Modular metal working tooling apparatus
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Accused Products
Abstract
A modular tooling apparatus for performing a metalworking operation on a workpiece or a family of workpieces. The modular tooling apparatus consists of a base having one or more attachment surfaces, and one or more inserts that can be inserted semi-permanently to the attachment surfaces. The attachment surface is typically a pocket in the surface of the base. The insert has a workpiece support feature that can support and/or secure the workpiece into the proper position and orientation for machining. The base, pockets and inserts are configured to provide a characteristic location and orientation for the workpiece relative to the base, and to the metalworking machine. The modular tooling apparatus permits machining a family of workpiece members that are related but different in detail, by inserting the insert member from the family of inserts to properly position and orient the corresponding workpiece member, without needing to change, disconnect, or move the base tooling.
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Citations
66 Claims
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1-44. -44. (canceled)
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45. A modular tooling apparatus for holding a workpiece during a metalworking operation on the workpiece, comprising:
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(a) a base configured for semi-permanent attachment to a table of a metalworking machine, the base comprising an attachment surface, the attachment surface comprising a locating feature, (b) an insert comprising a locating feature and a workpiece support feature on a surface thereof for holding a workpiece, wherein the insert associates with and can be separably secured to the attachment surface in only one position in which the locating feature on the insert co-locates with the locating feature of the attachment surface to define a characteristic location of the workpiece support feature relative to the base, and (c) a securement for separably securing the insert to the attachment surface. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58)
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59. A modular tooling apparatus for holding a workpiece during a metalworking operation on the workpiece, comprising:
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(a) a base configured for semi-permanent attachment to a table of a metalworking machine, the base comprising at least a first attachment surface and a second attachment surface, each attachment surface comprising a locating feature; and
(b) at least a first set of inserts comprising at least first and second inserts, corresponding to and associating with the first and second attachment surfaces, respectively, each of the inserts comprising a locating feature and a workpiece support feature on a surface thereof for holding a workpiece, wherein the respective insert associates with and can be separably secured to the attachment surfaces in only one position in which the locating feature on the insert co-locates with the locating feature of the attachment surface to define a characteristic location of the workpiece support feature relative to the base, and for holding a workpiece during a metalworking operation, and (c) a securement for separably securing the associated insert to the attachment surface. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61, 62, 63)
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64. A modular tooling apparatus for performing a metalworking operation on a family of workpiece, comprising:
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(a) a base configured for semi-permanent attachment to a table of a metalworking machine, the base comprising an attachment surface, the attachment surface comprising a locating feature, (b) a family of inserts comprising at least a first insert and a second insert, each insert being associated with the same attachment surface, the first and second inserts comprising a locating feature and a workpiece support feature on a surface thereof for holding a respective first and second member workpieces of the family of workpieces which are related in configuration but different in detail, wherein each insert associates with and can be separably secured to the attachment surface in only one position in which the locating feature on the respective insert co-locates with the locating feature of the attachment surface to define respective characteristic locations of the workpiece support features relative to the base, and a characteristic location and orientation of the respective first and second member workpieces relative to the metalworking machine, that permits successive machining of the first and second member workpieces without adjustment of the position or orientation of the base, and (c) a securement associated with each attachment surface for separably securing the inserts to the attachment surfaces. - View Dependent Claims (65, 66)
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Specification