Importance

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Abstract

A vise for holding a work piece in position on an EDM machine includes a main plate for attachment to the rail or ledge of the EDM machine, and the main plate supports a vise that holds the work piece in position during the machining process. The vise includes a movable jaw adjustable in the x direction and a solid jaw for clamping and holding the work piece therebetween. Both jaws include undercuts adjacent the work area of the vise, and the jaws define a clearance pocket so that the discharge wire can be moved to the work position adjacent the work piece. The solid jaw also provides a fixed and repeatable locating surface for the discharge wire so that the discharge wire can use the solid jaw to establish a reference point wherein the discharge wire touches off the solid jaw in order to move the discharge wire to the work position. The vise also includes an alignment and stopping device for maintaining the repeatability of location of the work piece in the vise in the y direction as the work piece may be removed from the vise for checking and then returned a number of times during the machining process. The alignment and stopping device is mounted to the solid jaw and has an adjustment rod that extends between the jaw for providing an exact stopping point against which the work piece abuts.

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First Claim