Supporting and retaining device

摘要

A unit (5) for supporting and retaining a glass sheet or stone slab (6) for machining has a number of sheet/slab supporting and retaining assemblies (22) which fit to a flat mounting surface (12a) of a machine (1). Each assembly (22) has a suction cup head (23) for engaging the glass sheet or stone slab (6); a vertical stem (24) supporting the suction cup head (23); and a releasable fastening device (25) for fastening the stem (24) to the flat mounting surface (12a). And the fastening device (25) has a first interface body (26) which fits to the flat mounting surface (12a); a second interface body (27) connected firmly to the stem (24); and a joint (35) for connecting the first and second interface body (26) (27), and which is protected from debris produced by machining the sheet/slab (6).