IE42907B1 - Improvements in vices incorporating quick-action locking devices - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises an eccentric (8) rotating on a positioning shaft and interacting with a movable jaw (6) which can be displaced along the sole plate (2) of a fixed jaw (1), in order to clamp a component between the said jaws. The positioning shaft of the eccentric screws into the slide of a slideway (5) provided under the sole plate of the fixed jaw. This positioning shaft is made integral with the eccentric itself by means of a removable small plate (20), pierced with a hexagonal opening (21) matching the six-flat head (13) of the said pin and fastened to the eccentric (8) by a screw (22). This device may be used on a parallel machine vice.

Description

PATENT APPLICATION BY (71) PIERRE ROUX, A FRENCH CITIZEN OF IE TINTORET, 16, RUE DU COMMANDANT FAURAX, 69006 LYON, FRANCE.

Pnee 124p 107 - 2 The present invention relates to a vice including a quick-action locking device of the type which comprises an eccentric mounted on a shaft and co-operating with a movable jaw on a bed plate of a fixed jaw, to fixedly hold an article between said jaws, more particularly to such a vice for use in the machining of parts.

With an object of considerably improving use and efficiency of locking by eccentric effect, it is known to be possible to make fast the eccentric and its shaft, in such a way that after a rapid approach into contact with an article to be held within the jaws of the vice, rotation which is imparted to the eccentric, by means of a handle thereof, simultaneously causes fixed location of the shaft of said eccentric relative to a support and urges together the jaws of the vice to fixedly hold a said article therebetween. The rotation imparted to the eccentric by means of a handle thereof simultaneously causes the fixed location of both the shaft of said eccentric on the support and the eccentric itself. A converse operation, i.e. rotation of the eccentric in an opposite sense, releases said fixed location of the shaft and simultaneously releases said fixed location of the shaft and eccentric. In order to make fast the shaft and the eccentric, there has been previously proposed a transverse gudgeon pin which passes through both a head of the shaft and walls of - 3 the eccentric. This system is not, however, without disadvantages, such as for example that the gudgeon pin is prone to shearing if fixed location of the shaft relative to the support occurs before the eccentric has exerted sufficient holding pressure in the jaws.

Moreover, in a case where such a device is applied to a vice which is more particularly designed for holding parts which are due to be machined in series, a loss of time is recorded for re-adjustment of the movable jaw before the fixed holding of each new part.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a vice including a quick action locking device wherein the latter dis-advantage can be eliminated or substantially reduced.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vice having a bed plate, jaws of which one is movable relative to the bed plate and a quick action locking device for fixedly locating the movable jaw for fixedly holding an article between the jaws of the vice, which device comprises an eccentric mounted upon a shaft, the shaft including a threaded portion upon which a correspondingly threaded member is mounted, the bed incorporating a slideway in which the threaded member is arranged to slide non-rotatably relative to the slideway for bringing the eccentric to bear against the moveable jaw, the arrangement being such that rotation of the eccentric can exert holding pressure on said movable jaw to fixedly hold an article between the jaws of the vice, and simultaneously fixedly locate the shaft and threaded member relative to said bed plate by relative axial movement between the shaft and the threaded member; the eccentric being releasably connected to said shaft with respect to rotation by means of a plate having an opening engaging a complementarily shaped 2907 - 4 portion of the shaft, the plate being releasably secured to the eccentric by means of a retractable plunger. By the invention the said holding pressure may be relaxed while said fixed location of said shaft and threaded i member relative fo said bed plate is maintained.

By providing several fixing positions between the shaft and the eccentric, it is possible to vary a point of application of the eccentric for the locking of the movable jaw. .0 The present device is capable of guaranteeing both a predetermined constant positioning of the shaft of the eccentric, and a possibility of relasing said fixed location of the movable jaw, i.e. to obtain a limited retraction of the movable jaw, by disconnection of the eccentric from its shaft and subsequent rotation of the eccentric.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a parallel jaw machining Vice including a quick-action locking device according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the vice shown in Figure 1, showing the device in a locking position; Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken along the line II-II of Figure 1, of the vice shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the vice shown in Figures 1 to 3 in an unlocking position, A vice comprises a fixed jaw 1 (figures 1 to 3) which is fast with a bed plate 2 wherein has been machined a central slot 4 (Figure 2). Provided beneath the bed plate 2, and extending to each side of the slot 4, is a slideway 5. Slideable on the bed plate 2 is a movable jaw 6 which fits around longitudi- 5 42907 nal edges 3 of said bed plate 2, ensuring parallel sliding of the jaw 6.

The movable jaw 6 is provided with a recess 7 arranged to accommodate an eccentric 8 with respect to mounting, clearance and rotation thereof which eccentric 8 is able to slide on the bed plate 2 of the vice to be guided thereon along the slot 4 in the bed plate 2.

The cylindrical eccentric 8 has drilled therein an off-axis bore 9 (Figure 3), which has introduced thereinto a sleeve 10 wherein is mounted a shaft or spindle 11 guided thereby, a threaded stem of which passes through the slot 4 of the bed plate 2 so as to screw into a nut 12 (Figures 1 & 3) which can travel beneath said bed plate 2 in the slideway 5.

The sleeve 10 (Figure 3) can be braked, but not locked, by a lateral nylon screw (not shown) and rests on a flat washer 19 which rests on the bed plate 2 across the slot 4.

The shaft 11 (Figures 1 and 3) comprises a hexagonal head 13 (Figure 3) which is made fast with the eccentric 8 by means of a plate 20' (Figure 3) wherein has been cut an opening 21 (Figures 3 and 4) of a suitable shape matching the head 13 which has been introduced thereinto.

Provided beneath the head 13 of the shaft H is a washer 24 (Figure 3) borne against by the head 13 and made of dished, hardened steel plate and of the Belleville washer type, which serves the purpose of a spring when it is compressed, maintaining a constant pressure until it has returned to an initial shape thereof. The washer 24 rests on the sleeve 10.

The movable jaw 6 of the vice is guided in the slot 4 of the bed plate 2 by means of a tongue 25 (Figures 1 and 2) which is fixed to the underside of 907 - 6 the movable jaw 6 by means of a screw 26 and which extends into the slot 4 beneath the eccentric 8.

By operation of the handle 16 (Figure 1). a rotational movement is imparted to the eccentric 8 and consequently to the shaft 11 therewith it is fast. The shaft 11 screws in the nut 12, which compresses the Belleville washer 24. At the same time, the eccentric 8 comes into contact with the jaw 6 and presses it against a part 17 (Figure 1) which is to be held.

The eccentric 8 and the shaft 11 are fixedly located relative to the bed plate 2 of the vice since the more the eccentric 8 turns, the more its shaft 11 is screwed into the nut 12 i.e. the more tightly the device is fixedly located upon the bed plate 2.

The locking plate 20' has drilled therein an oblong hole 28 (Figure 4) through which a machined bead 29 extends from an upper end of a retractable plunger 30 (Figure 3) holding the plate 20' and mounted in a blind hole or seating 31 cut in the eccent0 ric 8. This bead 29 is of oblong form, corresponding to that of the hole 28 formed in the plate 20'; it is formed with an upper transverse groove for manoeuvring purposes. The plunger 30 is outwardly biased by a coil spring 32 which occupies the bottom of the blind hole 31, and against the action of which the bead 29 is fitted.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the plunger 30 is held in a raised position thereof by the thrust of the spring 32, this being arranged to give rise to a thrust3 ing movement, under the action of which the bead 29 is compelled to pass through the plate 20 via the hole 28, penetrating thereinto, this having an effect of making the head 13 of the shaft 11 fast with the eccentric 8. Provided for holding the plate 20' in position is a holding washer 33, fixed at its centre on the head 42SG7 - 7 13 of the shaft 11 by means of a countersunk headed screw 34.

In a position wherein the vice is at rest, the movable jaw 6 is situated at any position as regards sliding movement thereof towards the fixed jaw 1, the bead 29 urged by the spring 32 (Figure 3) emerges from the hole 28 of the plate 20' and the screw 34 holds the retaining washer 33 in place. The head 13 fixed in the opening 21, is surmounted by the washer 33.

In order to position and lock a part 17, the movable jaw 6 is quickly brought against the part 17 to be locked, which is itself positioned against the fixed jaw 1, and then the handle 16 is operated for simultaneously effecting fixed location of the shaft 11 and exertion by the eccentric 8 of holding pressure on the jaw 6 due to tho interaction between the plate 20', the head 13 of the shaft 11, and the eccentric 8.

So that a said part 17, once machined, may be replaced by another part such as the part 17 it is sufficient to cause the plunger 30 to penetrate into its seating 31, forcing back the bead 29 while causing it to carry out a semi-revolution; the effect of such an operation is to disconnect the eccentric 8 from the shaft 11. Thereafter it is possible to pivot the eccentric 8 to permit a partial but sufficient displacement of the movable jaw 6 to permit replacement of the part 17.

A complete series of similar parts can thus be rapidly machined with a considerable saving of time, since approach of the movable jaw is obviated with each part.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIM Si1. A vice having a bed plate, jaws of which one is movable relative to the bed plate and a quick action locking device for fixedly locating the movable jaw for 5 fixedly holding an article between the jaws of the vice, which device comprises an eccentric mounted upon a shaft, the shaft including a threaded portion upon which a correspondingly threaded member is mounted, the bed plate arrange;} incorporating a slideway in which the threaded member is LO to slide non-rotatably relative to the slideway for bringing the eccentric to bear against the movable jaw, the arrangement being such that rotation of the eccentric can exert holding pressure on said movable jaw to fixedly hold an article between the jaws of the vice, and simulL5 taneously fixedly locate the shaft and threaded member relative to said bed plate by relative axial movement between the shaft and the threaded member; the eccentric being releasably connected to said shaft with respect to rotation by means of a plate having an opening !0 engaging a complementarily shaped portion of the shaft, the plate being.releasably secured to the eccentric by means of a retractable plunger.

2. A vice as claimed in Glaim 1, wherein the eccentric is so releasably mounted on said shaft as to !5 provide a plurality of pre-determined rotational positions of the shaft and the eccentric relative to each other.

3. A vice as claimed in Claims 1 and 2, wherein the shaft is provided With a hexagonal head and the 10 plate is provided with a corresponding hexagenal opening receiving the said hexagonal head.

4. A vice as claimed in Claims 1 to 3, wherein the plate is releasably secured to the eccentric by means of said retractable plunger provided on the eccent4 29 - 9 ric engaging in one of a plurality of aperatures provided in the plate.

5. A vice as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the plunger is biased outwardly of the eccentric by means of 5 a spring.

6. A vice as claimed in any preceding Claims, wherein the shaft is guided in a bore of the eccentric by means of a sleeve and is therein braked against rotation by means of a lateral screw. 10

7. A vice as claimed in Claims 3 and 6 when dependant thereupon, wherein the head of the shaft bears against a Belleville washer which rests on the sleeve.

8. A vice, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.