Patent ID: 7296979

Claim:
A vacuum support comprising: a vacuum plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, said top surface receptive to releasably mounting a separate operative device therewith; at least two rigid stops extending from the bottom surface; a seal extending along a periphery of said bottom surface, said vacuum plate and said seal defining a vacuum space; wherein upon attaching said vacuum plate to a mounting surface by reducing pressure in said vacuum space, said at least two stops are in engagement with said mounting surface preventing any further movement of any portion of said vacuum plate toward said mounting surface, therein providing a rigid fixed distance between said bottom surface and said mounting surface; a recess formed in the top surface of the vacuum plate, said recess being configured to contain a magnetic mount of a base of a coordinate measurement machine, and said top surface including a ferromagnetic material confgured to releasably associate said magnetic mount with the vacuum support.