US3682467A

US3682467A - Miter clamp

Info

Publication number: US3682467A
Application number: US57487A
Authority: US
Inventors: Casper W Heinrich
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-07-23
Filing date: 1970-07-23
Publication date: 1972-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 1989-08-08

Abstract

A corner miter clamp comprises a first member for applying a corner pressure to a frame and a separate second member for engaging the frame. These two members are separate from each other to prevent alignment problems resulting from a cocking of the various clamp parts and frame members.

Description

United States Patent Heinrich [451 Aug. 8, 1972 1 MITER CLAMP 3,589,668 6/1971 Gill ..269/275 X 72 Inventor: Casper w Heinrich, 2 7 7 3,493,224 2/ 1970 Graham ..269/268 X l 817,906 4/1906 Dunne ..269/41 X [221 July 23,197" 2,667,799 2/1954 Rzepela ..269/138 [21] App1.No.: 57,487 3,090,612 5/1963 Rouse ..269/ 137 X 2,943,336 7/1960 Barrett ..269/224 X [52] us CL "269/88, 269/41 269/137, 3,155,064 11/1964 Gates ..269/224 269/138, 269/154, 260/163, 22669/226785, Primary Examiner wayne Morse Jr- 511 1111. c1. ..B25b 5/16, B23p 19/04, B23q 1 /2s welss whltesel [58] Field of Search ..269/41, 134-138,

269/154, 224, 268, 88, 163,275 ABSTRACT A comer miter clamp comprises a first member for [56] References applying a corner pressure to a frame and a separate UNITED STATES PATENTS second member for engaging the frame. These two members are separate from each other to prevent l ig fii alignment problems resulting from a cocking of the sc er 1 ans d f be 2,723,692 11/1955 Tierney ..269/275 x vanous c amp D an mm mm 2,838,081 6/1958 8 Clailm, 15 Drawing Figures Larson ..269/88 X PATENTEDAU: 81972 3.682.467

sum 1 or 2 34 26 INVENTOR CASPER W. HEINRlCl-I 4 b, MM

AI YURI IE- (5 MITER CLAMP My invention relates to miter clamps and more particularly to miter clamps especially although not exclusively adapted for use while making picture frames, or the like.

Although there are a number of jigs, tools, fixtures and the like for making mitered corners, many construction problems remain. While there are precision tools for making high cost frames, there are virtually no truly satisfactory, low cost tools suitable for making inexpensive frames. To find evidence supporting the truth of this statement, one need look no further than nearby stores selling low cost picture frames. The corners are almost always poorly made, and very often they are ready to come apart. As a result, good picture frames continue to be a high cost item relative to the cost of other and similar items.

In the past, efforts to make low cost mitered corner clamps have generally failed. Among other things, this failure occurred because there was not a smooth sliding action. As a result, parts of the clamp tended to be cocked with respect to other parts, and there was a binding between the parts. Also, there was an insufficiency of rigidity and the clamp parts tended to bend under the clamping pressures. To compensate, the worker often over tightened the clamp with a resulting damage to both the clamp and the frame material.

To those who are familiar with the problems of aligning mitered frame corners, it is apparent that it is very ditficult to clamp the frame and retain it in a fixed position. Thus, a prime purpose of my invention is to provide a unit which is positive in performance at all times.

Accordingly, an object of my invention is to provide a device for clamping the angled portions of picture frames, or the like, and for retaining them in position while a dowel or other support means is attached thereto.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character described which is adjustable to accommodate various sizes of framing material, such as picture frames, or the like.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a clamp which may be either mounted permanently or be portable.

The device illustrated, described, and claimed herein is simple in construction, and is is designed to enable anyone to manipulate it without having either special mechanical training or special equipment.

Other and further objects of my invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an assembled clamping device, showing the mitered frame parts in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the assembled device shown in FIG. 1 and taken at the line 2-2 thereof;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a plate portion of the clamp shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a slidable block member used with the plate of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tapered wedge block member which improves the sliding action;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of a modified assembled device, again showing the mitered frame parts in phantom;

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the assembled device shown in FIG. 6 and taken along the line 77;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a plate portion of the clamp shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a wedge member used with the clamp as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a slidable corner contact member, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 11 is a top plan view of a resiliently actuated corner clamp unit equipped with two spring members;

FIG. 12 is a similar top plan view showing a single radially disposed resilient support;

FIG. 13 is a similar top plan view showing the resilient member retained by the support;

FIG. 14 is another plan view, as shown in FIG. 13 with the resilient member supported by a retaining bolt; and

FIG. 15 is yet another modified type of construction with two separate resilient springs.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. In greater detail, the character 20 identifies a support plate which may be constructed of any rigid material, such as a steel or aluminum casting, for example. This plate is equipped with a pair of raised edge wall sections 21 and a corner section 22. The breaks in the wall sections slots 23 may be of any suitable dimension. These breaks or slots 23 provide an entry for drilling the pair of mitered frame members 24, shown in phantom. Thus, a dowel 25 (see FIGS. 1 and 6) may be inserted into and retained by the members 24, thereby holding the mitered parts in a fixed position.

The plate 20 is also provided with a diagonal slot 26, which is recessed or channeled (see FIGS. 2 and 7), to accommodate the head of a screw or bolt 27, as best seen in FIG. 2. The screw 27 is equipped with a wing nut 28 for retaining an angularly disposed wedge block member 29 used for moving and supporting a slidable block member 30. The sliding block member 30 is equipped with a slot 31 for receiving the screw 27 extending upward through a hole 31 in the block member 29 (see FIG. 5).

The sliding action of FIGS. 1-5 should be apparent from an inspection of the drawing. When a force A is applied against the wedge block 29, as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the sliding block 30 is driven in toward the comer 22. If there is any vertical tipping of the block 30, it is in the same direction in which the side or

corner walls

21, 22 would give. The vertical freedom of movement afforded by the slot 31 enables the member 30 to follow the frame movement. Normally, this give of the clamp or frame should not be enough to detect. Also, the wedge and block divorces the sliding and cocking, if any, movement, so that there is no binding between the clamped parts.

In FIGS. 6 and 7, I show a modified structure, employing a sliding block 33 slidably held in position on the plate 20 by means of a screw 34. The head of the screw 34 engages the slot 26 in the plate 20. A second sliding block member 35 is disposed over and vertically retained by the block 33. This two block arrangement is formed to be slidably forced forward by the feed screw 36. This screw is threadedly engaged in the member 33 at hole 37. Thus, the member 33 applies the driving force while the member 35 is free to align the mitered frame members 24 for engagement with one another at the corner point 22 of the plate 20. The frame members 24 may be drilled through the slot 23 to receive the dowel 25.

In FIGS. 11 to 15 inclusive, I show various embodiments of resiliently actuated devices to accomplish the purpose and function for which the device is intended. In each of these embodiments, there is a slidably supported and retaining member 38, held in engagement with the surface of the plate by means of a screw 27 and wing nut 28 combination. A resilient spring means, such as 39, is attached to the front of the retaining member 38 to engage each of a pair of mitered frame members 24. Again, the resilience of the support divorces the sliding action of the block 38 from the clamping action upon the frame members. Therefore, any cocking action is divorced from the sliding action. Also, the clamp may be supplied with resilient members, such as 39, having a great variety of cross section shapes to accommodate the various cross section frame shapes.

As shown in FIG. 11, a pair of supporting spring members 39 are attached to the sliding block member 38 by means of screws 40. In FIG. 12, a single spring 41 is shown as fastened to the front of the sliding block member 38 by means of screw 42. In FIG. 13, the sliding block member 38 supports a double clip-in leaf spring 43, at a cavity 44. In FIG. 14, the same type of leaf spring 43 is supported by being fitted over the bolt 27 before the wing nut 28 is attached. In FIG. 15, two separate springs 45 are attached to the retaining member 38 by the screws 46. Obviously, the resiliency of the spring action may be varied. Also, the shape and positions of the springs may be changed forthe engagement of the frame mitered members 24.

Many changes may be made in the parts and features constituting my invention without effecting its operativeness. Therefore, the appended claims are to be construed to cover all equivalents which do not depart from the spirit of the scope of my invention.

I claim:

1. A comer miter clamp comprising plate means having integral upstanding side walls positioned at right angles to each other, said side walls having a break therein for providing entry for an insertion of a holding means through a mitered joint of a pair of frame mem bers clamped in the right angle formed by said side walls, said plate means having a slot bisecting said right an le,

c lamp means slidably positioned in said slot for applying a corner pressure against a pair of mitered frame members, and

separate means interposed between said corner pressure applying means and said frame members for divorcing a clamping action from any cocking of the frame or clamp parts.

2. A comer miter clamp comprising means for applying a corner pressure against a pair of mitered frame members, and

separate means interposed between said corner pressure applying means and said frame members for divorcing a clamping action from any cocking of the frame or clamp parts, wherein said corner as: attainagase aarsaratsrtra ing block member driven by said wedge block.

3. A comer miter clamp comprising means for applying a corner pressure against a pair of mitered frame members, and

separate means interposed between said comer pressure applying means and said frame members for divorcing a clamping action from any cocking of the frame or clamp parts, wherein said corner pressure applying means comprises a first sliding block and said separate means comprises a second block disposed over and vertically retained by the first block.

4. A corner miter clamp comprising means for applying a corner pressure against a pair of mitered frame members, and

separate means interposed between said corner pressure applying means and said frame members for divorcing a clamping action from any cocking of the frame or clamp parts, wherein said corner pressure applying means comprises a slidably supported and retaining member, and said separate means comprises a resilient spring attached to said retaining means.

5. The clamp of claim 4 wherein said spring comprises at least one spring member attached to said retaining member and engaging at least one of a pair of mitered frame members.

6. The clamp of claim 5 wherein said spring is attached to said retaining member by a threaded coupling means.

7. The clamp of claim 5 wherein said spring is attached to said retaining member by being clipped into a cavity therein.

8. The clamp of claim 5 wherein there are two of said spring members disposed to make contact with said frame members at right angles to each other.

Claims

1. A corner miter clamp comprising plate means having integral upstanding side walls positioned at right angles to each other, said side walls having a break therein for providing entry for an insertion of a holding means through a mitered joint of a pair of frame members clamped in the right angle formed by said side walls, said plate means having a slot bisecting said right angle, clamp means slidably positioned in said slot for applying a corner pressure against a pair of mitered frame members, and separate means interposed between said corner pressure applying means and said frame members for divorcing a clamping action from any cocking of the frame or clamp parts.

2. A corner miter clamp comprising means for applying a corner pressure against a pair of mitered frame members, and separate means interposed between said corner pressure applying means and said frame members for divorcing a clamping action from any cocking of the frame or clamp parts, wherein said corner pressure applying means comprises a wedge block member, and said separate means comprises a sliding block member driven by said wedge block.

3. A corner miter clamp comprising means for applying a corner pressure against a pair of mitered frame members, and separate means interposed between said corner pressure applying means and said frame members for divorcing a clamping action from any cocking of the frame or clamp parts, wherein said corner pressure applying means comprises a first sliding block and said separate means comprises a second block disposed over and vertically retained by the first block.

4. A corner miter clamp comprising means for applying a corner pressure against a pair of mitered frame members, and separate means interposed between said corner pressure applying means and said frame members for divorcing a clamping action from any cocking of the frame or clamp parts, wherein said corner pressure applying means comprises a slidably supported and retaining member, and said separate means comprises a resilient spring attached to said retaining means.