Positioning device for workpieces

A positioning device includes a base, a platform, a support fixed on the base, a rotatable member, and a positioning member. The rotatable member is fixed to the platform and is rotatably connected to the support. The positioning member is fixed to the platform. The positioning member is operable to cooperate with the support to lock the platform in a desired position.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to positioning devices and, particularly, to a positioning device which can position workpieces in multiple positions.

2. Description of Related Art

A positioning device is usually used to position a workpiece to be machined to a desired position. To position a number of workpieces in their respective positions, usually they need to be manually adjusted to different positions, which is time-consuming.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1-2, an embodiment of a positioning device100is illustrated. The positioning device100includes a base1, a support2mounted on the base1, two positioning members3, a rotatable member4, and a platform5. The rotatable member4is fixed to the platform5, and is rotatably connected to the support2. The two positioning members3are fixed to the platform5, and are operable to work with the support2to prevent the platform5from rotating relative to the base1.

The base1is a substantially rectangular plate, and defines four threaded holes13. The base1includes four bolts14and a bottom surface10including four feet11for supporting the positioning device100on a support surface of a tooling machine (not shown).

The support2is hollow, and includes a bottom surface21, a lateral surface24, and a receiving chamber23extending from one end to an opposite end. The bottom surface21defines four threaded holes211respectively opposing the four threaded holes13of the base1. The four bolts14respectively pass through the four threaded holes13and211to fix the support2on the base1. The lateral surface24defines two opposing holes22. The diameter of the opposite ends of the receiving chamber23exceeds that of a middle portion of the receiving chamber23.

The rotatable member4is received in the receiving chamber23, and includes a body42, and two bearings41arranged around opposite ends of the body42. The two bearings41are fitted in the opposite ends of the receiving chamber23, and the body42is rotatably received in the middle portion of the receiving chamber23. The rotatable member4further includes an extending portion422extending from one end of the body42. A threaded hole421is defined in the extending portion422.

Each positioning member3includes a shaft311, with a flange312arranged about the shaft311, an elastic element32arranged about the shaft311, a handle310, and a fixing member33. The fixing member33includes a first side surface332adjacent to the support2and a second side surface331opposing the first surface332. The fixing member33defines a tapered axle hole330extending from the first surface332to the second surface331, and two blind threaded holes333on its top surface. The diameter of the tapered axle hole330gradually decreases from the first side surface332to the second side surface331. Each axle hole330includes a reduced hole portion334at one end, which forms an annular ring portion335. The two shafts311pass through the tapered axle holes330from the first side surface332to the second side surface331. Two ends of each elastic element32abut against the flange312and the annular ring portion335. One end of each shaft311is fixed to the handle310, and an opposite end is received into the hole22of the support2. In one embodiment, the elastic elements32are coil springs.

The platform5is substantially parallel to the base1, and includes a main body51and a workpiece fixing plate52rotatably connected to the main body51. The main body51defines a central threaded hole513and two pairs of threaded holes514on opposing sides of the central threaded hole513. The platform5further includes a central bolt57and two pairs of bolts56on opposing sides of the central bolt57. The central bolt57passes through the central threaded hole513and the threaded hole421of the rotatable member4to fix the main body51to the rotatable member4. The two pairs of bolts56respectively pass through the threaded holes514of the main body51and the blind threaded holes333of the positioning member3to fix the positioning member3to the main body51.

The main body51further includes two opposing placement portions512aand512bfor placing workpieces. The platform5further includes a shaft54and two opposing walls53fixed on opposite sides of the main body51by two bolts55. Each wall53defines an axle hole531. The workpiece fixing plate52defines two opposing axle holes521. The shaft54passes through the axle holes521and531to rotatably connect the workpiece fixing plate52to the main body51.

Referring toFIG. 3, when in assembling, the four bolts14respectively pass through the threaded holes13and211to fix the support2on the base1. The two shafts311respectively pass through the tapered axle holes330from the first side surface332to the second side surface331to make the two elastic elements32to be received in the two tapered axle holes330. The ends of the two shafts311passing through the tapered axle holes330are respectively fixed to the handles310, the opposite ends are received into the holes22of the support2. The rotatable member4is received in the receiving chamber23, thereby rotatably connecting the rotatable member4to the support2. The central bolt57passes through the threaded holes513and421to fix the main body51to the rotatable member4. The two pairs of bolts56respectively thread through the two pairs of threaded holes514and the threaded holes333of the positioning member3to fix the positioning member3to the main body51. The two walls53are fixed on opposite sides of the main body51with the two bolts55, the shaft54passes through the axle holes521and531, thereby rotatably connecting the workpiece fixing plate52to the main body51. In an initial state, the ends of two shafts331are respectively received into the two holes22of the support2to prevent the two positioning members3from rotating relative to the base1.

Referring toFIG. 4, when attempting to machine a workpiece in the placement portion512b, the workpiece fixing plate52is first opened, and the workpiece is then placed on the placement portion512b. The workpiece fixing plate52is then closed and locked to fix the workpiece. When needed, the platform5can be rotated until the placement portion512blocates in a desired position. To rotate the platform5, the two handles310need to be pulled to cause the respective ends of the two shafts311to move out of the holes22of the support2. Then, the two positioning members3are freed from the limitation of the support2, and can be rotated together with the platform5. After the platform5is rotated to the desired position, the two handles310can be released, and the two elastic elements32respectively rebound to cause the respective end of the two shafts311to be received in the two holes22, thereby locking the platform5in the desired position. Similarly, when another desired position is need, the above operation can be repeated.

Referring toFIGS. 5-6, the positioning device200according to a second embodiment is illustrated. The platform5defines two opposing grooves5101in a bottom surface of the main body51a. The positioning device200includes two positioning members6. Each positioning member6includes a sliding element61and an elastic element62. The sliding element61includes a fixing pole610and a sliding pole611. The fixing pole610is fixedly received in the groove5101. The elastic element62is arranged around the fixing pole610. The sliding pole611includes a handle6122and a connecting rod6121connecting the handle6122to the fixing pole610. An opposite end of the connecting rod6121defines a hole6123. The fixing pole610passes through the hole6123, causing the connecting rod6121to be slidably connected to the fixing pole610. In an initial state, the ends of the two handles6122are respectively received in the holes22of the support2to prevent the positioning member6from rotating relative to the base1.

When attempting to machine a workpiece in the placement portion512b, the workpiece fixing plate52is first opened, and the workpiece is then placed on the placement portion512b. The workpiece fixing plate52is then closed and locked to fix the workpiece. When needed, the platform5can be rotated until the placement portion512bis located to a desired position. To rotate the platform5, the two connecting rods6121need to be pulled to cause the respective end of the two handles6122to move out of the holes22of the support2. Then, the two positioning members6thus free from the limitation of the support2, and can be rotated together with the platform5. After the platform5is rotated to the desired position, the two connecting rods6121can be released, and the two elastic elements62respectively rebound to cause the respective ends of the two handles6122to be received in the two holes22, thereby locking the platform5in the desired position. Similarly, when another desired position is need, the above operation can be repeated.