Compound invertible soft jaw for a machine vise

• US 6,773,003 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2001
• Issued: 08/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald Joseph Jr. Dermody
• Original Assignee: Donald Joseph Jr. Dermody
• Inventors: Dermody, Donald Joseph Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): WILSON, LEE D
• Application Number:
  US09/995,424
• Publication Number:
  US 20030098538A1
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 269/282, 269/271, 269/259, 269/257, 269/43, 269/283, 269/268, 279/137, 279/152, 279/153
• US Class Current: 269/282
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 1/241 characterised by surface features or material

Abstract

A compound soft jaw for use in a machine vise has a replaceable jaw member into which the templates of the workpieces are cut. The compound soft jaw has a primary jaw member secured to a receiving plate of the machine vice. The first secondary jaw member is secured to the primary jaw member. The first secondary jaw member is machined to have a cutting template formed therein such that as the workpiece is secured within the machine vise, the workpiece is machined according to the template. Upon completion of machining of the workpiece, the first secondary jaw member is replaceable by a second secondary jaw member into which a second cutting template is formed. The primary jaw member has a height less than a height of the receiving plate. The secondary jaw member is placed on the primary jaw member and is forced into contact with a surface of the receiving. The secondary jaw member is then supported by the receiving plate, which prevents the secondary jaw member from movement during securing the workpiece. The second secondary jaw member may be the first secondary jaw member removed from the primary jaw member, rotated or inverted, and re-secured to the primary jaw member, with a second cutting template formed therein.

Claims

1. A compound soft jaw to retain a workpiece within a machine vise comprising:

a primary jaw member secured to a receiving plate of said machine vice; and

a first secondary jaw member secured to said primary jaw member, said first secondary jaw member being machined to have a cutting template formed therein such that as the workpiece is secured within said machine vise, said workpiece is machined according to said template;

wherein the primary jaw member has a height less than a height of the receiving plate and said secondary jaw member is forced into contact with a surface of the receiving plate onto which said primary jaw member is secured, such that said secondary jaw member is supported by the receiving plate and prevent from movement during securing said workpiece within said machine vise; and

wherein upon completion of machining of said workpiece, said first secondary jaw member is replaceable by a second secondary jaw member into which a second cutting template is formed.

2. The compound soft jaw of claim 1 wherein said second secondary jaw member is the first secondary jaw member removed from said primary jaw member, rotated, and re-secured to said primary jaw member, with a second cutting template formed therein.

3. The compound soft jaw of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a first type fastener to secure the primary jaw member to the receiving plate.

4. The compound soft jaw of claim 3 wherein the primary jaw member has openings formed therein to accept said fasteners so as to secure said primary jaw member fastener to said receiving plate.

5. The compound soft jaw of claim 1 wherein two of the first type fasteners secure the primary jaw member to the receiving plate.

6. The compound soft jaw of claim 5 wherein the two first type fasteners secure the primary jaw member to the receiving plate with a torque of greater than approximately 250 in./lbs.

7. The compound soft jaw of claim 5 wherein the two first type fasteners are {fraction (1/2 )}″

×

13 cap screws.

8. The compound soft jaw of claim 1 wherein the primary jaw member is formed of a material selected form the group of materials consisting of aluminum, steel, brass, copper, plastic, wood, and wood products.

9. The compound soft jaw of claim 1 further comprising at least one of a second type fastener to secure the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member.

10. The compound soft jaw of claim 9 wherein three second type fasteners secure the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member.

11. The compound soft jaw of claim 10 wherein the three second type fasteners secure the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member with a torque of greater than approximately 250 in./lbs.

12. The compound soft jaw of claim 10 wherein the three second type fasteners are {fraction (1/4 )}″

×

20 cap screws.

13. The compound soft jaw of claim 1 wherein the first and second secondary jaw members are formed of materials selected form the group of materials consisting of aluminum, steel, brass, copper, plastic, wood, and wood products.

14. A machine vise for securing a workpiece for machining comprising:

a vise base joined to a machine tool;

a first receiving plate coupled to said vise base;

a second receiving plate coupled to said vise base such that the first and second receiving plates are movable adjustable to retain said workpiece;

a first compound soft jaw attached to the first receiving plate; and

a second compound soft jaw attached to the second receiving plate such that the workpiece is retained between the first and second compound soft jaws for machining by said machine tool;

said first and second compound soft jaws each comprising;

a primary jaw member secured to one receiving plate of the first and second receiving plates; and

a first secondary jaw member secured to said primary jaw member, said first secondary jaw member being machined to have a cutting template formed therein such that as the workpiece is secured within said machine vise, said workpiece is machined according to said template;

wherein the primary jaw member has a height less than a height of the receiving plate and said secondary jaw member is forced into contact with a surface of the receiving plate onto which said primary jaw member is secured, such that said secondary jaw member is supported by the receiving plate and prevent from movement during securing said workpiece within said machine vise; and

wherein upon completion of machining of said workpiece, said first secondary jaw member is replaceable by a second secondary jaw member into which a second cutting template is formed.

15. The machine vise of claim 14 wherein said second secondary jaw member is the first secondary jaw member removed from said primary jaw member, rotated, and re-secured to said primary jaw member, with a second cutting template formed therein.

16. The machine vise of claim 14 further comprising at least one of a first type fastener to secure the primary jaw member to the receiving plate.

17. The machine vise of claim 16 wherein the primary jaw member has openings formed therein to accept said fasteners so as to secure said primary jaw member fastener to said receiving plate.

18. The machine vise of claim 14 wherein two of the first type fasteners secure the primary jaw member to the receiving plate.

19. The machine vise of claim 18 wherein the two first type fasteners secure the primary jaw member to the receiving plate with a torque of greater than approximately 250 in./lbs.

20. The machine vise of claim 18 wherein the two first type fasteners are ½

″

×

13 cap screws.

21. The machine vise of claim 14 wherein the primary jaw member is formed of a material selected form the group of materials consisting of aluminum, steel, brass, copper, plastic, wood, and wood products.

22. The machine vise of claim 14 further comprising at least one of a second type fastener to secure the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member.

23. The machine vise of claim 22 wherein three second type fasteners secure the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member.

24. The machine vise of claim 23 wherein the three second type fasteners are ¼

″

×

20 cap screws.

25. The machine vise of claim 23 wherein the three second type fasteners secure the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member with a torque of greater than approximate 250 in./lbs.

26. The machine vise of claim 14 wherein the first and second secondary jaw members are formed of materials selected form the group of materials consisting of aluminum, soft steel, brass, copper, plastic, wood, and wood products.

27. A method for clamping a workpiece to secure said workpiece for machining comprising the steps of:

providing and joining a vise base to a machine tool;

coupling a first receiving plate to said vise base;

coupling a second receiving plate to said vise base such that the first and second receiving plates are movably adjustable with respect to each other to retain said workpiece;

forming and attaching a first compound soft jaw to the first receiving plate;

forming and attaching a second compound soft jaw to the second receiving plate; and

retaining the workpiece between the first and second compound soft jaws for machining by said machine tool;

said first and second compound soft jaws each formed and attached by the steps of;

constructing a primary jaw member to a height less than a height of the receiving plate,

securing said primary jaw member to a one receiving plate of the first and second receiving plates, and constructing a first secondary jaw member,

securing said first secondary jaw member to said primary jaw member, by the step of forcing said secondary jaw member into contact with a surface of the receiving plate onto which said primary jaw member is secured, such that said secondary jaw member is supported by the receiving plate and prevent from movement during securing said workpiece within said machine vise,

machining said first secondary jaw member to form a cutting template therein such that upon retaining the workpiece, said workpiece is machined according to said template,

upon completing machining of said workpiece, replacing said first secondary jaw member by a second secondary jaw member, and

machining a second cutting template into said second secondary jaw member for machining of a subsequent workpiece.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising steps of:

forming the second secondary jaw member by the steps of;

removing the first secondary jaw member from said primary jaw member,

rotating, and

re-securing said first secondary jaw member to said primary jaw member.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein securing the primary jaw member to one receiving plate of the first and second receiving plates comprises the steps of:

providing at least one of a first type fastener,

attaching said first fastener type to said primary jaw member, and

securing said primary jaw member to the receiving plate.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein two of the first type fasteners secure the primary jaw member to the receiving plate.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the two first type fasteners secure the primary jaw member to the receiving plate with a torque of greater than approximately 250 in/lbs.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein the two first type fasteners are ½

″

×

13 cap screws.

33. The method of claim 29 further comprising the steps of:

forming openings in said primary jaw member to accept said fasteners so as to secure said primary jaw member fastener to said receiving plate.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein the primary jaw member is formed of a material selected form the group of materials consisting of aluminum, soft steel, brass, copper, plastic, wood, and wood products.

35. The method of claim 27 wherein securing the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member comprises the steps of:

providing at least one of a second type fastener,

attaching said second fastener type to said secondary jaw member, and

securing the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein three second type fasteners secure the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the three second type fasteners secure the secondary jaw member to the primary jaw member with a torque of greater than approximately 250 in./lbs.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein the three second type fasteners are {fraction (1/4 )}″

×

20 cap screws.

39. The method of claim 27 wherein the first and second secondary jaw members are formed of materials selected from the group of materials consisting of aluminum, soft steel, brass, copper, plastic, wood, and wood products.