Patent ID: 8458871

Claim:
An apparatus for working a substantially planar workpiece in relation to which a set of work actions is required to be performed at one of a number of work zones on or in said workpiece, said apparatus comprising: a working assembly for performing the working of the workpiece, said working assembly being movably mounted on a beam for reciprocal linear movement along a first axis in the form of a longitudinal axis of the beam; and an assembly rail movably mounted on said beam for movement along the first axis, said assembly rail having a second axis in the form of a longitudinal axis of the assembly rail, which second axis extends at a right angle to the first axis of said beam; wherein said apparatus further comprises: an immobilizing base mounted on said assembly rail for reciprocal linear movement along said assembly rail in the direction of the second axis; a clamping base mounted on said immobilizing base and adapted to be driven relative to the immobilizing base along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes so as to be clamped onto said workpiece to locate said working assembly at a predetermined one of said work zones; and a movable base mounted on said assembly rail for limited reciprocal linear displacement along said assembly rail in the direction of said second axis relative to said immobilizing base, wherein said working assembly is mounted on said movable base to enable limited linear displacement of said working assembly in said second axis direction in said predetermined work zone.