Workpiece orientation column

Claim 2

Apparatus for orienting and positioning a large, complex shaped workpiece for machining by movement with respect to five axes, comprising: a. At least one horizontally extending fixed track; b. Table means mounted on said track; c. First drive means drivingly interconnecting said table means and said track for back and forth movement of said table means; d. Platform means rotatably mounted on said table mekans and defining a vertically extending aperture therethrough; e. Second drive means rotatably interconnecting said table means and Platform means; f. A vertically extending support column having a vertical axis and extending through said aperture; g. Means mounting said support column for rotation with said platform means; h. Elevating means rigidly mounted to and extending beneath said platform means and fastened to said column to raise and lower said support column with respect to said platform means; i. Housing means mounted on said support column above said platform means for rotation about an horizontal axis; j. Rotating means mounted on said support column and connected to said housing means to rotate said housing means about said horizontal axis between a horizontal and a vertical position; k. Workpiece table means mounted on said housing means for rotation thereon through about 360*; and

Claim 3

Third drive means drivingly interconnecting said housing means and workpiece table means for rotation of said workpiece table means.

Claim 4

Third drive means drivingly interconnecting said housing means and workpiece table means for rotation of said workpiece table means.

Claim 5

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 1: a. Guide means guiding the up and down movement of said support column and comprising a guide member concentric with and interior to said support column and of substantially the same shape as the support column; b. Stiffening member dependingly and rigidly mounted to said platform means; c. Connecting means rigidly interconnecting said stiffening member and said guide member; and d. Said elevating means interconnecting said connecting means and said support column.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, including two tracks, a base mounting said tracks and defining a deep aperture extending along the length of said tracks to accommodate said guide member.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said elevating means is an hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly.

Claim 8

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 1: a. Said support column terminating proximate its upper end in two vertically extending spaced arms; b. Said housing means including horizontally extending trunnion members rotatably mounted in said arms and an aperture which is coaxial with said column when said housing means is in one position; and c. Said workpiece table means comprising a flat circular table member and a depending spindle member rotatably mounted in said aperture in said housing means.

Claim 9

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 5: a. A pair of lever arms rigidly mounted to said housing means; b. Said rotating means comprising a pair of hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblies; c. One of said piston and cylinder of each assembly being rotatably connected to one of said lever arms; d. The other of said piston and cylinder of each assembly being fixedly and rotatably connected to said support column; and e. A pair of elongated apertures defined by said platform means through which said piston and cylinder assemblies extend.

Claim 10

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 5: a. Said workpiece table means having a worm extending about its periphery; and b. Said third drive means comprising a worm gear mounted on said housing means and rotatingly engaging said worm.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said platform, stiffening member and guide means mount and support said support column to withstand heavy loads up to at least about 100,000 pounds of a workpiece mounted on the workpiece table means.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, including a plurality of rigid bracing members interconnecting said platform means and said stiffening member.

Claim 13

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 2: a. Said support column being substantially cylindrical and having a vertically extending key; b. Said platform means aperture including a keyway in which said key fits whereby rotation of said table will rotate said support column independent of the position of elevation of the support column with respect to said platform means; and c. Said guide member being substantialLy cylindrical.

Claim 14

Apparatus for supporting and orienting a large workpiece such as a marine propeller having a diameter of at least about 8 feet and weighing at least about 5 tons for machining by a horizontal boring mill, comprising: a. A fixed horizontal trackway comprising a pair of tracks; b. A table mounted on said trackway; c. Platform means rotatably mounted on said table and defining a central non-circular aperture; d. Means mounted on said table to propel said table back and forth along said trackway; e. A vertical support column with a vertical axis and extending above and below said platform means and similar in shape to said non-circular aperture to be rotatable with the platform means and vertically movable with respect thereto; f. First drive means drivingly interconnecting said table and platform means to rotate said support column about said axis; g. Elevating means rigidly mounted to said support column and to said platform means and extending beneath said platform means vertically to raise and lower the support column; h. Housing means mounted on said support column proximate the upper end thereof; i. First mounting means on said support column mounting said housing means for rotation about a horizontal axis between a vertical and a horizontal position; j. Rotating means connected to said housing means and said support column to rotate said housing means about said horizontal axis between a horizontal and a vertical position; k. Workpiece table means to mount a workpiece and having a transverse axis; l. Second mounting means rotatably mounting said workpiece table means on said housing means; and m. Second drive means mounted drivingly interconnecting said housing means and said workpiece table means to rotate said workpiece table means about said transverse axis through about 360* of movement.

Claim 15

Apparatus for supporting and orienting a large workpiece such as a marine propeller having a diameter of at least about 8 feet and weighing at least about 5 tons for machining by a horizontal boring mill, comprising: a. A fixed horizontal trackway comprising a pair of tracks; b. A table mounted on said trackway; c. Platform means rotatably mounted on said table and defining a central non-circular aperture; d. Means mounted on said table to propel said table back and forth along said trackway; e. A vertical support column with a vertical axis and extending above and below said platform means and similar in shape to said non-circular aperture to be rotatable with the platform means and vertically movable with respect thereto; f. First drive means drivingly interconnecting said table and platform means to rotate said support column about said axis; g. Elevating means rigidly mounted to said support column and to said platform means and extending beneath said platform means vertically to raise and lower the support column; h. Housing means mounted on said support column proximate the upper end thereof; i. First mounting means on said support column mounting said housing means for rotation about a horizontal axis between a vertical and a horizontal position; j. Rotating means connected to said housing means and said support column to rotate said housing means about said horizontal axis between a horizontal and a vertical position; k. Workpiece table means to mount a workpiece and having a transverse axis; l. Second mounting means rotatably mounting said workpiece table means on said housing means; and m. Second drive means mounted drivingly interconnecting said housing means and said workpiece table means to rotate said workpiece table means about said transverse axis through about 360* of movement.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said support column is substantially cylindrical and is mounted between two concentric substantially cylindrical members, comprising an outer stiffening member and an inner guide member, the outer diameter of said guide member being slightly less than the inner diameter of said support column, means rigidly and dependingly mounting said outer stiffening member to said platform means, means rigidly mounting said guide member to said stiffening member, said elevating means being connected to at least one of said stiffening member and said guide member.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, including a plurality of brace members, each having one end rigidly fastened to said platform means and another end rigidly fastened to said stiffening member.

Claim 18

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said means i) comprises a pair of arms rigidly mounted on said support member and trunnion means connected to said housing means and rotatably mounted in said arms, and said means (j) comprises at least one lever arm having one end rigidly and rotatably connected to one end of a hydraulic piston and cylinder assembly, the other end of said hydraulic cylinder assembly being rigidly and rotatably connected to said support column, and an elongated aperture defined by said platform means through which said hydraulic assembly extends.

Claim 19

Apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said table is circular, said aperture extends through the geometric center of said table, said table member having an outer threaded surface, and said first drive means comprises gear means engaging said threaded surface for rotation through about 360*.

Claim 20

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 10, each of said means (d), (f), (g), (j) and (m) being operable in a precisely controllable manner, whereby precise positioning of said workpiece with respect to up to two linear directions of movement and three angular directions of movement can be achieved on a substantially continuous basis for accurately moving and positioning A large workpiece for machining.

Claim 21

In an apparatus as set forth in claim 12, said tracks being mounted on a rigid foundation defining a deep aperture extending along the length of said tracks to accommodate said guide member.