초록 ▼

Apparatus and method for positioning tooling for operation on a curved workpiece wherein a gantry beam assembly having a movable head assembly thereon carrying tooling is pivotally connected on a pivot axis to a pair of spaced apart pedestals each having a longitudinal axis disposed substantially pe

Apparatus and method for positioning tooling for operation on a curved workpiece wherein a gantry beam assembly having a movable head assembly thereon carrying tooling is pivotally connected on a pivot axis to a pair of spaced apart pedestals each having a longitudinal axis disposed substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis and wherein the workpiece is supported on a fixture between the pedestals and so that the gantry beam assembly extends along the workpiece. The pivot axis of the gantry beam assembly is moved along the longitudinal axes of the pedestals, the pivot axis of the gantry beam assembly is moved along a path substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the pedestals and the head assembly is moved along the gantry beam assembly. The foregoing operations move the head assembly relative to the workpiece enabling the tooling to perform operations thereon. The gantry beam assembly is pivoted about the pivot axis and the head assembly is pivoted about an axis substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis for normalization of the head assembly relative to the workpiece. The gantry beam assembly can be tilted along a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the pedestals to accommodate frustoconical and similar shaped workpieces. The gantry beam assembly can be provided with gimbal connections to the pedestals to provide additional degrees of freedom for operation on workpieces having compound curvatures.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. Apparatus for positioning tooling for operation on a curved workpiece comprising:a) a gantry assembly comprising a gantry beam assembly having a longitudinal axis and connected at opposite ends to a pair of spaced apart pedestals each having a longitudinal axis, said ga

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. Apparatus for positioning tooling for operation on a curved workpiece comprising:a) a gantry assembly comprising a gantry beam assembly having a longitudinal axis and connected at opposite ends to a pair of spaced apart pedestals each having a longitudinal axis, said gantry beam assembly being connected for pivotal movement about a pivot axis substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of the gantry beam assembly;b) said pedestals being located adjacent opposite ends of the workpiece and said gantry beam assembly extending along the workpiece;c) a first controlled drive arrangement operatively associated with said pedestals for moving the pivot axis of said gantry beam assembly along the longitudinal axes of said pedestals;d) a second controlled arrangement operatively associated with said pedestals for moving the pivot axis of said gantry beam assembly along a path substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of said pedestals;e) head assembly containing tooling for operating on the workpiece and movably carried by said gantry beam assembly;f) a controlled drive for moving said head assembly along the longitudinal axis of said gantry beam assembly andg) a controlled rotary actuator arrangement operatively associated with said pedestals and said gantry beam assembly for pivoting said gantry beam assembly about said pivot axis.