The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.

John R Lawson

Daniel E Whitney

David S Barrett

Donald C Fyler

Frank J Siraco

George A Wood

Arthur Ciccolo

Robert D Whiteside

Keith Glick

Raymond B Harlan

Jay A Sampson

F Keith Glick

A limp material handling system includes a manipulating apparatus for selectively manipulating one or more layers of limp material on a support table. Folding is accomplished by lifting a curvilinear region of the material, reshaping that lifted region as desired, and lowering that lifted region to a curvilinear region on the support table. A seamed article assembly system incorporates the manipulating apparatus, a seam joining apparatus and a multiple parallel endless belt system for tactile presentation of the limp material to the seam joining apparatus. An optical sensing system provides information representative of the position of the limp material being handled. A programmable computer, or controller, coordinates and controls the operation of the manipulating apparatus, seam joining apparatus, belt assembly, and optical sensing system to provide automatic assembly of seamed articles.

Assembly system for seamed articles

A machine tool system having an adjustable implement mounted in a holder or chuck and moveably positioned relative to a moveable workpiece support, wherein implement adjustments are produced by controlled differential motion between the implement holder and an adjustment fixture on the workpiece support. The support is moved to engage the implement in the fixture, from which state further relative movement unlocks an implement clamp and produces a desired adjustment in the implement. Typical implement adjustment applications would include setting of a boring bar cutting radius (or setting of a measurement gauge dimension). The adjustments can be performed open loop based on prior calibration of implement adjustment versus extent of support motion, or closed loop wherein an initial cut (or measurement) is made by open loop implement adjustment with subsequent adjustments based upon a measurement made of the implements effective cutting (or measurement) dimension. Desired incremental changes in cut (or measurement) dimensions are then effectuated through corresponding incremental support motion. Closed loop mesurement and adjustment iterations largely overcome implement dimension errors due to rechucking, thermal drifts, machine motion position offsets, implement or contact point phenomena effects, speed-related dynamic distortions, gradual implement/wear and implement/workpiece force compliance. These measurements for iterative adjustment can be made with manual or automated gauging systems, either separate or integral to the machine adjustable implement system. The implement adjustment mechanism can be provided with a substantial mechanical advantage to correspondingly increase accuracy in implement adjustment.

Adjustable machining system and implement therefore

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Lincoln, MA, United States of America

John R Lawson