Abstract:
A fixture for positioning at least two articles in a predetermined relationship generally consisting of a body having at least two abutment surfaces disposed in such predetermined relationship, each of the surfaces having a port closeable upon positioning one of the articles on the surface in abutting relation therewith, in a passageway communicating with the port and communicable with a vacuum source; and a valve disposed in the passageway normally disposed in a closed position and operable to open upon positioning such article on such surface in abutting relation therewith.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to a method of securing at least two articles together in a predetermined relationship and a fixture for use in practicing such method.  
         BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0002]    In a number of manufacturing operations, it often is required to position two or more articles such as panels made of wood, plastic and other materials, relative to each other and secure such articles together. Examples of such operations are the positioning of various panels in the manufacture of furniture and the positioning of various panels in the manufacture of cabinets, display stands and the like. Typically, such articles are positioned in predetermined relationships and fastened together by adhesives, mechanical fasteners or other means. The positioning of such articles traditionally has been accomplished either manually or by the use of various types of fixtures. Manual positioning, however, often has been found to be difficult, cumbersome or imprecise. Although the use of various types of fixtures have been found to be more expedient, such fixtures have been found to be comparatively expensive to manufacture, limited in application and time consuming to assemble for use. Accordingly, it is the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved method for positioning two or more articles in predetermined relationships to be secured together by various means which is simple in procedure and expedient to perform, and a novel fixture adapted for use in such method.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention provides a simple and expedient method of positioning at least two articles in a predetermined relationship to permit such articles to be secured together, generally consisting of providing a fixture comprising a body having at least two abutment surfaces disposed in such predetermined relationship, each of such surfaces having a port closable upon positioning one of the articles on such surface in abutting relation therewith, and a passageway communicating with such port and communicable with a vacuum source, and a valve disposed in such passageway normally disposed in a closed position and operable to open upon positioning the article in abutting relationship on such surface; applying a vacuum to such passageway of the fixture; and then positioning such articles on the fixture surfaces in abutting relation to correspondingly cause such valves to open and thus apply a vacuum to the articles, further causing them to be retained in such predetermined relationship. With such articles retained in such predetermined relationships, they may be secured together by various means including adhesives, mechanical fasteners and any other suitable means. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    [0004]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of several panels positioned together by use of the method and a fixture embodying the present invention;  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the fixture shown in FIG. 1;  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  in FIG. 2;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the valve shown in FIG. 3, illustrating the valve in the closed condition; and  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 5 is a view similarly to the view shown in FIG. 4, illustrating the valve in the open condition. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0009]    Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a fixture  10  adapted to position a set of panels  11 ,  12  and  13  in an orthogonal relationship. As best shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, the fixture includes a body  14  provided with a set of valves  15  and a set of seals  16 . Body member  14  includes a bottom panel section  17 , a pair of side panel sections  18  and  19  and a core section  20  disposed in the corner formed at the juncture of the panel sections. Outer surfaces  17   a,    18   a  and  19   a  of the panel sections are planar, abutment surfaces disposed orthogonally and are provided with ports  17   b,    18   b  and  19   b.    
         [0010]    As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, core section  20  is provided with a main passageway  21  having a threaded port  22  adapted to receive the threaded end of a handle  24  connected to a vacuum hose  25 . Handle  24  is adapted to be detachably connected to core section  20  of body member  14 , and hose line  25  is adapted to be connected to a vacuum source to apply a vacuum to passageway  21 . Core section  20  further is provided with a set of branch passageways  17   c,    18   c  and  19   c  inter communicating main passageway  21  and ports  17   b,    18   b  and  19   b,  respectively, of abutment surfaces  17   a,    18   a  and  19   a.  Each of such abutment surfaces also is provided with a seal  16  adhesively secured to such surface and extending about the port of such surface as shown in FIG. 3.  
         [0011]    Disposed in each of branch passageways  17   b,    18   b  and  19   b  is a valve  15 . As shown in FIG. 4, each of such valves includes a housing  23 , a valve  24  and a spring  25 . Housing  23  is provided with a bore  26  therethrough, an annular, inwardly projection section  27  in an upper end of bore  26  and an external set of threads  28  at an opposite end thereof. Valve  24  includes a head portion  29  adapted to be seated on the upper annular end of the housing, forming a valve seat, and a stem portion  30  extending through bore  26  and projecting through and out of the outer end of the bore when head portion  29  is seated on the upper end of the housing. Intermediate the ends of the valve stem there is provided a collar portion  31 . Spring  25  is disposed between annular section  27  and collar portion  31  to normally bias the valve in the closed position as shown in FIG. 4 with the free end of the valve stem projecting beyond the housing. The valve is adapted to open by displacing the valve relative to the housing thereof as shown in FIG. 5. Each of such valve assemblies is adapted to be inserted in a branch passageway  17   b,    18   b  and  19   b  and retained-therein by means of the lower end thereof being threaded into such an opening, with the free end of the valve stem projecting beyond the adjacent abutment surface of the fixture.  
         [0012]    Fixture  18  may be used to position panel members  11 ,  12  and  13  in an orthogonal relationship as shown in FIG. 1 to permit such panels to be joined together by means of an adhesive, mechanical fasteners or other means. In the use of the fixture, the leading end of handle  24  is first connected to the fixture and the vacuum source is caused to communicate with main passageway  21  of the core section of the fixture. With a vacuum thus applied to the fixture, it then may be positioned at a corner on the inner side of panel  13  to cause such panel to engage panel section  17  of the fixture in substantially abutting relation. As panel section  17  is positioned adjacent panel member  13 , the valve stem of the valve disposed in branch passageway  17   c  will be engaged by panel member  13  and caused to displace axially against the biasing action of the spring thereof. As such valve stem displaces, the valve is caused to unseat and thus cause a vacuum to be applied to the area between panel section  17  and panel number  13 . Seal  16  extending about port  17   b  and disposed between panel section  17  and panel member  13  forms a closed chamber to which a vacuum is applied with the opening of the valve in branch passageway  17   c  as described. Such action causes panel member  13  to be firmly held in position against abutment surface  17   a  of the fixture. Such procedure is repeated with respect to the positioning of panel members  11  and  12  to cause such panel members to be positioned as shown in FIG. 1.  
         [0013]    In positioning the panel members as shown in FIG. 1, the panels further are positioned to provide mating surfaces on which an adhesive may be applied to permanently secure the panel members together in the position as shown. Alternatively, such abutting portions of the panel members may be joined together by mechanical fastening means such as nails, screws, brads, staples and the like.  
         [0014]    The fixture may be formed of any material and fabricated in any conventional manner. It may be formed of a metal or plastic and may be formed as an integral unit or assembled from various components. Preferably, the fixture is injection molded from a plastic material as an integral unit. The passageways in the unit either may be molded in place or formed by drilling and tapping. Upon molding the unit with the openings therein, the several valves may easily be inserted and threaded in place. Alternatively, such openings may be drilled and tapped and the valves then inserted and threaded into such openings.  
         [0015]    Although the embodiment as described is provided with three abutment surfaces having an orthogonal relationship, it is contemplated within the scope of the invention that the configuration of the abutment surfaces and their angular relationships may vary in accordance with the desired placement of the articles in position. Furthermore, the unit may be provided with up to five abutment surfaces permitting the positioning of five different articles.  
         [0016]    In addition to the type of valve described in connection with the illustrated embodiment of the invention, it further is contemplated that any other device operable responsive to an article being positioned in abutting relation with one of the abutment surfaces to cause a vacuum to be applied between the fixture and the article to detachably retain the article in abutting relation with the abutment surfaces, may be used. As an example, a proximity switch may be used to sense the placement of an article in abutting relation with an abutment surfaces and operate in response to such sensing to open a valve to apply a vacuum to the port closed by the article being positioned. The type of valve described in connection with the aforementioned embodiment, however, is deemed to be most practical and economical for use in the present invention.  
         [0017]    It further is contemplated that a number of such fixtures, differently configured, may be detachably secured to a vacuum hose to permit a workman assembling a number of articles together to select suitable fixtures for positioning such articles together. Such fixtures are deemed comparatively inexpensive to manufacture and simple to use in assembling various articles such as furniture pieces, cabinet panels and the like.  
         [0018]    From the foregoing detailed description, it will be evident that there are a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the present invention which come within the province of those persons having ordinary skill in the art to which the aforementioned invention pertains. However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from the spirit of the invention be considered as within the scope thereof as limited solely by the appended claims.