Urging system for a vice jaw

Abstract

 Urging system for a jaw of a vice (10) comprising a L-shaped block (12) having slots adapted to be engaged by pins affixed to said jaw (16), a member shaped as an inverted right trapeze (23) which allows to displace and lock the jaw onto L-shaped block.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a urging system for a vice jaw.

[0002] The jaws of a vice are of a predetermined hardness depending upon the type of material to be clamped therebetween.

[0003] As the material is changed, e.g. from steel to plastic workpieces, the vice jaws must be replaced as well, otherwise the plastic pieces would be damaged by the excessively hard jaws for steel.

[0004] In other cases, the vice jaws must be replaced when working on a machine tool cylindrical workpieces clamped with the cylinder axis perpendicular to the displacement axis of the vice, whereby the jaws, in order to achieve a better clamping, must have a V-shaped mark: hence the need for quickly replacing the jaws while assuring the precision and tightness of the jaws.

[0005] Systems for quick replacing of the jaws are known wherein the jaws are comprised of flat plates kept in position by means of a ball urged by a spring which is engaged in suitable seats provided on the pins of said jaws. Such a system does not guarantee a perfect tightness of the jaws under tension and thus the keeping of the desired position in working even small sets.

[0006] The object of the present invention is thus that of overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0007] The technical problem to be solved was that of providing an urging system of the jaw such as to achieve the quick replacing and handling of the same while ensuring the stability in time even for medium and large sets.

[0008] The solution of the technical problem is characterized in that L-shaped blocks have slots adapted to be engaged by pins affixed to said jaw, means being provided for displacing and locking said jaw onto said L-shaped blocks.

[0009] Further features and advantages will be evident from the following description and from the appended drawings, wherein:

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

[0010] Referring to Figure 1, a vice is generally referred to as 10, which is comprised of blocks 11, each formed of a L-shaped block 12 slidable on a supporting plate 13.

[0011] Said block 12 (Figure 2) has two symmetrical slots 14 (only one being shown in Figure 2) which are engaged by pins 15 fastened to jaw 16. When the pins 15 are inserted in the slots 14, they get in contact with springs 17 located in bores 18 provided in the L-shaped block 12 and kept in position by screws 19.

[0012] A screw 20 (Figure 1), located onto the upper portion of the jaw 16, fastens the latter to a guide 21 (Figure 2) which is received into a seat 22 provided in the L-shaped block 12 in order to prevent the jaw 16 from normally displacing, under tension (i.e. when clamping the workpiece), with respect to the axis of vice 10.

[0013] A member 23, shaped as an inverted right trapeze (the major base of the trapeze being on the top and the minor base on the bottom), is located between the vertical portion of the L-shaped block 12 and the jaw 16 and presses, by the hypotenuse wall, against the jaw 16 in order to lock it in working position when inserted onto block 12 by tightening a screw 24.

[0014] When the jaw 16 is to be repleaced, the user unlooses the screw 24 of trapezoidal member 23 such that the jaw 16 is displaced under the urging of the springs 17 on the pins 15 towards the vertical portion of the L-shaped block 12. Then the user unscrews the screw 20 of the jaw 16 so as to release it from the guide 21 and be able to remove the jaw 16 and replace it with a more suitable one to the operation to be performed.

[0015] The trapezoidal member 23 acts as a wedge, i.e. when screw 24 is tightened, said member 23 is displaced downwards so as to press, by the side corresponding to the hypotenuse, against the jaw 16, preventing the latter from raising when under tension during the clamping of a workpiece in the working, e.g., of a machine tool.

[0016] Springs 17 urge the pins 15 and hence the jaw 16 against the trapezoidal member 23.

[0017] As aforementioned, by unloosing screw 24 of the trapezoidal member 23, the jaw 16 is released and displaced upwards for its replacement.

Claims

1. Urging system for a vice jaw, characterized in that L-shaped blocks have slots adapted to be engaged by pins fastened to said jaw, means being provided for displacing and locking said jaw onto said L-shaped blocks.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in that said means comprises a trapezoidal member, shaped as an inverted right trapeze, located between said jaw and said L-shaped block, a screw being provided on said member for fastening the latter to said block when screwed and for displacing said jaw so as to lock it by the trapeze hypotenuse.

3. System according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that springs are provided in said L-shaped block in correspondence of said slots in order to urge said pins of said jaw against said trapezoidal member.

4. System according to claim 1, characterized in that a guide fastened to said jaw by means of a screw is received into a seat provided in said L-shaped block, said guide preventing said jaw from normally displacing with respect to the vice axis.

Drawing