Semi-automatic locating, automatic centering induction heating apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR CENTERING THE TWO SIDES OF A CHANNELSHAPED WORKPIECE WITH RESPECT TO THE AXIS OF AN INDUCTION HEATING DEVICE, SAID INDUCTION HEATING DEVICE HAVING A SHAPE TO FIT WITHIN SAID CHANNEL, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING A CONVEYOR CARRYING A FIXTURE, SAID FIXTURE MOVABLE RECIPROCALLY MOUNTED WITH RESPECT TO SAID CONVEYOR, MEANS FOR CLAMPING SAID WORKPIECE IN SAID FIXTURE SO SAID SIDES ARE GENERALLY VERTICALLY SPACED, A WORKPIECE CENTERING DEVICE COMPRISING A CENTER AXIS AND GENERALLY VERTICALLY MOVABLE MEMBERS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS MOVING UPWARDLY FROM SAID AXIS AND AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS MOVING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID AXIS, SAID UPWARDLY MOVING MEMBER CONTACTING ONE SIDE OF SAID WORKPIECE, SAID DOWNWARDLY MOVING MEMBER CONTACTING THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID WORKPIECE, AND MEANS TO CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF EACH MEMBER SO ALL MEMBERS ARE THE SAME DISTANCE FROM SAID AXIS, AND MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID WORKPIECE AND FIXTURE IN POSITION AFTER THE MEMBERS OF SAID CENTERING DEVICE HAVE BEEN FULLY EXTENDED TO CENTER SAID WORPIECE.