Importance

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Abstract

A magnetic clamping arrangement (10) for holding the arrangement, and in particular a body (5), operably clamped with respect to a ferromagnetic surface (6) by way of a body datum face (8), comprises housing (12) mounted on the body, and electromagnet (16) carried by the housing. The electromagnet comprises a core (18), having three limbs 20.1, 20.2 and 20.3, each terminating in a pole face 22.1, 22.2 and 22.3, being formed by a plurality of ferromagnetic transformer laminations (26). stacked together and slideable with respect to each other in a direction to and from the pole faces. Lamination bias (36), in the form of masses 38, 40.1 and 40.2 of resilient compressible material, defined quiescent pole faces from which individual laminations may depart by sliding when forced against a surface having ridges and/or grooves extending in the lamination planes, but exerts a restoring force on such laminations so displaced. The pole faces are thus able to conform to such an uneven surface before the electromagnet is energised and attach with improved flux coupling thereafter.

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First Claim