US2414348A - Jig vise - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 14, 1947. w. woERNER JIG-VISE Filed Jan. 50,1945 2 sheets-sheen l I l l FIG.4.

INVENTOR a GUM BY 54, 6171K M ATTQRNEY Jan, 14, 1947.

W. WOERNER JIG-VISE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. so, 1945 mvEN'roR Patented `ian. 14, `19411 JIG VISEj William Woerner, Greenbrook Township, Middlesex County, N. J.

Application January 30, 1945, SeriaLNQ 575,217.

The present invention relates to combined work-holding andA tool-locating fixtures and is concerned more particularly with improvements in devices of the characterin which the same element that engages and clamps the work is also the element that accurately locates and guides the. tool. The aim of the invention is to provide a fixturejthat will enable the worker to insert and remove workpieces with greater 'ease and dispatchthan has been possibleA heretofore and without sacrifice to rigidityor accuracy in the work-clamping and tool-locating functions of the fixture;

The aim of the present invention is to renderavailable a jig-vise which is arranged for toploading and" adapted for use in restricted areas wherein the hinge-likemovement of the upper jawelement of theu prior designs` can not be-employedj because ofl interference with Vthe workpieces'orwith parts* of the machine on which thejig-vise is used.

A further aim of thel present invention is to `provide a` compact, easily manipuated, and sturdily constructed jig-vise suitedY for use'in confined regions and a jig-vise `constructed of relatively fewparts easyl to manufacture and assemble.

In carrying out the objectivesof the invention it is proposed to construct` the base plate member ofa jig-visewith a substantially reinforced rear wall rising therefrom, and to support therein the operating mechanism, bushingplate mounting plunger, and guide bearings for the cooperating jaw of the vise. The mounting plungeris constructed preferably in two parts, one being a reciprocable sleeve and the other beng a'coaxial spindle rotatively j-ournaled in the sleeve. To the upper end of the spindle is mounted the coacting combined bushing plate and upper jaw element of the jig-vise, which, by Virtue of the spindles rotative mounting in the sleeve, may be rotated about the sleeve axis to bring the overhanging portion of the jaw into or out of cooperating relation with the lower jaw member. In this embodiment of the invention, the mounting plunger on and about which the combined jaw and bushing plate swings is proportioned in size as to maintain the working plane of the jaw in parallelism with the plane of the base plate in all spaced and laterally swung positions of the movable jaw. The movement of the jaw selectively ina clamping and unclarnping direction is effected, in this instance by a lever operated pinion that engages rack teeth cut into the reciprocable sleeve. Other forms of 8 Claims. (Cl. 737-262) actuating means,` for example, screwA and nut, cam or eccentric, etc., may be employedY if desired.

Easy relocating of the upper jaw in a definite angular position relative to the base element and worklocating devicesthat may be mounted-there,- on, is attained in accordance with this invention, by means4 of one or more pilotV bars and complementa-l bush-ing elements positioned onaxes parallel tothe axis of swing of the jaw element but offset therefrom. Qn movementY ofA the jaw to aAwork-unclamped' DOSition, the pilot` bars and complemental bushingsautomaticallydisengage, thus freeing the jawfor lateral swinging movement about the axis of the mounting plunger. After the workpiece is removed and a new blank inserted, the jawV is again m-oved laterally into position over the work and precision centering thereof obtained-bymeans of the pilot baror bars.

A` jig-vise so constructed has the avantages ofstrength and accuracy,` by reason ofV its simplified construction and relation of its cooperating elements,which, together with the important feature of` compactness in height, affords a workman with a serviceable and practical production vise capable of top-loading and of" expeditious use in restricted areas.

Other objects and advantages will be in part indicated in the following description and in part rendered apparentV therefrom in connection with the annexed drawings.

To enable others skilled in the art so fully to apprehend the underlying, features hereof that they may embody the same in the various ways contemplated by this invention, drawings depicting a preferred typical construction have been annexed as-a part of this disclosure and, in such drawings,` like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout all the views,` of which- Figure l isa front elevation of a jig-vise embodying the principles of this invention.

Fig. 2` Vof the drawings is a side view, shown partly in section substantially along lines l-I and 2-2 of Fig..3.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a jig-vise embodying this invention.

li'ig.` 4 is a side viewof a jig-vise of this invention adapted for successive tooling operations.

ReferringV more particularly to FigrZ of the drawings, the jig-vise illustrated comprises a base member Ill having a finished upper surface ll upon which a supplemental Work locating fix-ture, Wj, shown by the dotted lines is mounted. To

under surface I9 finished parallel with the platform I I of the base so as accurately to engage and clamp on the workpieces. One or more tool locating apertures, such as bushing 20, are provided in the bushing plate, as the needs of the work may require. y

The bushing plate extends to the rear of the surface I4 and is lbored centrally as at 2| to receive the upper end of a Yspindle 22 that forms an element of the mounting plunger. Lock nuts 23 are provided to A,clamp Vthe elements together. The spindle 22 extends downwardly and is rotatively journaled in a shiftable but non-rotatable sleeve member 24 that is slidingly tted in a relatively long bearing 25 in the Wall I3. Anti-friction thrust bearings 26 and 2l located at the ends of the sleeve 24 and between the bushing plate I8 and the opposite end 22a of the spindle 22 serve to center and guide the spindle and also to maintain the plane of the extending jaw element I8 perpendicular to the axis of the mounting plunger 22, 24. The lower race of the lower bearing 21 is herein illustrated as being in the head of a screw 28.

The sleeve 24 is provided with rack teeth 30 that are constantly meshed by the teeth of a rack pinion 3l. Because of the normally meshed relation of the rack teeth 30 with the teeth of the pinion 3|, the sleeve 24 is constrained against rotation in the bore 25 of the lbase member. The pinion 3| Vis pinned or otherwise nonrot'atively secured to an operating shaft 32 which has' an operating handle 33 adjustably fastened thereto. The manner of securing the handle 33 to the shaft 32 Amay lbe effected in various ways, andra preferred construction comprises the forming of radially extending serrations 34 on one face ofr the handle hub .35, adapted to intert and lock with complemental radial serrations 33 formed Y 4 Y 4I and 42. Each bushing (4I-42) has an elongated opening 43 formed therein whose front Wall 44 parallels the pitch line of the rack teeth 30, and whose rear wall 45 slants forward in an upward direction. 'Ihe Fig. 2 illustration exaggerates the conditions, for purposes of this explanation, and it will be understood that the relations are such that a counterclockwise turning of the pinion shaft, propels the upper jaw downwardly until resistance is encountered thereby. Further turning of the pinion shaft when resistance is encountered, causes the pinion to I climb the rack, and this vertical movement of the shaft brings the bushings 31 into binding relation with the narrower portions of the slots 43 fin the bushings 4I and 42. When the handle is released, the forces tending to lift the bushing plate tend to effect counter turning of the pinion shaft and increase the binding action, and actual unclamping is prevented.

The workpiece vis readily unclamped, however, by operating the handle in -a clockwise direction, for, when so actuated the fulcrum point shifts from the line of contact of the bushings 31- with the tapered wall 45 tothe pitch linek of the rack teeth, and the bushings and pinion. shaft are rocked downwardly into wider portions of the ta-z pered slots, thus permitting free rotation Aof the pinion shaft and upward movement of the upper: jaw element. The foregoing; is but representaclamping mechanism. Other forms, such as screw and nut, Worin and Worm Wheel, eccentricpr cam arrangements may, of course, be'employed, if desired.v l

At least at one side, land -preferably at Yopposite sides of the central mounting plunger- 22, 24, 'bushing plate centering and guiding. studs 53 and 5I are provided. Eachustud hask a press t or is otherwise secured in aligned bores 52 and 53 in the base membergand projects up wardly therefrom sufficiently to be engaged, for

a substantial distance, by bushing members 5 4 clamping position. When the `upper jaw isV raised on an end face of one of the bushing elements 31. The bushings 3'I are non-rotatively secured to the shaft 32, as by'sweating, shrinking, or cross pinning, and are further constrained against movement by means of spacer sleeves 38.

With this form of handle mounting, the positionA and swing of the handle'may be adjusted Vfor convenient operation with due regard to the height of the work to be clamped. End washers 39 and clamp screws 40 are provided to seal the interior against entrance of chip and foreign particles and to clamp the assembly together, suicient clearance space being provided between the inner face 34 of the handle hub 35 and the outer face of the bushing 42 to allow for free turning of the handle and parts associated therewith.

A rocking of the handle 33 will, through the mechanism explained, effect a raising or lowering of the upper jaw element I8, andfso that `the latter will maintain its clamped position against a workpiece, when the handle is released, the entire rack pinion shaft assembly is arranged to have a slight fioatingrmovement in a vertical to the position whereat the guide bushings 54and 55 are lifted from the guide studs 50 and 5|,the combined bushing plate and vise` jaw memberV I8 may then be shifted laterally about the mounting plunger 22, 24 as an axis, thereby completely to expose the work and to permit removal theretooling operations, and the overhead -room required within which to operate the device, is re-Y duced to minimum proportions. The dotted lines`^ illustrated in Fig.V 3, represent the combined' bushing-plate and vise-jaw element I8, in an out-V oftheway position.

After loading the fixturev nwith another.werke piece the bushing-plate is again revolved to workingl position; and so that the working ,positionA may be, quickly determined at least one of the. guidebushings '(54) is formed Vwith a'depending portion 54a that extends around the rear'onehalf of its lower'periphery and serves as (an abutment for the stud 50; guide studs are beveled slightly to facilitate their re-entry into the bushings asthe jaw` is moved toward work-clamping position."

Where the nature of the work requires,` the up# per jaw element I8 maybe extended further/co. @weer .andlcarryirs ,the rear. extension; 18a. an:

The upper ends ofthe S 'other' bushing l2lb@ or set of bushings: approprie atelysizedand located-'fora succeeding operation ontliefsamefor a different workpiece.. Figi 4.illustrates suchfr'aconstruction. The width of.` bushing plate, inthe duplex or turret type of jig:- vise just mentioned, is preferably such: asto permit convenienttop-loading, when swung about the posti` axis 909. Drilling and; reaming: opera.- tionsV may, for example, be performedin` rapid successionion fa given workpiece by.` unclamping and' indexing the duplex i clamping bushing plate through- 180 andreclamping the pilotbars reentering` opposite socketsj In other. respects the de:- vice ofFig. 41 is-similarin construction and operation to the structures herein above; referred to;

It will be seenV that in either constructional form lthe guide studs and 5l in addition to their function of locating the bushing plate repeatedly in a precise location, also serve as supplementary means for maintaining the plane of the work engaging surface I9 of the movable jaw parallel with the platform surface ll or to the work mounted thereupon. Thus the tool is precision located laterally, and its vertical alignment assured by reason of the substantial bearing provided at the mounting plunger and at the guide bushings 54 and 55, the former :being relatively low, and the two latter relatively high.

That is, by the construction disclosed, the Inovable jaw carries an extension 22, 2li that is guided slidingly in the base, and the base is provided with extensions (5B-5l) that slidingly guides and supports the movable jaw, and this double and spaced apart guide means effectively maintain the movable jaw, and hence the tool locating bushing or bushings therein, in proper pre-l cision relation in all normal operating positions.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of this invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various utilizations by retaining one or more of the features that, from the standpoint of the prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of either the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should be, and are intended to be,` comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

Having thus revealed this invention, I claim as new and desire to secure the following combinations and elements, or equivalents thereof, by Letters Patent of the United States:

1. A jig-vise comprising a base member having a work supporting platform, a non-rotatable sleeve slidably mounted in said base offset from said platform, a combinedy jaw and bushing-plate member rotatively mounted on said sleeve with its tool locating portion normally extending over said platform, means for actuating said sleeve to effect a work clamping operation, and means operative during movement of the sleeve for restraining said bushing platemember against rotation relative to said sleeve and base members.

2. A jig-vise combining a base member having a forward portion affording a work receiving platfform and a thickened rear portion affording an abutment surface normal to said platform, a

sleeve member projecting from said thickened and'. a spindle element.; connected` with saidY plate andextending through` the sleeve for journaling the sleeve and plate together, and platecenteringr` and guide means-1 provided in part bysaid platevand in part by saidthickened portion` of the base vfor guiding saidlplate` inparallelism with said' platform and for constraining said-V plate against `rotative movement relative to said' sleeve during a` movement of saidl plateto a work clamped position.

3. A` device of the character disclosed combiningafbas'e member having1 a flat surface adapted to function as a clampingjaw member: asecond clamping jaw and'toolguide` member positioned normally opposite and' movable relatively'thereto; means mounting oney of said members for movement electively toward and away from the other including a translatable but non-rotatable member slidably mounted in the said base member and a connection rotatably securing said second clamping jaw element to said non-rotatable member; means to actuate said non-rotatable member and parts carried thereby to effect a work clamping and tool locating operation simultaneously; and means engageable with said iaw and guide member for constraining said jaw and guide member against rotation as it approaches work clamping position.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which said mounting means embodies antifriction bearing means in said connection between said non-rotatable member and the member.

5. A device of the character disclosed combining a base member having a work platform, an elongated clamping jaw and tool guide member positioned normally opposite and movable relatively thereto; means mounting one of said members for movement electively toward and away from the other comprising a translatable but nonrotatable member, and means rotatively securing the said elongated member at a medial region to said translatable member, means to actuate said translatable member to effect simultaneous work clamping and tool locating, and means effective during the clamping movement to precision center and maintain one end ofsaid elongated jaw member in an extending over and cooperative relation with said work platform.

6. A jig-vise comprising a lower jaw member and a relatively rotatable two-ended cooperating upper jaw member, means offset from the work engaging areas of said jaw members for actuating and guiding one of said members toward and away from the other selectively to effect work clamping and work unclamping operations, means operative when one of the ends of the upper jaw member is in work clamping position to constrain said member against rotation relative'to the lower jaw, said means being operative when the members are in work unclamped position to render the upper member movable about an axis normal to the plane of its work engaging area electively through a distance approximately degrees from normal to permit vertical loading and unloading of the workpiece on the work area of said lower jaw member, or through approximately degrees to bring an opposite end portion of the upper jaw member into working relation with the lower jaw member.

7. A jig-vise comprising a lower jaw member and a cooperating upper jaw member, a supporting plunger for said upper jaw member, means rotatably mounting said uper jaw member to said plunger, means offset from the work engaging areas of said members for actuating one of said members toward and away from the other selec- -tively to effect work clamping and work unclamping operations; guide means operative when the members are in Work clamped position to cone sleeve so as toextend over said Work receiving platform, means comprising 'antifrction bearing means at each end of said sleeve and a spindle element connected with the bushing platel and extending through the sleeve for journaling the sleeve and plate rotatively together, plate cenl tering and guide means carried by said base and engageable with complementary means carried by said plate for guiding said plate in parallelism with said platform and for constraining said plate against' rotative movement relative to said-base during a movement of said plate in a Work clampingdirection, and manually operable means opf eratively connected with said sleeve for moving the sleeve axially.'

WILLIAM WOERNER.

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