Patent ID: 9463541
Filing Date: 2016-10-11
CPC Classification: B23Q,Y10T

Claim Text:
1. A clamp to retain an aircraft component, the clamp comprising: a base comprising a curved portion shaped to complement a curvature of the aircraft component, the base being attached to a table; a datum backstop attached to the table and positioned longitudinally rearward of the base, wherein the base is registered relative to a datum on the datum backstop, the datum backstop configured to abut a rearward end portion of the aircraft component; and a first selectively compliant component carried by the base, the first selectively compliant component being selectively operable between a substantially compliant state and a substantially rigid state; wherein when the selectively compliant component is operated in the substantially compliant state, the selectively compliant component is configured to selectively assume a first profile in response to forces being applied to an exterior surface of the selectively compliant component while the selectively compliant component selectively opposes the forces being applied to the exterior surface of the selectively compliant component with reactionary forces; wherein when the selectively compliant component is operated in the substantially rigid state, the selectively compliant component is configured to selectively maintain the first profile; wherein the selectively compliant component is configured to selectively return to the substantially compliant state; and wherein the selectively compliant component is configured to transition between the substantially compliant state and the substantially rigid state without substantially altering the reactionary forces.