Tensioner for holding an elongated workpiece

• Main Authors: RIECKENBERG WESLEY J, MARRINAN THOMAS E, CUNOV JAMES R
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 25.11.2014
• Subjects: COMBINATIONS OR ASSOCIATIONS OF METAL-WORKING MACHINES, NOTDIRECTED TO A PARTICULAR RESULT; DETAILS, COMPONENTS, OR ACCESSORIES FOR MACHINE TOOLS, e.g.ARRANGEMENTS FOR COPYING OR CONTROLLING; HAND TOOLS; MACHINE TOOLS; MACHINE TOOLS IN GENERAL CHARACTERISED BY THE CONSTRUCTION OFPARTICULAR DETAILS OR COMPONENTS; MANIPULATORS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; TOOLS OR BENCH DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, FORFASTENING, CONNECTING, DISENGAGING OR HOLDING; TRANSPORTING

A support assembly and a method for holding an elongated workpiece are provided. First and second tensioning assemblies are spaced apart from each other along a longitudinal axis. Each tensioning assembly has a fixture element adapted to hold a portion of the workpiece and a tension actuator operably coupled to the fixture element to move the fixture element. First and second clamp devices are disposed along the longitudinal axis where the first clamp device is disposed on a first side of the longitudinal axis and the second lateral clamp device is disposed on a second side of the longitudinal axis. Each lateral clamp device has an end portion configured to hold a portion of the workpiece and restrain the workpiece for twisting and/or lateral movement of the workpiece orthogonal to the longitudinal axis and a clamp actuator operably coupled to the end portion to move the end portion.