DUAL SLIDING WEDGE T-NUT
First Claim
1. A mounting member for use in a machine tool having a tooling plate with a top surface and an open channel with at least one perpendicular extension below the tooling plate top surface, the mounting member comprising:
- a central body having at least one inclined face at a first end and an opening forming a cavity extending through the central body, the central body adapted to slidingly fit in the tooling plate open channel and mate with a mounting surface of tooling to be secured to the tooling plate;
a first wedge in slideable communication with the central body inclined face and having a top surface and a mating surface at one end inclined at substantially the same angle as the central body inclined face, the first wedge including a clearance hole extending through a length of the wedge and at least one wing extending laterally beyond the central body to engage an upper surface of the tooling plate open channel at least one perpendicular extension;
an actuation member internally threaded for a distance from one end thereof, the actuation member abutting the first wedge at an end opposite the first wedge mating surface; and
an externally threaded shaft engaged with the internal threads of the actuation member and extending through the first wedge clearance hole and through the central body cavity, the shaft being secured to and non-rotatable with the central body,whereby when the tooling is secured to a top surface of the central body and the actuation member is rotated, the first wedge is slideably moved along the central body inclined face until the first wedge at least one wing engages an upper surface of the open channel at least one perpendicular extension and the work piece is urged in the direction of the tooling plate until the tooling mounting surface bears against the tooling plate top surface, thereby removably securing the tooling to the tooling plate.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A T-Nut for use in a machine tool having a tooling plate with an inverted T-shaped channel. The T-Nut comprises a central body having oppositely inclined faces each including an opening forming a cavity extending through the central body, and first and second wedges in slideable communication with the central body inclined faces. Each of the wedges have wings extending laterally beyond the central body to engage upper surfaces of the channel lower wide portion and include a clearance hole extending through a length of the wedge. A rotatable actuation member abuts the first wedge at an end opposite the first wedge mating surface and is internally threaded for a distance from one end thereof. An externally threaded cylindrical shaft is engaged with the internal threads of the actuation member and extends through the first and second wedge clearance holes, the shaft being secured to and non-rotatable with the second wedge. In operation, when tooling is secured to the top surface of the central body and the actuation member is rotated, the first and second wedges are slideably moved symmetrically along the central body inclined faces until the first and second wedge wings engage upper surfaces of the channel lower wide portion while the tooling is simultaneously urged in the direction of the tooling plate until the tooling mounting surface bears against the tooling plate top surface, thereby removably securing the tooling to the tooling plate.
7 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A mounting member for use in a machine tool having a tooling plate with a top surface and an open channel with at least one perpendicular extension below the tooling plate top surface, the mounting member comprising:
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a central body having at least one inclined face at a first end and an opening forming a cavity extending through the central body, the central body adapted to slidingly fit in the tooling plate open channel and mate with a mounting surface of tooling to be secured to the tooling plate; a first wedge in slideable communication with the central body inclined face and having a top surface and a mating surface at one end inclined at substantially the same angle as the central body inclined face, the first wedge including a clearance hole extending through a length of the wedge and at least one wing extending laterally beyond the central body to engage an upper surface of the tooling plate open channel at least one perpendicular extension; an actuation member internally threaded for a distance from one end thereof, the actuation member abutting the first wedge at an end opposite the first wedge mating surface; and an externally threaded shaft engaged with the internal threads of the actuation member and extending through the first wedge clearance hole and through the central body cavity, the shaft being secured to and non-rotatable with the central body, whereby when the tooling is secured to a top surface of the central body and the actuation member is rotated, the first wedge is slideably moved along the central body inclined face until the first wedge at least one wing engages an upper surface of the open channel at least one perpendicular extension and the work piece is urged in the direction of the tooling plate until the tooling mounting surface bears against the tooling plate top surface, thereby removably securing the tooling to the tooling plate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18, 19)
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12. A T-Nut for use in a machine tool having a tooling plate with a top surface and an inverted T-shaped channel having a lower wide portion and an upper narrow portion, the T-Nut comprising:
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a central body having oppositely inclined faces, each face including an opening forming a cavity extending through the central body, the central body adapted to slidingly fit in the tooling plate T-shaped channel and mate with a mounting surface of tooling to be secured to the tooling plate; first and second wedges in slideable communication with the central body inclined faces and having mating surfaces inclined at substantially the same angle as the central body inclined faces and wings extending laterally beyond the central body to engage upper surfaces of the channel lower wide portion, each of the wedges including a clearance hole extending through a length of the wedge, the second wedge further including a cross-drilled through hole extending through its width; an actuation member abutting the first wedge at an end opposite the first wedge mating surface and internally threaded for a distance from one end thereof and having an opening with a hexagonal engagement on the other end, the hexagonal engagement adapted for receiving an actuating force in a rotational direction about a longitudinal axis of the actuation member; an externally threaded shaft engaged with the internal threads of the actuation member and extending through the first and second wedge clearance holes, the shaft having a cross-drilled hole on one end having substantially the same diameter as the second wedge through-hole, the shaft being secured to and non-rotatable with the second wedge; and a resilient fastener extending through the second wedge through-hole and through the shaft cross-drilled hole to secure the second wedge to the shaft, whereby when the tooling is secured to a top surface of the central body and an actuating force is applied to the actuation member hexagonal engagement, the first and second wedges are slideably moved symmetrically along the central body inclined faces until the first and second wedge wings engage upper surfaces of the channel lower wide portion and the tooling is urged in the direction of the tooling plate until the tooling mounting surface bears against the tooling plate top surface, thereby removably securing the tooling to the tooling plate. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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20. A method of assembling a T-Nut for use in a machine tool having a tooling plate with a top surface and an inverted T-shaped channel having a lower wide portion and an upper narrow portion, comprising:
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providing a central body having oppositely inclined faces, each face including an opening forming a cavity extending through the central body, the central body adapted to slidingly fit in the tooling plate T-shaped channel and mate with a mounting surface of tooling to be secured to the tooling plate; providing first and second wedges capable of slideable communication with the central body inclined faces and having mating surfaces inclined at substantially the same angle as the central body inclined faces and wings extending laterally beyond the central body to engage upper surfaces of the channel lower wide portion, each of the wedges including a clearance hole extending through a length of the wedge, the second wedge further including a cross-drilled through hole extending through its width; providing an actuation member internally threaded for a distance from one end thereof, the actuation member adapted for receiving an actuating force in a rotational direction about a longitudinal axis of the actuation member; providing an externally threaded shaft having a tapering diameter in the direction of its center and a cross-drilled hole on one end having substantially the same diameter as the second wedge through-hole; slideably inserting the threaded shaft through the second wedge clearance hole while aligning the second wedge and threaded shaft cross-drilled through holes; inserting a resilient fastener through the second wedge through-hole and through the shaft cross-drilled hole to non-rotatably secure the second wedge to the threaded shaft; sliding the central body over an end of the threaded shaft by inserting the threaded shaft through the central body cavity until one of the central body inclined faces contacts the second wedge mating surface; sliding the first wedge over the end of the threaded shaft by inserting the threaded shaft through the first wedge clearance hole until the first wedge mating surface contacts the opposing central body inclined face; and threading the actuation member internally threaded end onto the end of the threaded shaft.
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Specification