EP1622746B1 - Multiple clamping device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a multiple clamping device for clamping a plurality of pieces. The multiple clamping device comprises a base (1), at least one stationary jaw (4) disposed on the base (1) and a plurality of adjustable jaws (5) that are displaceably guided between two lateral cheeks (2, 3) of the base (1) and that can be linked with the base (1) in a positively locking manner by means of a mating toothed section (11) that can be engaged with an inner lateral toothed section (10) on a lateral cheek (2). The mating toothed section (11) is disposed on a sliding element (12), displaceable between a lifted release position and a lowered position of engagement, and the clamping jaws (5) have a clamping device (18, 19) each for mutually bracing the two lateral cheeks (2, 3) for clamping the sliding element (12) between the lateral cheeks (2, 3) in the position of engagement, thereby allowing for a rapid and simple positioning of the adjustable cheeks.

Description

The invention relates to a multiple clamp for clamping a plurality of workpieces according to the preamble of claim 1.

Such clamping devices are used in manufacturing technology for the simultaneous clamping of several workpieces. They usually contain a rail-like body on which at least one fixed jaw and a plurality of adjusting jaws arranged in series, each with a respect to the body fixable first jaw member and a contrast adjustable second jaw member are provided. The connection between the first jaw parts and the main body often takes place in known multiple tensioners via a horizontal toothing, which is provided on the upper side of the base body. At the bottom of the first jaw parts a corresponding toothing for positive connection with the body is attached. As a result, the adjusting jaws can be positioned at different points of the base body. A disadvantage of this solution, however, is that the teeth exposed at the top of the teeth quickly contaminated by their exposed position and can be easily damaged by the too exciting workpieces. To move the adjusting jaws these must also be raised by the entire tooth depth of the teeth and can only be moved laterally to the toothing.

From DE 200 08 648 U1 a generic multiple tensioner according to the preamble of claim 1 is known, in which a plurality of clamping jaws arranged in line can be positioned on a rail-shaped main body. For the positive connection of clamping jaws and body a rack and pinion connection is provided, which is arranged to Vemeidung of dirt or damage to the inside of a running in the main body guide channel. The rack and pinion connection consists of a toothed rack toothing provided on the one side wall of the guide channel into which a corresponding counter toothing engages on a guide projection of the clamping jaws displaceable within the guide channel. On the side opposite the counter toothing of the guide lug a wedge-shaped adjusting device is provided, through which the guide lug is pressed in the direction of the rack toothing. At this generic clamping device, however, the guide lug must be moved to the entire tooth depth before an adjustment of the jaws can be done. In addition, the body is pushed apart during clamping, which can adversely affect the stability.

Even with a machine vice known from DE 1 297 058 B, a toothed rack with helical toothing is fastened to an inner side of a longitudinal guide groove of a base body. In this helical toothing engages a corresponding helical toothing on a drive piece, which is arranged on a movable jaw via a clamping screw raised and lowered. By this arrangement, a lateral wedging action is exerted on the movable jaw upon engagement of the clamping piece in the rack, whereby a high clamping force is achieved. However, in order to move the movable jaw to a desired position in this known machine vise, the drive piece must first be lowered by a plurality of rotations of the clamping screw in a lowermost position, which is associated with increased time and assembly costs.

The object of the invention is to provide a multiple tensioner of the type mentioned, which allows a quick and easy positioning of the adjusting jaws.

This object is achieved by a multiple clamp with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

A significant advantage of the multiple clamping device according to the invention is that the teeth for positioning the adjusting jaws do not have to be switched on and disengaged over their entire tooth depth. The clamping device only has to be loosened slightly and then releases the sliding element for easy pulling or engagement. This allows a particularly fast and safe handling. Due to the centric clamping of the displacement element between the two inwardly pressed side cheeks, there is also no lateral displacement of the adjusting jaws. The tension of the displacement element between the side cheeks has a positive effect on the stability of the body. Due to the internal arrangement of the teeth this is also optimally protected against contamination or damage.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the clamping device consists of an adjustable by means of a clamping screw or other suitable clamping device clamping piece which engages in a limited between the side walls longitudinal groove and opposite upper inclined surfaces for engagement with corresponding lower inclined surfaces of the two side cheeks. By tightening the clamping screw thus the side cheeks can be pressed for mutual tension in a simple manner inward and the interposed sliding element can be clamped. By clamping piece with the inclined surfaces, the clamping forces are divided so that in addition to a purely vertical clamping force a resultant lateral force is achieved, which additionally strengthens the positive engagement in the toothing and eliminates the necessary Verzahnungsspiel for moving the adjusting jaw.

The adjusting jaws consist in a further advantageous embodiment of a fixable by means of the displacement element relative to the base body adjusting jaw body and an adjustable arranged on this clamping jaw. At the opposite side of the clamping jaw a contact surface is provided on the adjusting jaw body, which serves as a fixed stop surface for the next exciting workpiece.

The displacement element is connected for easy operation with a arranged on the upper side of the adjusting handle member. Conveniently, the displacement element is connected via two displaceable within the Verstellbacker body spacers and mounting screws.

In a manufacturing technology simple design of the rail-shaped base body consists of a base rail and two rail-shaped side walls, which are bolted to the base rail. Such a design ensures the lateral flexibility of the side cheeks. This embodiment also has the advantage that the base rail can be relatively easily replaced and adapted to different clamping requirements of the pad. Depending on the design of the pad, a base rail provided, for example, with indexing bolts, sliding blocks or different grid bores can thus be used. The main body can also be made in a one-piece design.

Figur 1

eine erfindungsgemäße Spannvorrichtung in einer Perspektivansicht;

Figur 2

die in Figur 1 dargestellte Spannvorrichtung in einem Längsschnitt, einer Seitenansicht und einer Draufsicht;

Figur 3

eine Schnittansicht entlang der Linie A-A von Figur 2;

Figur 4

eine Schnittansicht entlang der Linie B-B von Figur 2;

Figur 5

eine vergrößerter Ansicht der Festbacke in einem Längsschnitt;

Figur 6

eine vergrößerte Ansicht der Verstellbacke in einem Längsschnitt und

Figur 7

eine Schnittansicht entlang der Linie C-C von Figur 2.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings. Show it:

FIG. 1

a tensioning device according to the invention in a perspective view;

FIG. 2

the tensioning device shown in Figure 1 in a longitudinal section, a side view and a plan view;

FIG. 3

a sectional view taken along the line AA of Figure 2;

FIG. 4

a sectional view taken along the line BB of Figure 2;

FIG. 5

an enlarged view of the jaw in a longitudinal section;

FIG. 6

an enlarged view of the adjusting jaw in a longitudinal section and

FIG. 7

a sectional view taken along the line CC of Figure 2.

The multiple tensioner shown schematically in Figures 1 and 2 includes a rail-shaped base body 1 with two spaced-apart side walls 2 and 3, on which a jaw 4 and a plurality of adjusting jaws 5 are arranged in series. In the embodiment shown, the two side walls 2 and 3 are designed as separate rail-shaped side parts, which are fastened by lateral screws 6 on the two sides of a base rail 7. This embodiment of the body 1, in addition to the simpler manufacturing the additional advantage that the base rail 7 easily replaced and the multiple clamps can thus be relatively easily adapted to different Aufspannanforderungen. Depending on the design of the pad, such as e.g. a provided with Indexierbolzen, sliding blocks or different grid holes base rail 7 can be used. The base body 1 can also be designed in one-piece form.

As is apparent from Figure 3, the two rail-shaped side walls 2 and 3 on the mutually facing inner sides in the longitudinal direction extending grooves 8 and opposite lower inclined surfaces 9. On the inner side surface of a side wall 2, a toothing 10 is also provided, which extends for reasons of simplified production on both sides of the groove 8. In the toothing 10 on the upper side surface of the side wall 2 engages a corresponding counter toothing 11 on a recognizable in Figure 4 and explained in more detail below sliding element 12, which serves for positionally accurate connection of the adjusting jaw 5 shown there with the base body 1. The base rail 7 has in the embodiment shown on the side facing the toothing 10 side surface no corresponding counter-toothing. If necessary, however, a counter-toothing could also be provided on the base rail 7.

Of the base rail 7 and the two screwed with this side cheeks 2 and 3, a substantially T-shaped longitudinal groove is bounded with an upper guide groove 13 between the two upper side surfaces on the inside of the side walls 2 and 3. On the above-beveled outside of the side cheek 2, a scale 14 is attached as a positioning aid for the workpieces and / or the jaws. Also on the other side cheek 3 a corresponding scaling can be provided. On the base rail 7 downwardly projecting Indexierbolzen 15 are arranged for snug mounting on a lower part. The basic body 1 described above can be fastened in a manner known per se via the indexing bolts 15, sliding blocks and the like on a machine table or another suitable base of a processing machine. The base body 1 carries the fixed jaw 4 and the adjusting jaws 5.

As can be seen in particular from FIG. 6, the adjusting jaws 5 contain an adjusting jaw body 16 with a lower guide piece 17, which is arranged displaceably in the guide groove 13 between the two side cheeks 2 and 3. Below the guide piece 17, a clamping piece 18, which is also shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, is arranged, which is held by the first clamping screw 19 in a vertically movable manner on the adjusting jaw body 16. The clamping piece 18 shown in cross section in FIG. 7 projects with its two outer ends into the two lateral grooves 8 of the side cheeks 2 and 3. The clamping piece 18 includes two upper inclined surfaces 20 which engage when tightening the clamping screw 19 shown in Figure 6 to rest against the lower inclined surfaces 9 of the two side walls 2 and 3 and press on further tightening the two side walls 2 and 3 to generate a clamping force inward.

The adjusting jaw body 16 has, according to FIG. 6, a straight contact surface 50 on one side and an oblique clamping surface 21 on the other side. In a groove 22 in the adjusting jaw body 16, the already mentioned above sliding element 12 is guided vertically displaceable with the lateral counter-toothing 11 between a lower engagement position and an upper release position. At the oblique clamping surface 21 of the adjusting jaw body 16 is an inclined surface 23 of a clamping jaw 24 at. About a screwed with the clamping piece 18, obliquely extending second clamping screw 25 of the clamping jaws 24 in the longitudinal direction of the base body 1 is adjustable. By the second clamping screw 25, an additional clamping force is further developed via the clamping piece 18, which reinforces the clamping action described above. The inclined surfaces 21 and 23 are chosen such that the clamping movement is passed down and forward. This prevents lifting of the workpieces (pull-down). The opening of the clamping jaw 24 is effected by means of a pin 26 as a driving element. A recognizable in Figure 7 second pin 27 which engages in a groove 28, serves as a guide and Hubbegrenzung when opening the clamping jaw 24. The clamping surface 29 of the clamping jaw 24 is preferably profiled, but can be adjusted in any way to the clamping requirements (smooth, cambered etc.).

On the clamping surface 29 of the clamping jaw 24 optionally a top jaw 30 shown in Figure 6 can be mounted. It is intended for those cases where a resulting downward tensioning is not beneficial. They are quick and easy to replace even without screws. For this purpose, one each shown in Figures 3 and 7 groove 31 and 32 in the side walls 2 and 3, via which the top jaws 30 can be pivoted by means of a clamping spring and do not stand when opening the jaw 24. In the horizontal movement (opening of the top jaw) they are held by spring elements 33 shown in Figure 7, which engage in grooves 34 in the clamping jaw 24.

For raising and lowering the displacement element 12, this is connected via two fastening screws 35 shown in FIG. 4 and two spacer sleeves 36, which are displaceably guided within the clamping burr body 16, to a grip element 37. At the top of the jaw body 16, a transverse groove 38 is provided for receiving the strip-shaped handle member 37 in the lowered engagement position. Within the clamping jaw body 16, a stroke limiter 39 for the displacement element 12 is also arranged.

The fixed jaw 4 shown in Figures 3 and 5 includes a provided with a stop surface 40 fixed jaw body 41 which rests on the two side cheeks 2 and 3. On the underside of the fixed body 41, a sliding block 42 is screwed with a lateral toothing 43 for engagement in the toothing 10 on the inside of the side cheek 2. Below the Nutenstein 42 a clamping piece 44 is arranged and is held by two clamping screws 45 vertically movable on the festoon body 41. The clamping piece 44 also has upper inclined surfaces for engagement with the lower inclined surfaces of the side cheeks 2 and 3. The guide game 46 is designed on the jaw 4 such that it is smaller than that of the adjusting 5. In the clamped state thus remains for the adjusting a required basic game 47 for actuating the sliding elements 12. The nut 42 of the jaw is not displaced, as here A fast conversion is usually not required. A basic shift, which may be necessary with appropriate space, but is possible. The reference position of the fixed jaw 4 is given by the positive engagement with the teeth 10 and 43. The positions of the jaw 4 and the adjusting jaw 5 are readable on edges 48 and 49 of their abutment surfaces on the scale 14 and repeatedly reproduced

In the multiple clamping device according to the invention, the first workpiece is applied to the stop surface 40 of the jaw 4. Then inserted into the longitudinal groove first adjusting jaw 5 is brought up with raised handle member 37 to the workpiece and positioned about 1-2 mm in front of the workpiece. Then the handle member 37 is pressed back down into the transverse groove 38 of the adjusting jaw body 16. In this case, the displacement element 12 with the toothing 11 in the toothing 10 on the inner side surface of the side cheek 2 a. The teeth 10 and 11 are coordinated so that the sliding element 12 is displaced with dissolved clamping piece 18 without effort. After the displacement element 12 has been engaged in the toothing 10, the clamping screw 19 is tightened with a predetermined torque. As a result, the two side cheeks 2 and 3 are pressed inwards and the displacement element 12 located therebetween is tensioned without play. Thus, the adjusting jaw body 16 is positively and non-positively fixed. By appropriately tightening the clamping screw 25, the clamping jaws 24 can then be moved and the workpiece clamped. The straight contact surface 50 of the first adjusting jaw 5 simultaneously forms the fixed abutment surface for the next workpiece, which is tensioned by a second adjusting jaw 5 in a corresponding manner can be. In contrast, when the clamping screw 19 is released again, the two side cheeks return to their original position and release the sliding element 12 for easy movement.

Claims (10)

1. Multiple fixture for fixture of a plurality of workpieces with a base assembly (1), at least one fixed jaw (4) arranged on the base assembly (1) and a plurality of adjustable jaws (5) which are guided displaceably between two side cheeks (2, 3) of the base assembly (1) and can be brought into form-locking connection with the base assembly (1) by a set of counterpart teeth (11) which can be brought into engagement with an inner side set of teeth (10) on a side cheek (2), characterised in that the set of counterpart teeth (11) is arranged on a displaceable element (12) which can be moved between a raised release position and a lowered engagement position and in that the adjustable jaws (5) in each case exhibit a clamping device (18, 19) for reciprocal bracing of the two side cheeks (2, 3) to clamp the displaceable element (12) between the side cheeks (2, 3) in the engagement position.
2. Multiple fixture according to claim 1, characterised in that the clamping device consists of a clamping piece (18) which engages in a longitudinal slot (8, 13) between the side cheeks (2, 3) and is adjustable by means of a tensioning device (19) and has opposed upper oblique faces (20) for bearing on corresponding lower oblique faces (9) on the two side cheeks (2, 3).
3. Multiple fixture according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the adjustable jaws (5) comprise an adjustable jaw assembly (16) which can be fixed in relation to the base assembly (1) with the aid of the displaceable element (12), and a fixing jaw (24) which is adjustable in relation to it.
4. Multiple fixture according to claim 3, characterised in that a bearing face (50) is provided on the opposite side of the adjustable jaw assembly (16) to the fixing jaw (24).
5. Multiple fixture according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the displaceable element (12) is connected to a gripping element (37) arranged on the upper side of the adjustable jaw assembly (16).
6. Multiple fixture according to claim 5, characterised in that the adjustable jaw assembly (16) exhibits a recess (38) for reception of the gripping element (37).
7. Multiple fixture according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterised in that the displaceable element (12) is connected to the gripping element (37) by means of two spacer sleeves (36) displaceable inside the adjustable jaw assembly (16) and fastening screws (35).
8. Multiple fixture according to one of claims 3 to 7, characterised in that an additional jaw (30) can be mounted on the adjustable fixing jaw (24).
9. Multiple fixture according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the fixed jaw (4) comprises a sliding block (42) with a set of lateral teeth (43) for engagement in the set of teeth (10) on the side cheek (2) and an adjustable clamping piece (44) for reciprocal bracing of the two side cheeks (2, 3).
10. Multiple fixture according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the base assembly (1) consists of one or more base rails (7) and two disc-shaped side cheeks (2, 3) which are bolted to the latter.

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