional tools.

According to the present invention the guide rail is adapted as a scale hoider, carrying a scale corresponding to opening distance between the jaws, while the rearward edge is used as a reference mark for the scale divisions.

Conveniently, the top face of the guide rail is adapted as the scale holder, thereby making it particularly easy for the user of the screw vice to set to the mark. The scale divisions can be printed on the guide rail or stamped in the guide rail. The edge of the bridgepiece that serves as the reference mark preferably runs at right angles to the guide rail. In order to obtain more accurate readings, the edge that serves as the reference mark can be made straight by machining and fitted close to the scale divisions. It is within the scope-of the invention to develop the specified means still further, for example by attaching a vernier to the bridgepice edge, so that if necessary the opening distance can be read off and reset very accurately, if for instances it is required to hold a workpiece with a prescribed clamping force.

The accruing advantages are to be seen in that with the vice of the invention it is possible to take direct reading of the opening distance between the fixed and moving jaws for a particular form of workpiece, components already intrinsic to the screw vice being adapted for this additional function. The adaptation can be made very easily and at no great expense.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vice in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the vice of Fig. 1.

The screw-operated vice shown in the drawings consists basically of a base 1, a fixed jaw 2 attached to the base 1, a guide rail 3 sliding through the base 1, a moving jaw 4 attached to the guide rail 3, and a driving leadscrew 5. The driving leadscrew 5 can be seen in Fig. 2, while Fig. 1 shows only the handle 6 which rotates the driving leadscrew 5.

The base 1 has a bridgepiece 7 passing over the guide rail 3 and having a rearward edge 8. The guide rail 3 extends beyond the rearward egde 8 at all opening distances M between the fixed and moving jaws 2 and 4.

It can be seen more particularly in Fig. 1 that the guide rail 3 is adapted as a scale holder 9, carrying a scale 10 corresponding to opening distances between the jaws 2 and 4. The scale divisions 10 and the rearward edge 8 of the bridgepice which serves as a reference mark are mutually disposed so that the actual opening distance can be read from the scale division aligned with the reference mark. Conveniently, the top face of the guide rail 3 is adapted as the scale holder 9, and the scale divisions 10 can be printed on or stamped in the guide rail 3. The edge 8 that-serves as the reference mark runs at right angels to the guide rail 3. It has been made straight by machining and therefore provides very accurate readings.

1. A screw-operated vice having a base, a fixed jaw attached to the base, a guide rail sliding through the base, a moving jaw attached to the guide rail, and a driving leadscrew, in which the base has a bridgepiece with a rearward edge remote from the fixed

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Screw-operated vice This invention relates to a screw-operated vice having a base, a fixed jaw attached to the base, a guide rail sliding through the base, a moving jaw attached to the guide rail, and a driving leadscrew, in which the base has a bridgepiece with a rearward edge passing over the guide rail and the guide rail extends beyond the rearward edge at all opening distances between the fixed and moving jaws. The base can be attached to a baseplate and swivel along with the baseplate. The driving leadscrew can be of any desired type, notably in accordance with DE-PS 32 28 646. In a known vice of this type the guide rail performs the guiding actions referred to above, but has no other functions. Nevertheless, when using this type of screw vice, it is often required to set the jaws at a prescribed opening distance, so that a workpiece of the corresponding thickness can be inserted between the jaws without difficulties, and without further adjustment of the opening distance, so that it can be clamped by a small movement of the driving leadscrew. To achieve this using the known means, recourse must be made to a second tool, viz., to a gauge or rule, to determine the opening distance between the jaws. This is time-consuming, and is particularly troublesome when dealing with heavy workpieces, which operator must pick up before the opening distance can be set.In the case of screw vices having a baseplate swivellable about a central axis (DE PS 29 16 891), it is known to provide the moving baseplate with a scale indicating various angles and the fixed base with a reference mark, so that the baseplate can be set in accordance with the scale reading. This has contributed nothing towards alleviating the difficulties initially described. The object of the invention is to modify and improve a vice of the type initially described, so that the opening distance beween the fixed and moving jaws can be set exactly, directly and without recourse to additional tools. According to the present invention the guide rail is adapted as a scale hoider, carrying a scale corresponding to opening distance between the jaws, while the rearward edge is used as a reference mark for the scale divisions. Conveniently, the top face of the guide rail is adapted as the scale holder, thereby making it particularly easy for the user of the screw vice to set to the mark. The scale divisions can be printed on the guide rail or stamped in the guide rail. The edge of the bridgepiece that serves as the reference mark preferably runs at right angles to the guide rail. In order to obtain more accurate readings, the edge that serves as the reference mark can be made straight by machining and fitted close to the scale divisions. It is within the scope-of the invention to develop the specified means still further, for example by attaching a vernier to the bridgepice edge, so that if necessary the opening distance can be read off and reset very accurately, if for instances it is required to hold a workpiece with a prescribed clamping force. The accruing advantages are to be seen in that with the vice of the invention it is possible to take direct reading of the opening distance between the fixed and moving jaws for a particular form of workpiece, components already intrinsic to the screw vice being adapted for this additional function. The adaptation can be made very easily and at no great expense. An embodiment of the invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vice in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the vice of Fig. 1. The screw-operated vice shown in the drawings consists basically of a base 1, a fixed jaw 2 attached to the base 1, a guide rail 3 sliding through the base 1, a moving jaw 4 attached to the guide rail 3, and a driving leadscrew 5. The driving leadscrew 5 can be seen in Fig. 2, while Fig. 1 shows only the handle 6 which rotates the driving leadscrew 5. The base 1 has a bridgepiece 7 passing over the guide rail 3 and having a rearward edge 8. The guide rail 3 extends beyond the rearward egde 8 at all opening distances M between the fixed and moving jaws 2 and 4. It can be seen more particularly in Fig. 1 that the guide rail 3 is adapted as a scale holder 9, carrying a scale 10 corresponding to opening distances between the jaws 2 and 4. The scale divisions 10 and the rearward edge 8 of the bridgepice which serves as a reference mark are mutually disposed so that the actual opening distance can be read from the scale division aligned with the reference mark. Conveniently, the top face of the guide rail 3 is adapted as the scale holder 9, and the scale divisions 10 can be printed on or stamped in the guide rail 3. The edge 8 that-serves as the reference mark runs at right angels to the guide rail 3. It has been made straight by machining and therefore provides very accurate readings. CLAIMS

1. A screw-operated vice having a base, a fixed jaw attached to the base, a guide rail sliding through the base, a moving jaw attached to the guide rail, and a driving leadscrew, in which the base has a bridgepiece with a rearward edge remote from the fixed jaw passing over the guide rail and the guide rail extends beyond the rearward edge at all opening distances between the fixed and moving jaws, the guide rail being adapted as a scale holder, carrying a scale corresponding to opening distances between the jaws, while the rearward edge of the bridgepiece serves as a reference mark for the scale divisions.

2. A vice as in Claim 1, wherein the top face of the guide rail is adapted as the scale holder.

3. A vice as in either of Claims 1 and 2, wherein the scale divisions are printed on the guide rail.

4. A vice as in either of Claims 1 and 2, wherein scale divisions are stamped in the guide rail.

5. A vice as in any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the edge serves as the reference mark runs at right angles to the guide rail.

6. A vice as in any one of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the edge that serves as the reference mark is made straight by machining.

7. A screw-operated vice substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.