Abstract:
A clamp system includes a plurality of clamping devices arrayed along at least a first hydraulic supply loop and a plurality of support devices arrayed along at least a second hydraulic supply loop. The clamping devices may include vertical rotating clamping devices which rotate vertically to secure a workpiece to a base plate. The clamping devices may also include horizontally rotating clamping devices which rotate axially and extend vertically to clamp the workpiece. The support devices support and stabilize the workpiece during machining operations. The first and second hydraulic supply loops are interconnected and allow the clamping devices to clamp the workpiece before the support pieces support the workpiece. The second hydraulic supply loop boosts support to and locks the support devices for additional stability.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a clamp system which employs a plurality hydraulic clamps to removably secure a workpiece to a base plate. More specifically, the present invention relates to a main cylinder unit in each hydraulic clamp supplied through wall-based hydraulic pathways. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Referring now to FIG. 12, standard clamp system includes a plurality of clamp devices  210  to secure a workpiece Wa to a base plate  200 . During operation, clamp devices  210  operate through hydraulic pressure to engage and disengage workpiece Wa. During normal engagement, workpiece Wa solidly engages base plate  200  for machining. 
     On a left-hand side of FIG. 12, a pair of bolts  217  secures a main cylinder unit  211  in an attachment hole  201  of base plate  200 . An output member  212  extends from main cylinder unit  211  and secures workpiece Wa to base plate  200 . 
     Output member  212  includes a piston rod  213  and an arm  214 . Piston rod  213  extends away from main cylinder unit  211  and base plate  200 . Arm  214  extends perpendicularly from main cylinder unit  211  and engages workpiece Wa. Arm  214  is pivotable about main cylinder unit  211  to allow easy positioning of workpiece Wa. 
     A guide  215  forms a rod-side cylinder end wall on main cylinder unit  211  and guides piston rod  213  during operation. A hydraulic pipe  216  joins a hydraulic hose (not shown) to main cylinder unit  211 . 
     During operation, hydraulic pipe  216  supplies hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure supply device (not shown) to main cylinder unit  211 . As hydraulic pressure in main cylinder unit  211  increases, piston rod  213  lowers. As piston rod  213  lowers, arm  214  presses a clamping point (not shown) on workpiece Wa onto a receiving base  202  and base plate  200 . 
     On a right-hand side of FIG. 12, a pair of bolts  219  secures a second clamping device  210  to base plate  200 . A spacer base plate  218  spaces the right-hand side main cylinder unit  211  away from base plate  200 . During adjustment, replacement spacer base plates  218  may be used to adjust the clamping height ranges for differently shaped workpiece Wa. 
     Clamping devices  210  operate as horizontally pivoting clamps which allow arms  214  to pivot in a tandem with operation of piston rods  213  to allow easy placement of workpiece Wa. Unfortunately, clamping devices of this design have several undesirable features. First, hydraulic pipe  216  is easily damaged causing undesirably downtime and loss in production efficiency. Second, guide members  215  require a larger base plate  200  and reduce machining efficiency. Third, where hydraulic pipes  216  are damaged, clamping force may be unexpectedly reduced causing operator injury. Fourth, since each clamping device  210  requires an individual hydraulic pipe  216  complexity and costs are increased. 
     Referring now to FIG. 13, in a second clamp system, a main cylinder unit  221  of a clamp device  220  fits inside a base plate  230 . A flange  222  on clamp device  220  serves as a guide member and abuts an upper surface of base plate  230 . 
     A horizontal oil path  232  and a vertical oil path  231  link a hydraulic port  232  to a hydraulic pressure supply device (not shown). Horizontal oil path  232  and vertical oil path  231  are inside base plate  230 . Base plate  230  operates to protect horizontal and vertical oil paths  232 ,  231 . Unfortunately, it is difficult to produce secure, clean, and effective internal oil passageways, thereby increasing manufacturing costs and reducing reliability. 
     Referring additionally to FIG. 14, in a third clamp system, a single spacer  225  spaces main cylinder unit  221  from a base plate  235  and accommodates differently shaped workpieces Wa. 
     Spacer  225  includes an oil path  226 . Oil path  226  joins hydraulic port  223  of main cylinder unit  221  to a hydraulic port  227 . Hydraulic port  227  is on a bottom end of oil path  226  and spacer  225 . A hydraulic pipe  236  extends from the hydraulic pressure supply device (not shown) to base plate  235 . A connected oil path  237  extends continuously from hydraulic pipe  236  to hydraulic port  223 . Connected oil path  237  supplies hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure supply device to main cylinder unit  221 . 
     As noted above, with the above design it is difficult to produce secure, clean, and effective internal oil passageways, thereby increasing manufacturing costs and reducing reliability. 
     Referring additionally to FIG. 15, a fourth clamp system includes a pair of spacers  225  separating main cylinder unit  221  from a base plate  240 . Oil paths  226  in spacers  225  are aligned with a vertical oil path  241 . Oil path  241  and a horizontal oil path  242  transport hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure supply device through oil paths  226  to main cylinder unit  221 . 
     In each clamp system described above, single or multiple spacers  218 , 225  adjust the height at which arms  214  of main cylinder units  220  clamp workpieces Wa. Unfortunately, each change in workpiece Wa size, requires disassembly, alignment of the multiple oil pathways, and secure reassembly. Such disassembly-alignment-reassembly actions increase production time, risk equipment damage, and increase the probability of hydraulic leaks. 
     As noted above, it is unfortunately also difficult to produce secure, clean, and effective internal oil passageways, thereby increasing manufacturing costs and reducing reliability. 
     Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, a plurality of clamp devices  250  are disposed along an edge of a base plate  260 . A pair of hydraulic ports  252 ,  253  are at a bottom end of a flange  251  on each clamp device  250 . 
     A plurality of clamping oil paths  261  supply hydraulic pressure from an external supply device (not shown) to each hydraulic port  252  on each respective clamp device  250 . Clamping oil paths  261  are inside base plate  260 . 
     A plurality of unclamping oil paths supply  265  return hydraulic pressure to the external supply device from each hydraulic port  253  of each respective clamp device  250 . Unclamping oil paths  265  are inside base plate  260 . 
     Shared oil paths  262 ,  266  extend linearly inside base plate  260  a direction parallel to the plurality of clamping devices  250 . Clamping oil path  261  includes shared oil path  262 . Unclamping oil path  265  includes shared oil path  266 . 
     A plurality of horizontal oil paths  263  extends toward each respective clamp device  250  from shared oil path  262 . A plurality of horizontal oil paths  267  extends toward each respective clamp device  250  from shared oil path  266 . 
     A plurality of perpendicular oil paths  264  connects each oil path  263  to each respective hydraulic port ports  252 . A plurality of perpendicular oil paths  267  connects each oil path  267  to each respective hydraulic port  253 . 
     During operation it is desirable for base plate  260  to have both compact dimensions and sufficient strength and rigidity to secure workpieces Wa of a predetermined size. It is also desirable to maximize available work surface on each base plate  260 . By maximizing the available work surface and minimizing the dimensions of base plate  260 , multiple operations may be performed at a single work station. The more compact base plate  260 , the more compact a machining tool (restricted by the mounting zone of the base plate) may be for each workpiece Wa. Unfortunately, multiple hydraulic pipes reduce a base plate to workpiece ration and increase costs. 
     Unfortunately, with the design described above, production costs are high since clamping and unclamping oil paths  261 ,  265  are difficult to produce. This difficulty in manufacture also increases production failure rates and reduces quality. 
     For each design described above, the plurality of hydraulic pipes restricts movement when transporting each respective base plate and increases production time. 
     Finally, when piston rods  213  extend they are exposed to machining debris and damage, and the guiding ability of the design is not adequate and elastic deformation tends to occur. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a clamping system that overcomes the problems described above. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a clamping system where oil pathways are simplified and easily, quickly, and cheaply manufactured. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a clamping system where piston rods receive adequate guidance and protection during operation. 
     It is another object of the present invention to increase an available work area on the base plate. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide sufficient support to a workpiece on the base plate to resist downward movement during machining. 
     The present invention relates to a clamp system including a plurality of clamping devices arrayed along at least a first hydraulic supply loop and a plurality of support devices arrayed along at least a second hydraulic supply loop. The clamping devices may include vertical rotating clamping devices which rotate vertically to secure a workpiece to a base plate. The clamping devices may also include horizontally rotating clamping devices which rotate axially and extend vertically to clamp the workpiece. The support devices support and stabilize the workpiece during machining operations. The first and second hydraulic supply loops are interconnected and allow the clamping devices to clamp the workpiece before the support pieces support the workpiece. The second hydraulic supply loop boosts support to and locks the support devices for additional stability. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, for disengageably securing a workpiece using a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices, a clamp system wherein: a thick base plate is disposed to allow mounting of said plurality of clamp devices, each of said hydraulic clamp devices including a main cylinder unit disposed in a wall of said base plate and oriented along a thickness axis of said base plate, an output member including a piston rod extending from said main cylinder unit toward a surface of said base plate, a guide member disengageably secured to said surface of said base plate and guiding said piston rod to allow a forward and a back motion, said guide member covering a major portion of said piston rod projecting out from said surface and not obstructing a clamping operation of said output member, a rod-side cylinder end wall of said main cylinder unit disengageably secured to said base plate, and a first oil path formed in said wall of said base plate to supply a hydraulic pressure from a hydraulic pressure supplying means to each said main cylinder unit of said plurality of clamp devices. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is further provided a clamp system, for securing a workpiece, wherein: said workpiece, clamped by said plurality of clamp devices, is supported from said base plate by a plurality of support devices, each of said support devices including a second main cylinder unit disposed in said wall of said base plate and oriented along a thickness axis of said base plate, a support member including a second piston rod extending from said main cylinder unit toward said surface of said base plate, and a second oil path formed in said wall of base plate to supply said hydraulic pressure from said hydraulic pressure supplying means to said second main cylinder units of said plurality of support devices. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is further provided a clamp system, for securing a workpiece, wherein: a hydraulic pressure booster means disposed on said base plate is effective to increase said hydraulic pressure received from said hydraulic pressure supplying means and supplying said increased hydraulic pressure to said plurality of support devices via said second oil path. 
     According to an embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, for disengageably securing a workpiece to a base plate, comprising: a plurality of clamping members on said base plate; said plurality of clamping members effective to hydraulically and securely clamp said workpiece to said base plate during an external operation; a plurality of support members on said base plate; said plurality of support members effective to hydraulically and securely support said workpiece on said base plate during said external operation; hydraulic pressure means for supplying at least a first hydraulic pressure to said plurality of clamping members and to said plurality of support members to enable respective clamping and supporting of said workpiece; and hydraulic booster means for boosting said at least first hydraulic pressure to a boosted hydraulic pressure, and for supplying said boosted hydraulic pressure to and locking said plurality of support members, whereby said clamping system easily and securely clamps and supports said workpiece and allows speedy removal for later processing. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said plurality of clamping members includes at least one vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp device. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said hydraulic pressure means includes at least first oil path means for supplying said first hydraulic pressure downstream to said plurality of support members. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said hydraulic booster means includes at least second oil path means for suppling said boosted hydraulic pressure downstream to said plurality of said support members; and said hydraulic booster means effective to boost said at least first hydraulic pressure to said boosted hydraulic pressure after said workpiece is securely clamped to said base plate at said first hydraulic pressure, whereby said support members will not shift said workpiece upon application of said boosted hydraulic pressure. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said first oil path means for supplying is in said base plate; and said second oil path means for supplying is in said base plate, wherein said base plate provides easy protection for said first oil path means and said second oil path means and minimizes damage to said hydraulic pressure means and said hydraulic booster means during said external operation. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said first oil path means for supplying supplies said first hydraulic pressure downstream to said plurality of support members along a series hydraulic circuit. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said second oil path means for supplying supplies said boosted hydraulic pressure along a parallel hydraulic circuit. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said plurality of clamping members including at least one horizontally pivoting hydraulic clamp device; and said at one vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp device operable in tandem with said at least one horizontally pivoting hydraulic clamp device upon receiving said first hydraulic pressure from said hydraulic pressure means for supplying. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, further comprising: a main cylinder unit in said vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp device; said main cylinder unit extending perpendicular to said base plate; a piston rod in said main cylinder unit; said piston rod extending away from said main cylinder unit when said main cylinder unit receives said first hydraulic pressure in a clamping direction and retracting toward said main cylinder unit when said main cylinder unit receives said first hydraulic pressure in an unclamping direction; a guide member on said main cylinder unit; said guide member disengageably fixed to an upper surface of said base plate; and said guide member effective to support said piston rod during said extending and said retracting whereby said guide member protects said piston rod from damage and debris during said external operation. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, further comprising: a rod-side cylinder end wall on main cylinder unit; said rod-side cylinder end wall integral with guide member; said piston rod on an output member; a pivot arm on said output member; said pivot arm is pivotably supported on a first end of said piston rod; said pivot arm effective to securely clamp said workpiece to said baseplate during said clamping; a pivot linking mechanism rotatively linking said pivot arm and said guide member; a pivot linking member in said pivot linking mechanism; and said pivot linking mechanism vertically pivoting said pivot arm in tandem with said extending and said retracting of said piston rod, whereby said pivot linking mechanism and said pivot arm transmit said first hydraulic force and securely clamp an speedily unclamp said workpiece. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, further comprising: a second main cylinder unit in said horizontally pivoting hydraulic clamp device; said second main cylinder unit extending perpendicular to said base plate; a second piston rod in said second main cylinder unit; said second piston rod extending away from said second main cylinder unit when said second main cylinder unit receives said first hydraulic pressure in said unclamping direction and retracting toward said second main cylinder unit when said second main cylinder unit receives said first hydraulic pressure in said clamping direction; a second guide member on said second main cylinder unit; said second guide member disengageably fixed to an upper surface of said base plate; and said second guide member effective to support said second piston rod during said extending and said retracting whereby said second guide member protects said second piston rod from damage and debris during said external operation. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, further comprising: a second rod-side cylinder end wall on second main cylinder unit; said second rod-side cylinder end wall integral with second guide member; said second piston rod on a second output member; a second pivot arm on said second output member; said second pivot arm fixably extending from a first end of said second piston rod perpendicular to said second piston rod; said second pivot arm effective to securely clamp said workpiece to said baseplate during said clamping; a pivoting mechanism rotatably and extendably linking said second piston rod and said second main cylinder unit; and said pivoting mechanism effective to vertically extend, retract, and pivot said second pivot arm in tandem with said extending and said retracting of said second piston rod, whereby said pivoting linking mechanism transmits said first hydraulic force and securely clamp an speedily unclamps said workpiece. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, further comprising: at least a rod member in said pivoting mechanism; at least a head-side cylinder end wall in said second main cylinder unit; said rod member fixably linked at a top side inside a lower section of said second piston rod; said rod member slidably and rotatably linked at a bottom side to said head-side cylinder end wall; said rod member including a plurality of helical grooves along an outer circumference of said rod member; said plurality of helical grooves traveling in an arc about said outer circumference; said arc between seventy-five and up to ninety degree (75°-90°); a support member on an upper side of said head-side cylinder end wall; a plurality of balls rotatably supported and retained in support member; and said plurality of balls engaging respectively each said plurality of helical grooves, whereby when said second piston rod extends and retracts, said rod member rotatably guides said second piston rod and said second pivot arm through said arc to speedily engage and disengage said workpiece. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said arc is between ninety and up to one hundred and five degrees (90°-105°). 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said plurality of support members includes at least a first vertical support device; a third main cylinder unit in said first vertical support device; said third main cylinder unit extending perpendicular to said base plate; a cylinder cap in said main cylinder unit; a head-side cylinder end wall secured to said cylinder cap; said cylinder cap and said head-side cylinder end wall securing said third main cylinder unit in said base plate; a support member in said vertical support device; said support member extends perpendicular to said base plate and away from said main cylinder unit; a third piston rod in said support member; a support rod extending from an upper end of said third piston rod; said third main cylinder unit effective to receive said first hydraulic pressure as at least one of a first support pressure and a first unsupporting pressure and respectively extending and retracting said third piston rod according to said first hydraulic pressure; a third guide member extending away from said base plate; said third guide member guidably surrounding and supporting said support member during said extension and said retraction, thereby protecting said support member from debris and damage; and means for receiving said boosted hydraulic pressure from said hydraulic booster means and releasably locking said support member against said workpiece relative to said third main cylinder, whereby said workpiece is supported at a pressure greater than said first hydraulic pressure. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, for disengageably securing a workpiece to a base plate, comprising: a plurality of clamping members on said base plate; said plurality of clamping members effective to hydraulically clamp said workpiece to said base plate; a plurality of support members on said base plate; said plurality of support members effective to hydraulically support said workpiece on said base plate; hydraulic pressure means for supplying at least a first hydraulic pressure to each said clamping member and to each said support member; and hydraulic booster means for boosting said at least first hydraulic pressure to a boosted hydraulic pressure, and for supplying said boosted hydraulic pressure to and locking said plurality of support members, whereby said clamping system easily and securely clamps and supports said workpiece and allows speedy removal for later processing. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said plurality of clamping members are vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp devices. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said plurality of clamping members are horizontally pivoting hydraulic clamp devices. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, for disengageably securing a workpiece to a base plate, comprising: a plurality of clamping members on said base plate; said plurality of clamping members effective to hydraulically and securely clamp said workpiece to said base plate during an external operation; said plurality of clamping members including at least one vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp device; a plurality of support members on said base plate; said plurality of support members effective to hydraulically and securely support said workpiece on said base plate during said external operation; hydraulic pressure means for supplying at least a first hydraulic pressure to said plurality of clamping members and to said plurality of support members; and hydraulic booster means for boosting said at least first hydraulic pressure to a boosted hydraulic pressure, and for supplying said boosted hydraulic pressure to and locking said plurality of support members, whereby said clamping system easily and securely clamps and supports said workpiece and allows speedy removal for later processing. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a clamp system, for disengageably securing a workpiece to a base plate, comprising: a plurality of clamping members on said base plate; said plurality of clamping members effective to hydraulically and securely clamp said workpiece to said base plate during an external operation; said plurality of clamping members including at least one vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp device and at least one horizontally pivoting hydraulic clamp device; a plurality of support members on said base plate; said plurality of support members effective to hydraulically and securely support said workpiece on said base plate during said external operation; hydraulic pressure means for supplying at least a first hydraulic pressure to said plurality of clamping members and to said plurality of support members; and hydraulic booster means for boosting said at least first hydraulic pressure to a boosted hydraulic pressure, and for supplying said boosted hydraulic pressure to and locking said plurality of support members, whereby said clamping system easily and securely clamps and supports said workpiece and allows speedy removal for later processing. 
     According to another embodiment for the present invention there is provided a clamp system, for disengageably securing a workpiece to a base plate using a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices, comprising: said plurality of hydraulic clamp devices on said base plate; at least a main cylinder unit in each said hydraulic clamp device; said main cylinder unit disposed in a wall of said base plate; said main cylinder unit oriented along a first thickness axis of said base plate; at least an output member in each said hydraulic clamp device; a piston rod in each said output member extending away from said main cylinder unit; a guide member disengageably secured to a surface of said base plate; said guide member effective to guide said piston rod during an extension and a retraction; said guide member covering at least have of said piston rod projecting away from said surface of said base plate; a rod-side cylinder end wall on said main cylinder unit; hydraulic pressure supplying means for supplying at least a first hydraulic pressure to said main cylinder units; said rod-side cylinder mend wall disengageably secured to said base plate; and at least a first oil path in a wall of said base plate effective supply said first hydraulic pressure from hydraulic pressure supplying means to said main cylinder units, whereby said plurality of clamp devices securely clamp said workpiece to said base plate. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, further comprising: a plurality of support devices; said plurality of support devices extending away from said base plate; said plurality of support devices effective to support an external clamped workpiece away from said base plate during an external operation; each said support device including a second main cylinder unit; said second main cylinder unit disposed in said wall of said base plate; said second main cylinder unit oriented along said thickness axis of said base plate; a second support member in each said plurality of support devices; said second support member including a second piston rod; said second piston rod extending from said second main cylinder unit away from said base plate; a second oil path in said base plate; and said second oil path supplying said first hydraulic pressure from said hydraulic pressure supplying means to each said second main cylinder units of said plurality of support devices. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, further comprising: means for boosting said first hydraulic pressure received said hydraulic pressure supplying means to a second hydraulic pressure; said means for boosting on said base plate; said means for boosting increasing including means for supplying said second hydraulic pressure to said plurality of support devices, whereby said plurality of support devices provide increased support to said workpiece. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said means for boosting includes at least a second oil path; said second oil path effective to transport said second hydraulic pressure to said plurality of support devices. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said plurality of hydraulic clamp devices includes at least one horizontally pivoting hydraulic clamp device; a pivoting mechanism in said horizontally pivoting hydraulic clamp device; and said pivoting mechanism effective to pivot said piston rod an a horizontal clearance arc in tandem with a clamping and an unclamping action of said horizontally pivoting clamp device, whereby said workpiece is speedily clamped to said baseplate. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said plurality of hydraulic clamp devices includes at least one vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp device; said vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp device includes at least an output member; said output member includes a pivot arm having a pivotably supported pivot point; a pivot point link member operably joined to said guide member; a pivot point link member supporting said pivot point and said pivot arm; and said pivot point link member and said output ember effective to vertically pivot said output member relative to said base plate in tandem with a clamping and unclamping action of said vertically pivoting hydraulic clamp device, whereby said workpiece is speedily clamped to said baseplate. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said at least first oil path includes a first oil path section joining said at least main cylinder units to said hydraulic pressure supplying means; said first oil path section parallel to a surface of said base plate. 
     According to another embodiment of the present invention there is provided a clamp system, wherein: said at least first oil path includes at least a first clamping path and a first unclamping path; said first clamping path effective to supply said first clamping pressure to each said main cylinder unit during a clamping operation; said first unclamping path effective to release said first clamping pressure from each said main cylinder unit during an unclamping operation, and said first clamping path and said first unclamping path are parallel to each other and separated along an axis perpendicular to a face of said base plate, whereby said plurality of hydraulic clamping devices is easily and simply clamped and unclaimed and said clamping system is simplified to minimize component damage. 
     The present invention provides a clamp system for disengageably securing a workpiece using a plurality of hydraulic clamp devices. A thick base plate is disposed to allow the plurality of clamp devices to be mounted. Each of the hydraulic clamp devices includes a main cylinder unit disposed in a wall of the base plate and oriented along a thickness axis of the base plate; an output member including a piston rod extending from the main cylinder unit toward a surface of the base plate; a guide member disengageably secured to the surface of the base plate and guiding the piston rod to allow forward and back motion, the guide member covering a major portion of the piston rod projecting out from the base plate surface while not obstructing clamping operations of the output member; a rod-side cylinder end wall of the main cylinder unit disengageably secured to the base plate. A first oil path is formed in the wall of the base plate to supply hydraulic pressure from hydraulic pressure supplying means to the main cylinder units of the plurality of clamp devices. 
     After opening, the output members of the plurality of clamp devices are put in a standby state and the workpiece is mounted on the base plate. Once the workpiece is mounted on the base plate and aligned to a predetermined position, hydraulic pressure is sent from hydraulic pressure supplying means to the main cylinder units of the plurality of clamp devices via the first oil path formed in the wall of the base plate. This drives the piston rods of the clamp devices, and the workpiece is pressed against and secured to the base plate by the plurality of output members including the piston rods. 
     The guide member, which covers the majority of the portion of the piston rod projecting out from the base plate surface while not obstructing the clamping action of the output member, guides the piston rod so that it can move back and forth and allows the output member to reliably press and clamp the workpiece against the base plate. Since the guide member covers the majority of the projected portion of the piston rod, elastic deformation of the piston rod during the clamped state is prevented and deformation of the workpiece is prevented. Furthermore, the piston rod is protected from external dust such as debris from machining. 
     The guide member and the rod-side cylinder end wall of the main cylinder unit are disengageably secured to the base plate. The guide member and the rod-side cylinder end wall of the main cylinder unit can be disengaged and replaced with other piston rods and guide members. Thus, for each clamp device, a guide member and a piston rod having the length (height) appropriate for the clamping position based on the shape and size of the workpiece can be provided, thus allowing adjustments to be made easily. 
     In particular, the main cylinder units of the clamp devices are mounted in the wall of the base plate along the thickness axis of the base plate. The first oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure supply device to the main cylinder units of the plurality of clamp devices are formed inside the wall of the base plate. As a result, the wall of the base plate can be used effectively as a section of the main cylinder unit. Also, the structure of the oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure to the plurality of clamp devices can be simplified, and the design and processing operations can be simplified. 
     The hydraulic port of the main cylinder unit can be formed in the wall of the base plate parallel to the base plate, and the first oil path can be connected to the main cylinder unit using a simple oil path that is parallel to the base plate. This eliminates the need to form oil paths in the base plate, the main cylinder unit, and the guide member that are oriented along the thickness axis of the guide member. Thus, the structure of the oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure to the plurality of clamp devices can be made simple. 
     If the clamp devices are to be disposed at the edges of the base plate, there is no need to form the first oil path further out toward the edge than the clamp device. This eliminates the need for the corresponding space. Since there is no need to connect hydraulic pipes to the guide member, the guide member can be made more compact. As a result, the required area (i.e., the planar size) of the base plate can be made as compact as possible and the work area ratio on the upper surface of the base plate can be increased. 
     A plurality of support devices can be disposed to support the workpiece, which is clamped by the plurality of clamp devices, onto the base plate from behind. In this case, the support devices include: a main cylinder unit disposed inside the wall of the base plate along the thickness axis of the base plate; and a support member including a piston rod extending toward the surface of the base plate from the main cylinder unit. A second oil path is formed in the wall of the base plate to supply hydraulic pressure from hydraulic pressure supplying means to the main cylinder units of the plurality of support devices. 
     In this case, after clamping the workpiece to the base plate with the plurality of clamp devices, the piston rods of the support devices are projected and the ends of the support members are abutted against the support points of the workpiece. Then, the support members are locked to prevent them from moving forward or back and this state is maintained. By using the plurality of support devices to simply and reliably support the workpiece, which is clamped by the plurality of clamp devices, against the base plate from behind, flexure, vibration, and the like of the workpiece during machining can be prevented and processing precision can be improved. 
     Furthermore, the wall as the base plate can be used effectively as part of the main cylinder unit. Also, the structure of the oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure to the main cylinder units of the plurality of support devices can be simplified. 
     Furthermore, a hydraulic pressure booster can be disposed on the base plate to increase the hydraulic pressure received from hydraulic pressure supplying means and supplying the pressure to the plurality of support devices via the second oil path. In this case, hydraulic pipes for supplying the hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pressure booster can be eliminated, thus simplifying the structure and reducing production costs. 
     The main cylinder unit of the hydraulic pressure booster can also be disposed in the wall of the base plate. In this case, a section of the base plate can be used effectively as a section of the main cylinder unit. This simplifies the structure of the hydraulic pressure booster and allows the base plate to be a structure that can be easily transported. Also, the structure of the oil paths supplying hydraulic pressure to the support device from the hydraulic pressure booster can be simplified. 
     In the hydraulic clamp device described above, a pivoting mechanism may be disposed on the main cylinder unit so that the piston rod is pivoted back and forth approximately 90 degrees in tandem with the action of the piston rod. In this case, the output member can be pivoted 90 degrees from the clamping position when mounting the workpiece to the base plate or when moving the base plate so that the output member, including the piston rod, does not get in the way. 
     Also, the hydraulic clamp device can include a pivot arm with an output member pivotably supported at a pivot point. A support link member supporting this pivot point is connected to the guide member. In this case, the pivot arm can be pivoted from the clamp position when mounting the workpiece to the base plate or moving it from the base plate so that the output member does not get in the way of the pivot arm. 
     In the first oil path described above, the oil path section connected to the main cylinder unit of the hydraulic clamp device can be formed parallel to the surface of the base plate. Thus, a majority of the first oil path including this oil path section can be formed parallel to the surface of the base plate. This simplifies the structure of the first oil path and simplifies design and processing. The plurality of hydraulic clamp devices can be connected in series via the first oil path, and, in this case, the structure of the first oil path can be made even more simple. 
     Also, in the first oil paths, the oil path sections connecting at least the main cylinder units of the hydraulic clamp devices of the same type can be formed parallel to the surface of the base plate. Since a majority of the first oil path can be formed parallel to the surface, the structure of the first oil path can be simplified and design and processing can be simplified. Furthermore, if the hydraulic clamp device is disposed near the edge of the base plate, the space required for forming the first oil path at the edge of the base plate for the clamp device is not needed, allowing the base plate to be made more compact and allowing the work area ratio to be increased. The plurality of hydraulic clamp devices can be connected in series via the first oil path, and this can further simplify the structure of the first oil path. 
     The first oil path includes: a clamping oil path for clamping the plurality of clamp devices; and an unclamping oil path for releasing the clamped state of the plurality of clamp devices. These clamping oil paths and unclamping oil paths can be arranged separated from each other along the axis perpendicular to the surface of the base plate. The space along the axis parallel to the surface of the base plate used to form the first oil path can be made compact. 
     The above, and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial cross-section of a clamp system according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main elements of the clamp system in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-section of a vertically pivoting link clamp device. 
     FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-section of a horizontally pivoting clamp device. 
     FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section of a support device. 
     FIG. 6 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of a hydraulic pressure supply device. 
     FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-section of a clamp device in a first alternative embodiment. 
     FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-section of a base plate of a clamp device in a second alternative embodiment. 
     FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-section of a support device in a third alternative embodiment. 
     FIG. 10 is a vertical cross-section of a booster in a fourth alternative embodiment. 
     FIG. 11 is a hydraulic circuit diagram of a hydraulic pressure supply device according to a fifth alternative embodiment. 
     FIG. 12 is a front-view of a clamp system according to conventional technology. 
     FIG. 13 is a partial front-view of a clamp system according to conventional technology. 
     FIG. 14 is a partial front-view of a clamp system according to conventional technology. 
     FIG. 15 is a partial front-view of a clamp system according to conventional technology. 
     FIG. 16 is a schematic plan of a clamp system according to conventional technology. 
     FIG. 17 is a partial vertical cross-section of FIG. 16 along section I—l. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following description, references to up/down/left/right will be based on the directions relative to FIG.  1 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, a workpiece-securing clamp system  1  [hereinafter referred to as the clamp system  1 ] includes a base plate  2  having a predetermined thickness effective for supporting a workpiece W. 
     A plurality of hydraulic clamp devices  3  are on a first side of base plate  2 . A plurality of hydraulic clamp device  4  are on a second side of base plate  2  opposite hydraulic clamp devices  3 . During operation, the plurality of hydraulic clamp devices  3 ,  4  operate to secure workpiece W to base plate  2 . 
     Hydraulic clamp devices  3  are vertically pivotable relative to base plate  2 . Hydraulic clamp devices  4  are horizontally pivotable relative to base plate  2 . In combination, hydraulic clamp devices  3 ,  4  are rapidly adaptable to unusually shaped workpieces W. 
     A plurality of support devices  5 ,  6 , mounted on base plate  2  operate to support workpiece W during operation, as will be described. A hydraulic pressure supply device  7  connects with and supplies hydraulic pressure to clamp devices  3 ,  4  and plurality of support devices  5 ,  6 , as will be explained. Hydraulic pressure supply device  7  normally supplies an average hydraulic pressure range of 7 MPa. A hydraulic pressure booster  8  links with hydraulic pressure supply device  7 . Hydraulic pressure booster  8  operates in conjunction with hydraulic pressure supply device  7  and increases the average pressure supply range to approximately 25 Mpa for support devices  5 ,  6 . During operation, hydraulic pressure applied to workpiece W is adjustable through operation of hydraulic pressure supply device  7  and hydraulic pressure booster  8 . 
     Each hydraulic clamp device  3  includes a main cylinder unit  30 . Each hydraulic clamp device  4  includes a main cylinder unit  50 . Each support device  5 ,  6  includes a main cylinder unit  70 . The walls of base plate  2  constitute main cylinder units  30 ,  50 , and  70  vertically relative to a thickness axis in positions selected to support workpiece W. 
     A plurality of clamping oil paths  10  connect hydraulic pressure supply device  7  to each main cylinder unit  30 ,  50 . A plurality of unclamping oil paths  11  connect each main cylinder unit  30 ,  50  to hydraulic pressure supply device  7 . During clamping operations, hydraulic clamping pressure passes through clamping oil paths  10  and clamps main cylinder units  30 ,  50 . During unclamping operations, hydraulic pressure releases through unclamping oil paths  11  and unclamp main units  30 ,  50 . Clamping oil paths  10  and unclamping oil paths  11  are hereinafter collectively referred to as first oil paths  10 ,  11 . 
     During operation, first oil paths  10 ,  11  supply hydraulic pressure from hydraulic pressure supply device  7  to each main cylinder unit  30 ,  50  and enable respective clamp devices  3 ,  4  to operate. First oil paths  10 ,  11  are inside base plate  2  parallel to a workpiece W support surface. First oil paths  10 ,  11  extend along a length of base plate  2  and pass through a center axis of each respective main cylinder unit  30 ,  50 . 
     A plurality of second oil paths  12 ,  13  connect hydraulic pressure supply device  7  and hydraulic pressure booster  8  to each main cylinder unit  70 , as will be explained. During operation, second oil paths  12 ,  13  supply hydraulic pressure from hydraulic pressure supply device  7  to each main cylinder unit  70  and enable respective support devices  5 ,  6  to operate. Second oil paths  12 ,  13  are inside base plate  2 . 
     Hydraulic pressure booster  8  attaches in a fixed manner to a bottom of base plate  2 . A hydraulic pressure discharge port  13   a  connects in a fluid-tight manner to second oil path  13  formed in base plate  2 . The position at which hydraulic pressure booster  8  attaches to base plate  2  is not limited to the bottom of base plate  2 , but is adaptable according to production needs. For example, hydraulic pressure booster  8  may be attached to the side of base plate  2  or may be outside of base plate  2  altogether. 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, each hydraulic clamp device  3  includes main cylinder unit  30  and a piston rod  32 . During operation, piston rod  32  operates relative to main cylinder unit  30 , as will be explained. An output member  31  rotatably extends from piston rod  32 . Output member  31  includes a pivot arm  33 . A pin  32   a  pivotably joins pivot arm  32  to main cylinder unit  30 . 
     A bolt (not shown) disengageably secures a guide member  34  to the upper surface of base plate  2 . During operation, guide member  34  guides piston rod  32  during clamping and unclamping. A pivot linking mechanism  45  operates and vertically pivots pivot arm  33  in tandem with the operation of piston rod  32 . 
     A rod-side cylinder end wall  41  extends from guide member  34  into main cylinder unit  30  and base plate  2 . Rod-side cylinder end wall  41  provides additional support to piston rod  32 . 
     Main cylinder unit  30  includes a cylinder hole  3   a . Cylinder hole  3   a  is formed integrally within base plate  2 . Guide member  34  covers an upper end of cylinder hole  3   a . Rod-side cylinder end wall  41  extends into and hydraulically seals cylinder hole  3   a.    
     A cylinder-side wall  42  surrounds cylinder hole  3   a . Cylinder-side wall  42  is formed by a portion of base plate  2 . A head-side cylinder end wall  43  fills cylinder hole  3   a  opposite rod-side cylinder end wall  41  and seals cylinder hole  3   a . Head-side cylinder end wall  43  extends from base plate  2  away from guide member  34 . 
     A piston  40  extends from a bottom end of piston rod  32  and fits slidably inside cylinder hole  3   a . Piston  40  is operable between rod-side cylinder end walls  41  and head-side cylinder end wall  43 . 
     For a clamping operation, a first oil chamber  44   a  is formed by cylinder hole  3   a  between piston  40  and head-side cylinder end wall  43 . For unclamping operation, a second oil chamber  44   b  is formed by cylinder hole  3   a  between piston  40  and rod-side cylinder end wall  41 . First oil chamber  44   a  connects to clamping oil path  10 . Second oil chamber  44   b  connects to unclamping oil path  11 . 
     A sealing member  38   a  seals piston rod  32  to an upper portion of guide member  34 . A sealing member  38   b  seals piston rod  32  to a lower portion of guide member  34 . A scaling member  38   c  seals rod-side cylinder end wall  41  to cylinder hole  3   a . A sealing member  38   d  seals piston  40  to cylinder hole  3   a . A sealing member  38   e  seals head-side cylinder end wall  43  to cylinder hole  3   a . Collectively, sealing members  38   a  through  38   e  allow each hydraulic clamping unit  3  to hydraulically operate without loss of hydraulic fluid. 
     A pivot linking member  46  pivotably supports pivot arm  33  at a pivot point  33   a . A pin  46   a  links pivot linking member  46  to pivot arm  33  at pivot point  33   a . A pin  46   a  pivotably joins a pivot member  47  to pivot linking member  46 . A lower section of pivot member  47  is threadably secured into guide member  34 . 
     During operation, pivot linking mechanism  45  pivotably supports output member  31 , simplifies removal of workpiece W, and aids in increasing clamping force. During unclamping operations, when piston rod  32  is at a lowermost position, indicated by the dashed line, pivot arm  33  moves to a recessed position sloping upward at approximately 70 degrees from base plate  2 . During clamping operations, when piston rod  32  is at an uppermost position, indicated by the solid line, pivot arm  33  moves to a horizontal clamping position. 
     An adjustment screw  48  is adjustably threaded through an end of pivot arm  33 . Adjustment screw is disengageably secured to pivot arm  33  with a nut  49 . During operation, a lower end of adjustment screw  48  presses workpiece W against a pad  2   a . Pad  2   a  supports a portion of workpiece W and is secured to base plate  2 . Pad  2  is selectable according to operator and production needs. 
     A pressure securing workpiece W to pad  2   a  is adjustable through loosening nut  49  and adjusting adjustment screw  48 . The pressure securing workpiece W to pad  2   a  is also adjustable by threadably adjusting the position of pivot member  47 . 
     An important benefit of the present design is that guide member  34  covers a majority of piston rod  32  projected maximumly above the surface of base plate  2 . This design prevents piston rod  32  from obstructing pivot arm  33  and the clamping operation of output member  31  while simultaneously protecting piston rod  32  from external debris and dust. Since guide member  34  covers the majority of piston rod  32  it provides strong support and prevents elastic deformation of piston rod  32  during clamping. During assembly of clamp system  1 , guide members  34  and piston rods  32  are selectable for length appropriate for pads  2   a  and workpiece W. 
     An alternative embodiment of the present invention (not shown) forms rod-side cylinder end wall  41  separately from guide member  34  and simplifies assembly. In another alternative embodiment of the present invention (also not shown), rod-side cylinder end wall  41  may include a separate alternative cylinder hole and extend into base plate  2 . In this embodiment, cylinder hole  3   a  is replaced with the alternative embodiment. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4, main cylinder unit  50  of hydraulic clamp device  4  extends vertically through base plate  2 . An output member  51  includes a piston rod  52  extending upward from main cylinder unit  50  away from base plate  2 . A pivot arm  53  rigidly extends from an end of piston rod  52 . Pivot arm  53  allows easy placement of workpiece W. Bolts (not shown) disengagably secure a guide member  54  to the upper surface of base plate  2 . During operation, guide member  54  guides piston rod  52  in a clamp-unclamp cycle. 
     A rod-side cylinder end wall  61  extends integrally from guide member  54  into an upper end of a cylinder hole  4   a . Cylinder hole  4   a  extends directly through base plate  2 . A head-side cylinder end wall  63  is in a lower end of cylinder hole  4   a  opposite rod-side cylinder end wall  61 . A cylinder side wall  62  is a portion of base plate  2  immediately surrounding cylinder hole  4   a.    
     A pivoting mechanism  65  extends between head-side cylinder head wall and piston rod  52 . Pivoting mechanism  65  enables piston rod  52  to reciprocate axially in tandem with the motion of piston rod  52  and secure workpiece W to base plate  2 , as will be explained. 
     Main cylinder unit  50  operates between rod-side cylinder end wall  61 , cylinder side wall  62 , and head-side cylinder end wall  63 . 
     A piston  60  extends from a bottom end of piston rod  52  adjacent an interior surface of cylinder hole  4   a . An oil chamber  64   a  is defined between a top portion of piston  60  and rod-side cylinder end wall  61 . An oil chamber  64   b  is defined between a bottom portion of piston  60  and the head-side cylinder end wall  63 . Oil chamber  64   a  connects to clamping oil path  10 . Oil chamber  64   b  connects to unclamping oil path  11 . 
     A sealing member  58   a  seals between piston rod  52  and a top portion of guide member  54 . A sealing member  58   b  seals between piston rod  52  and a bottom portion of guide member  54 . A sealing member  58   c  seals between rod-side cylinder end wall  61  and cylinder hole  4   a . A sealing member  58   d  seals between piston  60  and the inner side walls of cylinder hole  4   a . A sealing member  58   e  seals between the inner side walls of cylinder hole  4   a  and head-side cylinder end wall  63 . A sealing member  58   f  seals between piston  60  and a rod member  66 . 
     Pivot mechanism  65  includes rod member  66 . Rod member  66  extends between an inside lower section of piston rod  52  to head-side cylinder end wall  63 . A plurality of helical grooves  67  extend along a mid-length section of rod member  60  with a 90 degree twist. Rod member  66  is fixed relative piston rod  52 . 
     A support member  68  securely joins an upper end of head-side cylinder end wall  63 . Support member  68  supports and rotatably retains a plurality of balls  69  relative to the upper end of head-side cylinder end wall  63 . Balls  69  rotatably engage respective helical grooves  67  and support member  68 . 
     During clamping (lowering) and unclamping (raising) operations, balls  69  engage helical grooves  67  on rod member  66  and ensure piston rod  52  and rod member  66  operate in tandem. During operation of piston rod  52 , balls  69  engage helical grooves  67  and simultaneously ensure that pivot arm  53  pivots horizontally through 90 degrees in a reciprocating manner. 
     During clamping operations, piston rod  52  and pivot arm  53  are at a lower most position indicated by the dashed line in FIG.  4 . During unclamping operations, piston rod  52  and pivot arm  53  are at an upper most position indicated by the solid line in FIG.  4 . During operation, first oil paths  10 ,  11  simultaneously connect main cylinder units  30 ,  50 , piston rods  32 ,  52  operate simultaneously. 
     Guide member  54  covers a majority of piston rod  52  projected maximumly. Guide  54  maintains alignment and prevents piston rod  52  from obstructing pivot arm  53  during operation. Guide member  54  also guides and provides elastic support to piston rod  52  thereby minimizing elastic deformation during clamping. Guide member  54  further eliminates damage to piston rod  52  due to workplace debris. The strong support by guide member  54  minimizes damage piston rod  52  damage to workpiece W due to misalignment. 
     A length of piston rod  52  and guide member  54  is selectable based upon predetermined requirements for individual workpieces W. In an alternative embodiment, guide member  54  may consist of individually stackable sections to facilitate rapid adaption to oddly shaped workpieces W. An a further alternative embodiment, cylinder hole  4   a  may be separately formed in a modified main cylinder unit  50  and later securely fitted into base plate  2 . 
     Referring to FIG. 5, support devices  5 ,  6  each include a main cylinder unit  70  disposed in a wall of base plate  2 . Main cylinder units  70  are oriented along the thickness axis of base plate  2 . Main cylinder units  70  also include a support member  71  for supporting workpiece W. A piston rod  72  supports each support member  71 . A support rod  73  connects to an upper end of piston rod  72  and supports workpiece W, as will be explained. A guide member  74  guides support member  71  during operation. In sum, support member  71  includes piston rod  72 , support rod  73 , and guide member  74 . Bolts  74   a  disengageably join each guide member  74  to an upper end of main cylinder unit  70 . 
     Main cylinder unit  70  rests within a cylinder hole  51  in base plate  2 . A head-side cylinder end wall  76  secures to a bottom side of a cylinder cap  75 . Head-side cylinder end wall  76  is opposite guide member  74  on main cylinder unit  70 . Bolts  74   a  secure cylinder cap  75  to the upper surface of base plate  2 . A majority of head-side cylinder end wall  76  and cylinder cap  75  tightly engage cylinder hole  5   a  and stabilize support devices  5 ,  6  relative to base plate  2 . 
     An elastic sleeve  77  fits inside main cylinder unit  70 . Elastic sleeve  77  slidably fits around an outside of piston rod  72 . The outer surfaces of an upper and a lower end of elastic sleeve  77  abut the inner surface of cylinder cap  75 . 
     Guide member  74  positively engages and secures elastic sleeve  77  to cylinder cap  75 . The upper and lower ends of elastic sleeve  77  bound a thin cylindrical section  77   a  in the center of elastic sleeve  77 . 
     Elastic sleeve  77 , with thin cylinder section  77   a , and cylinder cap  75  bound an oil chamber  78 . Cylinder cap  75  includes a ring-shaped oil path  79   a  and an oil path  79   b , as will be described. Ring-shaped oil path  79   a  surrounds an outer perimeter section of cylinder cap  75 . Ring-shaped oil path  79   a  communicates with second oil path  13 . Oil path  79   b  connects ring-shaped oil path  79   a  with oil chamber  78  through cylinder cap  75 . 
     During formation, a threaded hole  72   a  is formed from above at an upper section of piston rod  72 . A threaded section  73   a  of support rod  73  is at a lower end of support rod  73 . Threaded section  73   a  threadably engages threaded hole  72   a  and joins piston rod  72  to support rod  73 . 
     A cylinder  72   b  is on a lower section of piston rod  72 . Cylinder  72   b  opens downward at the lower section of piston rod  72 . A partition wall  72   c  partitions cylinder  72   b  into an upper and a lower section. During assembly, a bolt  80  inserts from above and passes through an opening in partition wall  72   c  and extends into the lower section of cylinder  72   b  below threaded hole  72   a . Partition wall  72   c  retains a head of bolt  80 . 
     After assembly, bolt  80  extends through the center of cylinder  72   b  and below a bottom of cylinder  72   b . At a lower end of bolt  80 , a threaded section threadably engages piston member  81 . 
     During assembly, a cylindrical member  82  slidably fits inside cylinder  72   b  of piston rod  72 . Cylinder cap  75  secures cylindrical member  82  to head-side cylinder end wall  76 . Piston member  81  slidably fits inside cylindrical member  82 . 
     An oil chamber  83  is a space bounded by head-side cylinder end wall  76 , piston member  81 , and cylindrical member  82 . An oil path  79   c  connects oil chamber  83  to second oil path  12 . 
     A first compression coil spring  84   a  fits onto an outside portion of bolt  80 , between an upper ring-shaped wall of cylindrical member  82  and piston member  81 . A second compression coil spring  84   b  fits onto the outside of bolt  80 , between partition wall  72   c  and piston member  81 . First compression coil spring  84   a  biases piston member  81  downward in the figure. Second compression coil spring  84   b  biases support member  71  upward relative to piston member  81  and bolt  80 . 
     During operation, hydraulic pressure is supplied to oil chamber  83  through second oil path  12  in support device  5 . The hydraulic pressure drives piston member  81  upward against the bias from first compression coil spring  84   a . Thereafter, support member  71  moves upward integrally with piston member  81  and bolt  80 . Once the end of support member  71  abuts the lower surface of workpiece W, support member  71  stops and piston member  81  and bolt  80  move upward and compresses second compression coil spring  84   b.    
     Next, hydraulic pressure, increased by hydraulic pressure booster  8 , passes through second oil path  13  into oil chamber  78 . The now-boosted hydraulic pressures causes elastic sleeve  77  to elastically deform and contract radially, locking support member  71  and causing workpiece W to receive strong support form base plate  2 . 
     The height of support-member  71 , used to support the support points of workpiece W are determined by the size and shape of workpiece W and may be easily adjusted using appropriate lengths for support rod  73  and guide member  74 . 
     Sealing members  85   a  through  85   h  operate to hydraulically seal respective portions of each support device  5 ,  6  against hydraulic fluid leakage and enable effective supply of hydraulic pressure to support workpiece W. 
     Support device  6  supports workpiece W in a position lower than support device  5 . In place of support member  71  and guide member  74  of support device  5 , support device  6  includes a support member  86 . Support member  86  includes piston rod  72  and a short support rod connected to the end of piston rod  72 . Support member  86  also includes a guide member  88  which guides and supports short support rod  87 . Beyond the differences noted above, support device  6  is similar in structure to support device  5  and operates in a similar manner. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, hydraulic pressure supply device  7  includes a hydraulic pressure pump  92  driven by a motor  91 . Hydraulic pressure supply device  7  generates hydraulic pressures in the range of 7 Mpa. Hydraulic pressure supply device  7  also includes an electromagnetic direction switching valve  93  connecting to hydraulic pressure pump  92  along an oil path  90   a.    
     A first sequence valve  94  is activated at a first pressure setting (e.g., 7 Mpa). First sequence valve  94  connects to an oil path  90   c . Oil path  90   c  extends from an oil path  90   b  away from direction switching valve  93 . Hydraulic pressure supply device  7  also includes a check valve  95  disposed in a bypass oil path  90   f  of a first sequence valve  94 . A second sequence valve  96  activates at a second pressure setting (e.g., 7 MPa) and connects to first sequence valve  94  along an oil path  90   d  and a check valve  97 . Check valve  97  is in a bypass oil path  90   g  of second sequence valve  96 . 
     A hydraulic pressure pipe  98   a  connects oil path  90   h  extending from direction switching valve  93  to first oil path  11  of base plate  2 . Hydraulic pressure pipe  98   b  connects oil path  90   b  extending from direction switching valve  93  to first oil path  10  of base plate  2 . A hydraulic pressure pipe  98   c  connects an oil path  90   i  and hydraulic path  90   d  to second oil path  12  of base plate  2 . A hydraulic pressure pipe  98   d  connects oil path  90   e  and hydraulic pressure booster  8 . 
     Hydraulic pressure supply device  7  also includes a control unit (not shown). The control unit controls motor  91 , electromagnetic direction switching valve  93 , and other components in hydraulic pressure supply device  7 . 
     During operation, direction switching valve  93  provides hydraulic pressure, supplied from hydraulic pressure supply device  7 , to the plurality of clamp devices  3 ,  4  along first unclamping hydraulic path  11 . Upon receiving hydraulic pressure, pivot arms  33  pivot to a recessed position at an angle of approximately 70 degrees relative to the clamping position of vertically pivoting clamp devices  3 . Additionally, upon receiving hydraulic pressure, pivot arms  53  move to the recessed position by raising and pivoting from the clamping position of horizontally pivoting clamp devices  4 . Thus, clamp devices  3 ,  4  are transferred to into an unclamped state. In this state, operators mount workpiece W and align workpiece W to base plate  2 . 
     After mounting and aligning, direction switching valve  93  is activated, and hydraulic pressure flows from hydraulic pressure supply device  7  to the plurality of clamp devices  3 ,  4  along first clamping oil path  10  in base plate  2 . More specifically, upon receiving hydraulic pressure along first oil path  10 , in the vertically pivoting clamp devices  3 , pivot arms  33  orient horizontally into a clamping position for clamp device  3 , and press workpiece W against base plate  2 . Additionally, in horizontally pivoting clamp devices  4 , pivot arms  53  pivot and approach workpiece W in a clamping position. Thus, clamp devices  3 ,  4  enter the clamped state and securely press workpiece W against base plate  2 . 
     During initial clamping operation, the hydraulic pressure applied to first sequence valve  94  from hydraulic pressure supply device  7  does not reach the first pressure setting (e.g., 7 MPa). For this reason, first sequence valve  94  is in a closed state, and hydraulic pressure does not reach oil path  90   d . Once clamp devices  3 ,  4  clamp workpiece W to base plate  2 , the first pressure setting for first sequence valve  94  is reached, and first sequence valve  94  is opens and supplies hydraulic pressure to oil path  90   d.    
     When hydraulic pressure reaches oil path  90   d  through first sequence valve  94 , hydraulic pressure passes through second oil path  12  to support devices  5 ,  6 . Once support devices  5 ,  6  receive hydraulic pressure, respective support members  71 ,  86  rise and abut the lower surface of workpiece W. Up to this point the hydraulic pressure acting on second sequence valve  96  in hydraulic pressure supply device  7  does not reach the second pressure setting (e.g., 7 MPa), and second sequence valve  96  remains in a closed state and does not supply hydraulic pressure supplied to oil path  90   e.    
     Once support members  71 ,  86  abut workpiece W, second sequence valve  96  reaches its second pressure setting (e.g., 7 Mpa). Upon reaching the second pressure setting, second sequence valve  96  opens and supplies hydraulic pressure to oil path  90   e . Oil path  90   e  supplies hydraulic pressure to hydraulic pressure booster  8  which operates to increase the hydraulic pressure supplied to the plurality of support devices  5 ,  6  along second oil path  13 . Upon receiving the now increased hydraulic pressure, support members  71 ,  86  of support devices  5 ,  6  lock firmly and strongly support workpiece W. Once workpiece W is supported by support devices  5 ,  6  and clamped by clamp devices  3 ,  4  various machining operations are performed securely, quickly, and with sufficient support to protect, the machining tool, workpiece W, and clamp system  1 . 
     In support system  1 , guide members  34 ,  54 , each integral with respective rod-side cylinder end walls  41 ,  61 , reliably guide respective piston rods  32 ,  52 . Guide members  34 ,  54  are disengageably secured to base plate  2 , and may be quickly and easily disengaged and replaced along with new piston rods  32 ,  52 . This simple disengagement and replacement allows easy adjustment based on a size and shape of workpiece W and changeable clamping requirements and positions. 
     As a further advantage, the hydraulic ports of main cylinder units  30 ,  50  are easily positioned inside base plate  2  in a simple machining process parallel along the length of base plate  2 . Since main cylinder units  30 ,  50  of clamp devices  3 ,  4  mount into base plate  2  along the thickness axis of the base plate  2 , they easily match with the hydraulic ports and first oil paths  10 ,  11   
     Since clamp devices  3 ,  4  are disposed along the edges of base plate  2 , first oil paths  10 ,  11  can be disposed along a line passing through respective main cylinder units  30 ,  50  and connect main cylinder units  30 ,  50  in series. Clamping oil path  10 , and unclamping oil path  11  are perpendicular to the surface of base plate  2  and allow a very simple structure. This simple structure makes alternative design and processing easier. Where an alternative workpiece W does not require each clamp device  3 ,  4 , a respective clamp device  3 ,  4 , may be replaced with a simple hydraulic passage unit (not shown) which seals the respective cylinder hole  3   a ,  4   a  and easily passes hydraulic pressure to the remaining clamp devices  3 ,  4 . 
     There is no need to form first oil paths  10 ,  11  at the edges of clamp devices  3 ,  4  on base plate  2 , thus reducing the need for associated space and minimizing size and cost. Since guide members  34 ,  54  are not integral with hydraulic fluid passage, guide members  34 ,  54  may be made compact along an axis parallel to the surface of base plate  2  and base plate  2  may be further reduces in size for predetermined workpiece sizes and shapes. This reduction in size, increases a proportion of the work area to the upper surface of base plate  2 . 
     Since the need to provide hydraulic pipes for main cylinder units  30 ,  50  is eliminated, clamp devices  3 ,  4  of the clamp system  1  have a simple structure and reduced production costs. Further, since external hydraulic pipes connecting clamp devices  3 ,  4  are be omitted, system failures caused by damage to hydraulic pipes and obstructions to transporting base plate  2  are eliminated. 
     As an additional advantage support members  71 ,  86  of support devices  5 ,  6  are easily and simply locked so that they cannot be moved, thus allowing an easily maintained full-support and full-clamp state. 
     Support members  71 ,  86  are easily arranged by moving compression spring  84   b  relative to piston member  81 , which is raised directly by hydraulic pressure. As a result, the ends of support members  71 ,  86  are reliably and quickly abutted against the support points of workpiece W. Thus, workpiece W, is easily and reliably supported against base plate  2  by the plurality of support devices  5 ,  6 . This support, reliably prevents flexure and vibration in workpiece W during machining and improves processing precision. 
     Main cylinder units  70  of support devices  5 ,  6  mount directly in the wall of base plate  2  and allow the wall of base plate  2  to effectively serve as a section of main cylinder units  70 . Since second oil paths  12 ,  13  are in the wall of base plate  2 , clamp system  1  has an easily formed simple structure thus reducing production costs. Since external hydraulic pipes connecting support devices  5 ,  6  are eliminated, system failures caused by damage to hydraulic pipes or obstructions to transportation are eliminated. 
     As a further advantage, hydraulic booster  8  easily provides high hydraulic pressure to the plurality of support devices  5 ,  6 . Hydraulic booster  8  easily increases the hydraulic pressure received from hydraulic pressure supply device  7 . As a result, clamp system  1  requires only one hydraulic pressure supply device  7 , is reduced in cost, simplified, and increases production efficiency. 
     During operation, since each output member  31 ,  51  rotates away from workpiece W, mounting or moving operations for workpiece W are simplified and faster and more efficient production is possible. Individually, output member  31  includes pivot arm  33  pivotably supported at pivot point  33   a  and easily rotates away from the clamped position. As a further advantage, support link member  46  supports pivot point  33   a  and using a lever-advantage increases and transfers hydraulic force from piston rod  32  to workpiece W while minimizing deflection of pivot arm  33 . 
     Below, in addition to the alternative embodiments described above, specific additional alternatives of clamp system  1  are described. Elements similar to those of the above embodiments are assigned identical numerals. Other structures, operations, and advantages are essentially identical to those of the embodiment described above, and the corresponding descriptions are omitted. 
     1) Alternative Embodiment 1 
     Referring now to FIG. 7, a horizontally pivoting clamp device  4 A includes a main cylinder unit  100  mounted in the wall of base plate  2 . An output member  51  includes a piston rod  52  extending away from the surface of base plate  2  and a pivot arm  53 . Pivot arm  53  is fixed to the end of piston rod  52 . A guide member  105  is disengageably secured to the surface of base plate  2 . Guide member  105  guides and supports piston rod  52  during operation. As with guide members  34 ,  54 , guide member  105  is covers a majority of piston rod  52  and provides similar protection from deflection and debris. 
     Main cylinder unit  100  includes a cylinder cap  101  and a head-side cylinder end wall  102 . H-lead-side cylinder end wall  102  secures to the lower end of cylinder cap  101 . During assembly, a majority of cylinder cap  101  and head-side cylinder end wall  102  are inserted into and secured in a cylinder hole  4   b  in base plate  2 . An upper wall  101   a  of cylinder cap  101  forms a rod-side cylinder end wall (not numbered). 
     A bolt (not shown) secures guide member  105  the upper surface of base plate  2 . Guide member  105  disengageably secures cylinder cap  101  to base plate  2 . 
     A lower end  106  of guide member  105  also forms at least a portion of the rod-side cylinder end wall and further supports guide member  105 . Sealing members  107   a  through  107   h  hydraulically seal respective members of horizontally pivoting clamp device  4 A against hydraulic leakage and enable swift and secure movement. Cylinder cap  101  and guide member  105  may be formed integrally in a further simplification of the present design thus further simplifying assembly, reducing costs, and improving production efficiency. 
     2) Alternative Embodiment 2 (FIG. 8) 
     Referring now to FIG. 8, a clamp device  4 B includes a cylinder cap  108  and a guide member  109 . Cylinder cap has a lower portion forming a head-side cylinder end wall (not numbered). Guide member  109  covers cylinder cap  108  and the top of cylinder hole  4   b , forming the rod-side cylinder end wall  109   a , and securely guiding piston rod  52  during operation. 
     As with guide members  34 ,  54  described above, guide member  109  is high enough to cover the majority of the projected portion of piston rod  52  during operation. 
     3) Alternative Embodiment 3: 
     Referring now to FIG. 9, a hydraulic pressure booster  8 C replaces hydraulic pressure booster  8 . A main cylinder unit  110  securely mounts to base plate  2 . Main cylinder unit  110  includes a cylinder cap  111  and a head-side cylinder end wall  112 . Cylinder cap  111  forms a majority of main cylinder unit  110 . Head-side cylinder end wall  112  firmly secures to the bottom end of cylinder cap  111 . 
     During assembly, cylinder cap  111  and an upper section of head-side cylinder end wall  112  are inserted into a hole  8   a  and secured by a bolt (not shown) Hole  8   a  is formed in a bottom of base plate  2 . 
     A piston member  113  slidably fits within cylinder cap  111 . During operation, a large-diameter piston  113   a  of piston member  113  slidably operates between head-side cylinder end wall  112  and cylinder cap  111 . An oil chamber  114  is formed between cylinder cap  111 , head-side cylinder end wall  112 , and large-diameter piston member  113   a.    
     A section of hole  8   a  above cylinder cap  111  forms a booster chamber  115 . A small-diameter piston  113   b  on piston member  113  projects into booster chamber  115 . Booster chamber  115  connects to an oil path  13 C. 
     A hydraulic pressure supply device  7 B includes an oil path  117   a  receiving hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump (not shown in the figure). A pilot hydraulic switching valve  120  is disposed on oil path  117   a . An oil path  117   b  connects oil path  13 C of base plate  2  to hydraulic pressure supply device  7 B. 
     A sequence valve  121  is on an oil path  117   c . Oil path  117   c  connects a hydraulic supply port  114   a , on main cylinder unit  110 , to sequence valve  121 . Sequence valve  121  communicates with oil path  117   a  and oil chamber  114  of hydraulic booster  8 C. A check valve  122  is disposed in a bypass oil path  117   d  of sequence valve  121 . 
     During operation of this embodiment, clamp devices  3 ,  4  clamp workpiece W to base plate  2 . Hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump and hydraulic pressure supply device  7 B is supplied to support device  5  though oil path  117   b  and second oil path  13 C in base plate  2 . 
     Additionally, while applying an appropriate load to support member  71 , hydraulic pressure is supplied to second oil path  12  of the base plate  2  and the support member  71  raises. When support member  71  abuts workpiece W, the hydraulic pressure increases and sequence valve  121 , which had been closed opens when the raised hydraulic pressure releases a first pressure setting, thus causing hydraulic pressure to enter hydraulic pressure booster  8 C. 
     As hydraulic pressure booster  8 C receives hydraulic pressure, piston member  113  activates and the hydraulic pressure is increased in booster chamber  115 . Oil path  13   c  transports the now-boosted hydraulic pressure to support device  5 , and support member  71  firmly locks and supports workpiece W. 
     4) Alternative Embodiment 4 
     Referring now to FIG. 10, in a hydraulic pressure booster  8 D, cylinder cap  111  of hydraulic pressure booster  8  is eliminated. A hole (not labeled) is in base plate  2  and securely mounts main cylinder unit  110 D in the wall of base plate  2 . In this embodiment, small-diameter piston  113   b  projects into booster chamber  115 D above the head-side cylinder wall, and booster chamber  115 D connects to oil path  13 D. 
     5) Alternative Embodiment 5 
     Referring now to FIG. 11, a hydraulic pressure supply device  7 E includes a hydraulic pump  132  driven by a motor  131 . Hydraulic pump  132  and motor  131  operate to provide a hydraulic pressure (e.g., 7 Mpa) to clamping system  1 . An oil path  130   a  connects an electromagnetic switching valve  133  connects to hydraulic pump  132 . An oil path  130   b  connects an electromagnetic direction switching valve  134  to hydraulic pump  132 . An oil path  130   c  and an oil path  130   d  connect a sequence valve  135  to direction switching valve  134 . Sequence valve  135  activates at a first pressure setting (e.g., 7 Mpa). A check valve  136  is disposed in a bypass oil path  130   f  of sequence valve  135 . 
     A pair of oil paths  130   g ,  130   h  extend from direction switching valve  133  and connect to respective first oil paths  10 ,  11  in base plate  2 . An oil path  130   i  extends from oil paths  130   c ,  130   d  and connects to second oil path  12  of base plate  2 . Oil path  130   e  extends from sequence valve  135  to hydraulic booster  8 . 
     During operation, when direction switching valve  134  is switched to release hydraulic pressure, direction switching valve  133  is controlled, and first oil path  10  passes hydraulic pressure from hydraulic pressure supply device  7 E to clamp devices  3 . 
     Clamp devices  3  receive the hydraulic pressure and enter the clamped state and secure workpiece W to base plate  2 . Once workpiece W is clamped, direction switching valve  134  is controlled supplies hydraulic pressure to oil path  130   c.    
     Oil path  130   c  passes hydraulic pressure through second oil path  12  and base plate  2  to support devices  5 ,  6 . The hydraulic pressure causes support members  71 ,  86  to rise and abut the lower surface of workpiece W. Once support members  71 ,  86  reach workpiece W, the first pressure setting is applied to sequence valve  135 . Upon reaching the first pressure setting, sequence valve  135  opens and supplies hydraulic pressure to hydraulic pressure booster  8 . Hydraulic pressure booster  8  increases the hydraulic pressure, and returns the now-boosted hydraulic pressure through second oil path  13  to support devices  5 ,  6 . 
     6) Alternative Embodiment 6 
     In another alternative embodiment, clamping devices  3 ,  4  may be alternatively replaced with all clamping devices  3  or all clamping devices  4  depending upon operation and production requirements. 
     7) Alternative Embodiment 7 
     In an alternative embodiment main cylinder units  30  of vertical pivoting clamp devices  3  may be mounted in the wall of the base plate by providing a cylinder cap and head-side cylinder end wall as in horizontally pivoting clamp  4 A of FIG. 8, and inserting the cylinder cap and the head-side cylinder end wall into a cylinder hole formed in base plate  2 . 
     8) Alternative Embodiment 8 
     In an alternative embodiment, alternative clamping devices other than clamp devices  3 ,  4 ,  4 A,  4 B may be used as the hydraulic clamp devices, and the main cylinder units of these alternative clamping devices may be mounted on the thickness axis of base plate  2 . 
     9) Alternative Embodiment 9 
     In an alternative embodiment base plate  2  may be arranged at any angle according to operational and mechanical needs. Base plate  2  is not restricted to horizontal positioning. Further, two separate base plates  2  may be used in tandem at different angles to support complex workpieces W. 
     The present invention may also be implemented with alternative types of clamp systems other than those described above. 
     In understanding hydraulic pressure delivery to clamp devices  3 ,  4  through first oil paths  10 ,  11 , it should be understood, that the delivery of hydraulic pressure downstream from hydraulic pressure supply device  7 , where identified as ‘in series,’ is substantially in series through each respective clamp device  3 ,  4  (see FIGS. 2 and 6) despite clamp devices  3 ,  4  being separated in different rows, each row is supplied simultaneously in series. In other words, in each row, if a single clamp device  3 ,  4  fails to pass hydraulic pressure, there is no passage beyond the failed device. 
     It understanding hydraulic pressure delivery to support devices  5 ,  6  through second oil paths  12 ,  13 , it should be understood, that the delivery of regular and boosted hydraulic pressure downstream from hydraulic pressure supply device  7  and hydraulic pressure booster  8 , where identified as ‘in parallel,’ is substantially in parallel from a common supply line between each respective support device  5 ,  6  (see FIGS. 2 and 6) despite the individual physical arrangement of support devices  5 ,  6 . 
     Although only a single or few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplary embodiment(s) without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the following claims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to cover the structures described or suggested herein as performing the recited function and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures. Thus, for example, although a nail, a screw, and a bolt may not be structural equivalents in that a nail relies entirely on friction between a wooden part and a cylindrical surface, a screw&#39;s helical surface positively engages the wooden part, and a bolt&#39;s head and nut compress wooden part together, in the environment of fastening wooden parts, a nail, a screw, and a bolt may be readily understood by those skilled in the art as equivalent structures. 
     Having described preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes and modifications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.