Locator bushing mechanism for modular welding tables

Abstract

The present invention will improve the efficiency of setting up a modular welding table by reducing the time it takes to properly aligning the plates on top of the frames, thanks to the design features of a tapered flange and a cylindrical protrusion as described and disclosed herein. Another advantage of implementing the design disclosed herein is that the plates can have double its useful life, if one side's surface get worn out, the plates can be flipped over and use the other side's surface.

Claims

1. A locator bushing mechanism for modular welding tables, comprising, a locator bushing mechanism configured to engage to a welding table, wherein the locator bushing mechanism comprises: a cylindrical bushing further having a larger tapered flange at the upper end and a cylindrical protrusion at the lower end, wherein the cylindrical protrusion at the lower end has a smaller diameter than the cylindrical bushing; a cylindrical recess portion is made at the upper end and a cylindrical through hole is made at the lower end, said recess portion and said through hole is made along the axial direction of said cylindrical bushing; a screw with its nut portion sized to fit inside the cylindrical recess portion and its threaded stem portion sized to fit inside the through hole portion, wherein the screw engages the welding table; and wherein the height of said cylindrical bushing is smaller than the thickness of a plate of a modular welding table, creating a gap between the surface of said cylindrical bushing and top surface of a table frame.

2. The locator bushing mechanism for modular welding tables of claim 1, further comprising: a corresponding frame having a plurality of screw holes, each of said screw hole including an upper portion being shaped to receive the cylindrical protrusion of said cylindrical bushing, and a lower portion containing threaded pattern to receive said screw, wherein the screw holes are mounting holes, wherein the mounting holes have to and bottom edges made with a tapered surface matching the larger tapered flange of the cylindrical bushing.

3. The locator bushing mechanism for modular welding tables of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of plates, each of said plurality of plates having a plurality of holes sized to receive said cylindrical bushing, so that when said cylindrical bushing is fitted into a hole on a plate, a top surface of said tapered flange will be generally flush with a top surface of said plate.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate the preferred embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

(2) A brief description of the drawings is as follows:

(3) FIG. 1 shows the prior art mechanism for securing plates to the frame of a welding table.

(4) FIG. 2 shows the sectional view (A-A line noted in FIG. 1) of the prior art mechanism.

(5) FIG. 3 shows the side view of the cylindrical bushing of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 4 shows, more from the top, of the side view of the cylindrical bushing of the present invention, with the features of the recess portion and the through hole noted.

(7) FIG. 5 shows an exploded cutout view of the cylindrical bushing, the screw and the plate, relative to the frame of a welding table.

(8) FIG. 6 shows the sectional side view of the cylindrical locator bushing.

(9) FIG. 7 shows the locator bushing fitted into the plates and securing to a frame underneath.

(10) FIG. 8 shows the sectional side view of the bushing fitted into the plates, along the B-B line noted in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(11) FIGS. 3 and 4 show the views of the cylindrical bushing 1 of the locator bushing mechanism in the present invention.

(12) The cylindrical bushing 1 has a slightly larger tapered flange 9 at the upper end of the bushing 1 and a cylindrical protrusion 10 at the lower end of the bushing 1. As shown in the figures, the diameter of the cylindrical protrusion 10 is smaller than that of the main body of the cylindrical bushing 1, while the diameter of the tapered flange 9 is larger than that of the main body of the cylindrical bushing 1. Along the center axial direction of the cylindrical bushing 1, a cylindrical recess portion 7 is made at the upper end and a cylindrical through hole 8 is made at the lower end.

(13) FIG. 5 through FIG. 8 serve to explain how the locating function of the bushing works in present invention. To assemble a plate 3 on welding table frame 4, the plate 3 is laid on top of table frame 4 with mounting hole 6 aligned with one of the screw hole 5 roughly. Each screw hole 5 (on the table frame 4) composes of two portions: the upper portion is a cylindrical hole and the lower portion is a threaded hole with smaller diameter.

(14) Insert a cylindrical bushing 1 into a mounting hole 6 on table frame 4 until it is stopped by the surface of table frame 4, adjust the position of plate 3 slightly in any direction until the protrusion 10 drops into the upper portion of screw hole 5 (that means mounting hole 6 is roughly in good alignment with screw hole 5).

(15) When the protrusions 10 of all the cylindrical bushings 1 drop into the upper portions of the corresponding screw holes 5, it means that plate 3 is roughly in good alignment with all screw holes 5 of table frame 4. Then insert a screw 2 through the recess portion 7 and hole 8 to the threaded hole of each screw hole 5, finger tight screws 2.

(16) The nut portion of the screw 2 is sized to fit inside the cylindrical recess portion 7 and its threaded stem portion is sized to fit to threaded pattern on the inner surface of the screw hole 5 on the fame 4.

(17) Since both the top and bottom edges of mounting hole 6 are made to have a tapered surface matching the tapered flange 9 of cylindrical bushing 1, tightening screws 2 will self-align plate 3 to screw holes 5. That means plate 3 will be in good alignment with all screw holes 5 of table frame 4 after all screws 2 are finger tightened.

(18) As shown in FIG. 6, the height x of cylindrical bushing 1 is smaller than the thickness y of plate 3 so that there is a gap between surface 11 of cylindrical bushing 1 and top surface of table frame 4; there is also a gap between bottom surface 12 of protrusion 10 and the surface of screw hole 5. This design will ensure that plate 3 can be fixed to table frame 4 with screw 2 through tapered flange 9 of cylindrical bushing 1.

(19) Following the same steps, mount each plate 3 on table frame 4 accordingly. Then all the plates 3 should be in good alignment with each other. Using an alignment tool, perform some minor adjustments on each plate 3 if necessary. Full alignment of all plates 3 can be achieved and all the mounting screws 2 can be tightened.

(20) Using the present invention, the assembling and alignment of the plates 3 on welding table frame 4 should be much easier than the existing design. It will save a lot of assembling time too.

(21) As shown in FIG. 6, the mounting hole 6 of plate 3 is made to be symmetrical on both the upper surface and the bottom surface. If the upper surface of plate 3 worn out after using for a long time, plate 3 can be turned over and use the bottom surface instead. The present invention will double the workable life of each plate 3 of a modular welding table.