Remote confined-space machining, and positioning and securing arrangement

Abstract

A machining tool comprises a frame mounting an extendable yoke slidable with respect to the frame in a first direction through one or more mounting pillars. A tool motor is mounted on the yoke. A drive mechanism for the yoke is also mounted in the frame, with a drive motor to drive the yoke drive mechanism. A belt is between pulleys on the drive motor and mechanism to transmit drive between them. A rotatable sleeve is around the tool motor and on which sleeve the belt engages on opposite sides of the tool motor, whereby the tool motor can extend between the drive motor and mechanism, thereby resulting in a compact arrangement of the tool.

1 . A machining tool comprising:
 a) a frame;   b) an extendable yoke mounted in the frame and slidable with respect to the frame in a first direction along at least one mounting pillar;   c) a tool motor mounted on the yoke and comprising a tool bit to machine a workpiece;   d) a base plate connected to the frame at a point downstream from the yoke and through which the tool bit can protrude;   e) a foot plate having an attachment for attaching the foot plate to the workpiece; and   f) a lock to lock the base plate and the foot plate together in a selectable position within a plane containing the base plate and the foot plate, and inclined to the first direction   whereby the machining tool can be fixed with respect to the workpiece to account for reaction against the workpiece during machining of the workpiece.   
     
     
         2 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment comprises a suction foot. 
     
     
         3 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein the lock comprises an electromagnet located on either the base plate or the foot plate that, when actuated, attracts a keeper on the other of the base plate or the foot plate, thereby clamping the base plate and the foot plate together. 
     
     
         4 . The machining tool of  claim 3 , wherein the keeper comprises a ferromagnetic washer around a leg that connects the base plate to the frame, the leg extending through an aperture of the foot plate that permits lateral movement of the foot plate with respect to the base plate when the electromagnet is not actuated. 
     
     
         5 . The machining tool of  claim 3 , wherein the keeper is spring biased against the foot plate to press the base plate and the foot plate together so that they slide against one another when one is moved with respect to the other in a direction parallel to the plane that contains them. 
     
     
         6 . The machining tool of  claim 3 , wherein the base plate and the foot plate are non-ferromagnetic. 
     
     
         7 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein the lock comprises at least one of the base plate and the foot plate being ferromagnetic and disposing one or more electromagnets on the remote side of the other of the base plate or the foot plate, whereby the base plate and the foot plate are capable of being locked together when the electromagnets are energized. 
     
     
         8 . The machining tool of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more electromagnets are progressively energised to provide resistance and damping of relevant movement between the base plate and the foot plate. 
     
     
         9 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein the base plate and the foot plate are planar, and slide over one another. 
     
     
         10 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein the plane is arranged to be parallel with the workpiece when the attachment connects the tool to the workpiece. 
     
     
         11 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein columns connect the frame to the base plate, the columns passing through one or more windows of the foot plate, wherein the foot plate is disposed between the base plate and the frame. 
     
     
         12 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool bit extends through overlapping apertures in the base plate and the foot plate. 
     
     
         13 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein the frame has a connector enabling connection to a robot arm. 
     
     
         14 . The machining tool of  claim 1  further comprising a camera. 
     
     
         15 . The machining tool of  claim 14 , wherein the camera is connected using an optic fibre. 
     
     
         16 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , further comprising lubrication dispensing means. 
     
     
         17 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , further comprising chip extraction means to collect chippings and swarf generated by the machining tool. 
     
     
         18 . A mounting structure for mounting a first device with respect to a second device, comprising:
 a) an annular plate comprising an aperture and a foot plate fixed and sealed to the annular plate around an external periphery;   b) a base plate located between the annular plate and the foot plate, the base plate sealed to the annular plate and the foot plate around an internal periphery, thereby defining an annular chamber between the annular plate and the foot plate;   c) a rheological fluid disposed in the annular chamber;   d) the base plate being connectible to the first device through the aperture of the annular plate;   e) the foot plate being connectible to the second device; and   f) the first device and the second device being positioned with respect to one another and adjustable in position with respect to one another in a surface parallel to a surface of interaction defined between the annular plate, the foot plate and the base plate, wherein activation of the rheological fluid to render the rheological fluid a solid serves to lock the first device with respect to the second device, and deactivation of the rheological fluid to render the rheological fluid a liquid serves to permit the position of the first device to be adjusted with respect to the second device by sliding the base plate between the annular plate and the foot plate in the surface of interaction.   
     
     
         19 . The mounting structure of  claim 18 , wherein the surface of interaction is planar. 
     
     
         20 . The mounting structure of  claim 18 , wherein the surface of interaction is spherical. 
     
     
         21 . The mounting structure of  claim 18 , wherein the rheological fluid is magnetorheological, whereby generation of a magnetic field adjacent the annular chamber solidifies the rheological fluid. 
     
     
         22 . The mounting structure of  claim 18 , wherein the rheological fluid is electrorheological, whereby generation of an electric field adjacent the annular chamber solidifies the rheological fluid. 
     
     
         23 . The mounting structure of  claim 18 , wherein the foot plate is annular. 
     
     
         24 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein the machining tool further comprises:
 a) an annular plate comprising an aperture, the foot plate being fixed and sealed to the annular plate around an external periphery;   b) the base plate, being located between the annular plate and the foot plate, the base plate sealed to the annular plate and the foot plate around an internal periphery, thereby defining an annular chamber between the annular plate and the foot plate;   c) a rheological fluid disposed in the annular chamber;   d) the base plate being connected to the frame through the aperture of the annular plate;   e) the frame and the workpiece being positioned with respect to one another and adjustable in position with respect to one another in a surface parallel to a surface of interaction defined between the annular plate, the foot plate and the base plate; and   f) the lock functions such that activation of the rheological fluid renders the rheological fluid a solid and serves to lock the frame with respect to the workpiece, and deactivation of the rheological fluid renders the rheological fluid a liquid and serves to permit the position of the frame to be adjusted with respect to the workpiece by sliding the base plate between the annular plate and the foot plate in the surface of interaction.   
     
     
         25 . The machining tool of  claim 1 , wherein the machining tool further comprises
 a) a yoke drive mechanism mounted in the frame;   b) a drive motor mounted in the frame to drive the yoke drive mechanism, the drive motor comprising one or more pulleys;   c) a drive element located between the one or more pulleys and the yoke drive mechanism; and   d) a rotatable sleeve adapted to fit around the tool motor, wherein the drive element engages the sleeve on opposite sides of the tool motor, the tool motor extending between the drive motor and the yoke drive mechanism.   
     
     
         26 . The machining tool of  claim 25 , wherein the machining tool further comprises:
 a) an annular plate comprising an aperture, the foot plate being fixed and sealed to the annular plate around an external periphery;   b) the base plate, being located between the annular plate and the foot plate, the base plate sealed to the annular plate and the foot plate around an internal periphery, thereby defining an annular chamber between the annular plate and the foot plate;   c) a rheological fluid disposed in the annular chamber;   d) the base plate being connected to the frame through the aperture of the annular plate;   e) the frame and the workpiece being positioned with respect to one another and adjustable in position with respect to one another in a surface parallel to the surface of interaction between the annular plate, the foot plate and the base plate; and   f) the lock functions such that activation of the rheological fluid renders the rheological fluid a solid and serves to lock the frame with respect to the workpiece, and deactivation of the rheological fluid renders the rheological fluid a liquid and serves to permit the position of the frame to be adjusted with respect to the workpiece by sliding the base plate between the annular plate and the foot plate in the surface of interaction.