Gear cutting – milling – or planing – Milling – Work support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-17
2001-03-27
Briggs, William (Department: 3722)
Gear cutting, milling, or planing
Milling
Work support
C269S900000, C409S219000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206622
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system for constructing devices for chucking workpieces in defined and reproducible positions on machine tools and measuring machines. In addition, the invention relates to a mounting pipe for such a system with grid points arranged at regular coordinate distances, and a corresponding base plate. The invention also relates to a connecting element and a connecting adapter for connecting such mounting pipes to each other, to a base plate or to an adapter plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
EP 222 147 B1 discloses a system of the above described type. The mounting pipes and the base plate of this known system have locating bores arranged at regular coordinate distances. These locating bores form grid points which establish a grid spacing. This grid spacing is provided in all three planes x, y and z.
The locating bores or transverse bores forming the grid points of this known system are provided in the mounting pipes so as to intersect in the four surfaces in a large number and with great precision, wherein the mounting pipes preferably have a parallelepiped shape with rectangular or square cross-section, and wherein these mounting components and possibly appropriate base plates make it possible to construct various spatial structures for mounting and measuring workpieces. The mounting pipes are manufactured from high-strength and extruded aluminum pipes which are subsequently mechanically processed for achieving the necessary precision. The section modulus of the components is reduced by the large quantity of locating bores and transverse bores.
Pipes of aluminum having not such a high strength can be drawn more precisely, however, the precision which is possible in mechanical processing cannot be achieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, it is the primary object of the present invention to provide a system of the above-described type, and mounting pipes, base plate and connecting elements for such a system, which can be manufactured less expensively with the same precision, and which make it possible to be used universally also in connecting with the known system according to EP 222 147 B1. In particular, it is the object of the invention to provide a mounting pipe which can be combined with known systems and which also forms a significant component of a new less expensive system.
In accordance with the present invention, the mounting pipe for constructing devices for chucking workpieces in a defined and reproducible position, which has grid points formed at regular coordinate distances, is provided in the longitudinal direction of the pipe with chamfers uniformly distributed over the circumference, wherein the grid points are formed on the chamfers in the form of concave spherical recesses, and wherein the center points of the spherical recesses are located on lines which extend parallel to the chamfers outside of the pipe body and which describe the ideal pipe shape.
In accordance with another feature, the mounting pipe has the shape of a parallelepiped with a rectangular or square crosssection, wherein the chamfers are formed by bevelling the edges and the lines on which the center points of the concave spherical recesses are the lines of intersection of adjacent surfaces of the parallelepiped having the ideal shape.
Pipes having square or rectangular cross-sections are the most frequently used type, although circular or polygonal pipes in which the chamfers and concave spherical recesses are formed can also be used.
The mounting pipe according to the invention is manufactured by extruding it with the chamfers at the four edges of the parallelepiped. For ensuring a sufficiently high accuracy, it is sufficient to extrude this pipe from a type of aluminum alloy which does not have to meet highest requirements with respect to strength. Mechanical processing is limited to providing the spherical recesses which ensure the precision in all three planes. The cross-section of the mounting pipe with the chamfers and the fact that it is always only necessary to drill as many fastening bores as are required, make it possible to manufacture the pipe of an aluminum alloy which does not have such a high strength. When the actual shape of the pipe deviates from the ideal shape, for example, as a result of slight twisting, the center points are always located on the ideal shape, so that, when using the concave spherical recesses as grid points, the grid spacing always corresponds to the ideal shape. Consequently, the inaccuracies which occur during the manufacture, particularly when extruding the pipe, are insignificant when constructing the system according to the invention. In other words, the center points of the concave spherical recesses are not located on the points of intersection of the adjacent side surfaces of the actual pipe, but rather of the ideal shape of the pipe. Accordingly, the actual surface area of the spherical recess in the chamfer may vary. The important fact is that all center points of the spherical recesses are located on the ideal line.
When such a mounting pipe is to be used for constructing the system described above, fastening bores are drilled by means of drilling devices either in the spherical recesses, i.e., in the axes extending through the center points, or in the side surfaces of the mounting pipe. These drilling devices have convex spherical projections which are arranged in accordance with the grid spacing and which rest in the concave spherical recesses of the pipe. This ensures once again that the fastening bores are drilled in accordance with the ideal shape of the mounting pipe. Deviations from the ideal shape are compensated during drilling of the fastening bores, so that fastening itself always takes place very precisely in accordance with the ideal shape.
In accordance with another feature, the parallelepiped has an internal contour which follows the external contour provided with the chamfers in such a way that the internal contour has inclined surfaces extending parallel to the chamfers. These inclined surfaces provide an additional reinforcement.
The base plate according to the present invention has on at least one side thereof concave spherical recesses forming the grid points, wherein the center points of the spherical recesses are located on lines which intersect perpendicularly in accordance with the grid spacing and which define the ideal plate shape.
The adapter plate according to the invention to be connected to a mounting pipe or to a base plate has on two oppositely located side surfaces chamfers with concave spherical recesses as they are provided in the mounting pipe described above. Accordingly, the adapter plate is dimensioned and provided with a chamfer and corresponding concave spherical recesses in such a way that it can be connected to the mounting pipe for fastening appropriate structural components. The adapter plate can also be used for mounting a drilling device.
The drilling device, whether starting from the adapter plate or provided with convex spherical projections, can also be used for drilling bores in the base plate.
The fastening bores are basically only drilled in the mounting pipe and in the base plate as they are required for mounting a specific system. This significantly reduces the number of bores which would mean weakening of the system; in addition, the costs of the system are lowered. If these components are later to be used for constructing another system, additional fastening bores can be drilled as required.
The connecting element according to the present invention for connecting mounting pipes to each other or to a base plate is composed of a hollow sphere whose outer diameter is equal to the diameter of the concave spherical recesses. The hollow sphere has a large insertion bore whose diameter is greater than the diameter of the head of the corresponding fastening screw. The hollow sphere additionally has a first fastening bore located approximately opposite the large insertion bore and a second fastening
Witte Andreas
Witte Horst
Briggs William
Horst Witte Entwicklungs und Vertriebs-KG
Kueffner Friedrich
LandOfFree
System for chucking workpieces does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with System for chucking workpieces, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and System for chucking workpieces will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2532497