Patent ID: 8167292

Claim:
A jaw plate for holding a workpiece of a particular contour when the plate is removably mounted on a jaw of a machine vise, the jaw mounted on a vise base for movement in a first direction, the jaw having a planar workpiece-clamping face disposed orthogonal to the first direction, the jaw having at least two transverse fastener-receiving holes therein and a planar top surface disposed orthogonal to, and meeting the workpiece-clamping face, the jaw plate comprising: a) first and second planar inside faces joined transversely to each other, two outside faces joined transversely to each other, and two joining faces joining the inside faces to the outside faces to thereby define an L-shape cross section contour to the entire jaw plate, the cross section having a first leg and a second leg transverse to the first leg composed of an aluminum alloy; b) the first planar inside face having a surface dimensioned to lie flat against the workpiece-clamping face of the jaw; c) through holes in the first leg corresponding in position to said at least two transverse fastener-receiving holes such that the section may be securely mounted to said jaw by fasteners; d) an elongate groove positioned at the intersection of the first and second inside faces to separate the two faces to ensure that the second inside face engages the planar top surface of the jaw; e) the second planar inside face having a surface dimensioned to engage the planar top surface, the second planar inside face being disposed at an angle of not greater than ninety and not less than eighty-nine degrees to the first planar inside face for engaging said planar top surface at a location away from the groove at the junction of the two inside faces when the plate is mounted on the jaw by fasteners; and f) the outside surface of the first leg being opposed to the first surface, the outside surface of the first leg arranged to be readily modifiable from the a top edge thereof to a bottom edge thereof to conform to said particular contour of the workpiece for enhanced secure holding of the workpiece during machining.