US2778085A

US2778085A - Band clamp of the axially operable type

Info

Publication number: US2778085A
Application number: US510218A
Authority: US
Inventors: Bernard Fred Allen
Original assignee: Aeroquip Corp
Current assignee: Eaton Aeroquip LLC
Priority date: 1955-05-23
Filing date: 1955-05-23
Publication date: 1957-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 1974-01-22

Description

Jan. 22, 1957 F. A. BERNARD BAND CLAMP OF THE AXIALLY OPERABLE TYPE Filed May 25, 1955 INVEN TOR. F1950 ALLENDERNARB cutouts United States Patent BAND CLAMP OF THE AXIALLY OPERABLE TYPE Fred Allen Bernard, Woodland Hills, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Aeroquip Corporation, Jackson, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 23, 1955, Serial No. 510,218

6 Claims. (Cl. 24-268) This invention relates to band clamps of the type in which a rotary actuator for tightening the clamp is disposed on an axis parallel to the major axis of the clamp band. Such clamps are especially useful as instrument clamps, for mounting, in an instrument panel, instruments, electronic tubes, lamp bulbs or other devices having a cylindrical periphery or base; although they may be used for other purposes.

The general object of this invention is to provide a band clamp of the type indicated, of improved, simplified and inexpensive construction.

A particular object is to provide such a clamp, wherein circumferential constriction is effected by axial movement of a connector element having sliding connection, at its respective ends, with a pair of ears which are formed as integral extensions of the ends of the clamp band, and which converge in a direction parallel to the band axis, whereby the connector element, as it .slides axially, exerts a camming action against the ears to draw the ends of the band together.

A further object is to provide such a clamp, including a yoke element which has a .triple function, embracing the ends of the camming ears to maintain them properly registered, providing an abutment seat for the head of an actuator screw for moving the connector element axially, and bridging the gap between the spaced ends of the clamp band, to provide a full 360 clamping surface.

Other objects will become apparent in the ensuing specifications and appended drawings in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of an instrument clamp embodying the invention; I

Fig. 2 is a side view of the clamp as installed in an aperture in an instrument panel, shown in phantom;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the clamp, viewing the take-up connector mechanism squarely;

Fig. 3a is a fragmentary front view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of the take-up connector mechanism; and

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the clamp.

Description of preferred form-Figs. 1-3

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and in particular to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, I have shown therein, as an example of one form in which the invention may be embodied, an instrument clamp adapted to be mounted in an opening 6 in a panel 7, which may be an instrument panel or any other panel or wall member in which it may be desirable to mount a cylindrical object. Merely by way of example, panel 7 is shown as a horizontal mounting panel in an electronic apparatus such as a radio or television receiver or a phonograph amplifier unit; and a radio tube 8, having a cylindrical base 9, is shown in phantom as the part to be supported by the clamp of my invention.

My improved clamp utilizes a flexible clamping band 10, of ribbon metal (e. g., stainless steel strip) formed to substantially cylindrical shape. An L-bracket 11 is secured, as by spot welding, to the cylindrical outer surface of the band, midway between the ends of the band, and thus diametrically opposite the take-up connector assembly, which is indicated generally at 12. L-bracket 11 has an arm 13 which projects radially from one edge of band 10, in a position to bear against a rear or under face of panel 7, to which it may be secured by a screw or brad 14 extending through an elongated aperture 15 in arm 13 and driven into panel 7.

The end portions of band 10 are bent outwardly to form ears 16 which are disposed in planes converging in a dihedral angle which is bisected by a plane of the band axis, whereby the ears 16 are equally spaced symmetrically on opposite sides of such bisector plane, at equal angles thereto. Thus said ears are adapted to function as camming tracks. In the cars 16 are slots 17, elongated in the direction of converging inclination thereof, i. e., generally parallel to the clamp band axis.

A connector bar 18 has, at its respective ends, heads 19 which are defined by respective pairs of notches 20 in the sides of the bar. Notches 20 are arranged to receive marginal portions of ears 16 along the sides of notches 17, and are inclined, with reference to a median transverse plane of bar 18, normal to the face thereof, with converging inclinations corresponding to those of cars 16.

The connector bar 18 has a thickness slightly less than the width of slots 17, and a width less than the length of slots 17, whereby the bar may be rotated to a position in which its major plane coincides with the median common plane of the slots 17, thereupon inserted lengthwise through the slots 17 until notches 20 are in positions to receive the slot margins of cars 16; and then rotated to a position wherein its major plane is parallel to the major plane of the band 10, as in Fig. 2. The heads 19 are then in position to bear against the outer faces of ears 16 and to exert a ,camming action thereagainst when connector bar 18 is moved toward the more widely spaced extremities of cars 16.

The notches 20 are of substantially greater width than the thickness of ears 16, to avoid interference as the .bar is rotated into operative position after insertion through slots 17.

In the center of bar 18, with its axis in the aforesaid median normal plane of the bar, is an opening 21, which, in the preferred form of the invention, is threaded. A take-up screw 22 is threaded into opening 21, and has a head 23 which bears against an arm 24 of a bridge yoke 25, the shank of the screw being extended through an opening 26 in arm 24, and rotatable therein.

Bridge yoke 25 is of cylindric segment form, having a curvature corresponding to that of band 11), and it bridges the gap 27 between cars 16, with its respective ends supported against the inner face of band 10 at the extremities thereof adjacent the gap 27, as best shown in Fig. 4. Along its side opposite arm 24, yoke 25 has a flange 28. Flange 28 and arm 24 abut the respective opposite edges of band 10, whereby the yoke 25 (which is of arched channel form) is adapted to snugly embrace the opposed end portions of band 16, thus to maintain them in circumferentially aligned opposition, resisting any tendency of the band to warp or twist from true circular form toward helical form. At the same time, it maintains the ears 16 in properly opposed registration, so that the camming action of connector bar 18 against ears 16 may be of maximum smoothness and efiiciency. Also, the flange 28, bearing against opposed extremities of one side edge of the band, provides a fulcrum to absorb the reactive end load set up by screw 22 when exerting a pull against bar 18 to draw it with a camming action against the outer faces of ears 16.

The bar 18 is of sufiicient-thickness to support screw 22 firmly against tiltingwith reference to the bar. Conversely, the screw 22, supported in opening 26 against lateral tilting, will support the bar 18, so that the plane of bar 18 will remain parallel to the major plane of band and normal to the plane bisecting the dihedral angle of ears 16. In this connect operating position, the camming shoulders of heads 19 (the outer Walls of notches 20) will he snugly parallel to the outer faces of cars 16, for smooth camming engagement therewith, and the bar 18 will operate to smoothly draw the ears 16 together, without the occurrence of any binding action.

Bodily shifting of yoke circumferentially of band 10 is inhibited by the action of bar 18 (which itself is restrained by its interlocking connection with ears 16 against circumferential shifting) and the bar tends to hold screw 22 in a circumferentially fixed position, and the latter in turn tends to resist circumferential shifting of yoke 25. As the clamp is tightened, the cylindrical inner faces of band 10 and yoke 25 become snugly adjusted to the cylindrical surface of the member 9 supported therein, whereby the constricting: tension in the band becomes effective to resist any tendency of the band to warp toward helical form. Thus, as the tension load increases, the stability of the entire assembly, with all parts in their proper positions, without canting, is increased.

Screw head 23 is provided with suitable wrenching surfaces, either external (e. g., the Phillips recess shown) whereby a wrench or screwdriver, for rotating the screw, may be applied in a position extending axially with respect to the clamp. Thus, the takeup actuator mechanism may be confined within panel aperture 6, as indicated, without affecting the ease of manipulation of the actuator screw.

Ears 16 may have reinforcing flanges 3 4} along their ends.

The operation of the clamp is believed to be clear from the foregoing.

The modified form-Fig. 3a

Fig. 3a shows how the screw 22a, instead of being threaded through bar 18a, may be a stud rigidly fixed to bar 18a at one end, having its opposite end threaded, and provided with a nut 31, hearing against arm 24.

Aside from this difierence, the clamp is the same as the previously described clamp.

I claim:

1. In a band clamp: a band having at its ends, circumferentially spaced ears turned outwardly and disposed in planes converging in a direction parallel to the band axis, said ears having slots elongated in said converging direction; a connector bar extending through said slots and having, at its ends, heads bearing against the outer faces of said ears along the margins of said slots, with a camming engagement such as to draw said ears together when the bar is moved toward the more widely spaced extremities of the ears; a bridge yoke bridging the gap between said ears as a continuation of the internal band surface, said yoke having at one side an arm provided with a screw bearing aperture and at its other side a flange, the end portions of the respective side edges of said band being embraced between said arm and flange; and an actuator screw extending through said bearing aperture and having means connecting it to said bar and arm for exerting a pull between said bar and arm whereby said bar may be moved into camming engagement with said ears, with said flange transferring the reaction load to the edge of said band.

2. A band clamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said screw is threaded into said bar and has a head in reactive engagement with said arm.

3. A band clamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said screw is fixed to said bar and has a nut threaded thereon and in reactive engagement with said arm.

4. A band clamp as defined in claim 1, wherein the bisector of the dihedral angle of said ears is a plane of the axis of the clamp.

5. A clamp as defined in claim 1, including a bracket secured to said band, projecting radially from a side edge thereof, and adapted to be attached to the face of a panel having an aperture receiving the clamp.

6. A clamp as defined in claim 1, wherein said bar has a thickness slightly less than the width of the slots, and a width less than the length of the slots, whereby the bar may be rotated to a position in which its major plane coincides with the median common plane of the slots, thereupon inserted lengthwise through the slots and then rotated to a position wherein its major plane is parallel to the major plane of the band.

No references cited.