Machining tool for an aircraft fuselage frame

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9352432-B2
Application number	US-201313845425-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 18, 2013
Priority date	Mar 23, 2012
Publication date	May 31, 2016
Grant date	May 31, 2016

Abstract

A tool for machining a curved profile along an axis of rotation X, said curved profile comprising at least one first section along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation X and at least one second section parallel to the axis of rotation X. The tool includes blocks, each having a clamping surface against which the profile can take support. The blocks include positioning elements against which the first section and the second section of the profile can take support, and an apparatus arranged to immobilize the profile which is adapted to occupy a first activated state, wherein it immobilizes the profile, and a second deactivated state, wherein it does not immobilize the profile. The tool includes manual presses for maintaining the profile flattened against the positioning elements until the profile immobilizing apparatus is in the activated state.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A tool for machining a curved profile along an axis of rotation X, said curved profile comprising at least one first section along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation X and at least one second section parallel to the axis of rotation X, said tool comprising a plurality of blocks, each having a clamping surface against which the profile can take support, each block comprising a positioning element against which the first section and the second section of the profile can take support, and an immobilizing apparatus arranged to immobilize the profile adapted to occupy a first activated state, wherein the immobilizing apparatus immobilizes the profile, and a second deactivated state, wherein the immobilizing apparatus does not immobilize the profile, the tool comprising a plurality of manual presses separate from the immobilizing apparatus for maintaining the profile flattened against the positioning element until the profile immobilizing apparatus is in the activated state wherein at least one manual press in the plurality of manual presses and at least one immobilizing apparatus are separately associated with a corresponding block in the plurality of blocks, wherein each block comprises a positioning cylinder and an indexing cylinder, the positioning cylinder projecting outwardly from the clamping surface, with an axis perpendicular to the clamping surface, against which the curved profile is positioned on the block, the indexing cylinder extending between a surface of the block opposite the clamping surface and along a reference plane, arranged so as to enable said block to pivot with respect to an axis perpendicular to the reference plane and coaxial with the axis of the positioning cylinder.

2. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein each manual press comprises a body with a first end in contact with the block and a contact point at a second end, a damper being sandwiched between the contact point and the body.

3. The tool according to claim 2 , wherein the contact point takes support in the area of a junction zone connecting the first section and the second section.

4. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein each block comprises a notch adapted to house the first end of the manual press.

5. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the indexing cylinder projects from each block in the area of the block which cooperates with a hollow form located in an area of a reference surface of the tool.

6. The tool according to claim 5 , wherein the reference surface comprises several series of hollow forms, the hollow forms of the same series being arranged along a line, the lines of the different series being parallel to one another.

7. The tool according to claim 5 , wherein the tool comprises a plurality of reference surfaces.

8. The tool according to claim 5 , wherein the reference surface is arranged along a vertical plane.

9. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the tool comprises at least one counter-support against which a surface of the first profile section opposite a surface in an area of which a machining tool penetrates can take support.

10. The tool according to claim 9 , wherein the tool comprises piercing studs in two parts connected in a dismountable manner, a first part in contact with a reference surface of the tool and a second part in contact with the profile and capable of being changed.

11. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the immobilizing apparatus utilizes an attractive force to immobilize the profile.

12. The tool according to claim 11 , wherein the attractive force is supplied by suction or magnetism.

13. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein each manual press includes a damper providing a variable force allowing the profile to glide on a corresponding block, wherein the profile may be positioned on the tool in a desired location against the variable force provided by each damper, and wherein the profile is fixed in a desired position each immobilizing apparatus providing a force sufficient to maintain the desired position throughout a machining operation.

14. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein activation of each immobilizing apparatus clamps the profile to the tool with sufficient force to machine the profile on the tool without additional force provided by each manual press.

15. The tool according to claim 1 , wherein the profile curved profile comprises a third section parallel to the axis of rotation X and extending in an opposite direction to that of the second section.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• De Mattia Denis

Classifications

• B23Q3/062 Primary

  adapted for holding workpieces having a special form or being made from a special material · CPC title

• B23Q3/088

  using vacuum means · CPC title

• B25B5/067

  C-clamps (B25B5/061, B25B5/082, B25B5/101, B25B5/125 take precedence) · CPC title

• B25B11/005

  Vacuum work holders · CPC title