US2256634A - Basting clamp - Google Patents

Description

Sept 23', l941- v 'l II.. A. WEBB 2,256,634 l BASTING CLAMP v Filed March 22, 1941 FOR THE FIRM A TTOIQLVEKS Patented Sept. 23, 1941 UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE AsrING CLAMP s Louis A. Webb, Pasadena,Calif. Application March 22, 1941, seria1No.ss4,724

7 Claims.

This invention relates to bastingA tools for securing in assembled Iace-to-face relationship two or more plates of sheet metal or other material as a preliminary to performing an operation upon said plates requiring that they be firmly held in such assembled face-to-face relationship while the operation is being performed.

Basting tools of the -class to which this invention relates find their most common field of use' in securing and holding in fixed face-to-face relationship'two. plates previously drilled to provide a plurality of registering perforations for the reception of rivets, which, when installed in the perforations, permanently secure the plates together. After two such perforated plates are placed together with their registering perforations axially aligned several of the basting tools are placed in a correspondingnumber of registering pairs of perforations, rivets are installed in the lremaining perforations, the basting tools are removed from the plates, and the perforations which had been occupied b'y the basting tools are then riveted.

It is one object of this invention to provide a basting tool which shall be simple, inexpensive applied and withdrawn from the plate to be riveted or otherwise operated upon.

It is another object of the invention lto provide a basting tool of light weight and onewhich may be manually operated without the useof pliers or other auxiliary tools.

It is another object of the invention to provide a basting tool which may be inserted and withdrawn from the perforations in the plates with a rectilinear movement substantially perpendicular to the plates without the necessity of'laterally shifting the tool during its movement into or out of the perforations. l

While one embodiment of the invention is shown and vdescribed in the drawing and specification herein, the principles of construction which are characteristic of the invention are capable ct embodiment in other similar tools, and while the particular embodiment shown and described herein is a tool intended primarily for use in preparing plates for being riveted together, it is apparent that` this particular embodiment and other embodiments are capable of use for other purposes in other fields either for temporarily holding two objects in assembled relationship while work operations are being performed upon them` or for temporarily securing them together for other purposes or for eiecting a permanent assembled relationship.

In the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a basting tool embodying this invention and of two plates to be basted, the plunger of the tool being shown in fully projected position ready for passage through a pair of registering perforations in the plates;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the tool in operative relationship to the plates and with the plunger partially retracted;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the tool shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View of the plunger shown in Figs. 1 and 2 taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the tool shown' in Figs. 1 and 2 taken along the line 5--5 ofhFig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modified form of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of the tool shown in Fig. 6 taken along the line I-I of Fig. 6. l

The tool comprises in general a body or housing II, a plunger I2,.and actuating and controlling devices for the plunger which wilibe named and explained in the course of the following description of the tool.

The body II comprises a metallic cylinder Il open at each of its ends. Integrally secured to the upper end of the cylinder I3 are two diamet- Yricallyv opposite finger holds or handles Il extending horizontally outwardly from the cylinder I3 andy shaped in the form of a downwardly concave curve for comfortable conformation to the fingers of the operator. The upper terminal edges of the cylinder I3 between the handles I4 are bent horizontally inwardly to form two narrow lips I5.

A cylindrical cap I6 slidably lits within the upper end portion of the wall of the cylinder I3. This cap I6 has a side wall I'I and an upper end wall I8 providing a cylindrical recess I5. The outer surface of the wall II is formed with a downward facing annular shoulder I9a intermediate of its ends and an upwardly facing shoulder 213 near its lower end. As the cap I6 is reciprocally moved within the cylinder I3. the

-lips I5 serve as a stop to limit downward moveland opposite to the vjected position shown in Fig.

the cap I8 upon engagement with the shoulder 20;

'I'he plunger I2 is preferably made in the form of a cotter'pin having an eye 2| at its upper end seated against the upper end wall I8 of the cap I8 and having a pair of legs 22 of substantially semi-circular cross sectional shape, and ar-v lugs 32 and the shoulder 3| at the juncture when the lugs 32 first engage the surface 34 is at least as great as the sum of the axial length of the \ring 28 and the combined thickness of the plates to be basted.

In using the tool, two plates 36 and 31 are placed together with their perforations, as, for

instance, perforations 38 and 39, in registry.

dially inwardly turned flange 26 formed on the lower end of the cylinder wall I3. The flange 28 is seated within an annular groove 21 formed in a gasket 28 of rubber or other deformable material. The gasket 28 prevents'outward movement of thev ring 24, and that portion of the gasket 28 which projects beyond the flange 21 engages, in a manner to be later explained, the inner face of the inner of two plates which are to be basted.

A helical spring 23 is operatively interposed between the eye 2| and the ring 24. This spring is under compression and applies a resilient pressure to the eye 2| and through it to the cap I6, causing the cap when otherwise free to move to assume a position inwhich the shoulder engages the lip. |9a and the plunger I2 is in a fully retracted position. 'I'he plunger I2 is moved against the action of thespring 29 from its fully retracted position.y to a fully projected position as shown in'Figs. 1 and 4 when the operator places two of his fingers under the handles |4 and with his thumb presses down upon the end wall |8 of the cap I8.

The outer ends 80 of the legs 22 of the plunger I2 are pointed, and shaped so that when the legs are in transverse registry, as shown in Fig. 1, the two pointed ends form a cone-shaped tip which is readily insertable in a plate perforation. Just above the pointed end 30, each leg is recessed radially inwardly on one side to provide a shoulder 3|, extending perpendicularly across the leg from the flat face 28. The end 80 is thus provided with a laterally extending lug 88. Spaced substantially inwardly from this .shoulder and on the opposite edge of the flat fase iects lei to 28 of the leg a lug 82 is formed which prooutwardly from the leg in a direction paralthe plane of cleavage between thel flat faces direction oflateral projection of the lug 88. f

When the.p1unger i2 moves-'from its-fully pro- 1, inwardly, as it reaches a position relative to the housing, which is intermediate its position of full projection and full retraction, the lugs 82. engage an inner cylindrical face 84 of the ring 24, the lugs 82 acting as cam followers, and the cylindrical surface 84 acting as a cam to move the two legs 22 from a position of transverse alignment inl parallelism with each other to a position in which they form a slight angle about the eye 2| as a center. This movement of the legs 22 is in planes parallel to the plane of cleavagebetween the ,flat faces of the legs and is resiliently resisted by the torsional stress set up in a yoke portion 8l of the eye 2|. when the legs 22 are thus spread, the lugs 88 move outwardly, as shown in Fig. 2. The distance longitudinally of the plunger between the the top wall I8 of the cap I6, and the cap is dey pressed until the shoulder I9a engages the lip I5 and is held in that position against the compressive action of the spring 29. With the legs 22 in transverse registry andlthe outer ends 30 forming a conical point, the" plunger is passed through the two perforations until the shoulders 3| are disposed beyond the outer face of the plate 31. Holding the plunger in this position with respect to the plates, preferably by pressing the lugs 32 against the inner face of the inner plate 36, the cylinder I3 is allowed to move downwardly by lightening the upward pressure under the handle I4. When the ring 24 in its downward movement engages the lugs 32, the legs 22 are angled sidewise with respect to each other enlarging the span' of the end of the plunger in the plane of cleavage between the flat faces 23 of the legs of the plunger. As the upward pressure of the fingers under the handle I4 is further relaxed, the shoulders 3| are drawn upward into contact with the outer face of the outer place 31 and the gasket 28 is forced downward against the inner surface of the inner plate 38, resiliently but firmly clamping the two plates together.

After the rivets have been installed in the perforations unoccupied by basting tools, each of the basting tools is withdrawn by grasping the tool between the fingers and thumb as before, projecting by thumb pressure the plunger to its outermost position in which the legs 22 of the plunger are again transversely the housing and plunger held in this relative position, withdrawing the plunger from the aligned perforations 38 and 39. This movement of withdrawal is facilitated if the shoulder 3| of each leg is shrouded by that portion of the other leg immediately opposite it as shown in Fg..1. This shrouding is accomplished by properly shaping that portion of the leg lying between its lug 32 and its shoulder 3|.- The shrouding of each shoulder 3| by the portion of the' other leg opposite the shoulder obviates accidental catching of either of the shoulders on the outer face 3f the outer plateas the plunger is being withrawn.

n; wm be observed that the-'plunger is so shapes.

thatiit may be' movediinto and out of the perforation.by a rectilinear dicular to the plane of the plates. There are no projections onu the housing and the plunger is smooth sided thus obviating the need of a transverse shifting of the plunger or an angling thereof during either the .movement of insertion of the plunger through the ap'ertures of the plates or a withdrawal of it therefrom.

If desired the caps I6 may be made of plastic material of different colors indicative respectively of the size of perforation for which the tool is adapted. Thus tools may be quickly selected from a pile containing tools of different colors, for any particular job in which the perforations are of a given size or sizes.

Fig. 6 and Fig. 'I illustrate another embodiment of the invention, representing a tool adapted for aligned and, with 'l movement in a path perpenannessi of the flange 42, and thereafter the flange is curled inwardly in seated relationship within the groove 445 permitting rotation of the nut 44 withA respect to the cylinder 4I. A plunger 46 has a threaded upper end 41 which engages the threads of a bore 48 of the nut 44. The lower end of the plunger 45 is split in the manner`of a cotter- pin providing legs 49 and 50.' The upper portions I of the legs 49 and 50 are rectangular and slidably. engage a correspondingly rectangularly apertured guide plate 52. The guide plate 52 is open end of the cylinder 4I prior to the formation sprung into position during the course of manufacture and assembly of the tool with tongues 53 formed on the guide plate seated in conforming apertures 54 in the wall of the cylinder 4I.

The legs 49 and 50 are provided with pointed ends 55, shoulders 56, and cam follower lugs 51 of the same character as the pointed ends ll, shoulders 3l, and lugs 32 of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive. The lugs 51 cooperate with the inner face 54 of the enlarged wall 43 of 'the cylinder 4I in the same manner as do the lugs'l! with th'e inner face 34 of the ring 24.

The operation of the form of the invention "shown in Figs. 5 land 6 is in general similar to that of the form of the invention shown in Figs.

1 to 5, inclusive. The differences in operation are obvious. The plunger is both projected and withdrawn by manually screwing the nut 44. No gasket corresponding to the gasket 241s provided, because the ytype of work for which the tool is adapted, does not require protection of the inner face of the inner plate from being marred.

In the above description and in the claims the words inner, inward, and inwardly have been used to signify in a direction away from the plates to be basted, and the words "outer," out- ,wardf and outwardly have been used in the opposite sense.

In the annexed claims the word plunger is used to denote amember, like the cotter pin I2, which is adapted to pass through the hole in the plates and engage the lower plate 31 by means similar to the shoulders or abutments 3|, thus exerting an upward pressureon the lower surface of the lower plate. The plunger is divided into two half plungers, the lower ends of which have a limited movement with relation to each other in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the paper, as shown in Fig. 4.

The body or housing I I shown in Fig. 4 and the cylinder 4I shown in F18. 6, with the parts rigidly attached thereto, are called pressing members,

l since they press downwardly on the upper surface of the upper plate 3B.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a tool for basting plates having registering perforations preliminary to installing permanent fastening. devices in said perforations, the combination of: an yelongated hollow housing open at each of its ends; a plunger in the` form of a cotter pin longitudinally reciprocably mounted in said housing; an elongated closing cap longitudinally slidably mounted in one end of said housing and formed with a central inwardly opening bore recess. 'the eye of said coty ter. pin being seated against the bottom wall of said recess; stop means for limiting the move- "ment of said cap in each direction; a centrally apertured ring ooncentrically fixed within the 'outer end of 'said housing. the shank of said legs of said cotter pin, each of said shoulders being elongated in a direction perpendicular to and intersecting the cleavage plane between said legs; and oppositely disposed cam lugs on said legs of said cotter pin projecting from said legs in planes parallel to said cleavage plane, each lug being oppositely directed from its corresponding shoul der, said lugs being. adapted to engage the wall of said central aperture of said ring and spread said legs, moving them in directions parallel to said cleavage plane against the `spring action of said eye. and thereby spread said shoulders, as said cotter pin is retracted to a position in which said shoulders are spaced from the outer end of said housing a distance at least equal to the combined thickness of said plates.

2. In a basting clamp adapted to temporarily secure together two plates in desired alignment with each other prior to permanently securing said plates together, said clamp being adapted to bendjustedin a hole passing through both plates, 'and comprising: a plunger adapted to, be inserted through 'said hole from an upper space adjacent the upper plate into a lower space adjacent the lower plate, said plunger being formed in two halves, the lower ends of the two half plungers having a limited movement with relation to each other in a direction parallel adapted to abut against the upper surface of said upper'plate; cam means between each half plunger and said pressing member so placed that the lower ends of said half plungers are held in their expanded position with said abutments engaging tlie lower surfaces of said lower plate whenever said pressing member is forced into contact with the upper surface of said upper plate; 'and means acting between said pressing member andsaid plunger to pull said plunger upwardly and force said pressing member downwardly. v

3. In a basting clamp adapted to temporarily secure together two plates in desired alignment .with each other prior to penmanently securing said. plates together, said clamp being adapted to be adjusted in a' hole passing through both plates, and comprising: a plunger adapted to be inserted through said hole from an upperspace adjacent the upper plate into a lower space adjacent the lower plate, said plunger being formed in two halves, the lower ends of the two half plungers having a limited movement with relatlondto each' other in a' direction parallel to a plane formingv the dividing Vsurface be'- tween said half plungers, each of said half plungc plungerstogether at their upper ends in such a manner that the lower ends of said half plungers are elastically forced into a retracted posiing an abutment formed near the lower end thereof and adapted to engage the lower surelastically forced into a retracted position so that they will pass readily through said hole; a presstion so that they 'will pass readily through said hole; a pressing member surrounding said plunger and adapted to abut against the upper surface of said upper plate; cam means between each half plunger and said pressing member so placed that the lower ends of said'half plungers are held in their expanded position with said abuting member surrounding said plunger and adapted to abut against the upper surface of said upsaid half plungers on the 'side thereof opposite said abutment and so placed that they are enments engaging the lower surfaces of said lower plate whenever said pressing member is forced into contact with the upper surface of said upper plate; and a compression spring surroundv ing said plunger and acting between said pressi*y ing member and said plunger to pull said plunger upwardly and force said pressing member downwardly. Y

4. In a basting clamp adapted to temporarily secure together two plates in desired alignment with each other prior to permanently securing saidplates together, said clamp being adapted to be adjusted in a hole passing through both plates, and comprising: a ,plunger adapted to be inserted through said hole from an upper space adjacent the upper plate into a lower space adjacent the lower plate, said plunger being ,having an abutment` formed near the lower end thereof and adaptedio engage the lower surface of said lower plate adjacent said hole when said half plungers are moved into an expanded position; means for securing said halfplungers l together at their upper ends in such a manner that the lower ends of said half plungers are elastically forced into a retracted position so that they will pass readily through said hole; a pressing member surrounding said plunger and adapted to abut against the upper surface fof said upper plate; a cam member formed on each of said half plungersv on the side thereof opposite said abutment andso placed that they are engaged by said pressing member to. force the lower ends of said half plungers into their expanded position when said pressing member is in abutment with the lupper surface of said upper plate; and means acting between said pressing member and said plunger to pull said plunger upwardly and force said pressing member downlwardly 5. a basting clamp adapted to temporarily secure together two plates in desired alignment with each other prior to permanently securing said plates together. said clamp being adapted to be adjusted in a hole passing through both.

plates, and comprising: a plunger adapted to be inserted through said hole from an upper space adjacent the upper plate into a lower space adjacent the lower plate, said plunger being formed in two halves, the lower ends of the two half plungers having a limited movement with relation to each other in a direction parallel to a plane forming the dividing surface between said half plungers, each of said half plungers havgaged by said pressing member 'to force the lower ends of said half plungers into their expanded position when said pressing member is in abutment with the upper surface of said upper plate; and a compression spring surrounding said plunger and acting between said pressing member and said plunger to pull said plunger upwardly and force said pressing member downwardly.

6. In a basting clamp adapted to temporarily inserted through said hole from an upper space adjacent the upper plate into a lower space adjacent the lower plate', said plunger being formed in two halves, the lower ends of the two half plungers having a. limited movement with relation to each other in a direction parallel to a 4plane forming the dividing surface between said half plungers, each of said half plungers having an abutment formed near the lower end thereof and adaptedv to 'engage the lower surface of said lower plate adjacent said hole when said half plungers are moved into an expanded position; means forsecuring said half plungers together at their upper ends in such amanner that the lower ends of said half plungers are elastically forced into a retracted position `so that they will pass readily. through said hole; a pressing member surrounding said plunger and adapted to abut against the upper surface of said upper plate; cam meansbetweenl each half plunger and said pressing member so placed that the lower ends of said half plungers are held in their expanded position with said abutments engag ing the lower surfaces of said lower plate whenever said pressing member is Vforcedinto contact with the upper surface-of said upper plate; a

member, the upper end of said plunger abutting in said cap; anda compression spring so placed that it forces said plunger upwardly and said pressing member downwardly.

7. In a basting clamp adapted to temporarily secure together two plates in desired alignment with each other prior `to permanently securing said plates together, said clamp being adapted to be adjusted in a hole passing through both plates, and comprising: a plunger adapted to be insert- .edthrough said hole from an upper space adjacent the upper plate into a lower space adjacent the lower plate, 4said plunger being formed in two halves, the lower'ends of the two half plungers having a limited movement lwith relation to each other in a direction parallel to a plane forming the dividing surface between said half plungers,

each of said halfplungers having an abutment formed near the lower end thereof and adapted aandeel;

to engage lthe lower surface of said lower plate adjacent said hole when said half plungers are moved into anexpanded position: means for securing said halt phmgers together at their upper ends in such a manner'that the lower ends of said half piungers are elastically forced into a retracted position so that they will pass readily through said hole; a pressing member surrounding said plunger and adapted toabut against the upper surface oi said upper plate; a cam member formed on each of said halt plungers on the side thereof cppodte said abutment and so downwardly.

upper end o! said plunger abutting in said cap;

and a compression spring so placed that it forces said plunger upwardly and said pressing member l LOUIS A. WEBB.

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