Workpiece supporting assembly

Abstract

A workpiece supporting assembly, having a body member with an internal workpiece channel and a plurality of body openings communicating with the internal workpiece channel, supports a workpiece within the workpiece channel so that end portions of the workpiece extend from the body openings. The body member has a plurality of arbors, each arbor having a longitudinal axis that is coincident with a datum axis of one of the extending workpiece portions. A turning machine grips one arbor at a time and rotates the body member about the selected longitudinal axis for machining the extended workpiece portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A workpiece machining implement comprising:
 a workpiece supporting assembly comprising:
 a body member having an internal workpiece channel, the body member having a plurality of body openings communicating with the internal workpiece channel; 
 means supported by the body member for positioning a workpiece in the internal workpiece channel so that extending workpiece portions of the workpiece extend from selected ones of the body openings; 
 a plurality of arbors supported by the body member, each arbor having an axis coincident with a datum axis of one of the extending workpiece portions; and 
 
 means for rotating the workpiece supporting assembly about the axis of a selected one of the arbors. 
 
     
     
       2. The workpiece machining implement of  claim 1  wherein the body member comprises side plates and end plates and means for connecting said plates to form the workpiece channel. 
     
     
       3. The workpiece machining implement of  claim 1  wherein the means for positioning comprises a plurality of adjustment bolts supported by the body member to extend into the workpiece channel. 
     
     
       4. The workpiece machining implement of  claim 1  wherein the means for rotating comprises a chuck. 
     
     
       5. An implement for machining a multiple datum axis workpiece, comprising:
 a body member having a workpiece channel; 
 a plurality of arbors supported by the body member, each arbor having an axis, the workpiece supportable in the workpiece channel so that each of the workpiece datum axes is coincident with one of the arbor axes; 
 means for rotating a selected one of the arbors so that the workpiece is rotated about a selected one of the workpiece axes. 
 
     
     
       6. The workpiece machining implement of  claim 5  wherein the body member comprises side plates and end plates and means for connecting said plates to form the workpiece channel. 
     
     
       7. The workpiece machining implement of  claim 5  further comprising a plurality of adjustment bolts supported by the body member to extend into the workpiece channel to position and secure a workpiece in the workpiece channel. 
     
     
       8. The workpiece machining implement of  claim 5  wherein the means for rotating the arbors is a lathe chuck. 
     
     
       9. A workpiece supporting assembly comprising:
 a body member having an internal workpiece channel, the body portion having a plurality of body openings communicating with the internal workpiece channel; 
 means supported by the body member for positioning a workpiece in the internal workpiece channel so that extending workpiece portions of the workpiece extend from selected ones of the body openings; and 
 a plurality of arbors supported by the body member, each arbor having an axis coincident with a datum axis of one of the extending workpiece portions. 
 
     
     
       10. The assembly of  claim 9  further comprising:
 means for rotating the workpiece supporting assembly about the axis of a selected one of the arbors. 
 
     
     
       11. The assembly of  claim 9  wherein the body member comprises side plates and end plates and means for connecting said plates to form the workpiece channel. 
     
     
       12. The workpiece machining implement of  claim 9  wherein the means for positioning comprises a plurality of adjustment bolts supported by the body member to extend into the workpiece channel to position and secure the workpiece. 
     
     
       13. The workpiece machining implement of  claim 10  wherein the rotating comprises a lathe chuck. 
     
     
       14. A workpiece supporting assembly for securing an elbow during a machining process that is performed on the elbow by operation of a workpiece machining implement, the workpiece supporting assembly comprising:
 a body having an internal surface defining a channel, the internal surface sized to receive a medial portion of the elbow when the elbow is operably disposed in the channel; and   a support that is selectively positionable to secure the elbow in the workpiece supporting assembly, the body pivotable to a first pivoted position, the body sized so that a first end of the elbow extends from the channel and beyond the body so the first end of the elbow is presentable to the workpiece machining implement for performing the machining process, the body pivotable to a second position and sized so that a second end of the elbow extends from the channel beyond the body so the second end of the elbow is presentable to the workpiece machining implement for performing the machining process.    
     
     
       15. The workpiece supporting assembly of claim 14 wherein the support comprises an adjustment bolt supported by the housing member to extend into the workpiece channel.  
     
     
       16. A workpiece supporting assembly for rigidly supporting an elbow during a machining process that is performed on the elbow by a workpiece machining implement, the workpiece supporting assembly comprising:
 a body having an internal surface defining a channel, the internal surface sized to receive a medial portion of the elbow when the elbow is operably disposed in the channel; and   a support adjustment bolt threadingly engaged with the body and selectively positionable to urge the medial portion of the elbow against the internal surface, the body sized so that each end of the elbow extends from the channel and beyond the body so that each end of the elbow is presentable to the workpiece machining implement for performing the machining process after securing the elbow and before removing the secured elbow from the workpiece supporting assembly.   
     
     
       17. A workpiece supporting assembly for securing an elbow during a machining process that is performed on the elbow by operation of a workpiece machining implement, the workpiece supporting assembly comprising:
 a body having an internal surface defining a channel, the internal surface sized to receive a medial portion of the elbow when the elbow is operably disposed in the channel; and   a support that is selectively positionable to operably urge the medial portion of the elbow against the internal surface to thereby secure the elbow in the workpiece supporting assembly, the body selectively positionable to a first position where a datum axis of one end of the secured elbow is operably aligned with the workpiece machining implement, and the body alternatively positionable to a different second position where a datum axis of the other end of the secured elbow is operably aligned with the workpiece machining implement.    
     
     
       18. A method for securing an elbow during a machining process that is performed on the elbow by operation of a workpiece machining implement, the method comprising:
 obtaining a workpiece supporting assembly having an internal surface defining a channel, the internal surface sized to receive a medial portion of the elbow;   placing the elbow in the channel;   positioning a support to operably secure the elbow in the workpiece supporting assembly, the body sized so that each end of the elbow extends from the channel and beyond the body so that each end of the elbow is presentable to the workpiece machining implement for performing the machining process;   after the positioning a support, positioning the workpiece supporting assembly to a first position to align a datum axis of one end of the elbow with the workpiece machining implement and performing the machining process for the one end of the elbow;   after the positioning the workpiece supporting assembly to a first position, positioning the workpiece supporting assembly to a different second position to align a datum axis of the other end of the elbow with the workpiece machining implement and performing the machining process for the other end of the elbow; and   after the performing the machining process for the other end of the elbow, removing the secured elbow from the workpiece supporting assembly.    
     
     
       19. A method for machining an elbow having first and second ends, comprising:
 placing the elbow into a channel on a body of a workpiece supporting assembly so that first and second ends of the elbow extend beyond the channel;   securing the elbow against at least a portion of an inner surface of the channel using a support that engages the body;   performing a first machining operation on the first end of the elbow;   positioning at least a portion of the workpiece supporting assembly;   performing a second machining operation on the second end of the elbow; and   removing the elbow from the workpiece supporting assembly.    
     
     
       20. A workpiece supporting assembly for securing an elbow during machining of first and second ends of the elbow by a workpiece machining implement, comprising:
 a body having a channel therein for receiving the elbow, whereby the first and second ends of the elbow extend from the channel;   a support that engages the body and secures the elbow in the channel, the body positionable between a first position for machining the first end of the elbow by the workpiece machining implement and a second position for machining the second end of the elbow by the workpiece machining implement.