Patent ID: 9616581
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: B25J,Y10S

Claim:
1. A gripper assembly for clamping a workpiece comprising a base, a guide situated on said base, first and second jaws members mounted for movement along said guide between proximate and remote positions, first and second pneumatic actuators, means for connecting said first and second actuators to at least one of said first and second jaw members, means for connecting said first and second jaw members for simultaneous movement in opposite directions, and means for independently actuating each of said first and second actuators such that actuation of said first actuator causes simultaneous movement of said jaw members in one direction and the actuation of said second actuator causes simultaneous movement of said jaw members in opposite directions, wherein each of said first and second actuators is very low friction, pneumatically driven actuator and wherein at least one of said actuators includes a cylinder with an interior glass surface and a piston, in which air under pressure surrounds said piston and functions as a partial air bearing.