US3095190A - Pneumatic hydraulic vise - Google Patents

Description

June 25, 1963 H. w. M. FREUND 3,095,190 PNEUMATIC HYDRAULIC VISE Filed Sept. 7, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. HANS W. M. FREUND June 25, 1963 H. W. M. FREUN D PNEUMATIC HYDRAULIC VISE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. '7, 1961 INVENTOR. HANS W. M. FREUND Unite States atent 3,095,190 PNEUMATIC HYDRAULIC VISE Hans W. M. Frennd, Hilchenbach, Westphalia, Germany,

assignor to Maschinenfabrik Hilma G.m.b.H., Hllchenbach, Westphalia, Germany Filed Sept. 7, 1961, Ser. No. 136,624 Claims priority, application Germany Sept. 10, 1960 4 Claims. (Cl. 26928) The present invention relates to a pneumatic hydraulic vise in which the compressed air acts through the intervention of a pressure transformer on a pressure fluid which in its turn adjusts the vise jaw.

Vises which are adjusted directly by compressed air are known in the art. The drawback of this heretofore known type of vise consists in that due to the relatively low pressure of the customary prevailing compressed air installation and due to the direct actuation of the air piston, relatively large cylinder dimensions and consequently relatively large dimensions for the vise or clamping apparatus are necessary. Vises operable by compressed air of the size of the customary mechanical vises have a low clamping power.

Compressed air actuated vises have become known heretofore in which the piston conveys its clamping force to the movable jaw through the intervention of a lever system. While with this type of vises higher clamping forces can be produced, these known clamping devices have the drawback of a very short stroke, inasmuch as the stroke of the movable jaw hardly exceeds a few millimeters. Also with this type of vise, the dimensions are prohibitive if customary clamping forces are to be produced.

Furthermore, pneumatic hydraulic Vises have become known in which a small pressure transformer is installed in the lower portion of the vise. With these vises, the movable jaw is first advanced toward the work piece until it is spaced therefrom by a few millimeters, whereupon a pressure valve is opened which initiates the clamping operation and after a dead stroke exerts the desired clamping force. These clamping devices have the drawback that they consume the major portion of the pressure for overcoming the dead stroke.

Pneumatic hydraulic vises in which the pressure transformer is located outside the vise have additionally to establish the connection between pressure transformer and vise through the intervention of a high pressure hose. Such high pressure hoses are undesired and are very sensitive against bending stresses.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a pneumatic hydraulic vise which will overcome the above mentioned drawbacks.

It is another object of this invention to provide a pneumatic hydraulic vise which will make it possible mechanically to feed the movable jaw to the work piece and then to initiate an automatic pneumatic hydraulic clamping action.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 shows a pneumatic hydraulic vise according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the right-hand portion of FIG. 1 but with the respective elements occupying a position in which a work piece is in clamped-in position.

The pneumatic hydraulic vise according to the present .invention is characterized primarily in that a manually operable feeding spindle is provided with a jaw clutch comprising a first jaw clutch element and a second jaw clutch element and also including an axially displaceable jaw shaft which latter is connected to a control shaft for an air controlling valve. By means of an arrangement upon a ball 18 which is located 3,095,190 Patented June 25, 1963 ,pressure transformer, i.e. the air actuated piston, with the hydraulic piston in the movable jaw whereby a compact construction of the vise will be obtained. Advantageously, the pressure transformer may be arranged adjacent the clamping piston but it may also be arranged laterally of the spindle in the movable jaw.

Specifically referring to the drawing, the vise illustrated thereincomprises a stationary jaw 1 and a movable jaw 1a provided with .a larger cylinder bore 3a and a smaller cylinder bore 6a. Reciprocably mounted in the cylinder bore 3a is a compressed air operable piston 3 the upper sideof which communicates through a passage 4 with a .compressed air valve block 5. The piston 3v has connected thereto a hydraulic plunger 6 reciprocably mounted in cylinder 6a. The hydraulic cylinder 6a is connected through a passage or oil chamber 30 with a cylinder 7a in which is reciprocably mounted the clamping piston 7. The clamping piston 7 has a bore 712 in which is reciprocably mounted the front portion 8a of a spindle v8 the thread 812 of which engages a correspondingly threaded bore 912 of a member 9 which latter is anchored in the lower portion 31 of the vice by means of a bolt 9a.

The vice according to the present invention furthermore comprises a bearing plate 10 having journalled therein a clutch shaft 11 by means of a needle bearing 10a. Furthermore displaceably mounted in bearing plate 10 is a guiding bushing 12 which in its turn has movably mounted therein one end portion 13b of a control A compression spring 14 is interposed as yieldable member between the end member 13b of the control shaft 13 and the guiding bushing 12.

V 'The clutch shaft 11 has its right-hand portion with regard to the drawing journalled on a thrust bearing 15 which is acted upon by a spring 16 that has that end thereof which is remote from the thrust hearing 15 rest upon a lid 17. The jaw shaft 11 has a circumferential groove 11b which is engaged by a flange, disc, or collar 13a of control shaft 13.

The guiding bushing 12 is adapted to engage and act in an abutment bushing 19, said ball being acted upon by a spring 20. This spring 20 rests against a valve disc 21 connected to a valve disc 23 through the intervention of the valve shank 22. Valve disc 23 is acted upon by a spring 24.

The valve block 5 has mounted therein a nipple 35 to which is connected the mouth of a hose 25, said nipple and hose being shown in the drawing turned by The clutch shaft 11 is adapted to receive a manually operable crank 26 for actuating the same.

The operation of the vise according to the present invention is as follows: i

If a work piece is to be clamped between the stationary jaw '1 and the movable jaw 10, first the crank 26 is turned manually whereby due to the jaw clutch engagement of clutch shaft 11 with the spindle 8 also the latter will assuming a corresponding direction of rotation of the handle 26. When the movable jaw 1a has engaged the a another clutch member forming part of or being connected to the spindle 8. As a result thereof, the clutch shaft 11 will move axially away from the spindle 8 against the thrust of compression spring 16. Due to this axial movement of the clutch shaft 11, also the control shaft 13 is, due to the engagement of disc 13a with groove 11b of clutch shaft 11, axially moved in the same direction as clutch shaft '11. This movement of control shaft 13 is conveyed through pressure spring 14, ball 18 and pressure spring 20 to the valve disc 21 so as to move the latter in rightward direction with regard to the drawing against the valve seat 28 while overcoming the thrust of pressure spring 24. Simultaneously with the seating of valve disc "21 upon valve seat 28, valve disc 23, through valve shank 22, is lifted off its seat 29. The stroke of the guiding bushing 12 is limited by the abutment bushing 19.

Due to the lifting off of valve disc '23 from its seat 29,

compressed air will pass through hose 25 into the passage 4 leading to piston 3 thereby actuating the pressure transformer 3, 6.

In conformity with the ratio between the effective area of piston'3 and the effective area of the hydraulic plunger 6, the pressure in the oilchamber 'will increase. This.

increase in pressure will be conveyed to the eflective surface of the clamping piston 7with'the're-sult that the movable jaw 1a is pressed in clamping direction indicated by the'arrow A whereby the work piece will be firmly clamped between the jaws of the vise. It will be appreciated that during this clamping operation, the axial position of the mechanical drive not dhangedjand that merely thetspring 1-4 is compressed and thus serves as compensating device.

from the fixed jaw, it is merely necessary to turn the crank 26in a direction opposite to its clamping direction whereupon the jaw member 33 will slide ofl the inclined surface 27of, the other jaw member. The clutch shaft 11 will in this way by means of spring 16 be displaced in axial direction (toward the left with regard to the drawing). In view of the connection of the control shaft 13 with the jaw shaft 11 through the intervention of the collar or disc 13a, also control shaft 13. willmove in leftward direction with regard to the drawing. Consequently, valve disc 23 will, due to the thrust of pressure spring 24 again become seated on valve seat 29 with the result that the supply of further compressed air to the passage'4 will be blocked. Valve disc 21 will, during this movement release a discharge opening 34 through which the air from the pressure transformer can escape toward the outside through passage 4. By further rotat- -ing crank 26, it is then possible to open jaw 1 to the desired extent. This unclamping operation takes about one'second.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular construction shown in the drawing but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, for instance, instead of mechanically driving the spindle 8 by hand, it is, of course, also possible to drive the spindle by an electric motor. In such an instance, the control shaft 13 would be provided with limit switches for controlling the drive motor for the spindle 8.

What I claim is:

:1. In a vise:v a stationary jaw, a movable jaw for cooperation with said stationary jaw, mechanical means mechanically drivingly connected to said movable jaw and operable mechanically to move said movable jaw 4 selectively toward and away from said stationary jaw, said mechanical means comprising a first member with a first jaw clutch element and also comprising a second member movable relative to said first member and provided with a second jaw clutch element for engagement and cooperation with said first jaw clutch element, said second jaw clutch element being adapted in response-to a certain torque acting thereupon to ride on said first jaw clutch element to thereby impart a certain axial movement upon said second member, fluid operable pressure transformer means operatively connected to said movable jaw and operable in response to fluid pressure acting upon said transformer means to move said movable jaw toward said stationaryjaw, conduit means leading to said pressure transformer means and arranged for connection with a pressure fluid source, and valve means interposed in said conduit means and movable into a first position for conveying pressure fluid to said pressure transformer means and also being movable into asecond position for preventing the supply of pressure fluid to said pressure transformer means while releasing the fluid pressure thereon, said valve means including control means operatively connected to said second member and responsive to said axial movement in view of said certain torque for moving said valve means into said first position.

selectively toward and "away from saidsta tionary jaw,

said mechanical means comprising a' firstmerriber with a first jaw clutch element and also comprising a second member movable relative to said first member and provided with a second'jaw clutch element for engagement and cooperation with said first jaw clutch element, said second jaw clutch element being adapted in response to a certain torque acting thereupon to ride on said first jaw clutch element to thereby impart a certain axial movement upon said second member, a pneumatic cylinder piston system arranged within said movable jaw, a hydraulic cylinder piston system operatively connected to said pneumatic cylinder piston system and likewiselocated in said movable jaw and operable to actuate the latter in response to the operation of said pneumatic cylinder piston system, conduit means leading to said pneumatic cylinder piston system for connection with a source of compressed air, and valve means interposed in said conduit means and movable into a first position for conveying compressed air to saidpneumatic cylinder piston system and also being movable into a second position for preventing the supply of compressed air to said pneumatic cylinder piston systern whil-e releasing the pneumatic pressure thereon, said valve means including control means .operatively connected to said second member and responsive to said axial movement in view of said certain torque for moving said valve means into said first posi- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,402,411 =Kent June 18, 1946 2,492,338 'Vickers Dec. 27, 1949 2,509,991 Schenke May 30, 1950

Claims (1)

1. IN A VISE: A STATIONARY JAW, A MOVABLE JAW FOR COOPERATION WITH SAID STATIONARY JAW, MECHANICAL MEANS MECHANICALLY DRIVINGLY CONNECTED TO SAID MOVABLE JAW AND OPERABLE MECHANICALLY TO MOVE SAID MOVABLE JAW SELECTIVELY TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID STATIONARY JAW, SAID MECHANICAL MEANS COMPRISING A FIRST MEMBER WITH A FIRST JAW CLUTCH ELEMENT AND ALSO COMPRISING A SECOND MEMBER MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST MEMBER AND PROVIDED WITH A SECOND JAW CLUTCH ELEMENT FOR ENGAGEMENT AND COOPERATION WITH SAID FIRST JAW CLUTCH ELEMENT, SAID SECOND JAW CLUTCH ELEMENT BEING ADAPTED IN RESPONSE TO A CERTAIN TORQUE ACTING THEREUPON TO RIDE ON SAID FIRST JAW CLUTCH ELEMENT TO THEREBY IMPART A CERTAIN AXIAL MOVEMENT UPON SAID SECOND MEMBER, FLUID OPERABLE PRESSURE TRANSFORMER MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID MOVABLE JAW AND OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO FLUID PRESSURE ACTING UPON SAID TRANSFORMER MEANS TO MOVE SAID MOVABLE JAW TOWARD SAID STATIONARY JAW, CONDUIT MEANS LEADING TO SAID PRES-

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