Rigid support for laser machining apparatus

Abstract

A laser machining apparatus is disclosed as including a bed lying on a floor surface for supporting a source of a laser beam with respect to a work piece supported upon the bed. The bed is of a rigid construction and defines a substantially planar, reference surface for supporting at least one machining chamber for receiving and establishing about the work piece an environment that is non-reactive to the material of which the work piece is made. A work piece housing is fixedly attached to the reference surface for defining a second, substantially planar sealing surface with respect to the reference surface. An adjusting mechanism in the illustrative form of a finely threaded screw serves to accurately position the machining chamber and in particular a peripheral flange thereof to provide a uniform gap between the peripheral flange and the sealing surface in a manner to permit ready movement of the machining chamber with respect to the sealing surface. The machining chamber is mounted on a platform and once adjusted by the adjusting mechanism, is affixedly attached by suitable fasteners to the work piece housing. The laser source is mounted upon a frame fixedly attached to the reference surface of the bed. In particular, the laser source is disposed upon a laser subbase which defines a second substantially planar surface and is structurally rigid, whereby positioning means may position the subbase so that the emitted laser beam is accurately and rigidly disposed with respect to the first reference surface and therefore, the workpiece.