Long Gage Block Clamp — Gage Block Clamp for Long Blocks — Holder for Long Gage Blocks

There is a wave of interest going through the C.M.M. calibration community to augment Ball Bar measurements with the measurement of calibrated, "long" gage blocks. Many companies already have sets of long, square gage blocks and only need a method of supporting them for measurement.

The Long Gage Block Clamp answers this need in very unique ways. The problem of holding long gage blocks is simplified by the “Aeries” concept. Where the support mechanism for Ball Bars must be as long as the Ball Bar itself, the support mechanism for long gage blocks only needs to be 57% as long as the gage block. At 57% support, the ends of the gage blocks end up the most parallel. This length is defined as the Aries points.

Our Long Gage Block Clamps use a very unique, semi-kinematic, clamping mechanism that holds the gage block very securely but without bending moments. The Long Gage Block clamp is designed to be used with any of our standard Ball Bar holding systems, such as the Heavy Duty Stands or the Trivet and Anchor combination.

The semi kinematic clamping system is available in two versions. The simplest version is our part number LGBC uses two sets of Vee-Blocks that adjustable up and down the rail. They are cylindracized, so they only contact the gage block along four self adjusting lines. The support rail and gage block clamps are made of aircraft quality aluminum, which has a thermal coefficient of expansion that is twice that of steel, and twelve times invar.

If temperature changes occur during a calibration, it is possible that this difference in thermal properties could cause problems. To limit this possibility, we produce a version of the Long Gage Block Clamp, our part number LGBC-F which has one of the clamping device mounted on flexures, to provide automatic thermal adjustability. We offer the Way Out support rail for the Long Gage Block Clamp in three standard lengths:

The sixteen inch (16”) [406.4 mm ] long, way out support rail, part number WO-762-16.
The twenty inch (20”) [508 mm ] long, way out support rail, part number WO-762-20.
The thirty inch (30”) [762 mm ] long, way out support rail, part number WO-762-30.

To prevent any possibility of the gage block sliding out of the gage block clamps, we provide two of our gage block locking rings with each set of long gage block clamps. The Long Gage Block clamp is designed to be used with any of our standard Ball Bar holding systems such as the Heavy Duty Stands or the Trivet and Anchor combinations. When ordering, specify the part number of rail required and which of the clamping systems you prefer.

Long Gage Block Clamp Specifications

Part Number with the Flexural Clamp	Length of the Rail	Cost
LGBC-F-WO-406-16	16 inches (406.4mm)	$1400
LGBC-F-WO-508-20	20 inches (508mm)	$1440
LGBC-F-WO-762-30	30 inches (762mm)	$1490