Metal working – Method of mechanical manufacture – Assembling or joining
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-27
2001-05-01
Wellington, A. L. (Department: 3722)
Metal working
Method of mechanical manufacture
Assembling or joining
C029S525060, C029S03400A, C029S243530, C409S202000, C409S212000, C227S111000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06223413
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to positioning tooling with respect to a workpiece, and more particularly to an apparatus for positioning tooling with respect to a curvilinear workpiece.
Presently, the installation of fasteners during the assembly of aircraft wings, fuselages, and other components requires large machines, including conventional C-shaped tooling machines. Conventional C-shaped tooling machines may be equipped to drill, upset rivets, seal riveted joints, and perform other work on the constituent parts of the aircraft components. While such C-shaped machines operate effectively with workpieces of certain sizes and configurations, they encounter limitations wherein due to the configuration and/or size of the workpiece, access to the opposite sides thereof is limited. Also, the use of these C-shaped machines can require very complicated structures and procedures to support the workpiece in order to accommodate the same, and can also require the workpiece to be constantly repositioned, which consumes valuable production time. There is thus a need for an apparatus for positioning tooling overcomes such limitations.
The present invention provides a novel solution to the long felt need for an apparatus for positioning tooling with respect to large curvilinear workpieces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides apparatus and method for positioning tooling for operation on a curved workpiece wherein a gantry beam assembly having a movable head means thereon carrying tooling is pivotally connected on a pivot axis to a pair of spaced apart pedestals each having a longitudinal axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis and wherein the workpiece is supported on a fixture between the pedestals and so that the gantry beam assembly extends along the workpiece. The pivot axis of the gantry beam assembly is moved along the longitudinal axes of the pedestals, the pivot axis of the gantry beam assembly is moved along a path substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the pedestals and the head means is moved along the gantry beam assembly. The foregoing operations move the head means relative to the workpiece enabling the tooling to perform operations thereon. The gantry beam assembly is pivoted about the pivot axis and the head means is pivoted about an axis substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis for normalization of the head means relative to the workpiece. The gantry beam assembly can be tilted along a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the pedestals to accommodate frustoconical and similar shaped workpieces. The gantry beam assembly can be provided with gimbal connections to the pedestals to provide additional degrees of freedom for operation on workpieces having compound curvatures.
The foregoing and additional advantages and characterizing features of the present invention will become clearly apparent upon a reading of the ensuing detailed description together with the included drawing.
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Benczkowski Kenneth
Crocker Robert B.
Ergenbright Erica D.
General Electro Mechanical Corporation
Hodgson & Russ LLP
Wellington A. L.
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