Patent Publication Number: US-6217014-B1

Title: Work stop system and jaw plate for holding the same

Description:
This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/892,258 filed on Jul. 7, 1997 which is now U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,967. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a work stop that can be positively positioned on a jaw plate of a vise using a groove provided in the top edge of the vise. The work stop has two parts that are expandable in dimension relative to the side surfaces of the groove to positively clamp the work stop in position. The jaw plate may be removable and includes locators so it is precisely positioned in its location when it is replaced. 
     Work stops have long been used, particularly in machining operations utilizing machine vises. Generally speaking, these stops are clamp mounted at a specific spot on the vise and then an adjustable rod that is held in the clamp is used to provide the desired stop position. The clamps generally are relatively cumbersome, and expensive if they are going to be much good. 
     There have been work stops developed which utilize dove tail slots on a fixed member, and then a mating dove tail block slides in the slot and supports a stop member for forming a work stop. One such device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,562. However, with dove tail slots the mating pieces must seat closely for securely latching the two components together. 
     Thus, the need exists for providing a small, low cost, positive adjustable stop used in combination with a removable jaw plate for increasing the convenience and the speed of changing the work stop setting, and exchanging a clamp jaw plate set up for one workpiece for another jaw plate with a work stop for a different workpiece. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a work stop system for use with machine vises. In particular, the work stop system includes an easily adjustable, small, low profile stop member that slides along a groove or slot in the top edge of a jaw plate of a vise and which can be positively locked in position. The locking requires very little movement of the locking members. 
     The present invention also presents a jaw plate that is used with a parallel sided slot or groove in a top edge that extends in direction along the length of the jaw plate, which direction is transverse to the clamping direction of a vise. The work stop has a body with a first lock portion that fits into the groove in the jaw plate, and a second lock portion also that fits into the groove and mates with the first lock portion so that upon tightening a screw or turning a cam the lock portions expand and the work stop is positively locked against the parallel side surfaces of the groove or slot. 
     Various forms of locks are shown, including a wedge type lock where a movable wedge portion slides on a wedge surface on the first portion. Cams, expansion lock, and other members that will cause the two lock portions to expand in a direction to engage both of the parallel side surfaces of the slot can be used. 
     The jaw plates are made with a vise or clamp jaw mounting so that the jaw plates can be removed from the jaw with the work stop left in position, and then later, when the same part is to be again made, the jaw plate can be replaced without changing the positioning of the work stop. The jaw plate is located precisely relative to the mounting jaw. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a vise having a work stop and a removable jaw plate made according to the present invention installed thereon, with parts in section and parts broken away; 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view of the jaw shown in FIG. 1 taken generally along line  2 — 2  in FIG. 3; 
     FIG. 3 is a fragmentary top plan view of the fixed jaw shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a locator region of a vise jaw taken on line  4 — 4  in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a jaw plate taken generally along line  5 — 5  in FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken as on line  6 — 6  in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged top view of an end of a jaw plate locator pin with parts in section and parts broken away; 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged end view of the jaw plate shown in FIG. 2 showing details of the locking mechanism for a work stop made according to the present invention with parts in section and parts broken away; 
     FIG. 9 is fragmentary sectional view taken as on line  9 — 9  in FIG. 8; 
     FIG. 10 is a fragmentary view taken along line  10 — 10  in FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a view taken generally along line  11 — 11  in FIG. 10 with parts in section and parts broken away; 
     FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a modified work stop made according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 13 is an end elevational view of the device of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 14 is a side view of the device of FIG. 12 with parts broken away; 
     FIG. 15 is a fragmentary side view of a jaw plate with parts in section and parts broken away showing a modified locking arrangement for a work stop mounted on the jaw plate; 
     FIG. 16 is a side view of a further modified lock for the work stop of the present invention shown with parts in section and parts broken away; 
     FIG. 17 is a side view of a still further modified locking member for a work stop with parts in section and parts broken away; 
     FIG. 18 is a side view similar to FIG. 17 showing a further modified form of a locking member for a work stop made according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 19 is a view taken along line  19 — 19  in FIG. 18; 
     FIG. 20 is a side view similar to FIG. 18 showing a further modified form of the locking member for a work stop made according to the present invention; and 
     FIG. 21 is a view taken along line  21 — 21  in FIG.  20 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a typical machine vise is indicated generally at  10  and includes a vise body  12  that has laterally extending rails  13  with top surfaces  14  that support and guide a first movable jaw  15 , and in the form of the vise shown, a second movable jaw  16 . The vise shown has a center fixed jaw  18 , that is held securely relative to the vise body  12 . On each side of the fixed jaw  18  there is a jaw plate  20  and  22 , respectively. The jaw plates  20  and  22  face the respective movable jaws  15  and  16 , which have jaw plates  15 A and  16 A, mounted thereon, respectively. 
     The vise is operated by operating a vise screw  24  to move the two jaws  15  and  16  toward and away from each other simultaneously. The jaw plates  15 A and  16 A will clamp workpieces against the jaw plates  20  and  22 , respectively. 
     The fixed jaw  18  is held in position on the vise body  12  with suitable cap screws  26  as shown in FIG.  2 . Also, keys shown in dotted lines at  28  can be used for holding the fixed jaw  18  in position on the vise. 
     The fixed jaw  18  has a locator cross pin  30  mounted in a centering slot  32  on the lower side of the fixed jaw  18 . The locator pin  30  is held positively in place, and has outer ends  38  that extend out from the fixed jaw  18  and which are used for locating the jaw plates  20  and  22 . 
     The cross slot  32  that is formed in the lower edge of the fixed jaw is shown in FIG.  4 . The slot  32  has inwardly tapered end surfaces  34  near its inner or upper end to form a “V” seat for pin  30 . The surfaces are angled so that the locator pin  30  has line contact along the surfaces  34  when the pin is seated and will center on the surfaces  34 . The pin  30  has clearance at the upper end of slot  32 . The locator pin  30  is pulled up against the surfaces  34  using a pull bolt  36  that has a head in a recess in the upper surface of the fixed jaw  18  and which threads into a threaded bore in the locator pin  30 . The locator pin  30  end portions  38 ,  38  protrude out beyond the side surfaces of the fixed jaw  18 , and the end portions are received in locator slots  40  and  42  in the jaw plates  20  and  22 , respectively. 
     The slots  40  and  42  are blind slots, and do not extend all the way through the jaw plates  20  and  22 . FIGS. 5 and 6 show slot  40  typically. The slots  40  and  42  have parallel sides, and are made so that when the jaw plates rest on the surfaces  14  of the vise, there is a clearance at the top end of the slots  40  and  42  relative to the end portions  38  of the locator pin  30 . 
     The jaw plates  20  and  22  are held in place with suitable cap screws that thread into the fixed jaw in a normal manner. Such cap screws are shown schematically at  46  in FIGS. 2,  3  and  5 . Jaw plates  20  and  22  can be held against the surfaces of the fixed jaw  18  in any desired manner. 
     As shown in FIG. 7, each of the end portions  38  of the locator pin  30  have a slit  48  extending parallel to but offset from the pin central axis. The slot  48  extends inwardly from one end of the pin  30  to form a resilient locator portion  50  and a relatively fixed portion  52  of the end  38 . The locator portion  50  will move toward the fixed portion  52  under a force and will exert a spring load outwardly. The slots  40  and  42  are made so that their width is less than the outer dimension of the locating pin  30  and specifically less than the locating pin end  38 , so that when the jaw plates  20  and  22  are slid down into place against the fixed jaw  18  and over the end portions  38  of the locator pin  30 , the jaw plates  20  and  22  cause locator portion  50  to resiliently move as they fit into the slots  40  and  42  and exert a spring load against the one side surface of the slots  40  and  42 . The jaw plates are positively positioned laterally in direction of the longitudinal length of the jaw plates. This is the direction transverse to the axis of the movement of the movable jaws of the vise. The spring load from the resiliently loaded locator portion  50  provides a positive seating of the jaw plates  20  and  22 , and as will be explained, that permits the jaw plates  20  and  22  to be interchanged with other jaw plates with the work stops set for particular piece parts carried thereon. 
     Once the jaw plates  20  and  22  are properly located laterally of the vise, the cap screws  46  are threaded into bores in the fixed jaw  18  so that the jaw plates  20  and  22  are securely held against the face of the fixed jaw  18 . 
     A work stop  56  is shown on each of the jaw plates  20  and  22  in FIG.  2 . The work stops have stop ends  57  that extend out from the clamp face of the jaw plate and are positioned in a location which provides for a stop for a workpiece to be held in the vise and machined. As shown typically in FIG. 6 for the jaw plate  20 , and in FIG. 2, each of the jaw plates has a locator groove or slot  58  therein. The groove or slot has precisely spaced parallel side surfaces  60  and  62  and a bottom surface that joins these side surfaces. The bottom surface is positioned sufficiently deep to form a clearance relative to the holding or lock mechanisms for the work stop  58 . The surfaces  60  and  62  are precisely machined parallel to each other and extending along the length of the jaw plates, which is the direction transverse to the direction of jaw movement for clamping. 
     The work stops  56  can be held in any desired location along the length of these grooves or slots  58 , and can be made so that they will extend out beyond the ends of the vise jaws for parts that protrude beyond the sides of the vise. 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the top end of the jaw plate  20  and shows a work stop  56  in position. The slot or groove  58  is shown, and it can be seen that the work stop  56  has a pair of spaced apart fixed lock members  66  (see also FIGS. 9,  10  and  11 ) that fit into the slot  58 . The lock members  66  have inclined wedge surfaces  68  on one side and vertical side surfaces  70  opposite from the inclined surfaces. 
     As can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 11, the fixed lock members  66  are on opposite ends of the work stop body  55 , and the lock members  66  are spaced apart in the center sufficient to receive a tongue  69  of a movable lock member or portion  71 . Movable lock member  71  has outwardly extending wedges  72  on opposite sides of its center line, and the wedges  72  have upwardly facing inclined surfaces  74  which align with and mate with the surfaces  68  on fixed lock members  66 . This can perhaps best be seen in FIG. 9, where the lock members  66  have been broken away, and are shown overlying partially the inclined surfaces  74  of the wedges  72 . 
     The lock member  71  also has a vertical side surface  76  that is adjacent to and will engage the side surface  60  of the slot  58 . 
     A cap screw  78  is positioned in the body  55  of the work stop  56 , and extends through a bore  80  to be threaded into a threaded opening in the tongue portion  69  of the movable lock member  71 . When the cap screw  78  is tightened, the wedge surfaces  68  and  74  will engage and slide, tending to expand the overall width of the member represented in FIG. 10 at W, thereby tightening the lock members to cause wedging so the surfaces  70  and  76  expand against the surfaces  60  and  62  of the slot  58 . 
     Thus a work stop  56  can be slid along the length of the slot  58  of either one of the jaw plates, and clamped in place by tightening the screw  78  to form the wedge locking arrangement caused by the surfaces  70  and  76  that expand laterally to hold the work stop positively in position. 
     As stated, the work stop  56  can be left in position for a particular part and the jaw plate removed, and when the same part is to be machined the jaw plate can be replaced because of the precise locating arrangement laterally using locator pin  30  as well as against the surface of the fixed jaw  18 . 
     Where a work stop needs to be beyond the sides of the vise because of the size of the workpiece, a work stop such as that shown in FIGS. 12,  13  and  14  can be utilized. In this form of the invention, a work stop  84  has an elongated body  86  that lies over top of a jaw plate  88  that has a groove or slot  90  in the top edge. 
     While not shown in detail, the same type of wedge lock members as shown in the first form of the invention can be utilized in three positions including a first position  92 , a second position  94  and a third position  96 . By clamping at two positions such as  92  and  94  with a suitable wedge member  96  (see FIG. 13) using cap screws  98 , the work stop  84  can be locked positively in position and held in place in the slot as in the previous form of the invention. An outer end of the work stop can protrude beyond an end  100  of the jaw plate  88 . In this instance, the work stop body  86  has a pair of work stop lugs  102  and  104  extending in opposite directions from the jaw plate  88 . The groove can be in a fixed jaw, such as that shown at  18  so that the lugs  102  and  104  can be used for stopping workpieces on opposite sides of the fixed jaw  18 . The work stop lugs can be used as desired. It can also be seen that three stations can be used for locking the work stop  84  in position. 
     The lock members  96  are the same type as that shown in the first form of the invention. The work stop  84  can have a plurality of the lock members spaced at appropriate locations for providing the expanding members that hold the work stop positioned securely. The work stop  84  can be made to extend either to the right or left of the vise. 
     FIGS. 15-21 show alternate locking arrangements for use with the work stops of the present invention. 
     Each of the work stops is shown in the jaw plate  20 , with the slot  58  in the top edge. As shown in FIG. 15, a work stop  110  has a body  111 , and a lock member set screw  112  has a threaded shank threadably mounted in a bore in the center of the body  111 . The portion end  144  of the set screw  112  is made eccentric relative to the central axis  116  of the threaded shank, and when the set screw  112  is turned, a cam surface shown at  118  will engage the side surface  62  of the slot or groove and force the opposite side of the end portion  144  against surface  60  to provide a cam lock for the work stop  110 . The work stop lug  119  will thus be held securely at a desired position along the jaw plate. Releasing the lock member is accomplished by reversing the rotation of the set screw  112 . 
     FIG. 16 shows a further modified form wherein a work stop  120  has a body  121  that has a lock portion  123  that extends into the slot  58 . A threaded bore  122  is formed in the body  121  and lock portion  123  with the axis of the bore  122  at an acute angle relative to the plane of the surface  62  of the slot  58 . A set screw  124  has an internal cone surface  126  adjacent its inner end and is positioned in the threaded bore  122 . The set screw  121  can be loosened (screwed inwardly) so that the cone surface is inside the bore in the lock portion  123 . The lock portion  123  and end portion  128  of the set screw can be slipped into the slot  58 . The set screw is tightened (drawn upwardly) so that the conical surface  126  will engage the surface  62  and push the lock portion against surface  60  to securely lock the work stop  120  relative to the jaw plate  20 . The lock portion  123  has a width along the slot  58  greater than the diameter of the set screw so it has a surface  125  that engages surface  60 . the lock portion has a width as shown for the locks in FIGS. 19 and 21. Releasing is accomplished by reversing direction of rotation of the set screw. Only a partial turn of the set screw is needed for locking and releasing. 
     In FIG. 17, a modified cam having an action similar to that shown in FIG. 16 is used. The work stop  130  has a countersunk bore  132  in its body  133 , and it has a recess  134  defined therein. The body  133  has a lock portion  135  that extends into the slot  58  of the jaw plate  20 , and the recess  134  extends into the lock portion and slidably receives a locking wedge member  136 . The locking wedge member is positioned so it will partially extend into the slot  58  adjacent surface  62 . The recess  134  is open to that side so the wedge member  136  can move out of the lock member  135  to engage surface  62 . The lock member  135  also has a lateral width along slot  58 . 
     A cap screw  137  is used for tightening the wedge member  136  upwardly and when this is done, the wedge member  136  will engage the side surface  62  of the slot  58  and cause an expanding force with the opposite side of the lock portion  135  including a lip portion  135  that extends into the slot  58 , and the surface along the lateral width engaging surface  62 . The wedge member  136  will securely hold the work stop  130  in position. 
     In FIGS. 18 and 19, a further modified form of the invention is shown for holding a work stop  140  in position. The work stop  140  has a body  141  in which a threaded bore  142  is formed. In addition, the body  141  has a housing structure  144  that extends down into the slot  58  and forms a lock portion. As can be seen in FIG. 19, housing  144  has an interior chamber  145 . The chamber  145  has parallel side walls and is open to the surface  62  when the work stop is positioned in the slot  58 . A compressible rubber block  136  is positioned in the chamber  145  near the lower end of the chamber, and a set screw  147  is threaded into the bore  143 . The set screw has an end  148  that fits into the chamber  145  and bears against the rubber block  146 . When the set screw  147  is tightened, the rubber block  146  will tend to expand outwardly in direction toward the surface  62  and will cause the work stop to be held securely by expanding the lateral dimension of the lock portion  144  and a movable lock portion comprising the expanding rubber block  146 . The block  146  and lock portion  144  engage the surfaces  62  and  60  of the slot  58  for locking. 
     FIGS. 20 and 21 show a further modified form of the work stop lock of the present invention. In this form of the invention, a work stop  154  has a body  155 , and a threaded bore  156  through the body. The body  155  also has a lower lock housing  158  extending into the slot  58  of the jaw plate  20 , and the body  158  is slightly narrower than the space between the surfaces  60  and  62  of the slot  58 . Lower lock body  158  has a bore  160  therethrough, transverse to the slot and opening to both the surfaces  60  and  62 , as shown. A cam plunger  162  is mounted in bore  160 , and it has a conical seat  164  at an upper side thereof that aligns with the bore  156  in the body  155 . 
     A set screw  166  is threaded into the bore  156  and has a cone end  168  that fits into the conical recess  164 . As can be seen, the center line  166 A of the set screw  166  is off set from the center of the lock body  158  and offset from the center of the conical seat  164 . The cone end  168  of the set screw thus will bear against one side of the conical shaped seat  164  and will force the plunger  162  against the surface  62 . The opposite end of the lock body  150  will bear against the surface  60  of the slot  58  to cause a positive lock to occur. 
     The system design allows positioning workpieces repeatably into a vise locating the workpiece or multiple workpieces with a minimum of accessories and allows mounting the vises in close proximity to each other without interference from the work stop. The work stops are contained within the “foot print” of the vise unless the work stop is needed for an extended part. 
     When quick change over jaw plates are desired for economics of operation, it is also possible to keep the work stop attached to the jaw plate being removed and stored until there is a future set up for the same part. The design allows jaw plates to be used that are no higher than the stationary jaw on which the jaw plates mount. The standard work stop is designed small enough in width so as it does not consume as much of the usable jaw clamping surface as existing work stops, and can be used to locate parts on either the right or left edge. The sides of the work stop bodies are ground parallel. 
     The special stops for longer parts can be made for either right or left-hand extension, as desired. 
     The work stop will be usable on all jaw sizes, so long as the jaw has a groove, and can be used on fixed jaws or on jaw plates as shown. 
     The jaw plate locator pin on the fixed jaw is positioned, located on the fixed jaw, and the resilient end portion of locator pin will cause the jaw plate to be located and referenced against one side of the provided slot, to positively position the jaw plate laterally. The jaw plate is held securely against the face of the stationary jaw for insuring that it is vertical. 
     A minimum number of tools are necessary for operating the work stop. Generally only an Allen type wrench is needed for operating the work stops, and also for removing and replacing the jaw plates. 
     Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.