GB2437291A

GB2437291A - Clamp with releasable handle

Info

Publication number: GB2437291A
Application number: GB0607680A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Christopher Neil
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-04-18
Filing date: 2006-04-18
Publication date: 2007-10-24
Also published as: GB0607680D0

Abstract

A clamp 1 with a jaw 10 defining a mouth 13, an arm 14 pivotally mounted on the clamp 1 for pivotal movement between an open position in which the mouth 13 is able to receive an element to be clamped and a closed position in which the element is clamped in the mouth 13. An engagement member 24 releasably engages an elongate member 19 which acts as a lifting tool and is used to lift the clamp to or from the position for clamping. The clamp is arranged to cooperate with the elongate member when the two are engaged so that a user can manipulate the member to pivot the arm in the open position. In use, the clamp 1 secures safety fencing around building sites. The safety fence is attached to the clamp 1 by a hook 16, the hook 16 can preferably pivot about arm 14 by means of a pin 15.

Description

The invention relates to a clamp and particularly but not exclusively

to a clamp for fastening safety netting to structural building elements.

Health and Safety Regulations require safety netting to be fitted on building sites in situations where personnel are working above a certain height. Typically, a safety net is securely fastened at its corners to an I-section structural beam using S-shaped hooks. Further S-shaped hooks are arranged at intervals to engage the side edges of the safety net.

The disadvantages of this arrangement are that the S-shaped hooks can readily detach from the I-section beam and that the hooks have a tendency to slide down inclined beams. These issues have been addressed by the pivoted jaw clamp described in my UK Patent Application No. 0404984.7. Typically, to fix such jaw clamps in position, personnel must initially climb up to the beams, which are often several metres off the floor, or reach out from a building structure to secure the clamps to the beams for the netting. Such activity presents a clear safety hazard.

In accordance with the present invention as seen from a first aspect there is provided a clamp comprising a jaw which defines a mouth, an arm pivotally mounted on the clamp for pivotal movement between an open position in which the mouth is able to receive an object for clamping and a closed position in which the object can be clamped in the mouth, the clamp further comprising engagement means for releasably engaging an elongate member by means of which a user can lift the clamp to or from a position for clamping, the clamp arranged to co-operate with the elongate member when the two are engaged so that a user can manipulate the member to pivot the arm in the open position Preferably, the clamp is arranged so that when the member is released from the engagement means the arm can pivot to the closed position.

Preferably, the clamp further comprises hook means pivotally mounted to said arm.

Preferably, the arm comprises at least part of the engagement means.

Preferably, at least the part of the engagement means is a pin about which the hook can pivot about the arm.

Preferably, the engagement means comprises a formation formed on the jaw for engaging a complimentary formation formed on the elongate member.

Preferably, when the clamp and member are engaged, the arm is prevented from pivoting to the closed position.

Preferably, the hook means faces away from the elongate member when the member is engaged with the clamp.

Preferably, the arm extends into the mouth when in the closed position.

Preferably, the hook is for securing a safety net to a structure that the clamp is clamped to.

In accordance with this invention as seen from a second aspect, there is provided an elongate member for releasably engaging with the clamp of the first aspect, the member comprising complimentary means, for engaging with the engagement means of the clamp.

In accordance with this invention as seen from a third aspect there is provided a method of manipulating a clamp in accordance with the first aspect, said method comprising engaging the clamp with an elongate member and manipulating the arm using the elongate member to pivot the arm into the open position.

In accordance with this invention as seen from a fourth aspect there is provided a method of manipulating a clamp in accordance with the first aspect, said method comprising engaging the clamp with an elongate member and manipulating the arm using the elongate member to pivot the arm into the open position, positioning the clamp such that the structural building element is within the mouth of the clamp and releasing the elongate member from the clamp to enable the arm to move into the mouth and clamp the structural building element.

The preferred embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is perspective view of the clamp and lifting tool in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention Figure 2 is a side view of the clamp and lifting tool shown in figure 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of the clamp as secured to an I-section beam; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lifting tool.

Referring to figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a clamp 1 comprising a jaw 10 having a pair of outwardly extending portions 11, 12 which are spaced apart to define a mouth 13 of the clamp 1. An elongate arm 14 is pivotally mounted intermediate its opposite ends at 15 to one of the jaw portions 12 for pivotal movement about an axis extending perpendicular to the mouth 13. The upper end of the arm 14 is pivotal into the mouth 13 and a hook 16 is pivotally mounted at 17 to the other end of the arm 14 on the opposite side of the pivot point 15.

In normal use, the weight of the hook 16 acting downwards in the direction shown by arrow A causes said arm to pivot about such that the upper end of the arm 14 extends into the mouth 13 in a clockwise direction along arrow B, for clamping to a portion of an I-section beam 18, as shown in figure 2.

The clamp 1 can be releasably engaged by an elongate lifting tool 19. Advantageously, a user (not shown) can grasp the elongate lifting tool 19 by a lower handle section 20 to lift the clamp 1 into position for clamping onto a structural building element such as an I-section beam 18. When the lifting tool 19 engages the clamp 1, a user can manipulate the lifting tool to position the arm 14 so that the mouth is unobstructed. This enables the clamp 1 to be positioned with the structural building element 18 within the mouth 13. The user can then release the lifting tool 19 from the clamp 1 allowing the arm 14 to pivot under the weight of the hook 16 so that the upper end of the arm 14 extends into the mouth 13 to secure the clamp 1 to the building element.

A user can thus fix the clamp 1 at positions that could not be reached or which could not easily or safely reached by hand.

In some circumstances, using the lifting tool 19 to position the clamp 1 will obviate the requirement for a ladder or hoist, etc. Referring to figures 3 and 4, the lifting tool 19 is generally S-shaped. The handle section 20 may be telescopic or suitably arranged for extension poles to be fitted thereto. The lifting tool 19 further comprises a clamp 1 engagement section 21 which itself comprises a first catch 22 and a second catch 23, which are spaced along the clamp engagement section 21.

In order to secure the clamp 1 to the lifting tool 19 and to prepare the clamp 1 to be secured to an I-section beam, the hook pivot 17 is first seated in the second catch 23 and then the lifting tool 19 is moved toward the law 10 thereby pivoting the arm 14 about the pivot 15 to open the mouth 13. Referring to figures 1, 3 and 4, when the arm 14 is clear of the mouth 13, the first catch 22 can engage with a locator pin 24 that is bonded to the rear of the jaw by a weld or similar. When the two catches 22, 23 have securely engaged with the locator pin 24 and hook pivot 17, respectively, the lower part of the hook 16 will engage with a stop 25 that is secured to the lifting tool 19.

The S-shaped curvature of the lifting tool 19 and the positioning of the stop 25 with respect to the hook 16, causes the hook 16 to rest on the stop 25. In this manner, the position of the arm 14 and hook 16 are fixed with respect to the jaws 10.

In addition, the hook 16 extends away from the lifting tool 19 so that the hook function is unobstructed by the lifting tool 19.

Safety netting (not shown) can be engaged with the hook 16, prior to lifting the clamp up to an overhead beam 18 so that the netting and clamp can be fitted together.

When a user pulls the lifting tool 19 so that the first catch 22 and the second catch 23 are respectively released from the locator pin 24 and the hook pivot 17, and the tool 19 is moved out of contact of the clamp 1, the arm 14 is free to pivot and close the mouth 13 to fix the clamp into position.

To remove a clamp 1 from a clamped position, the lifting tool 19 can be moved to re-engage the clamp 1 as described above, and the tool 19 can be manipulated to pivot the arm to open the mouth 13. The tool 19 can then simply be used to pull the clamp 1 free.

Claims

Claims 1. A clamp comprising a jaw which defines a mouth, an arm

pivotally mounted on the clamp f or pivotal movement between an open position in which the mouth is able to receive an object for clamping and a closed position in which the object can be clamped in the mouth, the clamp further comprising engagement means for releasably engaging an elongate member by means of which a user can lift the clamp to or from a position for clamping, the clamp arranged to co-operate with the elongate member when the two are engaged so that a user can manipulate the member to pivot the arm into the open position.

2. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein the clamp is arranged so that when the member is released from the engagement means the arm can pivot to the closed position.

3. A clamp according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clamp further comprises hook means pivotally mounted to said arm.

4. A clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the arm comprises at least part of the engagement means.

5. A clamp according to claim 4 as dependent on claim 3, wherein at least the part of the engagement means is a pin about which the hook can pivot about the arm.

6. A clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the engagement means comprises a formation formed on the jaw for engaging a complimentary formation formed on the elongate member.

7. A clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein when the clamp and member are engaged, the arm is prevented from pivoting to the closed position.

8. A clamp according to any claims 3 to 7, wherein the hook means faces away from the elongate member when the member is engaged with the clamp.

9. A clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the arm extends into the mouth when in the closed position.

10. A clamp according to any of claims 3 to 8 wherein the hook is for securing a safety net to a structure that the clamp is clamped to.

11. A clamp substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. An elongate member for releasably engaging with the clamp of any preceding claim, the member comprising complimentary engaging means for engaging with the engagement means of the clamp.

13. An elongate member according to claim 12, wherein the complimentary engagement means comprises a catch for catching part of the arm of the clamp.

14. An elongate member substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

15. A method of manipulating a clamp according to any of claims 1 to 11, said method comprising engaging the clamp with an elongate member and manipulating the arm using the elongate member to pivot the arm into the open position.

16. A method of manipulating a clamp according to any of claims 1 to 11, said method comprising engaging the clamp with an elongate member and manipulating the arm using the elongate member to pivot the arm into the open position, positioning the clamp such that an object is within the mouth of the clamp and releasing the elongate member from the clamp to enable the arm to move into the mouth and clamp the object.

17. A method substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.