AU658601B2 - Clamping device - Google Patents

Description

I- LI I P I 658601 P/00/0011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

4 tt 464546

C

4646 46*4 Name of Applicant: NEIL McPHERSON MAGGS and FERDINAND WILLIAM BOK Actual Inventor(s): NEIL McPHERSON MAGGS and FERDINAND WILLIAM BOK Address for service in Australia: CARTER SMITH BEADLE, Qantas House, 2 Railway Parade, Camberwell, Victoria, 3124, Australia, Attorney Code SA.

Irvention Title: CLAMPING DEVICE Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Nos: PK4807 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: -1 2 ii' 2 INTRODUCTION TO INVENTION: This invention relates to clamping devices and in particular to a portable clamping device adapted for securing medium to large items either at bench height or at floor level.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION: The ability to adequately secure a workpiece considerably influences the workability of a given item.

A large percentage of tools and innovative research is devoted to clamping or securing devices utilizing a phlethora of principles and mechanics.

The majority of devices are used for the purpose of clamping a workpiece to a bench or in the jaws of a S 15 fixed device, or for the purposes of holding two or more workpieces together for gluing or fixing S' purposes.

A frequent requirement, not adequately catered for with the above types of devices, is a need to 20 provide a medium to large workpiece with a handle or a *u foot to facilitate holding. Although it is possible to use the prior art devices for such a purpose, their use in this capacity is not optimal.

OBJECT STATEMENT OF INVENTION: The object of the instant invention is to provide a robust clamping device adapted for rapid but secure attachment to a given workpiece so as to provide an anchorage for said workpiece.

Accordingly the invention provides a clamp mwspe#6609 92 2 14 3 comprising a foot, one fixed jaw and one sliding jaw characterized in that the sliding jaw is attached to said foot via a locating means which engages an angled slot in said sliding jaw such that any sliding action in a first direction actively advances said sliding jaw toward said fixed jaw, and any sliding action in the opposite second direction actively withdraws said sliding jaw from said fixed jaw wherein said sliding action is generated by the co-operation of said angled slot and said locating means. The inclined slot is preferably angled so as to cause self-locking of the workpiece once it is applied to the clamp such that any force applied to the workpiece in the first direction serves to tighten the jaws whilst resisting passive release of said workpiece. A corresponding active force applied in the second direction releases said workpiece by moving the sliding jaw away from the fixed jaw. The foot of the device is preferably a flat plate adapted for free standing application or for attachment to a workbench.

The jaws of the device may be made of any suitably strong and rigid material but preferably steel channel or angle may be used with one surface secured to the foot and the other perpendicular surface used as the jaw faces to secure said workpiece.

The device is preferably a free standing unit.

The invention will now be more fully described with reference to the following particularly preferred embodiment where figure one is a perspective representation thereof; figure two is a plan representation and figure 3 is a side elevation.

Ir7 AM lu

IU

mw:pp#6609.spc 4 The device comprises a foot 1 being a piece of plate steel. The fixed jaw 2 is of an angle construction fixed to the foot by bolts 3 or other securing means. The perpendicular faces of the angle provide an anchoring face 12 and a jaw face 4. The sliding jaw 5 is preferably of channel construction with a locating face 6 and two jaw faces 7 and 8. The sliding jaw is produced with an angle slot 9 which is engaged by a spigot or bolt 10. The spigot or bolt is adapted to be secured into a suitable receiving means 11 in said foot 1.

The inclination of the slot is preferably about from the jaw face, but the angle of inclination is variable depending on the type of application required. A greater angle will facilitate a rapid clamping action but will also allow easy removal of the workpiece from the clamping device. A smaller angle will conversely provide slower but more powerful and greater self-locking action.

The locating means is preferably a spigot or bolt adapted to pass through the angle slot of the sliding *jaw and attach to the foot at any one of a number of positions from the fixed jaw so as to facilitate the wording of workpieces of different dimensions. The bolt preferably has a head large enough to sit over said slot to fully secure the sliding jaw.

In use the device is adjusted by positioning the spigot 10 into a suitable receiving means to allow the 4, jaws to accommodate the workpiece in mind. Having mwspe#6609 92 2 14 located the sliding jaw in the correct position the workpiece may be pushed into place. Once the workpiece has engaged both the fixed and sliding jaws, any further forward movement has the effect of jamming the jaws onto the workpiece. Once the workpiece is located the foot of the device then provides a convenient foot for the workpiece.

Alternatively, the device may be fixed to a workbench or the floor where it provides a convenient and robust clamping device.

In order to remove the workpiece, pressure is applied in the direction opposite to that used for attachment whence the sliding jaw immediately releases the workpiece.

S 15 From the foregoing it can be seen that the instant invention provides a versatile and robust clamping device providing a method of handling workpieces in a controllable manner not previously available with the prior art clamping devices.

20 The entire contents of the provisional specification lodged with Australian Patent Application of which this is the complete specification is hereby imported into this 5-5- specification and forms part of the disclosure of this S 25 specification. The claims form part of the disclosure of this specification.

mwspe#6609 92 2 14

Claims (5)

1. A clamp comprising a foot, one fixed jaw and one sliding jaw characterized in that the sliding jaw is attached to said foot via a locating means which engages an angled slot in said sliding jaw such that any sliding action in a first direction actively advances said sliding jaw toward said fixed jaw, and any sliding action in the opposite second direction actively withdraws said sliding jaw from said fixed .0 jaw wherein said sliding action is generated solely by the co-operation of said angled slot and said locating means.

2. A clamp according to claim 1 wherein said inclined slot is angled so as to cause self-locking of a workpiece once it is applied to the clamp such that any force applied to the workpiece in said first direction serves to tighten the jaws whilst resisting passive release of said workpiece.

3. A clamp according to any one of claims 1 or 2 10 wherein the foot is a f lat plate adapted for free standing application or attachment.

4. A clamp according to any one of claims I to 3 wherein the jaws are made of metal channel or angle with one surface secured to the foot and the other 25 perpendicular surface used as the jaw faces.

5. A clamp according to any one of claims 1 to 4 as hereinbefcre described with particular reference to the figures. DATED: 24 January 1995 CARTER SMITH BEADLE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: NEIL McPHERSON KAGGS FERDINAND WILLIAM BOK (CCC Cr-CC Cr C I. I CC mw:pp#6609. spc9512 95 1 24 I BSTRACT A clamp comprising a foot, one fixed jaw and one sliding jaw characterized in that the sliding jaw is attached to said foot via a locating means which engages an angled slot in said sliding jaw such that j any sliding action in a first direction advances said sliding jaw toward said fixed jaw, and any sliding action in the opposite second direction withdraws said sliding jaw from said fixed jaw. .tt e* t i 0 *r L a 4 mwspe#6609 92 2 1.7