Importance

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Abstract

A workpiece positioner usable with a lathe having a headstock rotatable about a lathe axis has a base adjacent the lathe and defining an upright base axis offset from the lathe axis, a gripper support pivotal on the base about the base axis and defining a horizontal support axis, a positioner head pivotal on the support about the support axis, and a pair of grippers each including a respective pair of gripper jaws displaceable on the head transversely of the support axis. The system has a controller that normally operates hydraulically and that is connected to the base, support, head, and grippers for, during chuck machining, holding the support axis generally perpendicular to the lathe axis and pivoting the gripper about the support axis for loading a workpiece into and taking a workpiece out of the chuck, and during center machining, holding the support axis generally parallel to the lathe axis and pivoting the gripper about the support axis for loading a workpiece into and taking a workpiece out of the lathe. The pivoting through 90.degree. about a vertical axis lets the horizontal axis such a positioner normally swings about to be set either parallel to or perpendicular to the lathe axis. One need only change the jaws when changing between chuck and center machining or when changing workpiece type.

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First Claim