초록 ▼

A portable leveling vacuum tool to align a substantially flat top surface of a plurality of workpieces in a coplanar orientation. The vacuum tool includes a pair of parallel frame rails spaced apart from each other to define an intermediate area therebetween. The frame rails have substantially flat,

A portable leveling vacuum tool to align a substantially flat top surface of a plurality of workpieces in a coplanar orientation. The vacuum tool includes a pair of parallel frame rails spaced apart from each other to define an intermediate area therebetween. The frame rails have substantially flat, coplanar bottom surfaces that define a planar reference surface against which the top surfaces of the workpieces are positioned. One or more vacuum cup assemblies are movably mounted to the frame rails using a support plate adjustably movable along the length of the frame rails to separably retain the frame rails adjacent to one another and allow selective longitudinal positioning of the vacuum cup assemblies along the frame rails. The vacuum cup assemblies each have a vacuum cup positioned in the intermediate area and adapted to engage a top surface of a workpiece to hold the workpiece against the reference surface. The vacuum cup is movable in two directions relative to the support plate, and moveable in three dimensions relative to the frame rails. Stiffening members are connectable to the frame rails to inhibit flexing of the frame rails.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] A portable leveling vacuum tool for use with a plurality of workpieces having at least a predetermined width to align substantially flat top surfaces of the workpieces in a coplanar orientation, comprising:a pair of elongated frame rails positionable in spaced-apart parallel relati

[ We claim:] [1.] A portable leveling vacuum tool for use with a plurality of workpieces having at least a predetermined width to align substantially flat top surfaces of the workpieces in a coplanar orientation, comprising:a pair of elongated frame rails positionable in spaced-apart parallel relation to each other, each of said frame rails having an elongated bottom surface, said bottom surfaces of said frame rails being spaced apart in a coplanar relation by less than the predetermined workpiece width for engagement of each of said bottom surfaces with the top surface of each of the workpieces to position the top surfaces of the workpieces in coplanar relation, said frame rails are sufficiently flexible to conform to the general curvature of a nonplanar work surface; anda plurality of vacuum cup assemblies mounted to said frame rails, at least one of said vacuum cup assemblies being adjustably movable along the length of said frame rails and lockable in a selected longitudinal position to prevent movement of said movable vacuum cup assembly along said frame rails during use of the vacuum tool, each of said vacuum cup assemblies including a support body spanning between and attached to each of said frame rails and a vacuum cup supported by said support body in position between said frame rails for engagement with the top surface of one of the workpieces, said vacuum cup being adjustably movable toward the support body and between said frame rails sufficiently to position the top surface of the one of the workpieces that the vacuum cup is engaging substantially coplanar with said bottom surfaces of said frame rails to hold the top surface of the workpiece against said frame rail bottom surfaces.