Machine vise

A machine vise has lateral cuttings outlets (10). Two wipers are provided on the slide (6). The first wiper (7) cooperates with the surface of a cylindrical region (2) of the spindle (1). The second wiper (8) clears the cuttings from the thread (4) of the spindle (1).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to a machine vise having a base body and a slide 
which is driven by way of a screw spindle, the base body and the slide, 
which accommodates the screw spindle in a bore, each carrying a clamping 
jaw, the slide being arranged in an upwardly open cutout of the base body 
and being movable there in guide rails. 
A machine vise of the type above-described is disclosed in, for example, 
DE-A1-3438900. Such a machine vise serves, for example, to clamp 
workpieces firmly on the machining table of a machine tool, so that the 
workpiece can be machined. 
During machining operations, e.g. turning, milling or drilling, large 
amounts of cuttings or shavings are produced and these are deposited in 
the region of the machine vise and the workpiece. These cuttings are very 
disruptive during a change of workpiece. It is necessary to clean the 
mounting surface and also the vise thoroughly, to prevent cuttings or the 
like from getting into the clamping surfaces or into the thread of the 
screw spindle of the vise. These cuttings could lead to jamming or 
blocking. 
It is known to close the unavoidable gap between the clamping jaws of the 
machine vise and the drive of the clamping jaws, i.e. the screw spindle, 
by means of covers. However, this only partially solves the problem. In 
the case of varying clamping lengths, the covers must be adapted to the 
specific requirements of each. Handling of the covers is time-consuming. 
An object of the present invention is to further develop a machine vise of 
the type described above such that any disruptions due to cuttings or the 
like are totally or largely reduced, thereby increasing operating time and 
productivity. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
This and other objects of the invention are achieved in the invention by 
the provision of a machine vise having a base body and a slide which is 
driven by way of a screw spindle, the base body and the slide, which 
accommodates the screw spindle in a bore, each carrying a clamping jaw, 
the slide being arranged in an upwardly open cutout of the base body and 
being movable there in guide rails, wherein the spindle has a cylindrical 
region and a threaded region, which are of approximately the same length 
and also correspond at least approximately to the length of the slide 
bore, wherein the slide has at each end an annular wiper cooperating with 
the spindle and wherein the base body has at least one lateral, elongated 
outlet for cuttings which is disposed adjacent the cylindrical region of 
the spindle. 
The arrangement according to the invention results in the region of the 
spindle between the clamping jaws being largely covered, namely by an 
appropriate design of the slide itself. If desired, a tube which 
completely accommodates the screw spindle may also be attached to the 
slide. However, since this would lead to an increase of the overall 
length, it is generally not employed, as the wiper alone may be capable of 
keeping the thread sufficiently clean. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
It is essential to the invention that the base body has at least one 
lateral, elongated cuttings outlet, so that cuttings falling down from the 
workpiece and coming into the region of the covered spindle can escape 
from the machine vise. This transport of the cuttings can be effected in 
various ways. The drilling fluid may be used for this purpose. It is also 
possible, however, to remove the cuttings by means of compressed air. 
Mechanical means may also be employed. The position of the cuttings 
outlets facilitates the removal of the cuttings considerably in this 
procedure. 
When reference is made, in the context of the invention, to "lateral" 
cuttings outlets or to an "upwardly" open cutout of the base body, in 
which cutout the spindle is arranged, this definition of the invention 
assumes that the machine vise is arranged on a plane, horizontal surface. 
In special cases, however, it may be desirable to use the machine vise, 
for example, on vertical columns. The construction according to the 
invention may be utilized advantageously in this application too, although 
in this case the cutout in the base body, which cutout accommodates the 
spindle, is laterally open. 
The same applies when, although the machine vise is mounted on a vertical 
surface, the spindle is oriented substantially horizontally. 
It is favourable for a cuttings outlet to be arranged on each side of the 
base body. This enlarges the area for cuttings discharge. A cuttings 
outlet may also be provided in the bottom of the base body, in which case 
it is important of course for the mounting surfaces to have corresponding 
openings to allow the cuttings to pass through. 
It has been found that considerable advantages are achieved if a cuttings 
wiper which cooperates with the underside of the slide and bounds the 
region of the elongated cuttings outlets is arranged on the bottom of the 
base body. This cuttings wiper, which is preferably designed with a 
V-shaped configuration, directs the cuttings towards the cuttings outlets 
and reduces the possibility of their being conveyed into the region of the 
spindle having the thread. 
It is particular favourable if the V-shaped cuttings wiper cooperates with 
plane surfaces at the underside of the slide. Such surfaces are easy to 
machine and they also prevent any significant entrainment of the cuttings 
by the slide owing to the movement thereof. In this case, it is favourable 
if the dimensions of the slide under the spindle are small, to avoid 
entrainment and compression of the cuttings in the region of the cuttings 
outlets by the slide during the movement thereof. 
The discharge of cuttings through the cuttings outlets mentioned is 
improved if the lower boundary of the elongated, lateral cuttings outlets 
is arranged substantially in the plane of the upper surface of the bottom 
of the base body. A plane surface which does not allow attachment of the 
cuttings is thus obtained under the spindle. The cuttings do not find any 
hold and can easily be blown or flushed out, for example. 
The first wiper, which cooperates with the cylindrical part of the spindle, 
preferably has a wiping lip, thereby virtually precluding the penetration 
of cuttings into the slide bore, which accommodates and encloses the 
spindle. 
The second wiper is preferably adapted to the thread shape of the spindle, 
that is to say in particular engages partially in the turns and cleans the 
thread before this part of the spindle comes into contact with the spindle 
nut. In particular, the invention proposes that this second wiper is 
attached directly to the threaded nut. 
It has been found that there is a favourable effect on the stability of the 
machine vise, in particular the base body, if the guide rails are arranged 
between the base body and the slide, above the mid-plane of the spindle 
and the cuttings outlets are arranged below this mid-plane. 
In the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the 
cylindrical region of the spindle is arranged between the threaded region 
and the spindle drive.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring first to FIG. 1, the machine vise shown consists essentially of a 
base body 9, which has an approximately U-shaped configuration, as is 
apparent from the representations of FIGS. 6 and 7. As a result, the base 
body encloses a slide 6, which can be moved by means of a spindle 1. A 
spindle drive 23 has a polygonal piece 24. Using a suitable crank, it is 
possible to rotate the spindle 1 by way of a power assist, which is not 
shown specifically. The spindle 1 has two regions, namely a region 2 
having essentially a cylindrical outer surface and a region 3 with a 
thread 4. 
A spindle nut 17 is part of the slide 6 and engages on the spindle 1 in the 
region 3. In the position of FIGS. 1 and 2, the region 3 extends into the 
slide bore 5, which therefore encloses the spindle, while the smooth 
region 2 is visible from above. 
In the position of FIG. 4, in contrast, the region 2 extends into the slide 
bore 5, while the region 3 projects out of the slide at the end remote 
from the spindle drive 23. If desired, this region 3 may also be covered 
by an additional sleeve. 
Two clamping jaws are arranged on the machine vise, namely a clamping jaw 
25 which is fixedly mounted on the base body, and a clamping jaw 26 which 
is connected to the slide and is thereby displaceable from the position of 
FIG. 1 into the position of FIG. 3. Each of the clamping jaws 25 and 26 
may, if desired, also be transposed (cf. FIG. 5), thereby enabling the 
clamping range of the machine vise to be altered, and in particular to be 
enlarged. The clamping jaws are fastened by means of screws (not shown). 
As is apparent in particular from the representations of FIGS. 6 and 7, 
outlets 10 for cuttings are provided in the side parts 21 and 22 of the 
base body 9, the lower boundary 13 of these outlets lying in one plane 
with the upper surface 15 of the bottom 14 of the base body. It is clear 
that cuttings lying on the surface 15 can thus easily be removed laterally 
through the openings 10. 
As is apparent, for example from FIG. 2, the lateral cutting outlets 10 
extend approximately over the region 2 of the spindle 1. 
In order to prevent the cuttings from penetrating in particular into the 
space below the clamping jaw 25, a V-shaped cuttings wiper 11 is provided 
on the bottom 14 of the base body. This cuttings wiper has a base plate 27 
for the purpose of fastening it to the bottom 14. The cuttings wiper 11 is 
provided, for example, with a wiping element 29, the upper edge of which 
cooperates with the surfaces 12 of the slide 6. In order to achieve 
reliable cooperation and also simple producibility of these surfaces, said 
surfaces are designed with a plane configuration. When the slide is moved 
to the left from the position of FIG. 4, the wiper will retain any 
cuttings and facilitate and promote their discharge through the openings 
10. If cuttings or other impurities fall into the base body to the left of 
the wiper 11, the slide 6 will convey these cuttings to the left, i.e. to 
the end of the machine vise remote from the spindle drive. 
Close to the spindle nut 17, the slide 6 has a wiper 8 in a recess 28. This 
wiper is adapted to the shape of the thread 4 of the spindle and prevents 
cuttings from getting into the region of the spindle nut 17. 
A wiper 7 is likewise provided at the end of the slide 6 assigned to the 
drive. This wiper 7 has a lip 16 which slides along the outer surface of 
the region 2 of the spindle 1 when the slide is moved. 
The first wiper 7 and the second wiper 8 keep the bore 29 of the spindle 1 
virtually free of cuttings. 
From FIGS. 6 and 7 it can be seen that guide rails 18 and 19 are arranged 
between the base body 9 and the slide 6, above the mid-plane 20 defined by 
the spindle 1. In contrast, the cuttings outlets are situated below this 
mid-plane 20. 
The arrangement provided ensures stable guidance of the slide 6, although 
the cuttings outlets 10 give rise to a reduction of the section modulus 
and also of the moment of inertia in the base body 9. However, the 
disadvantageous effects of the cuttings outlets 10 are very slight in this 
respect. It has been found that the slight changes in position of the 
workpiece which are unavoidable during the clamping operation can be at 
least partially compensated for by the described arrangement of the 
openings. 
Although the invention has been described in terms of specific embodiments 
which are set forth in considerable detail, it should be understood that 
this is by way of illustration only and that the invention is not 
necessarily limited thereto, since alternative embodiments and operating 
techniques will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the 
disclosure. Accordingly, modifications are contemplated which can be made 
without departing from the spirit of the described invention.