GB2134017A - Clamp or vice - Google Patents

Abstract

A clamp or vice for clamping workpieces comprises a base 1 having a flat workpiece supporting surface 2 a fixed clamping jaw 1 and a movable jaw 11 movable towards and away from the fixed jaw. The movable jaw is controlled by a member 9 which is slidable with respect to the base and which is engageable by a locking member 16 to lock it in a desired position. The locking action may be such that this action tends to move the movable jaw 11 towards the fixed jaw 5. The jaws may be removably secured to the device whereby they may be interchanged with other jaws of different configuration. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Clamp or vice The present invention relates to a clamp or vice for clamping workpieces and more particularly to a clamp or vice for clamping relatively flat sheet-like workpieces such as panels to be engraved or printed circuit boards, or the like.

Hitherto such workpieces have been held clamped in work holders which require considerable manual manipulation for a correct setting up and adjustment and which also cannot readily accommodate different types and shapes of workpieces in desired locations and with desired orientations without a considerable time spent in setting them up.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a clamp or vice, particularly suitable for clamping flat workpieces such as panels to be engraved or printed circuit boards which may be speedily held in a clamped position and which, when required, may be jigged so that they are accurately located in a predetermined position.

Moreover, the vice according to the invention may also be used for clamping more bulky workpieces.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a clamp or vice comprising a base having a flat workpiece supporting surface, said surface also supporting two work clamping jaws, one of which is fixed and the other of which is movable over said surface towards and away from the fixed jaw, said movable jaw being controlled by a member which is slidable with respect to the base and which is engageable by a locking member to lock it in a desired position. Preferably the locking action is such that said action tends to move the movable jaw towards the fixed jaw.

Preferably the movable member slidable with respect to the base is accommodated in a recess in the base for sliding movement with respect thereto from substantially one end of the base to substantially the other end thereof.

A portion of the workpiece supporting surface may also be provided by a surface of a member projecting from the movable jaw towards the fixed jaw and located in said recess in the base so as to be slidable along said recess with movement of said movable jaw which serves to form a continuous work support surface across said recess for a relatively small or narrow workpiece located between the jaws when the movable jaw is moved into relatively close proximity with the fixed jaw.

According to a feature of the invention the jaws are removably secured to the device whereby they may be interchanged with other jaws of different configuration. The jaws may also be orientable so as to present different work engaging faces in the operative position.

According to a further feature of the invention the base incorporates a slot located adjacent and parallel to the fixed jaw for locating a strip-like jig member which has a portion received within the slot and a further portion which extends from said slot and said surface in order to provide a locating point for the accurate jigging of a workpiece positioned between the fixed and movable jaws, whereby any of a plurality of similar workpieces may be successively located and clamped between the jaws in the same relative position and/or orientation. Securing means such as a clamping screw may be provided for detachably securing the jig member within the slot.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the locking mechanism for locking the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw is located at or adjacent that end of the base member remote from the fixed jaw. The locking mechanism may be contained in a housing providing bearings for said movable member which may advantageously be in the form of a rod extending through opposite walls of the housing and located in said recess in the base member.

The locking action may be effected by actuation of a cam member carried by a shaft extending through the housing normal to the rod and capable of exerting a camming action on a lock member such that the member exerts a wedging action on the rod in order to lock it and hence the movable jaw attached thereto in a desired position. The lock member may be in the form of a strip or bar having an aperture through which passes the rod, the walls of the aperture exerting a wedging action on the rod as the strip or bar is inclined with respect thereto against the action of a coil spring surrounding the rod and located between one wall of the housing and said lock member. Screw means may be provided for adjusting the position of said lock member relative to the cam member.

The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of clamp or vice according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 11-11 of Figure 1, Fig. 3 is a detailed perspective view of the locking mechanism, and Fig. 4 illustrates different forms of jig which may be used with the clamp or vice, and Fig. 5 illustrates a different form of jaws which may be used in the vice according to the invention.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the clamp or vice comprises a base member 1 , for example, a casting of an aluminium alloy, having a flat work supporting upper surface 2 and provided with a slot or recess 3 extending centrally longitudinally thereof. An integrally cast housing 4 is formed at one end of the base and a fixed jaw 5 extends transversely to the base at its other end and normal to the slot. The fixed jaw 5 is secured to the upper surface 2 of the base by means of screws 6 whereby it may be interchanged with other jaw members as will hereinafter be described. As shown, the fixed jaw 5 comprises a strip of steel.Located adjacent and parallel to the fixed jaw 5 is a narrow slot 7 extending partway through the base for receiving the edge of a striplike jig member, as will hereinafter be described, and which may be clamped in position in the slot by means of the clamping screw 8.

A rod 9 is located in the recess 3 and supported in bearings formed in the opposite walls of the housing 4. The foward end of the rod is connected to a block 10 which is slidable in the recess and which supports and has attached thereto a movable jaw 11 in the form of a metal strip, somewhat similar to the fixed strip 5, and attached to the block by means of screws 1 2. The block 10 also projects forwardly of the movable jaw and has its upper surface 1 Oa flush with the supporting surface 2 of the base so as to provide an additional supporting surface closing the recess 3 in positions where the movable jaw is fairly near to the fixed jaw, and thus provide an additional supporting surface for small or narrow workpieces. A plate 22 secured to the lower side of the block 1 0 locates it vertically of the recess 3.The jaws 5 and 11 could alternatively be metal castings in which case the block 10 may be formed as an integral part of the movable jaw 11.

The other end of the rod 9 is fitted with a knob 13 by means of which the movable jaw 11 may be pushed towards and drawn away from the fixed jaw 5. The lower surface of the movable jaw is supported by and slides on the work supporting surface 2 of the base.

The housing 4 containing the locking mechanism has a bottom 4a formed as an integral part of the casting forming the base member and also a removable cover 14 attached by screws. A shaft 1 5 is journalled in the cover and the bottom 4a of the housing and terminates at its upper end in a portion 15a projecting from the cover and from which extends a control lever 1 6 provided with an actuating knob 1 7. Intermediate its ends, the shaft 1 5 is formed with a reduced diameter portion 1 8 which is shaped as an eccentric or cam and which can engage with a region adjacent one end of a locking bar 1 9 located in the housing transverse to the shaft 1 5 and having an aperture 1 9a through which the rod 9 passes.An adjusting screw 20 secured in one wall of the housing 4 has an end which bears against the end region of the locking bar 1 9 opposite to that in contact with the cam 18; and a coil spring 21 which surrounds the rod 9 is located between one wall of the housing and the locking bar 19.

In operation, to clamp a workpiece between the jaws 5 and 1 for example a flat panel to be engraved, the rod 9 is manually pulled by means of the knob 13 so as to separate the jaws 5 and 11 sufficiently for the panel to be located between them, whereafter the knob 13 is pushed to move the movable jaw 11 into contact with the adjacent edge of the panel. The lever 1 6 is then rotated to urge the cam 18 to press the locking bar 19 so that it is inclined with respect to the rod 9 and the walls of the aperture 1 9a thereby wedge on to the rod, against the action of the coil spring 21. This action also tends to move the movable jaw 11 towards the workpiece and thereby increase the clamping pressure.In order to release the workpiece, the lever 1 6 is rotated in the opposite direction to release the action of the cam 1 8 against the bar 1 9 and to allow the rod 9 to slide and hence the movable jaw to be withdrawn from the workpiece so that it can be removed from between the jaws 5 and 11.

As mentioned above, the jaws are removable and replaceable by other jaws, for example thicker jaws for use in locating a printed circuit board, in which case the board may be cushioned on a resilient pad such as a pad of foamed plastics material. This pad may bear locations for components whose connected kvires pass through holes in the printed circuit board, the assembly being held between the jaws of the clamp or vice whilst the connecting wires are soldered to conductors on the printed circuit board.

Figure 4 shows two embodiments of strip-like jig which may be located in the slot 7 in the base member and secured by the screw 8 in order to provide an accurate location for the jigging of workpieces of particular configuration when a plurality of such workpieces are to be successively located between the jaws of the clamp or vice.

The jig 30 consists of a strip which is locatable within the slot 7 and which is dimensioned such that the edge 31 is flush with the work supporting surface 2 and the upstanding end region 32 projects from the slot to form a location for a particular part of the workpiece. The further jig 40 again comprises a portion for location in the slot 7 with the surface 41 substantially flush with the supporting surface 2 and in this case provides a portion 42 at right angles to the strip which lies on the surface 2 and forms a location, for example for circular or other non-rectangular workpieces located between the jaws. It will be apparent that by using appropriate jigs, successive similar workpieces may be presented between the jaws and each lined up in a corresponding position before they are clamped by the jaws.

As mentioned above, the device according to the present invention is particularly suitable for the ready and efficient clamping or jigging of workpieces such as panels to be engraved for presentation to an engraving machine or for the processing of other workpieces such as printed circuit boards. However thicker jaws may be provided for clamping other workpieces as shown in Fig. 5 which illustrates a pair of fixed and movable jaws 51, 52. In this Figure both the fixed jaw 51 and movable jaw 52, are castings of aluminium alloy and have two differently shaped workpiece clamping surfaces 53, 54 which may alternatively be brought into use by suitable orientation of the jaws. The movable jaw 52 also includes a central rectangular spigot 55 and flanges 56 case integrally therewith which correspond in function to the block 10 and plate 22. The end of the rod 9 may be secured, e.g.

screwed, into a threaded aperture 57 in the spigot 55. With such a construction of jaws, the slot or recess 3 may be widened adjacent the fixed jaw to allow passage of the flanges 56 on the spigot 55 of the movable jaw.

The base of the clamp or vice and particularly the work supporting surface 2, may be finished in any desired manner, for example where it consists of an aluminium casting it may be anodised if desired.

It will be understood that other constructions of cam member and locking mechanism may be provided besides that specificaily described.

Where the clamp or vice is employed for the successive clamping of several similar workpieces, these can generally be clamped and released merely by operation of the lever 16, due to the slight advance and retraction movement thereby imparted to the movable jaw, without it also being necessary further to move the movable jaw by movement of the rod 9.

Claims (12)

1. A clamp or vice comprising a base having a flat workpiece supporting surface, said surface also supporting two work clamping jaws, one of which jaws is fixed and the other of which is movable over said surface towards and away from the fixed jaw, said movable jaw being controlied by a member which is slidable with respect to the base and which is engageable by a locking member to lock said slidable member in a desired position.

2. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locking action is such that said action tends to move the movable jaw towards the fixed jaw.

3. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the movable member slidable with respect to the base is accommodated in a slot or recess in the base for sliding movement with respect thereto.

4. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the locking member for locking the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw is located at or adjacent that end of the base remote from the fixed jaw.

5. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 4, wherein the locking member is contained in a housing providing bearings for said movable member which is in the form of a slidable rod extending through opposite walls of the housing and located in said slot or recess in the base member.

6. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 5, wherein the locking action is effected by actuation of a cam member carried by a shaft extending through the housing normal to the axis of the movable member and capable of exerting a camming action on a lock member so that the lock member exerts a wedging action on the rod in order to lock it and hence the movable jaw attached thereto in a desired position.

7. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lock member is in the form of a strip or bar having an aperture through which passes the rod, the walls of the aperture exerting a wedging action on the rod as the strip or bar is inclined with respect thereto against the action of resilient means surrounding the rod and located between one wall of the housing and said lock member.

8. A clamp or vice as claimed in claim 7, wherein means are provided for adjusting the position of the lock member relative to the cam member.

9. A clamp or vice as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a portion of the workpiece supporting surface is provided by a surface of a member projecting from the movable jaw towards the fixed jaw and located in said slot or recess in said base so as to be slidable along said slot or recess with movement of said movable jaw.

1 0. A clamp or vice as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the jaws are removably secured to the device whereby they may be interchanged with other jaws of different configuration or turned through 1 80O to present differently formed work engaging clamping surfaces opposite each other.

11. A clamp or vice as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base incorporates a slot located adjacent and parallel to the fixed jaw for locating a strip-like jig member which has a portion received within the slot and a further portion which extends from said slot and said surface in order to provide a locating point for the accurate jigging of a workpiece positioned between the fixed and movable jaws.

12. A clamp or vice substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.