GB2286426A

GB2286426A - Multi-angle mounting device

Info

Publication number: GB2286426A
Application number: GB9502497A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert James Muldrew
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-02-11
Filing date: 1995-02-09
Publication date: 1995-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 2015-02-09
Also published as: GB2286426B; GB9402724D0; GB9502497D0

Abstract

A multi-angle mounting device comprises a base member 1 having a spherical concave formation and an upper member 2 having a complimentary spherical convex formation. The upper member 2 has a mounting surface 7 for mounting a vice, tee slotted plate or jig fixture. The two members are held together by means of a bolt 3 which passes through three interconnected slots X, Y, Z provided in the convex formation of the upper member 2 and a square section hole H in the base. The bolt 3 acts as a guide rod within the slots X, Y, Z to constrain tilting movement of the upper member 2. The members can be locked together in a desired orientation by means of a lever which acts on a nut 5 at the lower end of the guide bolt. <IMAGE>

Description

MULTI-AissGLE MOiTidTING DFfICE Specimen or workpiece mounting devices which allow an object to be presented to a tool or operation in a wide variety of azimuthal positions are well known and are represented in the commercial market in a variety of shapes and sizes. Each manifestation of such a device exposes common faults,and individual draw-backs, such as excess bulk and weight in relation to the device's capability. Many employ too many moving parts when endeavouring to achieve compound angular and rotational movements and there are those in the prior art which evoke three separate adjustments using spanners, sockets or Allen keys. Many of the present commercial devices are expensive because of the amount of machined parts in their makeup and,when in daily use, it is found that multiple wear of the parts occurs with concurrent loss of accuracy of positioning and rigidity of its hold or clamp.

These described draw-backs of the devices of the prior art are overcome in the present invention where there is provided a multi-angle mounting device comprising a first part whose base is flat and conforms to the shape of an ellipse and which carries conventional slots for workbench mounting but whose upperside is formed as a spherically shaped concave into which fits a second part in the form of a complementary spherically shaped convex which is hollow and which has a shell wall of uniform thickness through which passes three accurately positioned milled interconnected slots and where the top surface is formed to accept a machine vice, fixing plate or the like so that when fitted together the first and second parts are held together by means of a round tightening bolt,with a profiled head,which serves as a guide rod for movement between the parts but which fits through the first base part in a square hole thus preventing rotation of the tightening rod when the parts are made to move relative to each other and where the nut of the tightening bolt is accomodated in a V-shaped recess in the base of the device so as to allow the fitment of a tightening/release lever to the body of the nut to enable easy and swift locking and unlocking of the spherically shaped parts and where the surfaces of the shaped parts can carry inscribed numerals and lines to aid the location of a desired azimuthal and its subsequent temporary fixing by the use of pre-fixed thambscrew stoppers.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows in perspective,the multi-angle mounting device with a machine vice affixed.

Figure 2 shows a sectional side view of the device of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows an elevation of the spherical convex section with its interconnected slots.

Figure 4 shows a plan of the spherical convex section of Figure 3 with the slots which act as guides for axial movement indicated as X,Y and Z.

Figure 5 depicts a typical 45 movement of the vice piece.

Figure 6 illustrates how a 3600 movement is achieved.

Figure 7 shows a 45 0angle position to the side.

Figure 8 illustrates how a compound angle is obtained for specimen orientation.

Figure 9 illustrates the device of Figure 1 having incorporated temporary fixing by the use of a thumbscrew stopper.

Referring to the drawings the multi-angle mounting device comprises a second part 2 which inserts into the first part 1 and where both are then held rigidly together by means of a tightening bolt 3 which locates down through the slots at position in the second part and passes through a square section hole "H" in the first part.

The threaded end of the tightening bolt 3 passes down into the recessed area 4 of the base of part 1 where the tightening flanged nut 5 is fitted which,when tightened by means of the tightening/release lever 6,provides a powerful frictional bond between the spherical surfaces of the parts 1 and 2. Since the tightening rod 3 also serves as a guide for the parts' relative movement and is itself always in a constant central position at "C" it can clearly be seen from Figure 4 that any angular movement of the part 2 within the part 1 is restricted only by the position and length of the guide slots X,Y and Z. When desired,rotational movement is performed when the vice mounting surface 7 of the part 2 is parallel to the flat bottomed surface 8 of the part 1 and provided the tightening/release lever 6 is in the release position the part 2 can be freely rotated through 3600 as indicated in Figure 6 and be variably tilted to 45 0in any one of three directions as depicted in Figures 5 and 7. Thus a wide range of angles can be selected by one simple lever operation and when a desired azimuthal position has been attained it can be locked in position by the use of the thumbscrew stopper 9. Also since the square section "H" of the tightening bolt body is located inside the square hole of the base of the part 1 it is restricted from rotating when angular or rotational adjustments are being made. Persons skilled in the art will realise that various mensurable datum lines can be added to the parts,for example,at the edges of the meeting parts in order to aid accurate positioning of the mounted workpiece or specimen.

Claims

1.A multi angle mounting device comprises a first part whose flat base conforms to the shpe of an ellipse and which carries slots for workbench mounting and whose upperside is formed as a spherically shaped concave into which fits a second part in the form of a complementary spherically shaped convex which is hollow with a shell wall of uniform thickness through which passes three accurately positioned milled interconnected slots and where the top surface is formed to accomodate a machine vice,fixing plate or the like so that when fitted together the first and second parts are held by a round tightening bolt,with a profiled head,which serves as a guide rod for movement between the parts but which fits through the first part in a square hole which prevents rotation of the bolt when the parts are made to move relative to each other and where the nut of the tightening bolt is accomodated in a V-shaped recess in the base of the device so as to allow the fitment of a tightening/release lever to the body of the nut to enable easy and swift locking and unlocking of the parts.

2.A multi angle mounting device as in Claim 1 where when a desired azimuthal position of the specimen has been attained it can be locked in position by the use of a thumbscrew stopper.

3.A multi angle mounting device as in any of the above Claims wherein the surfaces of the parts can be engraved or calibrated with numerals or lines to aid the location of a desired azimuthal.

4.A multi angle mounting device substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1 - 9 of the accompanying drawings0