Vektek, Inc.

Agile Technology Partners, LLC

Roger L Craft

James V Mascola

Frederick A Hausler, Iii

Frank Michael Nye

Stan Kroeker

John H VanDalsem

A method and computer program providing for substantially automated CAD/CAM design and manufacture of custom workholding fixtures used to locate and secure workpieces on which work, such as, for example, machining, welding, or assembly, is to be performed, wherein computer models of support structures and locating and clamping devices, including dimensions and mounting geometries associated therewith, facilitate development and testing of a workholding concept, production of fixture drawings, and generation and formatting of a corresponding control program for controlling a CNC or CAM machine for manufacturing the fixture.

Method and computer program for automated design and manufacture of custom workholding fixtures requiring machining of substantially unique mounting geometries

A retract clamp (20) utilizes three clamp arm retraction enhancement mechanisms (26, 28, 63) to increase clamp arm (24) retraction consistency. The first retraction enhancement mechanism (26) is a bifurcated piston having a first piston member (68) and a second piston member (70). If the first piston member (68) becomes tilted and caught, the second piston member (70) continues to move allowing the first piston member (68) to right itself. The second retraction enhancement mechanism (28) comprises a clamp arm guide mechanism having a base (82), a pusher (84), and a plurality of resilient members (110-124) interposed between the base (82) and the pusher (84) to bias the pusher (84) against the clamp arm (24) and align the clamp arm (24) with a clamp arm receiving area (40) defined in a clamp arm holder (22). The third clamp arm retraction enhancement mechanism comprises a lift surface (63) on the clamp arm (24). The lift surface 63 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the axis of the clamp arm (24) for upward retraction of the clamp arm outer end 54 substantially prior to axial retraction of the clamp arm (24).

Retract clamp apparatus

A pressure reducing valve assembly (10) includes an elongated tubular body (12), a pressure reducing valve (16) for reducing the fluid pressure discharged from the valve assembly, a pressure relief valve (18) for permitting fluid to discharge from the valve assembly when the device to which the valve assembly is coupled experiences an over-pressure condition, and a reset valve (20) for resetting the pressure reducing valve when the fluid pressure on the high pressure side of the valve assembly is reduced below a pre-selected reset level. The pressure reducing valve, pressure relief valve, and reset valve are all positioned within the tubular body and coaxially aligned along the longitudinal axis (14) of the body. The reset valve is positioned within the confines of the pressure reducing valve, and the pressure relief valve utilizes the same compression spring (90) as the pressure reducing valve.

Pressure reducing valve

A hydraulically-operated swing clamp (10) for holding and clamping a workpiece (14) to a fixture (12) is disclosed. The swing clamp (10) includes an improved cam assembly (24) that swings its clamping head (22) away from the workpiece (14) when the piston (22) of the clamp (10) is shifted to its extended, unclamped position. The cam assembly (24) includes at least one cam track or groove (38,40,42) and a corresponding cam follower ball (44) received within the groove (38,40,42). The cam track (38,40,42) includes a central arcuate region (48) and a pair of substantially planar side faces (50,52) extending tangentially from the central arcuate region (48). The central arcuate region (48) has a radius of curvature substantially equal to the radius of curvature of the cam follower ball (44). The planar side faces (50,52) extend tangentially away from the central arcuate region (48) and the cam follower ball (44).

Swing clamp apparatus

A swing clamp apparatus adapted to be mounted adjacent a work surface includes a housing provided with a bore defining a longitudinal axis, and a piston received within the bore and being movable in the direction of the longitudinal axis. A clamping arm is supported on the piston for movement therewith between a clamping position and a releasing position. A first passageway is provided for delivering hydraulic fluid from a source of pressurized fluid to the first bore section of the housing to move the piston in a first direction and additional structure shifts the piston in a second direction opposite the first direction. The passageway includes a plurality of external ports formed in the housing and a manifold with which the plurality of ports communicate to permit fluid to be delivered to the first passageway, and a number of plugs are used for plugging any of the plurality of ports not used during delivery of fluid to the passageway in order to prevent leakage of fluid from the manifold.

Swing clamp

A hydraulic work support apparatus includes a plunger that is axially movable between a loaded position and an unloaded position and that is adapted to support a compressive load at one axial end thereof. The apparatus also is provided with structure for retaining the plunger in the loaded position, the plunger retaining structure including a tubular sleeve provided with a plunger-engaging segment having a first end adjacent the one axial end of the plunger and a second end remote from the first end. The plunger-engaging segment may be forced radially inward into pressing contact with the plunger to exert a friction force on the plunger which prevents the plunger from moving while in the loaded position. The friction force experienced by the sleeve when pressing contact exists between the sleeve and the plunger has a minimum magnitude at the first end of the plunger-engaging segment and a progressively larger magnitude toward the second end of the segment. The tubular sleeve includes a wall having a thickness which increases between a minimum thickness at the first end of the segment and a maximum thickness at the second end of the segment, the increase in the thickness of the sleeve being representative of the increase in the magnitude of the friction force experienced by the sleeve between the first and second ends of the plunger-engaging segment.

Locking cylinder hydraulic work support

A hydraulic work support assembly includes a externally threaded housing and a sleeve pressed into the bore of the housing which in turn receives a cylindrical plunger. The plunger may be extended to any one of a number of positions and thereafter locked in place upon application of hydraulic pressure to an annular chamber between the sleeve and the housing which causes the sleeve to contract and grip the complimental plunger. The end of the sleeve and the end of the housing lie in a common plane transverse to the central axis of the housing, and seals are carried by the housing and the sleeve adjacent the ends thereof in contact with opposite sides of an annular chamber formed in the bottom of a recess of base structure. Hydraulic fluid is admitted into the chamber through a space between end portions of the sleeve and housing in a simplified fashion which eliminates the necessity of end caps mounted within the sleeve or conventional, relatively thick housing walls which are provided with a transverse passage for admitting hydraulic fluid into the chamber. A shoulder of the housing urges the sleeve into firm, sealing contact with the bottom of the annular chamber of the base structure during tightening of the housing into the threaded recess.

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Emporia, KS, United States of America

Roger L Craft