Claims
- 1. A workstation comprising:
means for sustaining at least one of a workpiece and a tool; means for supporting the sustaining means; means for locating the sustaining means at a selected distance from a surface; and means for securing the supporting means at the selected distance, wherein the means for securing includes a first surface frictionally bearing upon a second surface.
- 2. The workstation of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first surface and the second surface are provided with a texture for increasing a coefficient of friction of the first surface upon the second surface.
- 3. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the first surface is a first wedging surface and the second surface is a second wedging surface.
- 4. The workstation of claim 1, wherein the supporting means includes an axis extending away from the surface, and wherein at least one of the weight of the sustaining means, the weight of the at least one of the workpiece and the tool, and a force applied to the at least one of the workpiece and the tool impose a load force upon the supporting means along an axis substantially parallel to the axis of the supporting means.
- 5. The workstation of claim 4, wherein the means for frictionally securing is configured for increasing the force of securing in proportion to an increase in the load force.
- 6. The workstation of claim 1, further comprising means for disengaging the first surface from the second surface of the means for frictionally securing.
- 7. The workstation of claim 6, wherein the disengaging means comprises a lever having a free end and a fixed end coupled to the securing means, wherein a movement of the free end results in a substantially opposite movement of the fixed end.
- 8. An adjustable workstation, comprising:
a support system; a tooling system movably engaged with the support system, the tooling system including a rear portion facing the support system and a front portion substantially opposite the rear portion; a first wedge surface coupled to the rear portion of the tooling system and having a slope relative to the support system; a second wedge surface located between the first wedge surface and the support system, the second wedge surface cooperating with and complementary to the first wedge surface, wherein a force in a first direction on the second wedge surface relative to the first wedge surface results in a constrainment of the tooling system relative to the support system, and wherein a force in a second direction substantially opposite the first direction on the second wedge surface relative to the first wedge surface results in a release of constrainment of the tooling system relative to the support system.
- 9. The adjustable workstation of claim 8, wherein the second wedge surface is located on a first wedge plate between the tooling system and the support system.
- 10. The adjustable workstation of claim 9, wherein the first wedge surface is located on the rear portion of the tooling system.
- 11. The adjustable workstation of claim 10, wherein the rear portion of the tooling system comprises a second wedge plate fixedly attached to the front portion of the tooling system.
- 12. The adjustable workstation of claim 10, wherein the tooling system includes a recess in the rear portion thereof, the rear portion including the first wedge surface for interaction with the second wedge surface.
- 13. The adjustable workstation of claim 9, further comprising a lever having first and second ends, the lever coupled to the second wedge surface at the second end thereof such that a force on the first end of the lever arm results in a substantially opposite force on the second wedge surface.
- 14. The adjustable workstation of claim 9, further comprising a worktable coupled to the tooling system.
- 15. The adjustable workstation of claim 9, further comprising a tool for interacting with a workpiece, the tool coupled to the tooling system.
- 16. The adjustable workstation of claim 9, further comprising a guard structure coupled to the tooling system.
- 17. The adjustable workstation of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of guiding assemblies coupled to the tooling system, the guiding assemblies cooperating with a plurality of inner edges of the support system to slidably engage the tooling system with the support system.
- 18. The adjustable workstation of claim 9, further comprising means for altering the position of the tooling system relative to the support system.
- 19. An adjustable workstation, comprising:
a base; a support member coupled to the base; a tooling plate having a rear surface facing the fixed support member and a front surface substantially opposite the rear surface, the tooling plate including a recess disposed within the rear surface thereof, the recess defining a sloped surface relative to the rear surface, the tooling plate slidably engaged with the support member; and a wedge plate disposed within the recess and having a sloped surface complementary to the sloped surface of the recess, wherein an movement of the wedge plate in a first direction relative to the recess results in the sloped surfaces of the recess and the wedge plate cooperating to inhibit the movement of the tooling plate relative to the fixed support member and wherein a movement of the wedge plate in a second direction substantially opposite the first direction relative to the recess results in the sloped surfaces of the recess and the wedge plate cooperating to uninhibit the movement of the tooling plate relative to the fixed support member.
- 20. The adjustable workstation of claim 19, further comprising a lever arm having a free end and a fixed end coupled to the wedge plate, wherein a movement of the free end in a third direction results in a movement of the wedge plate in a fourth direction substantially opposite the third direction.
- 21. The adjustable workstation of claim 20, further comprising a tool coupled to the tooling plate.
- 22. The adjustable workstation of claim 21, further comprising a worktable coupled to the tooling plate.
- 23. The adjustable workstation of claim 20, further comprising a hydraulic assembly coupled to the tooling plate, the hydraulic assembly selectively altering the position of the tooling plate relative to the support member.
- 24. The adjustable workstation of claim 20, further comprising an air cylinder assembly coupled to the tooling plate, the air cylinder assembly selectively altering the position of the tooling plate relative to the support member.
- 25. The adjustable workstation of claim 20, further comprising a guard frame coupled to the tooling plate.
- 26. The adjustable workstation of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of guiding assemblies coupled to the tooling plate, the guiding assemblies cooperating with a plurality of inner edges of the support member to slidably engage the tooling plate with the support member.
- 27. The adjustable workstation of claim 20, further comprising a jack assembly coupled to the tooling plate, the jack assembly selectively altering the position of the tooling system relative to the support member.
- 28. A workstation comprising:
means for sustaining at least one of a workpiece or a tool; means for locating the sustaining means at a desired position; and means for securing the sustaining means at a selected distance away from a surface, wherein the means for securing includes a first surface frictionally bearing upon a second surface.
- 29. The workstation of claim 28, further comprising means for adjusting the position of the sustaining means at the selected distance from the surface.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. application Ser. No. 60/200,788, filed Apr. 28, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60200788 |
Apr 2000 |
US |