EP1125690A2 - Urging system for a vice jaw - Google Patents

Abstract

Urging system for a jaw of a vice (10) comprising a L-shapedblock (12) having slots adapted to be engaged bypins affixed to said jaw (16), a member shaped as aninverted right trapeze (23) which allows to displaceand lock the jaw onto L-shaped block.

Description

The present invention relates to a urging system for avice jaw.

The jaws of a vice are of a predetermined hardnessdepending upon the type of material to be clampedtherebetween.

As the material is changed, e.g. from steel to plasticworkpieces, the vice jaws must be replaced as well,otherwise the plastic pieces would be damaged by theexcessively hard jaws for steel.

In other cases, the vice jaws must be replaced whenworking on a machine tool cylindrical workpiecesclamped with the cylinder axis perpendicular to thedisplacement axis of the vice, whereby the jaws, inorder to achieve a better clamping, must have a V-shapedmark: hence the need for quickly replacing thejaws while assuring the precision and tightness of thejaws.

Systems for quick replacing of the jaws are knownwherein the jaws are comprised of flat plates kept inposition by means of a ball urged by a spring which isengaged in suitable seats provided on the pins of saidjaws. Such a system does not guarantee a perfecttightness of the jaws under tension and thus thekeeping of the desired position in working even small sets.

The object of the present invention is thus that ofovercoming the aforementioned drawbacks.

The technical problem to be solved was that ofproviding an urging system of the jaw such as toachieve the quick replacing and handling of the samewhile ensuring the stability in time even for mediumand large sets.

The solution of the technical problem is characterizedin that L-shaped blocks have slots adapted to beengaged by pins affixed to said jaw, means beingprovided for displacing and locking said jaw onto saidL-shaped blocks.

Further features and advantages will be evident fromthe following description and from the appendeddrawings, wherein:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the systemaccording to the present invention; and
• Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a detail inFigure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, a vice is generally referred toas 10, which is comprised ofblocks 11, each formed ofa L-shaped block 12 slidable on a supportingplate 13.

Said block 12 (Figure 2) has two symmetrical slots 14(only one being shown in Figure 2) which are engaged bypins 15 fastened tojaw 16. When thepins 15 are inserted in theslots 14, they get in contact withsprings 17 located inbores 18 provided in the L-shapedblock 12 and kept in position byscrews 19.

A screw 20 (Figure 1), located onto the upper portionof thejaw 16, fastens the latter to a guide 21 (Figure2) which is received into aseat 22 provided in the L-shapedblock 12 in order to prevent thejaw 16 fromnormally displacing, under tension (i.e. when clampingthe workpiece), with respect to the axis ofvice 10.

Amember 23, shaped as an inverted right trapeze (themajor base of the trapeze being on the top and theminor base on the bottom), is located between thevertical portion of the L-shaped block 12 and thejaw16 and presses, by the hypotenuse wall, against thejaw16 in order to lock it in working position wheninserted ontoblock 12 by tightening ascrew 24.

When thejaw 16 is to be repleaced, the user unloosesthescrew 24 oftrapezoidal member 23 such that thejaw16 is displaced under the urging of thesprings 17 onthepins 15 towards the vertical portion of the L-shapedblock 12. Then the user unscrews thescrew 20 ofthejaw 16 so as to release it from theguide 21 and beable to remove thejaw 16 and replace it with a moresuitable one to the operation to be performed.

Thetrapezoidal member 23 acts as a wedge, i.e. whenscrew 24 is tightened, saidmember 23 is displaced downwards so as to press, by the side corresponding tothe hypotenuse, against thejaw 16, preventing thelatter from raising when under tension during theclamping of a workpiece in the working, e.g., of amachine tool.

Springs 17 urge thepins 15 and hence thejaw 16against thetrapezoidal member 23.

As aforementioned, byunloosing screw 24 of thetrapezoidal member 23, thejaw 16 is released anddisplaced upwards for its replacement.

Claims (4)

1. Urging system for a vice jaw, characterized inthat L-shaped blocks have slots adapted to be engagedby pins fastened to said jaw, means being provided fordisplacing and locking said jaw onto said L-shapedblocks.
2. System according to claim 1, characterized in thatsaid means comprises a trapezoidal member, shaped as aninverted right trapeze, located between said jaw andsaid L-shaped block, a screw being provided on saidmember for fastening the latter to said block whenscrewed and for displacing said jaw so as to lock it bythe trapeze hypotenuse.
3. System according to claims 1 and 2, characterizedin that springs are provided in said L-shaped block incorrespondence of said slots in order to urge said pinsof said jaw against said trapezoidal member.
4. System according to claim 1, characterized in thata guide fastened to said jaw by means of a screw isreceived into a seat provided in said L-shaped block,said guide preventing said jaw from normally displacingwith respect to the vice axis.

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