CA2165752A1 - Cramping device - Google Patents

Abstract

A cramping device for cramping floor or wall boards in position for permanent securing, the device including a first jaw which engages with a previously fixed board or boards, and a second movable jaw which is positioned to engage a board required to be moved to a position adjacent the previously fixed board or boards. A lever arm is used to move the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw. The device may also include a spacer element which sets the spacing between the boards for subsequent fixing.

Description

C~MPING PEVTCE
Technical Field Thi~ invention relate~ to ~rampin~ devi~e which i~ partiaul~rly de~i~ned for use in moving floor boarde 5 wall board~, pan~l~ or otller member~ into a corre~t po~ition re~ti~e ~o eaah o~her to enable ~hem ~o be permanently fixed by nailing or o~her f~ening method.
Background Art Fl~o~ boArd~, such as ~hot-edge deckin~ board~, 10 aL-e u~ually ~upported on ~loor joints and are required to be po~itioned eitl~ with a ~et ~pa~ln~ therebetween o~
hard up ag~in~ ch other~ Wh~n th~ corr~ct ~p~cing ha~
been a~hieved, the bo~rd~ s~e tben u~ually nailed in posi~ion ~o the ~loor joints, either with the u~e of a n~iling gun or by ukili~ation of a hand h~ld hammer and nail~ is o~ten dif~icu~t and awkward to move the boArd~ ~irmly into conta~t with ea~h okher or in ~he cfl~e o~ de~king to ~aint~in a con~tant ~pa~ing between the decking bOArdB. One m~hod which i~ u~ed for deckin~
20 board~ i~ to pro~ide a ~pacing element ~uch a~ a nail ha~ing a di~meter equal to the required spacin~ between the bohrds. The ~pacing element i~ placed hd~acent a previ~u~ly ~ecured board and the next ~o~rd i~ then placed adjacent ~he previou~ly secured board ~nd fo~ed inw~rdly ~5 towa~d~ that ~oard. Thi~ the~efo~e ~8 the re~uired bo~rd ~pa~in~ and the~ea~ter the fa~t~ning element~ ~uch as nail~
can be applied to ~e~u~e the ~oar~ in po~ition. ~hi~
procedure i8 time con~uming and awkward to achieve as the u~er i~ continually requi~d to hold the bo~rd agHin~t 30 mo~ement, whil~ s~enin~ same in po~ition.
~ hi~ procedure p~oves paxti~ularly di~fioult where n~llin~ ~un~ a~e u~ed as the per~on ~ecurin~ t~e board~ i~ required to continually place the nail gun down to en~ble aor~ec~ po~-tioni.ng o~ the bo~rd~. Fur~h~r 3S difficulties often nri~e as the boards are often w~rped which n~essitate~ a signi~i~ant ~or~ ~o be applied to o~e~come the wnrp an~ eh~ble them to ~e correctl~
po~itloned.

Further ~lmilar difficulties ari~e with pl~clng and ~ecuring wall board~ ~uch as chamfer board~ in po~iti.~n on a wall o~ o~her Bur~ae~ In su~h cir~um~t~nce~, it i~
nece~sary to f~r~e the board~ firmly a~ainst ea~h other 5 prio~ to them ~eing ~ec~red ~ n~ilin~.
Summary of ~he ~nventi~n The pre~en~ invention aim~ to ov~rcome or alleviate one or more of the ~bove ~i~adv~n~ge~ ~y providing a cxamping device which may ~e u~d $or 10 e~ectively cramping board~ in po~i~ion, to en~ble the~ to be seaured by fiui~able a~tening elemen~ ~u~h ~ h~ils.
The pre~en~ inv~n~ion ~ur~her aims to provide ~ device which may be u~ed with one hand, whil~t n~ilin~ with the other hand, u~ing n~il guns or h~nd held h~n~r~ Ahd n~
The pro~en~ inven~ion ~hu~ pro~ide~ ~ crampin~
devi~ ~or ur~in~ ~ ~ir~ ~loor or w~ll member into po~ition rel~ e to one or more prevlou~ ixed ~e~ond wAll or ~loor member~, ~aid cramping devi~e in~luding ~
main ~ody, a flr~t j~w fixed to ~aid main body and adapted to ~e looated on one ~de of ~ald previou~y ~ixed second member or member~, a ~econd jaw ~upported for mo~ement on ~ald main ~od~ toward~ and away f~om ~id ~ t jaw Hnd adap~e~ ~o be loaated on the ~ide of ~aid ~ir~t m~mber ~emote ~rom s~id ~econd ~ember o~ member~, and a le~r ~rm 25 pi~ot~lly mounted ~o ~aid bod~ and ad~pted to be pivoted to move ~aid seoond movable jaw towards ~id ~irs~ j~w to ur~e ~aid fir~t member towards ~aid ~econd member or me~ber~
wh~reby it may be ~ixed in po~tion relative ~o ~aid ~econd member or member~.
The body may ~uppor~ an aot~ting arm which extend~
longitudinally of the body and i~ movable relative there~o, the actua~in~ arm carryin~ the ~econd jaw.
~ia~iny mean~ ~ay ~e p~ovided ~or bia~ing ~h~
movable jaw away ~rom the ~irs~ jaw. The bia~in~ ~ean~ may 35 compxi~e a ~pring aro~nd ~ai~ actuating arm, the ~pr~n~
being di~po~ed between a ~top on the actuatin~ arm and a trAn~verse w~ll in 'che bo~y.
The lever arm may ~e ~uLtably pivotHl~y mount~d at the e~ o~ the body oppo~ite the movable jaw.
The body may ~o ~uppor~ sp~ce~ means fox de~ining a ~pace bet~een the fiLst mçmber an~ s~cond adia~ent previou~ly fixed mem~er. The ffpacer m~an~ i~
5 d~.~pose~ bstween the ~ix~d jaw a~d mov~hle jaw. The ~pacer me~n~ may be supported for mo~emen~ longitudinally of the body. In one pref~rred form, the ~pacer mean~ in~lude~ a movable ~pac~r b~a~ket ~lidabl~ longitudinal~y of the body and ~ 8pacer ele~en~ ~e~ur~ed to ~nd pro~e~ting fL-om the 10 bracket.
When the le~er arm iB relea~ed, the 8prin~ ve~
to move the ffecond jaw ~w~y ~rom the fir~t ~w an~ the le~er arm upw~rdly ready ~or ~eu~e. ~vemen~ of the ~atua~in~ arm ~y the ~pring may al~o resul~ in ~he stop en~aglng the ~pacer bracket tP retraat the bracke~ away from the ~ixed jaw.
The movable jaw ma~ ~e ~d~u~e~ lon~itudina~y along the aa~u~ting arm to enable the device to ~e ~ed wi~h wal] o~ ~loor membe~s or diffexing widths. ~he spacer 20 ~ra~ket ~ay al~o in~lude ~ ~eries o~ ape~ures wllich ma~
receive a ~pacer element. The ~r~ket~ m~y be thre~ded to ~hreadably xe~ei~e ~he ~p~c~r el~m~nt~
Bri~f ~e~ tion of th~ ~awinq~
Tn order that the invention ~ he more readily 25 understoo~ ~nd put into pra~ti~al e~fect, ref~renc~ will now be made to the a~cOmpAnyin~ drawings which ill~tr~te p~eferred embodiment of the in~ention and wheroin: -Fi~. 1 iB a side elevational view of the cr~mping device Q~ the invention;
Fiq. ~ i~ an un~erside view o~ the d~vi~e of Fi~.
l;
Fig. 3 illu~tr~t~ in s~ationa~ view the de~ice po~i~ioned for cra~plng; ~nd Fi~. 4 illu~r~te~ in ~ectlon~l ~iew ~he m~nner 3S in which the de~i~e urge~ board~ to~e~her~
D~ailed Pe~criPtion o$ the PFawih~s Re~errinq to the dr~wi~g~ ~nd ~ir~t~y to Fi~
to 3 ~he~e i~ illu~t~ed ~ cramping de~ic~ 10 a~cordin~ to the pre~ent inven~ion in~luding a ~Ain elongated body 11 aolllpri~in~ a pair of ~p~ed apart ~ide m~mb~rs 12 joined by end w~ll 13 And in~e~m~di~ w~ll 14. An elon~ted arm 15 iB ~rrAnged for longitudinal ~lidin~ movemen~ wi~hin the S body ll an~ uppoxted $or ~hi~ purpose for movemen~
through ~he wall 14 in ~n aperture throu~h the wall And ~x~end~ ~hrough an ape~tur~ 16 in ~h~ end w~ll 13 of the bod~ 11. The body 11 al~o Garrie~ a~ one end ~ fixed jHW
17 which ~pan~ and join~ the ~ide mem~er~ 12. The ~ixed ~aw 17 in ~hi~ embo~imen~ iB in the form of ~n an~e ~ection havin~ ~ fir~t flan~e 18 proje~ing ~elow the bod~
11 and ~ ~e~ond ~la~e 19 which exten~ longi~udinally outw~rdly of the body 11 and which i~ ~h~rpened ox tapered a~'~t 20 ~or a purpo~ whl~h will hereina~er become 15 ~pparent~
The a~m 15 i~ thre~ded at it~ outer end 21 ~nd c~rr~e~ ~ mova~le jaw 22 whlah i~ aper~ured to receive the thxeaded end Zl of the ~rm 15 and which m~ be clamped in a ~elected po~i~ion along ~h~ ~hr~ad~d end ~0 o~ ~he arm 15 20 by a pair of loc~ nut~ ~3 on oppo~ite ~ide~ of the jaw ~2.
The j~w 22 which i8 in ~ho ~orm o~ an aper~red pl~te Al~o pro~ec~ below the body 11.
Pivotally mounted by mean~ of a pivot pin 24 between the ~ember~ a~ on~ ~nd o~ ~he bo~y 11 i~ a lever 25 arm 25 whi~h may car~y a hand grip ~ at it~ ~ree end. A
~ink ~7 i~ pivo~ally ~onne~ted a~ 28 and 2~ a~ itH oppoBite ende to an extension 30 o~ the lever ~rm ~5 ~nd ~he actuatin~ arm 15 respectivel~. A return ~pri~ 31 i~
provided aroun~ ~he arm 15 and i~ located betw~en ~he guide 30 14 ~nd a stop, in the form of a cir~lip 32, f ixed for movement with th~ arm ~5 to no~mall~ ~rge the ann 15 ou~wardly to ~n ex~ended position.
A ~pacer bracket 33 i~ al80 supported within the body ll for longitu~inal ~lidin~ movemen~ and i~ o~ ang~e sec~ioned ~orm, the spacer br~cket 33 being pro~ide~ with A
first horizontal ~lan~e ~4 havin~ a ~erie~ of ~p~ced ap~rt threaded apertures 35 ~o re~eiv~ a thr~aded ~pa~r elemen~
3~ whiah in ~hi~ embodiment is of circul~r cro~ ~ection.

The second upright f~an~e 37 o~ the ~pa~r bracket ~3 i~
slotted at 3B to xe~eive ~he ~rm 15 fr~ly ~heretllrou~h. A
fur~her sprin~ 39 iB provided be~ween tlle end wall 13 of the body 11 ~nd the upri~ht flan~e 37 of the ~r~k~ 33 to ~rge the bra~k~t ~ tow~rd~ the circlip 32. The body 1~
~l~o incl~des ~ bottom wall 40 whi~h extend~ be~ween the aide m~mbers 12 and a ~lot 41 i~ provided in ~he wAll 40 ~nd extend~ lon~itudl~lly ~hereof and i~ ~rranged to fxee~y re~eiv~ the ~p~aer element 36 whiah m~y move aJ.on~
10 the ~lot 41 in the manner deBcr~ bed ~elow~ The side member~ 12 are ~l~o covered on their top ~ide b~ B Cll~
~haped cover memb~r 42~
Xn u~e ~or ~ixing ~hot-ed~e decking ~o~r~ ~nd as shown in Figs. ~ ~nd 4, the device 10 i~ po~itioned ~uch 15 that the j~w flan~e 1~ i8 lo~a~ed ~dj~oent one ~ide o~
previou~ly fixed floor board 4~. In thi~ in~tAnce, the devi~e 1 û ~pan~ ~hree board~ 4 3, 4 4 ~nd 45, the l~o~rd~ 4 3 ~nd 44 prevlou~ly havin~ been fixed in po~ition to ~ ~140r joi~t ~5 by nailing or other fastene~. The ~p~cer e~ement 36 i~ al~o located beyond ~he outer ~ide edge o~ th~ fixed board 44, whil~t the movable ~aw ~2 i8 posltioned beyond ~he loo~e or ~ree board 45 ~o be flxed. A dow~w~rd ~orco ~y be ~hen ~pplie~ ~o ~he lever ~rm 25 by gripping ~he hAnd ~rip 25 and pivoting i~ downw~rdl~. Thi~ will c~u~
25 the i~w ~ to move inwardl~ ~o c~ont;açt: 1;he lool3e bo~lrd 45 and urge i~ inwardly ~owards th~ fi~ed board~ 43 and 44.
During thi~ movement, movement of the ar~ lS ~au~es ~he spring 31 to ~e ~omp~e~ed ~e~ween ~h~ ~irclip 32 ~nd wall 14. Whcn ~he board 45 iB moved inwardly, i~ wil~ contact 30 the ~pa~er element 36 and urge it along the body 11 and slot 41, ~he bracke~ 33 being guided h~ the arm 15 durlng thi~ movement ), until it ~onta~t~ the side of the board 44 .
The spacer element 36, however, on abut~ing the bo~rd 44 will limi~ furthçx ~nw~rd movemçnt of the board 45 ~nd 35 define a fixed ~pacing between the board~ 44 and 4S. When the spa~ex element 36 i~ firmly sandwiched between the bonrds 44 and 45 undex the a~ion o~ ~he jaw 22 a~ ~hown in Fig. 4, fa~tenexs 47 may be app].ied ~hrou~h ~he board 45 ~o 6 ! 2165752 the joi~t 46 (a~ shown in ~ot~ed outline) to ~ecurely hol~
~he ~oard 45 in position~ ~fte~- the ~oard 45 ha~ ~een securod, the lev~r arm 25 may be ~elea~ed and allowed to pivo~ under the a~ion o~ ~he ~pring 31 ~aak ~o the 5 position o~ Fig. 3 ready or the next oramping oper~tion.
The ~paoing element 36 may be of any wid~h ~o BUi~ ~he ~pacin~ required be~ween the boaxd~. Typi~ally, the eleme~t ha~ a di~meter of 4mm. The circular c~o~
~e~ion o~ ~he ele~ent ~ allow~ ~or its easy rem~vAl from 10 between s~cured board~. The elemeht 3~ may however ~e repla~ed with different ~ize elemen~ and ~a~ be po~itioned in an~ of the threaded ape~tu~ 35 in the flan~e 34 dep~ndin~ upon th~ thi~knes~ o~ the board~ or panel~
involved~
The flange ~g of the jaw 18 al~o ~c~ ~8 a ~paaer of standard ~ize, normally ~eing of the ~ame width h~ the diameter of the e~ement 36. The ~lange 1~ ~ay thus be u~ed for manua~ ~pacin~ app~i~ati.on~. The ~aper 20 on the ~nd o~ ~he flange 1~ allow~ for in~ertion of the ~lange 1~
~0 ~etwee~ boa~d~ and s~readi~ o~ boards whi~h m~y ~e pre~sed ~ogether when l~ing.
The ~prin~ 31 whil~t alBo ~erving to retu~n the Rrm 25 to it uprigh~ ~08itio~ ~ al~o ~q~ve~ to ret~rn th~
spacer ~r~cke~ 33 to it~ original po8i~ion ~hrou~h ~he 25 ci~clip 32 ~on~ao~in~ the ~ack~ 33 upon re~raotion of the ~aw 2~. The cir~lip 38 A~ well A~ ~erving a~ ~ ~top ~or ~he sprin~ ~1 al~o allowB ~he main arm lS to move independently o~ the bxaake~ 33.
~he jaw 22 may adJu~ted alonq the ~rm lS ahd lock~d in ~ ~t po~ition ~y the look nut~ 23. Tho j~w 2~
i8 po~itioned in accord~nce wltll the wldth of the bo~d~ or panel~ be~ng secure~. In ~ modi~ied ~orm, ~he j~w 22 m be at1ached ~o a thre~ded rod which ~ay be ~ewed into o~
out o~ the end o$ the body 11 ~o ef~e~t ~d~u~tment of it~
- 35 lon~itl-~;n~l po~ition.
The ~prin~ 3~ actin~ ~e~ween ~he en~ w~ll 13 ~nd ~cke~ 33 i~ ligh~er in ~e~lon ~h~n m~in Bp~ing 31 ~nd ~erve~ ~o maintain the ~lidin~ braake~ ~3 in ~n upright po~ition when th~ lo~ iB removed ~nd the main ~pring 31 i~
compre~eed.
Whilst the ~ppaxa~ue 10 ha~ ~eetl ~hown wi~h ~
linkage conne~tion b~ween the lever arm 25 ~hd ~tuat1ng 5 arm 15, the levex arm 25 and arm 15 may ~ Qonnected via a cable/pulley ~rran~ement or other mechanism ~or example ~earing meçhani~m.
Where the appara~u~ is to be u~ed foL- cr~mping ~looring o~ wall boards where no ~paGing i~ xe~ui~ed 10 betweeh the boarde and the board~ ~re req~ired ~o be haL-d `up a~ins~ ~oh other, ~he ~pRcin~ elem~n~ 36 i~ removed ~y ~imply uh~rewin~ it from ~n ~perture 35 ~nd ~he ~pp~ratu~
10 u~ed in the ~ame manner a8 de~çri~ed ~bo~e. In ~hi~
in~t~nce however, the board 4~ wo~l~d be ur~e~ in~ ~h~
15 board 44 Hnd t~en the ~ en~r~ 47 applied.
Wh~n the deviae 10 i~ n~ ~ n u~e, it m~y b~
~imply folded by pivP~in~ ~h~ arm ~5 downwardly toward~ the body 11 and holding i~ in that posi.tion.
The device 10 of th~ invention tilU~ allow~ for 2~ board~, p~nel~ or othe~ ~imilar member~ to be held tn po~ition u~in~ only one h~nd on th~ leve~ ~m 25 whil~t the other h~nd i~ free for the ~ppli~tion o~ ~as~ener~. ~ore r~pid ~nd e~icient l~ih~ of hoa~d~ o~ panels therefo~e result~. The devi~ o~ ~ou~e may be constru~ted of Any 25 material~ inaludin~ metAl ~nd pl~tic or a combination thereof.
Whil~t the above ha~ ~en given by w~y o$
i11us~rative embodimen~ o~ the invention, all ~uch modifi~ation~ and va~iation~ ~here~o a~ would ~e apparent 30 to person~ skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the bro~d ~ope and ambit of tbe invention ~ defined in th~
append~d claim~.

Claims (10)

1. A cramping device for urging a first floor or wall member into position relative to one or more previously fixed second wall or floor members, said cramping device including a main body, a first jaw fixed to said main body and adapted to be located on one side of said previously fixed second member or members, a second jaw supported for movement on said main body towards and away form said first jaw and adapted to be located on the side of said first member remote from said second member or members, and a lever arm pivotally mounted to said body and adapted to be pivoted to move said second movable jaw towards said first jaw to urge said first member towards said second member or members whereby it may for fixed in position relative to said second member or members.

2. A device according to Claim 1 wherein said body includes an actuating arm extending longitudinally of said body and movable relative thereto, said actuating arm carrying said second jaw.

3. A device according to claim 2 and including biasing means for biasing said movable jaw away from said first jaw.

4. A device according to Claim 3 wherein said biasing means comprising a spring around said actuating arm disposed between a stop on said actuating arm and a transverse wall in said body.

5. A device according to claim 1 wherein said body includes spacer means for defining a space between said first member and second adjacent previously fixed member.

6. A device according to Claim 6 wherein said spacer means is supported for movement longitudinally of the body.

7. A device according to Claim 7 wherein said spacer means includes a movable spacer bracket slidable longitudinally of said body and a spacer element secured to and projecting from said bracket.

8. A device according to Claim 1 wherein said lever arm is pivotally mounted at the end of said body opposite said movable jaw.

9. A cramping device for urging a first floor board into position relative to one or more previously fixed second floor boards, said cramping device including a main elongated body, a first jaw fixed to said main body and adapted to be located on one side of said previously fixed floor board, a second jaw supported for movement on said main body towards and away from said first jaw and adapted to be located on the side of said first board remote from said second board or boards, a lever arm pivotally mounted to said body and adapted to be pivoted to move said second movable jaw towards said first jaw to urge said first board towards said second board or boards, and spacer means supported on said body and adapted to be disposed between said first board and second board or boards to define a space between said first board and second board or boards when said first board is moved towards said second board or boards.

10. A camping device according to Claim 9 wherein said spacer means is supported for movement longitudinally of said body.