Patent Publication Number: US-6338477-B1

Title: Dual adjustable vise

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority from provisional patent application No. 60/026,097, filed Sep. 13, 1996. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention is directed to a vise, and more particularly to a vise unit having plural adjustable features. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many different types of vises are available for holding a work piece while performing a machining operation such as drilling or milling. Typically, these vises have one movable jaw and one fixed jaw. Some machining operations may require the work piece to be adjusted to different positions. In order to adjust the work piece, multiple steps must be taken to remove the work piece and then reposition it in the vise. Some vises have jaws with different removable jaw face plates that may be added or removed to position the work piece. Additionally, shims may be positioned in the vise to adjust the work piece into a different position. In some instances, it may be necessary to disconnect the vise from the work table, reposition it, and reconnect the vise to the work table. Such prior vises are limited to only specific types of machining operations. Additionally, such vises are not only awkward and time consuming to set up which leads to inaccurate positioning of the work piece. Furthermore, such vises are also more expensive because they may require extra jaw faces and shims. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a vise unit that is adapted to be mounted to a work table and that provides quick and accurate positioning of a work piece for high precision operations. 
     It is a further object of the invention to provide a vise unit that is capable of repositioning the work piece without removing it from the vise. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a vise unit that is capable of repositioning the work piece without dismounting the vise from the work table. 
     Still another object of the invention is to provide a vise unit that allows multiple machining operations to be conveniently performed on the work piece. 
     Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a vise unit having opposed jaws that are both movable. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a vise unit that is capable of adjustment along plural axes. 
     The preferred vise unit of the present invention has a stationary base vise that adjustably supports a movable work-holding vise. The base vise is capable of being mounted or otherwise secured to a work table. The base vise has two jaws that are both movable and both of which are manipulated by threaded screws along a first axis. The work-holding vise is mounted to the base vise by a lower support adapted to be slidably retained by the jaws of the base vise along a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The work-holding vise has two jaws that are both movable and manipulated by threaded screws to move along the second axis. 
     A removable attachment may be connected to the vise unit to move the work-holding vise along the second axis in order to perform an operation, such as milling, on a work piece. The attachment includes a body that may be connected to the jaws on the base vise and a threaded screw having a free end that engages the work-holding vise to advance it in a controlled manner along the second axis. The attachment can be removably connected from either side of the base vise to advance and retract the vise along the second axis. 
     In another preferred embodiment, a second work-holding vise is provided having a lower support adapted to be slidably retained by the jaws on the first work-holding vise in a direction substantially parallel to the first axis. The second work-holding vise includes work holding jaws that are both manipulated by threaded screws to move parallel to the first axis. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a dual adjustable vise according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the base vise shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b  are isometric front and back views of one of the vise jaws. 
     FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b  are isometric front and back views of another of the vise jaws. 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric bottom view of the base vise. 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the work-holding vise shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 7 is an isometric bottom view of the work-holding vise. 
     FIG. 8 is an isometric view of the adjustable vise with a second work-holding device. 
     FIG. 9 is an isometric left rear view of the vise shown in FIG.  8 . 
     FIG. 10 is an isometric view of the second work-holding vise shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. 
     FIG. 11 is an isometric view of a milling attachment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       1 FIG. 1 shows a vise unit  10  in which a work-holding vise  12  is mounted on a base vise  14 . The base vise  14  is adapted to be mounted on a work table (not shown) to remain stationary. The work-holding vise  12  is mounted on the base vise  14  so that the work-holding vise  12  can be adjusted or selectively positioned on the base vise  14  along a first longitudinal axis  16 . The work-holding vise  12  securely holds a work piece (not shown) which can be adjusted or repositioned along a second longitudinal axis  18  that is substantially perpendicular to the first longitudinal axis  16 . 
     The base vise  14  has slots  20  along the outside edges for mounting to the work table by fasteners (not shown). As seen in FIG. 2, the base vise  14  includes a pair of jaws  22 ,  24  each of which is movable on an upper surface  26  of the base vise  14  and each of which is manipulated by an associated threaded screw  28 ,  30 , respectively, mounted to the base vise  14 . For example, the jaw  22  is attached to threaded adjustment screw  28  that extends through a threaded hole  32  in the base vise  14 . The adjustment screw  28  is attached to the jaw  22  through opening  29  by any securement desired, such as, for example, by set screws (not shown). As seen most clearly in FIG. 3 a , jaw  22  has a face plate  36  secured thereto by fasteners  38  and includes a lower guide portion  40  that is guided within a central groove  42  in the base vise  14 . The lower guide portion  40  has opposed extensions  44  that ride in grooves  46  (FIG. 5) in base vise  14 . Thus, as adjustment screw  28  is rotated it advances and retracts the jaw  22  along the upper surface  26  of base vise  14 . 
     Opposing jaw  24  (FIGS. 4 a  and  4   b ) is attached to a threaded adjustment screw  30  that extends through an opening  48  in base vise  14  and into a threaded hole  50  in a lower guide portion  52  of the jaw  24 . The adjustment screw  30  rotates within the opening  48  but is held longitudinally stationary by a retainer plate  54  (FIG. 5) located within a recess in the end of the base vise  14  and secured thereto by fasteners  56 . The retainer plate  54  is received in a groove (not shown) in adjustment screw  30  to allow it to rotate but prevent forward or rearward movement. Although the opening  48  is s shown as a notch, it is within the scope of the invention that the opening  48  be a hole. Lower guide portion  52  of the jaw  24  is guided within the central groove  42  in the base vise  14  and rides in the grooves  46  in base vise  14 . Jaw  24  also includes a face plate  60  secured thereto by fasteners  62 . 
     The jaws  22 ,  24  each form a groove  64  (FIG. 2) in order to adjustably mount the work-holding vise  12  as will become apparent down below. Scribe marks  66  may be provided along an edge of the upper surface  26  and on outer sides of jaws  22 ,  24  in increments of measurement to enable jaws  22 ,  24  to be precisely adjusted. 
     In the base vise  14  of this embodiment, each adjustment screw  28 ,  30  is located at the same end of the base vise  14 . However, it should be understood that the adjustment screws  28 ,  30  could be located at opposite ends of the base vise  14 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the work-holding vise  12  is shown having two movable jaws  68 ,  70 . The work-holding vise  12  has a lower support  72  having outwardly extending flanges  74  adapted to be slidably received in the grooves  64  in the base vise  14  so that the work-holding vise  12  extends along the second axis  18 . The jaws  22 ,  24  of the base vise  14  are adapted to engage the flanges  74  to securely clamp the work-holding vise  12  in place so that it does not move. Alternatively, the jaws  22 ,  24  of the base vise  14  may slidably receive the flanges  74  of the work-holding vise  12  to allow it to be adjusted along the second axis  18  and to main a uniform elevation. 
     Preferably, each jaw  68 ,  70  is mounted on the work-holding vise  12  by a lower guide portion  76  that is guided within a central groove  78  in the work-holding vise  12  in a manner similar to jaw  22  in FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b . Guide flanges  80  ride in grooves  82  in the work-holding vise  12  in a manner similar to jaw  22  in FIGS. 3 a  and  3   b . 
     Each jaw  68 ,  70  is manipulated by a threaded adjustment screw  84 ,  86 , respectively, located at opposite ends of the work-holding vise  12 . Each adjustment screw  84 ,  86  extends through a threaded hole  88  in an upstanding portion  90  of the work-holding vise  12 . Preferably, the end of each adjustment screw  84 ,  86  is secured to its associated jaw  68 ,  70  through a hole  91  by set screws (not shown) in the same A manner as was discussed with respect to jaw  22  of the base vise  14 . Each jaw  68 ,  70  has a face plate  92  secured thereto by fasteners  94  that forms a groove  96  with a its surface  98  of the work-holding vise  12 . 
     Scribe marks  100  may be provided along an edge of the work holding vise  12  and on the outer sides of jaws  68 ,  70  in increments of measurement to enable the jaws  68 ,  70  to be precisely adjusted. 
     As shown in the figures the work-holding vise  12  may have the adjustment screws  84 ,  86  located at the same end thereof. Alternatively, it should be understood that the adjustment screws  84 ,  86  could be located at opposite ends of the work-holding vise  12 . 
     To provide even more adjustment options, the upper surface of either the base vise  14  or the work-holding vise  12 , or both, may be a removable plate (not shown) secured to the base vise  14  with fasteners, such as screws, and which may, upon removal of the fasteners, be rotated through any desired angle and re-secured to the base vise  14 . 
     Referring now to FIGS. 8-10, the vise unit  10  is shown with a second work-holding vise  104  mounted on the work-holding vise  12 . The second work-holding vise  104  can be adjusted along an axis parallel to the first axis  16  and is mounted to the work-holding vise  12  in a manner similar to how the work-holding vise  12  is mounted to the base vise  14 . 
     As seen most clearly in FIG. 10, the base vise  14 , the work-holding vise  12  and the second work-holding vise  104  all have one movable jaw and one stationary jaw. For example, the second work-holding vise  104  has one movable jaw  106  and one stationary jaw  108 . The movable jaw  106  is adjusted by an adjustment screw  110  in a manner similar to the movable jaws  684   70  of the work-holding vise  12  shown in FIG.  6 . The second work-holding vise  104  is mounted in the work-holding vise  12  by a lower guide portion  112  and is guided and held therein in the same manner as previously described with respect to the work-holding vise  12 . 
     An attachment  114  seen in FIG. 11 is provided for performing an operation such as milling on a work piece. The attachment  114  is a U-shaped device having parallel arms  116  connected at one end by a base  118 . Each arm  116  includes inwardly extending protrusions  120 . These protrusions  120  are adapted to engage notches  122  in either the base vise jaws  22 ,  24  or the work-holding vise jaws  68 ,  70 , respectively. As seen most clearly in FIG. 1, each jaw may have notches at each end. Thus, one protrusion  120  would be inserted in a notch  122  in one jaw while the opposite protrusion  120  would be inserted in similar notch  122  in the opposing jaw. The base  118  has an opening  119  through which a threaded adjustment screw (not shown) extends to engage and move a vise along an axis. For example, if it is desired to move the work-holding device in a controlled manner along the second axis  18 , the protrusions  120  of the arms  116  may be inserted into notches  122  in the base vise jaws  22 ,  24  such that the arms  116  are parallel to the second axis  18 . The end of the adjustment screw (not shown) located within the opening  119  abuts the outer end of the work-holding vise  12  so that, as the attachment adjustment screw is rotated the work-holding vise  12  moves in a precise and controlled manner along the second axis  12 . The attachment  114  may be connected to either end of the jaw. 
     In a like manner, the jaws  68 ,  70  of the work-holding vise  12  may include similar notches so that the attachment can be attached thereto to move the second work-holding vise  104  in a controlled manner along the first axis  16 . Having described the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that it is possible to make slight changes in the design of the preferred embodiment as described herein or to otherwise vary the parts of the device without departing from the scope of spirit of the invention as claimed herein.