Holding device for segmenting a workpiece

摘要

Radial cutting of a flat workpiece having any shape can be accomplished in a facile manner with the provided holding device. The holding device has two holding blocks and an attachment means to attach the holding blocks in matched configuration. Each holding block on its inner face has a depression which begins at a peripheral surface of each holding block and extends to the interior of the holding block but not to the outer face of the holding block. The depression has a shape comparable to a workpiece so that when the holding blocks are attached to hold a workpiece in the depressions, the two depressions form a cavity to contain the workpiece with pressure to securely hold a vertical portion of the volume of the workpiece. Each depression holds a horizontal portion of the volume of the workpiece and the remaining horizontal portion of the volume of the workpiece not contained in the depression of the first holding block can be contained in the depression of the second holding block. Radial cutting is performed by guiding a cutting device along the peripheral edge of the holding device, where the cavity opening is located and from which there is protruding at least one-half of the vertical portion of the volume of the workpiece. Less than one-half of the vertical portion of the volume of the workpiece can protrude from a cavity, which is formed by the matched depressions of the first and second holding blocks, into opening that start at two different peripheral surfaces of each holding block and are formed by intersecting sides.