US2354937A - Work-holding device having a ball and socket as a means for universal adjustment - Google Patents

Description

C. W. BARKER WORK HOLDING DEVICE HAVING BALLS AND SOCKETS AS MEANS FOR UNIVERSAL ADJUSTMENTS Filed Oct. 2, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fzal 28 117 11:.2 z 27 50 27 z; 31 24 28 l 25 l INVENTOR.

11 BY Clemon W. Barker 7 777. m

- ATTORNEY Aug. 1, 1944.

WORK HOLDING DEVICE HAVING BALLS AND SOCKETS AS.MEANS FOR UNIVERSAL ADJUSTMENTSv c. w. BARKER 2,354,937

Filed Oqt. 2, 1942 2- Sheets-Sheet 2 cam 31 1. 11;. 7 3 -29 INVENTOR. 42 Clemon W Barker ATTORNEY Patented A ug. 1, 1944 UNITED STATES woax-nomme DEVICE HAVING 1! BALL AND SOCKET as AMEANS FOEUNIVERSAL ADJUSTMENT Clemon W. Barker, Wichita, Kans. Application October 2, 1942, Serial No. 460,584

My invention relates to a universal work support. 'l'he object of my invention is to provide a work support device to which the work may be attached and then turnedto any desired position and rigidly held there for the workman.

A further object is to provide a device of the kind mentioned whose adjusting feature is a ball and socket and the socket being contractable as a means of locking the holding element in any adjusted position.

A still further object is to provide a workholder device of the kind mentioned that may be operated quickly and positively either under mechanical action or hydraulic pressure. l.

A still further object is-to provide a work holding device of the kind mentioned that is strong and sturdy, easy and inexpensive to make, and one that is positive and highly efficient in its operation and work, and also a device that is durable and long lived. These and other objects will be more fully described andexplained as this description progresses.

Now referring to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front view of the mechanically operated form of the work holder device.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the work holder device as shown-in Fig. 1. V

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the work holder device as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail vertical sectional view through the work holder device, the view being taken along the line IV-IV in Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.'-

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view through the hoisting device for the clamp, 'the view being taken along the line VV in Fig. l, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a front view of the hydraulically operated form of the work holding device.

Fig. 7 is a side view of the work holder device as seen from the right of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the work holder device as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a detail vertical sectional view of the work holder device, the view being taken along the line IX-IX in Fig. 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar numerals of reference designate the same parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In Figures 1 to 5 inclusive is shown the mechanically operated form of my improved work holder device which comprises a base element In that is provided with holes ll through which bolts or screws may be passed to fasten the work holder device to the top of a work bench or other suitable support for the device. Centrally positioned on the base element Ill and integrally formed thereon is an upwardly directed annular 5 portion I00, the inside of which is threaded as at l2. l

At I3 is shown a tubular element, the lower end of which is threaded into the annular portion ma of the base element Ill. The upper end of the in tubular element is provided with an outwardly extending annular flange portion I311 that is integrally formed on the tubular element l3.

At the lower portion of the tubular element i3 and on a diametric axis therethrough is positioned 16 a cam. shaft l4. The outer end of the cam shaft H is provided with a lever arm by which the cam shaft ll may be revolved. The inner end of the cam shaft is joumalled in a bearing l6 formed in the tubular-element l3 and on the diametrical go axis thereof. Integrally formed on the inner end of the cam shaft II and positioned within the hollow portion thereof is a cam II. On the cam I1 is integrally formed a pin i8 that is in axial alignment withthe cam shaft l4 and is journalled 25 in a bearing is formed in the tubular element I4 and on an axis common to the cam shaft l4 and I6. slidably positioned within the tubular element I3 is a shaft 20 the lower end of which rests on 80 the cam l1 and is movable longitudinally by the action of the cam l'l.

At 2| is shown the lower portion of a ball socket which normally rests on top of the upper end of the tubular element 13 and is engageable by the 3 upper end of the shaft 20 so that as the shaft 20 raises under the action of. the cam I! the shaft 20 will engage and raise the lower portion 2| of the ball socket for purposes that will later be made obvious.

Rigidly mounted in the flange portion B41 is one end of a pin 22; the other end of the pin 22 projects upwardly from the flange lid and is slidably seated in a hole 23 in the lower portion 2| of the ball socket.

45 At 24 is shown a ball socket cap element, the lower portion of which encloses the lower portion 2| of the ball socket and also the flange portion 13d of the tubular element I3.

At 25 is a ring that is slidable on the tubular 5o element l3 and is adapted to engage the under side of the flange I311. The ring 25 is rigidly attached to the ball socket cap 24 by means of bolts 26 that pass through the ring 25 and are threaded into the skirt or lower portion 01' the 55 ball socket cap element 24.

At 21 is shown a ball resting on the lower ball socket portion2| and being enclosed by and supporting the ball socket cap element. The cap" 24 is provided with a slot 23 through which extends a pin 23, the inner end of the pin 23 being rigidly mounted on the ball 21 with the axis of the pin 23 passing through the center of the ball '21. The slot 23 is of such length and in such a positionthat the pin 23 may be rocked to any position from horizontal to vertical. Also the cap 24 may be revolved about the vertical axis of.

the tubular element |3 which makes it possible to position the pin 23 at any point about the vertical axis and at any selected angle formed by the vertical axis and the axis of the pin 23. On the I outer end of the pin 23 is a plate 33 that is pro- 33 to hold particular pieces of work to be worked on.

The operation of the device is as follows. The work to be worked on is attached to the plate 33, whereupon the work may be revolved about the axis of the pin 23 and the vertical axis of the tubular element l3 and also placed in any position from horizontal to vertical to obtain the desired position that the work is to be held. This being done the cam shaft is rocked to the position shown in Figures 4 and 5, whereupon the cam I! raises the shaft 23 which in turn raises the lower portion 2| of the ball seat to rigidly bind the ball 21 in its adjusted position so as to rigidly hold the work in its adjusted position. The work may be easily and quickly adjusted to. any other desired position by revolving the cam shaft so as to drop the shaft 23 and thereby release the ball 21 so that the work may be moved to the new desired position whereupon the cam shaft |4 may again be turned so as to raise'the shaft 23 and socket element 2| to rigidly bind and hold the ball and associated parts as above described.

v The device shown in Figures 6, '7, 8 and 9 is hydraulically operated and the parts |3, |3a, 2|, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 21, 28, 29, 33 and3l, and the assembly and operation thereof are identical with those shown in Figures 1 to inclusive, except that the tubular element I3, in Figures 6, 7, 8 and 9, is an oil cylinder in which is positioned a plunger 23a that is slidable longitudinally in the cylinder |3a.

Beneath the plunger 23a is a cup 32 that is also slidable in the cylinder I31: and is preferably made of a flexible material such as rubber or leather 'that will expand against the wall of the cylinder |3a to make a tight joint to prevent the leakage of the oil from the cylinder I311.

The base element |3b is provided with a centrally positioned and upwardly extending cup like formation |3c in which is threaded the lower end of the cylinder element l3. The base and cup elements I3?) and |3c are provided with an outwardly and upwardly directed cylindrically shaped element 33 in which is positioned a cylinder 34 that is provided with a passage 35 that connects between the cylinders I and 34. The

.passage being smaller than the cylinder 34 provides a ledge 36 at the bottom of the cylinder 34.

In the cylinder 34 is a helical spring 31 the .lower end of which rests on the ledge 33 and the upper end of which is seated in a flexible cup element 33 that is slidably positioned in the cyl- I inder 34.

Also slidably positioned in the cylinder 34 is a plunger 33, one end of which rests against the cup 33. The other end of the plunger 33 is en- ,gageable by a cam 43, on which is-integrally The cam 43 ispoformed a handle element 4|. sltloned in aslot 42, cut in the outer end of the cylinder wall 33. The cam 42 is pivotally mounted on a pin or screw 43 that passes through the outer end of the walls of the cylinder wall 33 and the cam 43 in such a .manner that the handle 4| and cam 43 may be rocked as indicated by the arrow A whereby the cam 43 actuates the plunger 33 as and for the purpose described.

The operation ofthe modified form of the de-,

vice shown in Figures 6 to 9 inclusive is as follows. The work-to be worked on may be attached to the plate or holding element 33 and then moved to any desired position as previously described, whereupon the lever handle 43 may be rocked downwardly to the postion shown in Fig. 9, whereupon the cam 43 engages the plunger 33 and forces it and the cup 33 downwardly into the cylinder 34 against the pressure of the spring 31 whereupon oil in the cylinder 34 is forced from the cylinder 34 through the passage 35 andinto.

the cylinder |3a to be added to the oil already filling the cylinder |3a whereupon the cup 32 and plunger 23a are forced upwardly with the upper end of the plunger 23a engaging and lifting the lower portion 2| of the ball socket to bind and hold the ball and parts associated therewith the same as previously described.

Now by rocking the handle 4| upwardly in the direction of the arrow A the cam 43 is rocked downwardly and away from the plunger 33 whereupon the spring 31 pushes the cup 38 and plunger 39 toward the cam 43 thereby drawing oil from the cylinder |3 into the cylinder 34 which in turn draws the cup 32 and plunger 23a downwardly into the cylinder |3a thereby dropping the lower portion 2| of the ball socket to release the ball 21 for adjustment as previously described.

Such modifications of my invention may be employed as lie within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and intention of my invention. Now having fully shown and described my invention, what I claim work holding element, a support pin for the work holding element, and a ball, said pin being rigidly carried on said ball, a socket for said ball, and means for contracting said socket to rigidly bind and hold said ball in adjusted positions and said socket being in axial alignment with, and being swivelly supported on one end of astandard.

2. In a work support device; a. work holder and a ball, said work holder belngrig'ldly supported by said ball, a ball socket, said ball being seated in said ball socket, said ball socket comprising a ball support section and a cap section, a standard, said ball support section being supported on said standard, said cap section being swivelly mounted on said standard, and plunger means in said standard, said plunger being engageable with the said ball support section and cam means for imparting movement to said plunger and ball support section to bind and hold the ball inadjusted positions between the bail support section and the cap sections of the socket.

3. In a work support device; the combination 1. In a work holder device; in combination, a

of a work holder, a pin and a ball, and a ball socket, said ball socket comprising a ball socket capelement having a skirt thereon and a ball support element slidably positioned within the skirt of the cap, said cap having a slot therein, said slot extending approximately a one quarter turn downwardly from the vertical axis at the top of the cap to a point on the side thereof, said work holder being rigidly supported on said pin, and said pin being rigidly supported on said ball and being also revolvable and movable in said slot, and said ball being positioned in said socket, a standard, said cap being swivelly fixed to one endof said standard, a plunger, said plunger being slidable longitudinally in said standard and engageable with said ball support element for the movement thereof to bind and hold said ball in adjusted positions, and means for actuating said plunger.

4. In a work support device as defined in claim 3, a cam carried on a shaft, said cam and cam shaft being a means for actuating said plunger, said cam shaft being revolvably carried by said standard in such a position that the plunger will rest on the cam and be actuated by the cam upon the revolvable movement thereof by the cam shaft.

5. In a work support device as defined in claim 3, said plunger actuating means comprising a cylinder in which said plunger is slidablymounted therein, a second cylinder, said second cylinder being connected with the first said cylinder, and a plunger slidably positioned in the second said cylinder, said cylinders being filled with hydraulic material," a cam, and handle means thereon for the rockable moving thereof, said cam being pivotally mounted at the end of the second said cylinder and in engaging position with the second said plunger for the engagement and movement thereof to move the first said plunger for the actuating of the ball support element.

6. In a work support device as defined in claim 3, said plunger actuating means comprising a cylinder in which said plunger is slidably mounted therein, a second cylinder, said second cylinder being connected with the first said cylinder, and a plunger slidably positioned in the second said cylinder, said cylinders being filled with hydraulic material, a cam, and handle means thereon for the rockable moving thereof, said cam being pivotally mounted at the end of the second said cylinder and in engaging position with the second said plunger for the engagement and movement thereof to move the first said plunger for the actuating of the ball support element, a spring, said spring being positioned in the second said cylinder and being under compression between the bottom of the cylinder and the second said plunger so as to cause the second said plunger to recede and follow the said cam as it is revolved away from the second said plunger for the purpose of imparting a similar withdrawing action of the first said plunger to release the ball in the ball socket for adjustment.

' CLEMON W. BARKER.

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