Automatic clamping and placement holder

Abstract

A clamping holder provides both an apparatus and method enabling quick, precise automatic re-positioning of positional devices, particularly useful in edging and milling applications. A clamping holder is capable of automatically approaching, lifting up to surround, engaging and picking up a positioning device, translating to a proper and precise placement location, lowering it into place, disengaging the clamping holder, lowering to provide exit clearance around the positioning device and moving away to either position the next positioning device or to move on to the next task. In addition to this automatic mode, the spindle may also be manually loaded by a worker standing well outside the work area of the main processing machine. A spindle shaped clamping holder has a radial side opening to accept a bearing member and piston support of a locational device. Within the clamping holder is a chamber having a self centering tapered surface to allow the cylindrical shape of the locator bearing member to be exactly centered in the clamping holder when the clamping holder lifts or when the locator downwardly moves within the clamping holder. A single acting, spring opposed, piston clamps down upon the top surface of the cylindrical locator bearing which locks the locator bearing and piston into exact centered alignment with the clamping holder.