The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 20, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 04, 1999
John Charles Wayman, Dorset, GB;
Richard Wigmore, Brighton, GB;
Richard Anthony Pepper, Burgess Hill, GB;
DEK Printing Machines Ltd., Weymouth, GB;
Abstract
A workpiece support device comprises an array of rods in columns and rows with free ends of the rods forming, a support surface, in which support surface recesses can be created by selectively retracting individual ones of the rods. Each rod is coupled to a respective piston within a respective cylinder and each cylinder has an upper connection for medium pressure, a lower connection for high pressure and a middle connection for low pressure. A trigger piston is provided in a cylinder below the piston. The rod can be caused to extend from the cylinder by applying low pressure to the connection to press the trigger piston downwardly to close the high pressure connection. Such low pressure passes around the lip of a lip seal on the trigger piston and through a connection pressurises the underside of the piston to raise the piston and release it from pressing the trigger piston downwardly. Subsequently pressurising the connections and causes the differential pressure to force the piston upwardly. However by sequencing the application of pressure to the connections the rod can be locked in the retracted position. Medium pressure applied to the upper connection which presses the piston downwardly to abut the trigger piston and hold it in a depressed condition in which it will remain even after pressure is restored to the high pressure connection.