Clamping Apparatus for Positioning and Fixing Work Pieces

• US 20070210500A1
• Filed: 03/12/2007
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F-Tool International AG (EROWA AG)
• Original Assignee: F-Tool International AG (EROWA AG)
• Inventors: Troxler, Ferdinand
• Granted Patent: US 7,922,159 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 269/71
• CPC Class Codes: B23H 11/003 Mounting of workpieces, e.g. working-tables
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/103 Constructional elements used for constructing work holders

Abstract

A clamping apparatus for attaching work pieces to be machined to the work table of a machine tool in a precisely defined position comprises at least one clamping rail to be attached to the work table of the machine, as well as at least one work piece holder. The clamping rail is provided with an elongate protruding portion, the front face thereof constituting a stop surface and which defines a recess between itself and the work table of the machine tool. The elongate protruding portion may be provided with threaded bores for receiving clamping screws. Each work piece holder includes a clamping portion which can be inserted into the recess and clamped therein by means of the clamping screws. The clamping rail includes a flat bottom surface resting on the surface of the work table of the machine tool and running perpendicular to the aforementioned front face of the elongate protruding portion. The side of the work piece holder having the aforementioned clamping portion includes a reference surface adapted to rest against the front face of the elongate portion of the clamping rail.

Claims

1. A clamping apparatus for positioning work pieces to be machined on a work table of a machine tool, comprising at least one clamping rail member adapted to be attached to said work table of said machine tool, and at least one work piece holder adapted to be clamped to said clamping rail member in a precise position, characterized in that each of said at least one clamping rail member is provided with an elongate protruding portion, delimiting between its bottom side and the surface of said work table an elongate recess and including a clamping element extending into said elongate recess, and each of said at least one work piece holder includes at least one protruding clamping portion adapted to be inserted into said elongate recess and to be clampingly fixed by said clamping element.

2. A clamping apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one clamping rail member is provided with a flat bottom surface adapted to rest on said work table of said machine tool and defining the Z-direction reference, and said elongate protruding portion of said clamping rail member includes a front surface running perpendicular to said flat bottom surface.

3. A clamping apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said clamping element is configured to press upon a corresponding protruding clamping portion of said at least one work piece holder towards the work table.

4. A clamping apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that at least one of said at least one work piece holder is provided with a reference surface located on a side of said holder on which said clamping portion is provided, said reference surface being adapted to rest against a front surface of said at least one clamping rail member.

5. A clamping apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said clamping portion of said at least one work piece holder is provided with an inclined clamping surface located at a top side thereof, said clamping element provided on said elongate protruding portion of said at least one clamping rail member engaging said inclined clamping surface such that said work piece holder is pulled towards said clamping rail member to rest with its reference surface against the front surface of the clamping rail member upon clamping said work piece holder in said clamping rail member.

6. A clamping apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one clamping rail member is provided with a flat bottom surface adapted to rest against said work table of said machine tool.

7. A clamping apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that said at least one work piece holder includes a shoulder located on the side of the work piece holder that is remote from said clamping portion and extending downwards, said end portion of said shoulder being provided with a rest surface extending in the same plane as the flat bottom surface of said work piece holder.

8. A clamping apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the work piece holder is configured as an angled element having two legs and includes two protruding portions offset relative to each other by 90°

, the top sides of said legs constituting rest surfaces for a work piece to be attached to said work piece holder.

9. A clamping apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said work piece holder configured as an angled element includes first and second clamping portions offset to each other by 90°

.

10. A clamping apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said work piece holder configured as an angled element includes an additional clamping portion located between said first and second clamping portions that are offset to each other by 90°

, said additional clamping portion extending in a direction that encloses an angle of 45°

with the extension of said first and second clamping portions.

11. A clamping apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one of said two legs of said work piece holder is provided at the inner side with vertically running grooves, subdividing said clamping portions into separate sections.

12. A clamping apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the work piece holder is configured as a clamping frame member, having at least one aperture adapted to receive a work piece, whereby at least one frame side of the work piece holder is provided with horizontally running threaded bores, adapted to receive clamping screws for clamping a work piece to said clamping frame member.

13. A clamping apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that at least one frame side of the work piece holder is provided with vertically running bores located at the inner side of the frame facing said aperture and adapted to receive stop pin members.

14. A clamping apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the work piece holder is provided with a continuously flat bottom surface.

15. A clamping apparatus according to claim 1, comprising at least two clamping rails as well as at least two differently configured work piece holders.