US2909344A

US2909344A - Clamping device

Info

Publication number: US2909344A
Application number: US454011A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick O Dutton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-09-03
Filing date: 1954-09-03
Publication date: 1959-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 1976-10-20

Description

Oct. 20, 1959 5F07 WHO F. O. DUTTON CLAMPING DEVICE Filed Sept. 3, 1954 :willi United States Patent O M 2,909,344 i j cLAMPnvG DEVICE j Frederick 0. Dutton, Newton Highlands, Application september 3, 1954, serial No. 454,011 4 s claims. (ci. 248-44) This` invention relates to devices for holding objects rigidly in upright position; it can be applied to such articles as posts, supports, columns, poles and masts, but

`ment'between the objectsupported and the clamping device, which can be easily tightened upon possible shrinkage of the supported object, which permits the easy and yet secure attachment of a tank fora liquid, and which device can be usedv with or without tank at the choice of the user, and a `further object is 'generally to provide an improved device of this type which is particularly sturdy and reliable and yet easy to handle and comparatively inexpensive and simple in manufacture. Y Y

A brief sunnnary of the linvention indicating its nature and substance, for attaining the above objects, is as follows. Y

A holding device according to the invention'comprises three or more pivoted clampingand supporting members which are centrally 'pivotedv on a-rigid frame platform or spider, which haveon'oneendmeans such as claws forengaging the object to be supported,v whichl have on the other end leg portions adaptedto rest-ona supporting surface, V,and which have, betweenthese leg means and the pivot points on the spider, hinge provisions from which extend toggle links that" are at their other ends hinged Vto a hub ortoggle nut through which extends a`threaded spindle that is confined-in the spider for rotary movmentthereon. The claws are forced inwardly by forcing theleg .portions outwardly-if thespiderand toggle` hub are .forced apart with 'the screw. The spider :has a`central spur eand can have .radial edge prongs, both for engaging the object to be supported; these securing members can be fastened to the screw and spider proper or to a tank which is adapted to be removably-attached to the spider instead of the edge prongs. In another important aspect of the invention, the aforesaid tank rests on the spider and is removably attached thereto by ridges extending into recesses of the spider; in a preferred embodiment the tank bulges out between the clamp supports in order to accommodate a considerable amount of liquid and to facilitate lling, and has attached to the inside of its bottom a spur and edge prongs for securing the object to be supported, in the same manner as such spur and prong edgescan be attached directly to the spider, making it easily possible to sell and use the device either with or without the tank provisions.

These and other objects and aspects of novelty of the invention will appear from. the following description of a typical embodiment illustrating its novel characteristics. This description refers to a drawing in which Fig. l is a top view of the device;

2,909,344 Patented Oct. 20, 1959 ICC Fig. 7 is a section through the tank fastening and prong portion on the tank, on lines 7-7 of Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a preferred embodiment of the invention has three clamping and supporting members, `10.1, 10.2 and 10.3 which have at the upper ends claws 11, at the lower ends curved legs, and pivoted thereto at 12 angular foot portions 15 with holes 16 (Fig. l)

that canI be used, if desired, to tack, screw or otherwise secure the legs to the supporting surface.

The members 1l) are pivoted on a frame or spider 21 by means of rivets 22. The spider 21 consists (Figs. l and 2) of three angular pieces 21.1, 21.2, 21.3,Which are curved outwardly around a `central sleeve or bushing 23 which can be spot-Welded to the spider angles.

A toggle head 31 (Fig. 2) has at its center a toggle hub 32 with an inside thread, constituting a nut. The head 31 has further three extensions or arms 33 to which are pivoted at 34 the toggle links 35 which are at their other ends, at 36, pivoted to the legs 10. As indicated in Fig. 1, there are altogether siX toggle links, such as 35.21 and 35.22 pivoted to leg 10.2 and angular members 31.1 and 31.3 of the toggle head.

A screw spindle 41 is threaded into toggle nut 32 and, as shown in`Fig. 6, it extends into the bushing 23 of the spider 21, transmitting its thrust by way of a shoulder 43. The screw spindle 41 ends into a spur 45 for engaging center of the object to be supported. In order to prevent the spindle from falling out of bushing 23, its upper shoulder, below the spur 45, can be turned out as indicated at 46. As indicated in Fig. 5, three edge pieces 51 are inserted between'the arms 21.1, 21.2, 21.3 of spider 21. These edges can be spot-welded to the spider arms, or loosely inserted in order to permit the use of tank. For the same'purpose, the spur 45 can be aseparate piece,

' as indicated at 66 of Fig. 6. v

Especially for use as a Christmas tree holder, a tank can be combined with the above described'support, as

follows.

VAs shown'in Figs. 3 and 4, a cloverleaf shaped vessel -61 has a bottom 62 which ts between the legs 10 but `bulgesY outwardly therebetween, thus accommodating a considerable amount of liquid and permitting easy access -fonlling As indicated in Figs. 4 and 7, supporting ridges 63, for example cut from a T-section, are welded to the bottom `of the tank, and three edge pieces 64, corresponding to the above described edges 51, are welded to the inside of the tank bottom. A central spur 65, corresponding to the separate spur 45 or extension 45 of the screw spindle 41 is likewise welded to the inside bottom of the tank 61. As mentioned above, instead of using the extension 45v of the screw 41, a separate spur is provided, as indicated at 66 of Fig. 6, it is intended to use the basic support construction either with or without tank.

For using the device according to the invention, the legs 10'are initially separated by rotating screw 41 such as to pull the toggle head 31towards the spider 21, or by pushing'the legs apart with the screw end within the bushing 23 if a separate spur is used as indicated at 66 of Fig. 6. The object to be supported such as a Christmas tree O is then forcibly inserted with its bottom center' on spur 45 and with its face on edges 51 or 64. The screw 41 is then turned in the opposite direction, such as to separate spider and toggle head. This pushes the pivots 36 outwardly and forces the claws 11 into the object. It will be noted the claws 11 are so shaped that this operation forces the edges 51 or 64 further into the bottom of the object .to -besupported It is lthe purpose of these edges to holdthe objectfrom rotating around the vertical axis, which is a very important function in lthe use of such devices, because it prevents the supported object from rotating and being scratched `by the claws 11 before the latter grips it firmly. j

The holding device proper can be 4used with or without the tank, in which case the edges 51 and the spur 45 are not permanently attached to the spider ,but can be removed for replacement by the similar elements of the tank, if the latter is used. v

lt should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: l

1. A device for holding an elongate object comprising: a frame platform having a central hole anda plurality of peripherally located supportpivot means; a plurality of clamping support members each having platform joint means pivoted on said support pivot means -of Vthe platform, each clamping support member having at its upper end an inwardly pointing claw portion, each clamping support member having at its lower -end supporting leg portions, and each clamping support ,member having a toggle pivot bearing located between said platform joint means and said leg portion; toggle means including a hub with an internal thread in axial alignment with said platform hole and with a plurality of toggle .pivot means located above said toggle pivot bearings, anda plurality of links keach link being pivotally joined at one-end to a respective 011e of said toggle .pivot means of .the vhub and .each link ybeing pivotally joined at the `other.`end to a respective one of said toggle pivot bearings of a respective clamping support member; and a screw extending through and engaging the thread of said hub and with a smooth end portion extending Vinto said hole Aof said platform,

and having a thrust face which rests against the underside of the platform; whereby saidclaw :portions grip the object upon increasing the distance between platform and hub by operating the screw.

2. A device for holding an elongate object comprising: a frame platform having a central hole yand a pluralityof peripherally located support pivot means; a plurality of clamping members each having platform joint means pivoted on said support pivot means of the platform, each clamping member having at :its upper end an inwardly pointing claw portion, each clamping member having at its lower end supporting leg portions, and each clamping member having a toggle pivot-bearing located between said platform joint means and said leg portion; toggle means including a hub with `an internal thread in axial alignment with said platform hole and with a plurality of toggle pivot means located above said toggle pivot bearings; links geach pivotally joined at one end to a respective one of said toggle pivot means of the hub and each pivotally joined at the other end to a respective one of said toggle pivot bearings of a respective clamping member; a screw engaging and extending through said thread of said 4hub into said hole of said platform, and having a thrust face which rests against the underside of the platform; tank means resting on said platform; and prong members extending from the bottom of y'said tanknieans gtowards said claw portions for gripping the object between prong members and claw portions upon increasing =the distance between platform and hub by operating the screw.

3. A device for holding an elongate object comprising: a spider frame made from three angular members defining a central hole and spaces between adjacent arms of the 'angular members, and having a bushing fastened in the hole; three S-shaped clamping supports pivotally fastened, with spaces therebetween, at intermediate swivel joints to the spider arms formed by saidangular members, having at their upper ends inwardlyv directed claws .and at their ylower ends supporting leg portions; toggle meansincluding avhub having an internal thread substantially in axial alignment with said spider frame hole and three radial Apivot arms one for each of said swival joints and three links each pivoted at one end to one of said pivot arms and pivoted at the other end to pivot holes located on the corresponding clamping support below said pivot arms between its swivel joint and its leg portion; a screw extending through said thread of said hub, having a smooth end portion within said'bushingr of the spider frame, and a shoulder which rests against the underside of said bushing; tankvmeans resting on said spider frame, bulging laterally into the spaces between said clamping supports, and having on the outside of its bottom ridges kextending into Vsaid spaces between said arms of said angular members of the spider' frame; and prong members extending from the bottom of said tank means towards said -claws including a central spur and v,substantially radially extending edge members lopposite-said bottom ridges, for securing the object against swinging as well as rotation, gripping it upon forcing ythehub away from the spider -frame by turning the screw and forcing the claws into the object.

References Cited -in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v 523,376 ,Pruckner July 24, 1894- 892,181 l'Peterson 111116.30, 1908 1,273,639 Lyons July 23, 1918 1,460,859 Mayer July 3, 1923 1,579,275 vZeigler Apr. 6, 1926 1,859,289 Dalton May 2A, 1932