Clamping device

• US 5,226,637 A
• Filed: 03/25/1992
• Issued: 07/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AIOI Seiki Incorporated
• Original Assignee: AIOI Seiki Incorporated
• Inventors: Aoyama, Yoshio, Kitaura, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Watson, Robert C.
• Application Number:
  US07/857,333
• Time in Patent Office: 475 Days
• Field of Search: 269/101, 269/136, 269/138, 269/157, 269/160, 269/190, 269/217, 269/234, 254/104
• US Class Current: 269/234
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 1/08 using cams
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/08 using cams

Abstract

A clamping device for clamping a work piece to be machined by a machine tool on a base surface of a table of the machine tool or a work pallet for fixing a work piece, comprises at least a clamp main body, a reaction support provided at the rear portion of the clamp main body, an input member disposed in front of the reaction support on the clamp main body with a gap therebetween, an output member arranged in front of the input member and having an output portion for clamping the work piece at the front end, a guide mechanism for slidably guiding the output member in a longitudinal direction directed back and forth, a driving mechanism for driving the input member toward the clamp main body, and a wedge type converting mechanism for converting a driving force supplied to the input member from the driving mechanism into a clamping force for driving the output member. During clamping drive or operation, the output member does not move vertically, thereby the work piece is free from damage and the machining accuracy is improved.

Claims

1. A clamping device for clamping a work piece having a shape, comprising:

a clamp main body;

a reaction support provided at a rear part of the clamp main body,

an input member arranged on the clamp main body in front of the reaction support with a gap between the input member and the clamp main body and placed in contact with a front end face of the reaction support;

an output member arranged on the clamp main body in front of the input member and having a main portion in contact with a front end of the input member, the output member including at its front end portion an output portion for pressing the work piece forward;

a guide means provided in the clamp main body and the output member, for guiding the output member movably only in a longitudinal direction directed back and forth;

a driving means for driving the input member toward the clamp main body; and

a wedge type converting means for converting a driving force supplied to the input member from the driving means into a clamping force for driving the output member forward;

wherein said guide means comprises an inverted T-shaped groove formed in the longitudinal direction in a middle portion of the clamp main body and an inverted T-shaped leg portion of the output member, slidably engaged in the T-shaped groove;

wherein said wedge type converting means comprises an inclined input portion inclined upward toward the front and formed at the front end of the input member, and an inclined passive portion inclined upward toward the front and formed at a rear end of the main portion of the output member and abutting the input portion;

wherein said clamping device includes a spring means interposed between the clamp main body and a front end portion of the inverted T-shaped leg portion to bias the output member toward the reaction support.

2. A clamping device according to claim 1, wherein said wedge type converting means comprises an inclined front end face inclined upward toward the rear and formed at a front end of the reaction support, and an inclined rear end face inclined upward toward the rear and formed at a rear end of the input member and abutting the front end face of the reaction support.

3. A clamping device according to claim 1, wherein said driving means comprises an upright bolt hole formed in the input member, a hydraulic cylinder provided within the clamp main body below the bolt hole, a clamping bolt extending through the bolt hole with its head stopped by the input member and its leg portion secured to a piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder, and a compression coil spring interposed between the input member and the clamp main body and mounted around the clamping bolt.

4. A clamping device according to claim 1, wherein said clamping device includes a reaction support provided at a front end of the clamp main body in opposition to the output portion of the output member, and said reaction support having a reaction output portion for clamping the work piece in cooperation with the output portion of the output member.

5. A clamping device according to claim 1, wherein said guide means includes a dovetail groove formed in the clamp main body in the longitudinal direction and an engaging portion provided at the output member and slidably engaging in the dovetail groove.

6. A clamping device according to claim 1, wherein side walls are provided on the right-and left-hand side portions of said clamp main body, and said guide means comprises guide grooves defined so as to extend in forward and backward directions on the right-hand and left-hand side walls and engaging portions provided in said output member and engaged slidably in said guide grooves.

7. A clamping device according to claim 1, wherein it includes a means adapted for fixing said output member on the clamp main body.

8. A clamping device according to claim 2, wherein said driving means comprises an upright bolt hole formed in the input member, a screw hole formed in the clamp main body below the bolt hole, a clamp bolt extending through the bolt hole with its head stopped by the input member and its leg portion threadedly engaged in the screw hole, and a compression coil spring interposed between the input member and the clamp main body and mounted around the clamp bolt.

9. A clamping device according to claim 2, wherein said driving means comprises an upright bolt hole formed in the input member, a hydraulic cylinder provided within the clamp main body below the bolt hole, a clamping bolt extending through the bolt hole with its head stopped by the input member and its leg portion secured to a piston rod of the hydraulic cylinder, and a compression coil spring interposed between the input member and the clamp main body and mounted around the clamping bolt.

10. A clamping device according to claim 2, wherein said clamping device comprise an inverted T-shaped leg piece to be arranged in a T-shaped groove formed on a base surface on which the clamp main body is to be fixed.

11. A clamping device according to claim 2, wherein said clamping device includes a spring means interposed between the clamp main body and the output member to bias the output member toward the reaction support.

12. A clamping device according to claim 2, wherein said clamping device includes a reaction support provided at a front end of the clamp main body in opposition to the output portion of the output member, and said reaction support having a reaction output portion for clamping the work piece in cooperation with the output portion of the output member.

13. A clamping device according to claim 1, wherein the output portion is detachably fixed to the front end portion of the output member, said output portion being selected according to the shape of the work piece to be clamped.

14. A clamping device according to claim 13, wherein said driving means comprises an upright bolt hole formed in the input member, a screw hole formed in the clamp main body below the bolt hole, a clamp bolt extending through the bolt hole with its head stopped by the input member and its leg portion threadedly engaged in the screw hole, and a compression coil spring interposed between the input member and the clamp main body and mounted around the clamp bolt.

15. A clamping device according to claim 13, wherein said clamping device comprise an inverted T-shaped leg piece to be arranged in a T-shaped groove formed on a base surface on which the clamp main body is to be fixed.

16. A clamping device according to claim 15, wherein said driving means comprises an upright bolt hole formed in the input member, a bolt hole formed in the clamp main body below the bolt hole, a screw hole formed in the leg piece below the bolt hole, a clamping bolt extending through said two bolt holes with its head stopped by the input member and its leg portion threadedly engaged in the screw hole, and a compression coil spring interposed between the input member and the clamp main body and mounted around the clamp bolt.