GB2078595A

GB2078595A - Clamping Workpieces

Info

Publication number: GB2078595A
Application number: GB8113992A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-05-08
Filing date: 1981-05-07
Publication date: 1982-01-13

Abstract

Two members (1, 2) each of which has a work engaging jaw portion (6) are pivotally interconnected such that they are rockable with respect to each other and apart from the regions (3) where the members are pivotally connected together, each member (1, 2) is located entirely to one side of the median plane extending between the members and containing the pivot axis (4). The members may be provided with ground engaging feet or a footrest (23). The members (1, 2) may be spaced apart by a pair of spreaders (13, 14) interconnected by a hinge (15), a lever (16) connected to the spreader on one of the members (1, 2) engages a selected one of a plurality of notches in the other of members to hold the members in a predetermined position. <IMAGE>

Description

'SPECIFICATION A Clamp or Vice The present invention relates to a clamp or vice for clamping a workpiece so as to facilitate the carrying out of an operation on the workpiece.

Hitherto, clamps or vices generally comprise two jaws in combination with a screw mechanism which is operated to effect a clamping action on a workpiece positioned between the jaws, the screw mechanism being operated in a reverse direction to release the workpiece.

The present invention consists in a clamp or vice comprising two members each of which has a work engaging jaw portion and is pivotally interconnected to the other member such that they are rockable with respect to each other wherein, apart from the regions where the members are pivotally connected together, each member is located entirely to one side of the median plane extending between the members and containing the pivot axis.

The two members may be constructed so that, in use, the clamp or vice can stand upright on the ground or a work surface such that an operator can readily apply downward pressure on the workpiece to effect the clamping action.

The clamp or vice may alternatively comprise means operable to spread and releasably maintain apart those portions of the members on the opposite side of the pivot axis to the jaws so as to cause the jaws to exert a clamping action on a workpiece positioned between the jaws.

The clamp or vice may comprise two spreader members which are respectively associated each with one of the two members and are movable with respect to each other to spread said member portions apart.

The spreader members are pivotally interconnected, for example by one or more hinges, such that pivotal movement of the spreader members with respect to each other causes the spreading action.

The spreader members may be operated by means of a manually operable lever, handle or the like.

The lever, handle or the like may be selectively engageable in any one of a plurality of locations so as to lock the jaws in a clamping position.

Conveniently, the lever, handle, or the like may extend through an opening in one of the members and the locations may be constituted by a row of notches or slots provided along one edge of the opening.

Alternatively, the spreading means may be formed by a hydraulically operated device such as a hydraulic ram.

In order to facilitate transporting or storing when not in use, the clamp or vice may be adapted to fold or collapse. For example, the means forming the pivotable interconnection between the members may be located in one or more slots provided in either one or both of the members and extending in a direction between the members, and said members being releaseable or loosenable with respect to each other to permit either one of or each of the members bodily to move relatively towards the other member by means of the slot or slots to collapse the vice or clamp.

Alternatively, each member may comprise portions which are pivotally connected together, for example by hinges, to permit the members to be folded into a relatively flat condition.

The ends of the members which form the upper ends of the vice or clamp in use may be provided with respective swivel or pivotably mounted jaws. These jaws may be arranged to be turnable about their swivel or pivot points so as to present their clamping faces parallel to one another, independently of the angle of the two members with respect to each other.

Each member may conveniently be made from sheet material, such as steel or a suitable rigid plastics material, and be generally in the form of a channel of which the side walls each form a part of a jaw. Alternatively, the members may be castings or mouldings in which case the jaws may be formed as solid surfaces.

The jaws may be profiled so as to accommodate workpieces of different dimensions and/or shapes. For example, each jaw may have a plurality of concave or angular profiles. The end of each member which forms the upper end of the vice or clamp in use may also be shaped to form a flat jaw, e.g. for use in clamping a workpiece in the form of an angle member.

In order to increase the stability of the clamp or vice when in use one of the members may be provided with means for anchoring that member to the ground or a work surface.

When the clamp or vice is of a relatively large size and intended to be stood on the ground when in use, a foot rest may be provided adjacent the bottom of either one of or each of the members.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of clamp or vice according to the invention, Figure 2 is a similar view of the clamp or vice showing a piece of pipe clamped between the jaws.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a further embodiment of clamp or vice, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the clamp or vice in Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, a clamp or vice according to the invention comprises two pivotally interconnected members, 1, 2 whose lower ends are intended to rest on a work surface or on the ground. Each member is of generally channel form and tapers in the direction from the bottom to the top. The side walls 1 a, 2a of each channel project towards the other member and overlap at lug portions 3, at which point they are interconnected by pivot pins, rivets or the like 4 which permit the two members to rock with respect to each other. The side walls 1 a, 2a of the channel members above the pivot points 4 are profiled as at 5 and 6 to form work engaging jaws so that the jaws may accommodate and clamp workpieces of different shapes and dimensions.The upper end of the channel members are turned over to form flat jaws 7 for accommodating other types of workpieces, such as an angle member.

As can be seen from the drawings the lower ends of the members 1, 2, include feet 8 for engaging the ground or a work surface and enable the clamp to stand upright thereon. As can be seen, the members diverge away from each other from the top to the bottom to provide stability in use.

It will be noted that, apart from the regions adjacent the lugs 3 where the members are pivotally connected, each member is otherwise entirely to one side of the median plane of the clamp extending between the members and containing the pivot axis.

Referring to Figure 2, a workpiece such as a pipe 9 upon which an operation is to be carried out, for example a sawing operation, is introduced between the two profiled jaw portions 5 and by virtue of the weight of the pipe and the operator manually passing down on the pipe, the members 1, 2, pivot towards each other to cause the jaws to engage the pipe and exert a clamping action thereon.

Continued downward manual pressure on the workpiece or possibly a manual grip over the top of the clamp or vice, maintains the clamping action of the jaws on the workpiece and allows the sawing operation to be carried out thereon whilst the workpiece is held firmly clamped in the jaws.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the clamp or vice illustrated again comprises two pivotably interconnected members 1, 2 whose lower ends are intended to rest on the ground. Each member is of generally channel form and tapers in the direction from the bottom to the top. The side walls 1 a, 2a of each channel project towards the other member and overlap at lug portions 3, at which point they are interconnected by pivot pins 4. In this embodiment, each pivot pin has a threaded end portion carrying a wing nut 5 for releasably tightening the side walls 1 a, 2a together. The pivot pins 4 permit the two members to rock with respect to each other. The side walls of the channel members above the pivot points are profiled as at 6 and 7 to form work engaging jaws so that the jaws may accommodate and clamp workpieces of different shapes and dimensions.The upper end of the channel members are provided with swivel jaws 8, 9 which extend between the side walls of the respective channel member 1, 2 and are pivotably mounted on the side walls 1 a, 2a by means of pivot pins or the like 10, 1 The swivel jaws 8, 9 have flat clamping faces 8a, 9a for accommodating other types of workpiece, such as an angle iron or a planar member.

The lower ends of the members include feet 12 for engaging the ground and enable the clamp to stand upright thereon. In this embodiment, the members diverge away from each other from the top to the bottom to provide for a particularly stable arrangement in use. It will be noted that, apart from the regions adjacent the lug portions 3 where the members are pivotably connected, each member is otherwise located entirely to one side of the median plane of the clamp extending between the members and containing the pivot axis.

The foot 12 of each member 1, 2 has associated therewith one end of a spreader member 13 or 14 which extends inwardly and upwardly of the clamp or vice and is hingedly connected by a hinge 1 5 to the spreader member associated with the other member. A lever 1 6 is connected at one end by rivets 17 and 1 8 to the upper surface of the spreader member 13 and extends through a longitudinal opening 1 9 provided in the base of the channel of member 2.

Along one of its longitudinal edges the opening 1 9 is provided with a row of notches 20 for locating the lever 1 6 in a selected one of a plurality of fixed positions.

In order to clamp a workpiece such as a pipe 21 between the two profiled jaw portions 6, or, alternatively, a flat workpiece 22 between the swivel jaws 8. 9 the workpiece is initially introduced between the profiled jaw portions or the swivel jaws. The operator then manually presses down on the lever 16 so as to move it down the opening and cause the hingedly connected spreader members 13, 14 to pivot with respect to each other and spread the bases of the members 1 and 2 apart and thus cause the profiled jaw portions or swivel jaws to exert a clamping action on the workpiece. In order to maintain the workpiece in the clamped position the lever 1 6 is engaged in an appropriate one of the notches 20. With the workpiece maintained in a clamped position, an operation such as a sawing operation may be readily carried out on the workpiece.

The operator is provided with a foot rest 23 on opposite sides of the clamp or vice, each foot rest being constituted by the lower edges 24a of cutout portions 24 in the bases of the channels of the members 1,2 adjacent the feet 12.

In order to release the clamping action on the workpiece the lever 1 6 is moved laterally to disengage from the notch and then is moved upwardly in the opening 1 9. This causes the feet 12 of the members to be drawn towards each other and thus the profiled jaw portions 6, 7 or swivel jaws 8, 9 to move away from the workpiece.

In order to facilitate storing or transporting of the clamp or vice when not in use, the wing nuts 5 at opposite ends of the clamp or vice can be loosened and the member 1 can be moved towards the other member 2 by means of slots 25 provided in the side walls 1 a. The slots 25 locate the pivot pins 4 and the pivot pins are relatively slidable along the slots.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown) where the channel bases of the members are of rectangular form as opposed to being tapered, instead of providing slots 25 in the side walls 1 a, of the members 1, 2 to facilitate collapsing of the clamp or vice, each side wall of each member may be hingedly connected by hinges 26 (shown in broken lines in Figure 1) to its associated channel base in such a manner that when the members are orientated with respect to each other such that the joint lines between the side walls and the channel bases are parallel to each other, the clamp or vice may be folded substantially flat. In the folded position, one member, and an adjacent pair of interconnected side walls 1 a, 2a will lie substantially flat and be offset to the other member and the other pair of interconnected side walls 1 a, 2a, which also will be lying substantially flat.In this construction, the connection between the spreader members 13 and the lever 1 6 should be releasable to permit folding of the clamp or vice.

Whilst particular embodiments of the invention have been described above, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the clamp or vice may be of a small size intended to stand on a work bench, or may be of a large size in which case it may also serve as a press.

In yet another arrangement according to the invention, the spreader members may be operated by a screw mechanism instead of a lever. Such a screw mechanism may operate on the hinge or pivot connection between the spreader members.

It will thus be appreciated that the invention provides a readily transportable clamp or vice for hoiding a workpiece securely, which is of simple construction and which does not of necessity depend upon a screw mechanism for effecting a clamping action.

Claims

1. A clamp or vice comprising two members each of which has a work engaging jaw portion and is pivotally interconnected to the other member such that they are rockable with respect to each other characterised in that, apart from the regions where the members are pivotally connected together, each member is located entirely to one side of the median plane extending between the members and containing the pivot axis.

2. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 1, wherein, the two members are constructed so that, in use, the clamp or vice can stand upright on the ground or a work surface such that downward pressure applied on a workpiece between the jaw portions effects the clamping action on said workpiece.

3. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 1, wherein it comprises means operable to spread and releasably maintain apart those portions of the members on the opposite side of the pivot axis to the jaw portions so as to cause the jaw portions to exert a clamping action on a workpiece positioned between the jaw portions.

4. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 3, wherein it comprises two spreaders which are respectively associated each with one of the two members and which are movable with respect to each other to spread said portions of said members apart.

5. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 4, wherein the spreaders are pivotally interconnected together such the pivotal movement of the spreaders with respect to each other causes the spreading action.

6. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the spreaders are operated by means of a manually operable lever or handle associated with one of the spreaders and selectively engageable in any one of a plurality of locations so as to lock the jaw portions in a clamping position.

7. A clamp or vice as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein in order to facilitate transporting or storing when not in use, the clamp or vice is adapted to fold or collapse from its erected work position.

8. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 7, wherein the pivotable interconnection between the members includes a slotted region which, when said pivotable connection is loosened, allows one of said members to move relative to the other member by means of said slotted region thereby to collapse the vice or clamp.

9. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 7, wherein each member comprises portions which are hinged together so that said members can be folded from an erected and working position into a relatively flat storage position.

10. A clamp or vice as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the jaw portions are profiled so as to accommodate workpieces of different dimensions and/or shapes.

11. A clamp or vice as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each member is generally in the form of a channel.

12. A clamp or vice as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each member carries a pivotable or swivel mounted jaw.

1 3. A clamp or vice as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least one of the members is provided with means to anchor it to the ground.

14. A clamp or vice as claimed in any preceding claim, including a foot rest associated with at least one of said members.

1 5. A clamp or vice substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.