Clamp mechanism

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6598868
  • Patent Number
    6,598,868
  • Date Filed
    Wednesday, June 6, 2001
    24 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, July 29, 2003
    22 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Wilson; Lee D.
    Agents
    • Zugelter; Frank L.
Abstract
A device (20) having a pair of jaws (22, 23) cooperating with a pair of threaded rods (24, 25) and which displace equally from a midpoint (36) of device (20) along threaded rods (24, 25). A spirally-wound rod (40) with sets (41, 42) of keyways rides in sets (50, 51) of keys positioned in jaws (22, 23). A center plate (44) for the rods (24, 25, 40) maintains them at a midpoint (36) for device (20). Sliding assemblies (60, 94) lock and unlock barrel nuts (71, etc.) in the jaws (22, 23) from threaded rods (24, 25). Different senses of threads for threaded rods (24, 25) extend to each side of rod (40). In another embodiment, a push handle (116) directly actuates the ‘quarter-turn’ threads in bores (122) of barrel nuts (115) into and out of engagement with threaded rods (121).
Description




TECHNICAL FIELD




This invention is directed to a clamp mechanism for clamping parts together, and particularly relates to a unique clamp mechanism.




BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION




The disclosures of U.S. Pat. Nos. 169,027; 179,942; 305,989; 368,278; 810,543; 924,122; 996,244; 3,220,721; 4,693,656; 5,326,076; 5,898,974 do not anticipate or suggest the inventive concept disclosed in this invention.




SUMMARY




This invention is directed to a clamp mechanism having clamping jaws that lock on and unlock from threaded rods by actuation of barrel nut assemblies within the jaws and which barrel nuts are actuated by sliding assemblies securely mounted on the jaws. The jaws' clamp pieces, such as wood, to be fastened together such as by glue, or clamp other pieces for other purposes. In one embodiment, a pair of sliding assemblies are securely mounted to corresponding jaws moveable to-and-fro along a pair of handled-threaded rods that rotate in conventional fashion to incrementally displace the jaws along the threaded rods to fasten or clamp them against the pieces or to freely displace the jaws in opening and closing them in preparation of loosely grasping the pieces after which rotation of the threaded rods produces the final and firm clamped mode for the pieces.




Each sliding assembly includes a bar member having a pair of inclined slotted ramps, bolts with washers, spacers, and boltheads, the bolts projecting through the ramp's slots and secured to ‘quarter-turn’ barrel nuts in the jaw, the washer maintaining the boltheads on their ramps. As the assembly slides from one position to another, the bolts displace along the ramp perpendicularly to the plane of its corresponding jaw, and thereby raise and lower the corresponding barrel nuts in each jaw. In the raised or upper position on the ramps for the boltheads, the barrel nuts' “quarter-turns” of threads engage the threads of their corresponding rods thus locking the jaw at that point of the rods' threads, and as to both jaws in the mechanism. In the lower or bottom position in each jaw for the boltheads on the ramps, the threaded rod is free of the ‘quarter-turn’ of threads in the barrel nut and thus the jaw displaces freely, not incrementally, and also as to both jaws in the mechanism.




With a sliding assembly securely mounted to each of a pair of jaws in a clamp mechanism, the jaws are manually operable at points along their pair of threaded rods by applying the thumbs of one's hands to the assemblies while their fingers seat in or grip walls of recesses formed in the exterior sides of the assembled jaws on the threaded rods. The thumbs slide or maneuver the assemblies from their one position to the other, locking and unlocking the jaws at points along the lengths of the threaded rods.




A third rod and a plate member are utilized to maintain equality of opening and closing of the jaws from one another along their threaded rods. The plate member is mounted mid-way of the third rod and threaded rods. The third rod is generally aligned and extends in the same directions with the pair of threaded rods but offset from the plane through the jaws in which the threaded rods are disposed. The third rod includes two (2) sets of spirally-wound keyways, one set for each rod's sense of threads to each side of the plate member. The keyways extend along its length about its circumference and cooperate with corresponding keys fixed in corresponding tubular members securely anchored in cylindrical fittings fitted to corresponding jaws as the latter displace away or toward the plate member. A nut secured to each end of the third rod prevents the jaws from exiting the open ends of the threaded rods as the jaws approach their extreme opened positions on the threaded rods.




The plate member is provided with geometrical holes through which all three rods extend, and includes configurations in the holes by which the span between the threaded rods and to and from the third rod can change by reason of the span's distance changing when the jaws are angularly displaced in the general plane of the rods on their rotatable barrel nuts from a perpendicular condition with the rods, in the operation of the invention.




An alternate embodiment provides for a sliding assembly securely mounted on each of the jaws, the assembly being in the form of a rail having depending sides slidable within slideways formed in the jaw, a pair of barrel nuts with ‘quarter-turn’ threads in their bores that are disposed within the spacing between the slideways, and a pin fixed to its corresponding barrel nut, the pin held in fixed hollowed-out locations or openings in the jaw exteriorly of its slideways. Congruous slots are formed in the depending sides of the rail, adapted to ride on the pin that projects through such slots into its hollowed-out locations or openings, as each slides between clamping and unclamping positions of the jaw on its threaded rod. The congruous slots include inclinations so that as they ride on the pin as the assembly moves to-and-fro on its jaw, the pin raises and lowers its corresponding ‘quarter-turn’ barrel nut within the jaw, this in turn causing the threads of corresponding threaded rods to engage and disengage the ‘quarter-turn’ threads in the barrel nut.




Another embodiment of the invention provides for a handle extending along each jaw and which is fixed directly to each of a pair of ‘quarter-turn’ barrel nuts incorporated within each jaw, while utilizing a spring at the bottom of a bore for each barrel nut to bias its ‘quarter-turn’ threads into engagement with the threads of the threaded rods. As palm (of a hand) pressure is applied directly to each jaw's handle, dis-engagement in the jaw of its threaded rods from the ‘quarter-turn’ threads occurs, thereby freeing the jaws for displacement along the length of the threaded rods.




Gripping recesses in each jaw are provided to grasp them by one's fingers as the jaws displace along their threaded rods, while thumb grips or positions on the sliding assemblies provide the source of manual force to advance and to retract the sliding assemblies mounted on the jaws into and out of engagement modes with the threaded rods of the clamp mechanism. Other conical-like recesses radiating from the rotatable barrel nuts in both jaws accommodate the angular or swinging movement of the jaws should it be necessary to clamp a piece or pieces which include surfaces not parallel to the jaws clamping walls.




An object of this invention is to provide a unique advancement in clamp mechanisms.




A further object of this invention is to provide a novel sliding assembly for a clamp mechanism by which its jaws lock and from unlocked in their engagement with its threaded rods.




Another object of this invention is to provide for equality of movement in the opening and closing between a pair of jaws on their threaded rods of the device or mechanism.




Yet another object of this invention is to provide a simplified assembly of a clamp mechanism by a push handle connected in a simple fashion to barrel nuts in it.




A still further object of this invention is to provide for an efficient operation of a clamping device or mechanism.




These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent by a complete and full reading of the following description, the appended claims thereto, and the accompanying drawing comprising thirteen (13) sheets of twenty-five (25) FIGURES.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING





FIG. 1

is a top or front view of the clamp mechanism, showing the invention's sliding assembly in a position on its jaw at which there is engagement of the jaws' threaded rods with the ‘quarter-turn’ threads of their barrel nuts.





FIG. 2

is a view of the clamp mechanism taken in the direction of the arrow


2


of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 3

is a view of the rear end of the clamp mechanism taken in the direction of the arrow


3


in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 4

is a fragmentary enlarged top or front view of one of the jaws of FIG.


1


.





FIG. 5

is a view taken along line


5





5


of

FIG. 4

, showing the sliding assembly of

FIG. 1

in a position on one of the jaws at which there is engagement of the jaw's threaded rods with the ‘quarter-turn’ threads of its barrel nuts.





FIG. 6

is a view taken along line


6





6


of

FIG. 5

, showing engagement of the ‘quarter-turn’ threads in a barrel nut with a threaded rod's threads.





FIG. 7

is a perspective fragmentary exploded diagrammatic view of the ‘quarter-turn’ barrel nut illustrated in its raised position in FIG.


6


and in which it cooperates with threads of a cooperating threaded rod.





FIG. 8

is a view like that of

FIG. 4

, however, with the sliding assembly in a position to one of the jaws at which there is no engagement of the jaw's threaded rods with the ‘quarter-turn’ threads of its barrel nuts.





FIG. 9

is a view taken on line


9





9


of

FIG. 8

, with the sliding assembly in position to one of the jaws at which there is no engagement of the jaw's threaded rods with the ‘quarter-turn’ threads of its barrel nuts.





FIG. 10

is a view taken on line


10





10


of

FIG. 9

, and is like that of

FIG. 6

, however, with the threads of its rod free of the barrel nut of FIG.


7


.





FIG. 11

is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view taken on line


11





11


of FIG.


1


.





FIGS. 12A and 12B

are perspective views of cylindrical fittings [within a jaw] within which fixed tubular bores with keys are formed.





FIG. 13

is a view taken on line


13





13


of FIG.


11


.





FIG. 14

is a view taken on line


14





14


of FIG.


11


.





FIG. 15

is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the clamp mechanism illustrated in FIG.


1


.





FIG. 16

is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the clamp mechanism illustrated in

FIG. 15

, however, with one of the jaws angularly displaced from its perpendicularity with the rods illustrated in

FIGS. 15 and 1

.





FIG. 17

is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of one of the jaws with a handle or push-plate assembly for disengaging ‘quarter-turn’ threads in barrel nuts from threads of a threaded rod by biased spring means.





FIG. 18

is a perspective fragmentary exploded diagrammatic view of the handle, screw, spacer, biased spring means, and ‘quarter-turn’ barrel nut illustrated in FIG.


17


.





FIG. 19

is a top or front view, partly broken away, of another embodiment of this invention.





FIG. 20

is a view taken on line


20





20


of

FIG. 19

, showing a sliding assembly in a position on one of the jaw at which there is engagement of the jaw's threaded rods with the ‘quarter-turn’ threads of its barrel nuts.





FIG. 21

is a view taken on line


21





21


of FIG.


20


.





FIG. 22

is an exploded fragmentary view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG.


19


.





FIG. 23

is a view like that of

FIG. 19

, however, with the sliding assembly in an alternate position to one of the jaws at which there is no engagement of the jaw's threaded rods with the ‘quarter-turn’ threads of its barrel nuts.





FIG. 24

is a view taken on line


24





24


of FIG.


23


.











BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION




Referring now to the drawing in which reference characters correspond to like numerals hereinafter,

FIG. 1

illustrates an embodiment of this invention of a clamp mechanism


20


in its clamped mode about threaded rods. Clamp mechanism


20


is provided with a pair of clamping jaws


22


,


23


, each arranged for movement to and away from each other in conventional fashion for clamping components or elements together, say, for example, such as wood, for fastening together by glue. Each of a pair of elongated threaded rods or spindles


24


,


25


runs through jaws


22


,


23


, also in conventional fashion. Rods


24


,


25


are spaced along the lengths of jaws


22


,


23


from one another, each at generally the same displacement from its corresponding jaw's rear wall


28


,


29


, as the other. Handles


32


,


33


are secured to the opposite ends of rods


24


,


25


, respectively, for manual rotation in the operation of the invention.




Rod


24


is threaded from its open end


34


in a first sense


35


to a mid-point


36


,

FIG. 6

, of clamp mechanism


20


, and is threaded in a second sense


37


from its handle


32


to mid-point


36


of clamp mechanism


20


. However, rod


25


is threaded in the first sense


35


from its handle


33


to the mid-point


36


while being threaded in the second sense


37


from its open end


38


to the mid-point


36


. Thus, the same thread sense


35


on both rods


24


,


25


are positioned to the same side of mid-point


36


in the assembly of rods


24


,


25


to jaws


22


,


23


, respectively, and the same thread sense


37


on both rods


24


,


25


are positioned to the same side of mid-point


36


in the assembly of rods


24


,


25


to jaws


22


,


23


, although the handles


32


,


33


of the rods are on ends opposite open ends


34


,


38


of their respective rods.




A third threaded rod


40


,

FIG. 1

, is introduced into clamp mechanism


20


, running through both jaws


22


,


23


in the same directions and in general alignment with rods


24


,


25


, and disposed between the rods' span, however, offset,

FIGS. 2

,


3


,


5


,


9


, from the plane through which rods


24


,


25


extends. Rod


40


includes sets


41


,


42


of spirally-wound keyways, one set operable only to its side of a centrally-positioned rigid or plate member


44


at mid-point


36


, although both sets are illustrated as extending throughout the length of rod


40


. The keyways of these sets


41


,


42


cooperate with keys provided in jaws


22


,


23


, more fully described hereinafter. The length of rod


40


, to each side of plate member


44


, is sufficiently long so that in the operation of the invention, jaws


22


,


23


can be opened to the widest possible interval between themselves.




Plate member


44


, FIGS.


1


,


3


,


8


,


11


, extends across the span or distance between spaced rods


24


,


25


, and rod


40


, and in this illustrated embodiment as an assembly of thin flat metal pieces


46


,

FIGS. 13

,


14


, put together and held together by screws


47


in its assembly. Pieces


46


are configured with rims


48


so that when assembled together to form plate member


44


, holes h


1


, h


2


, h


3


, are formed to circumscribe annular, oval-like, or straight rims


48




50


that upon the flat abutment of pieces


46


one to another the rims


48


form functional holes h


1


, h


2


, h


3


by which plate member


44


is mounted to and retained at midpoint


36


by a reduction,

FIGS. 13

,


14


,


15


, in at least one linear dimension over the diameter of the rods


24


,


25


,


40


, and thereafter assembled plate member


40


remains situated at the mid-point


36


of these rods in the operation of the invention. Hole hi, circumscribing rod


25


, is circular in nature, however, holes h


2


and h


3


are laterally elongated, as illustrated at


48




e


in

FIGS. 13

,


14


, to provide for adequate angular or swinging movement for jaws


22


,


23


in their free mode of movement about and along threaded rods


22


,


23


, in order to grip differently geometrically configured pieces for fastening in the operation of the invention.




In order for spirally-wound rod


40


to function by its turning in the operation of clamp mechanism


20


, as illustrated in

FIGS. 11

,


12


A and


12


B, each of a set


50


,


51


of keys is formed on the interior walls


52


,


53


, respectively, in bores of open-ended tubular members


54


,


55


, respectively, suitably cross-wise secured in their cylindrical fittings


56


,


57


, respectively, fixed, such as by a press fit, within their corresponding jaws


22


,


23


. Cylindrical fittings


56


,


57


are incorporated into their respective jaws through their bottom walls


22




b


,


23




b


, as illustrated in FIG.


11


. Key set


50


is aligned with and cooperates with the keyway set


41


on spirally-wound rod


40


, to the left of mid point


36


as seen in

FIG. 1

, and key set


51


is aligned with and cooperates with the keyway set


42


on spirally-wound rod


40


, to the right of mid point


36


as seen in

FIG. 1

, and as the jaws


22


,


23


displace equally in their opening and closing to and from midpoint


36


in the operation of the invention, rod


49


turns as its keyways pass by its keys fixed in the jaws


22


,


23


. A nut


58


on each end of rod


40


prevents exiting of jaws


22


,


23


from clamp mechanism


20


.




A sliding assembly


60


,

FIGS. 1

,


2


,


3


,


4


,


5


,


8


,


9


is mounted atop each jaw


22


,


23


for locking and unlocking them at particular points along the threads of rods


24


,


25


, the jaws being equally displaced in their movements to and from center plate


44


in each instance in the opening and closing of the jaws, however, still capable of inclination towards or away in their angular movement from one another on the threaded rods at a particular point of locking or unlocking along the length of the threaded rods. A bar


61


is slidably mounted in its place on the topside


22




t


,


23




t


of each jaw


22


,


23


, respectively, between a pair of rails


62


formed in metal flanged members


63


secured by screws


64


through its one flange


65


to its corresponding topside


22




t


,


23




t


while its other flange


66


extends into grooves


67


in corresponding sidewalls


61




s


of bar


61


. A cavity


70


is formed within the depth of each bar


61


, in alignment with a pair of barrel nuts


71


,

FIGS. 6

,


7


, each in their own positions within its own corresponding jaw


22


,


23


and through which pair of barrel nuts


71


the threaded rods


24


,


25


correspondingly extend. Each cavity


70


,

FIGS. 4

,


5


, includes, in the same direction, towards the rear walls


28


,


29


of their corresponding jaws


22


,


23


, a slotted ramp


74


having shoulders


75


extending in an inclined manner from its base


76


upwardly within the interior of its bar


61


, ending in an enlarged closed circle at the top of ramp


74


.




Each barrel nut


71


,

FIG. 7

, is formed in the shape of a cylinder


77


including a body formation forming a vertically-oriented elongated bore


78


of a greater dimension than the diameter of the threaded rods


23


,


24


which extend through each bore


78


in assembly of clamp mechanism


20


. Bore


78


includes in the proximity to its lowest point a ‘quarter-turn’ or a portion


79


of threads which duplicate the sense of the corresponding threads of rods


24


,


25


,

FIG. 6

(although

FIG. 6

, as illustration only, shows one or either sense of threads). A bolt


80


with its head


81


is secured to the top of each barrel nut


71


, and a washer


82


and spacer


83


are mounted in such securement to its stem. In assembly,

FIG. 6

, as a means for connecting sliding assembly


60


to barrel nuts


71


, each barrel nut


71


with bolt


80


and head


81


, with washer


82


and spacer


83


, are rotatably mounted within a suitable opening of and from the top side


22




t


,


23




t


of each jaw


22


,


23


. The bolthead


81


rides along its corresponding ramp


74


of its bar


61


by reason of the greater diameter of washer


82


. Spacer


83


provides the spacing required between washer


82


and the top of cylinder


77


, in assembly of the invention. Any suitable element which can ride on ramp


74


can be substituted for bolt


80


, and its head


81


, such as a flanged element, and which continues to connect assembly


60


to barrel nuts


71


.




In operation, with jaws


22


,


23


in an unlocked mode,

FIGS. 8

,


9


,


10


, in relation to their threaded rods, jaws


22


,


23


are grasped by fingers (not shown) of the user being inserted into finger grip recesses


85


,

FIGS. 2

,


5


,


9


,


11


formed in the exterior sidewalls


22




e


,


23




e


of jaws


22


,


23


, with mechanism


20


's rear walls


28


,


29


of jaws


22


,


23


closest to the user. The jaws freely displace to-and-fro, readily along threaded rods


24


,


25


, to the extent required to grasp the sizes of pieces (not shown) to be clamped together (for fastening or for other purposes). In such free movement of jaws


22


,


23


, rod


40


guides equal displacement of the jaws from midpoint


36


, by reason of the set


50


of keys in tubular member


54


of cylindrical fitting


56


,

FIG. 12A

riding in its set


41


,

FIG. 11

, of keyways in spiral rod


40


for jaw


22


and of the set


51


of keys in tubular member


55


of cylindrical fitting


57


,

FIG. 12B

, riding in its set


42


,

FIG. 11

, of keyways in spiral rod


40


for jaw


23


. Upon reaching the point for jaws


22


,


23


to lock onto their corresponding threaded rods


24


,


25


, the thumbs (not shown) of the user push or advance both assemblies


60


on the top sides


22




t


,


23




t


of jaws


22


,


23


, preferably with thumb grip material


86


suitably affixed thereto, as illustrated in

FIGS. 1

,


5


,


8


, and


9


. As assemblies


60


are pushed or advanced from their positions illustrated in

FIGS. 8 and 9

, along their corresponding top sides


22




t


,


23




t


, to their positions illustrated in

FIGS. 1

,


4


,


5


, each bolt head


81


and washer


82


ride up on their corresponding shoulders


75


of their corresponding slotted ramps


74


until reaching the ramp's top at its closed end. The barrel nuts


71


in jaws


22


,


23


and threaded rods


24


,


25


are now in engagement as illustrated in

FIG. 6

, the jaws in locked mode with their threaded rods


24


,


25


. Handles


32


,


33


are turned as necessary to rotate threaded rods


24


,


25


to further enhance the grip of jaws


22


,


23


on the piece or pieces clamped between them.





FIGS. 15 and 16

diagrammatically illustrate how a jaw (representing either jaw


22


,


23


) is swung or angularly rotated in the its general plane of clamp mechanism


20


, to clamp pieces the walls of which to be gripped are not parallel to a perpendicular setting of clamp mechanism


20


as illustrated by the positions of jawsides


22




i


,


23




i


shown in FIG.


1


. In

FIG. 15

, duplicating the parallel positions of the jawsides


22




i


,


23




i


of

FIG. 1

, plate member


44


is shown with its holes h


1


, h


2


, and h


3


encompassing their corresponding rods when the pair of jaws are parallel to one another.

FIG. 16

illustrates the jaw


23


maneuvered so that its jawside


23




i


is not parallel to jawside


22




i


. With the condition of an unlocked mode for clamp mechanism


20


, jaw


23


is free in an angular or swinging motion by reason of rotation of the barrel nuts


71


within jaw


23


. With the rotation of barrel nuts


71


in jaw


23


, concurrently rod


25


and rod


40


at their mid-point


36


have laterally moved from their positions adjacent their rims


48


to a more central position in their elongated holes h


2


, h


3


. Conical-like slots


22




s


,


23




s


are formed in opposing sidewalls


22




i


,


22




e


and


23




i


,


23




e


of both jaws


22


,


23


, respectively, radiating from their barrel nuts


71


so that each jaw


22


,


23


is capable of swinging about or angularly moved in the general plane of clamp mechanism


20


to accommodate a setting for the sidewalls


22




i


and/or


23




i


of the jaws


22


,


23


about pieces to be clamped together.




An alternate embodiment of the invention is illustrated in

FIGS. 19-24

. A pair of slideways


89


are formed in the top wall


92




t


of each jaw


92


and into and along which a pair of side rails


93


of a sliding member


94


seat and are guided. Congruous slots


95


,

FIGS. 20

,


21


, having a horizontally-oriented portion


95




h


and an inclined portion


95




i


in each, is formed in side rails


93


. Pins


97


extend through in their locations in hollowed-out openings


98


exteriorly of slideways


89


in jaw


92


,

FIGS. 21

,


22


, with their inner ends abutting a bolt or screw


99


projecting through a spacer


100


and which is secured to each barrel nut


101


situated in its cylindrical opening


102


in jaw


92


. Two pins rather than one pin extending between the two hollow-out openings


98


provides for better mobility of barrel nuts


101


. Each threaded rod


103


(

FIG. 19

representing both rods in a clamp mechanism


20


) extends through an elongated bore


104


having ‘quarter-turn’ threads


105


in barrel nut


101


in its cylindrical bore


102


,

FIG. 22

, in the same manner as in the earlier described embodiment. A covering plate


106


is suitably secured by screws


107


,

FIG. 22

, to the top


92




t


of jaw


92


, generally over the location of each barrel nut


101


in its jaw


92


, to provide for the retention of sliding member


94


in its slideways


89


in the operation of the invention.




In operation, with sliding member


94


in an unlocked mode,

FIGS. 23

,


24


, relative to threaded rods


103


, jaws


92


are free to move or translate along threaded rods


103


, and a spirally-wound rod


108


, in the same manner as described above in regard to the first described embodiment. With a user's fingers gripping recesses


109


,

FIG. 24

, of jaws


92


, the user's thumbs (not shown) on thumb-grips


110


on both jaws


92


pushes or advances sliding member


94


, so that as sliding member


94


slides along its slideways


89


, slots


95


travel along pins


97


and thereby raise or elevate each barrel nut


101


into engagement with its corresponding threaded rods


103


or lower each barrel nut


101


to disengage its ‘quarter-turn’ threads from rods


103


. Spirally-wound rod


108


, when included, maintains equal displacement of jaws


92


from midpoint


36


in the same manner as described above in the earlier described embodiment.





FIGS. 17 and 18

illustrate the utilization of spring-biased barrel nuts


115


in an embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 18

illustrates how a handle


116


is connected in fixed manner to the barrel nuts


115


of FIG.


17


and which seat in their respective cylindrical bores


117


within its jaw


118


. A pair of threaded screws


119


are mounted to handle


116


and extend through it and through a spacer


120


to connect to barrel nuts


115


through which threaded rods


121


extend in ‘quarter-turned’ bores


122


. A spring


123


seats in the bottom of each cylindrical bore


117


. In operation, as fingers of a user grip recesses


124


on the sides of a pair of jaws


118


in a clamp mechanism, the hands' palms (not shown) depress handles


116


against barrel nuts


115


, thereby releasing jaws


118


from a locked mode with threaded rods


121


of its clamp mechanism. Each jaw


118


then is freely moveable to-and-fro along the length of their rods


121


, being equally displaced from their midpoint by means of a spirally-wound rod


125


, in the same manner as described above in the earlier embodiments. Upon releasing handle


116


from the palms, once again jaws


118


are locked to their threaded rods


121


while concurrently displaced equally from the mid-point of the mechanism.




In assembly of clamp mechanism


20


,

FIG. 1

, the aforescribed elements are fabricated in known manner on ssuitable materials. Each cylindrical fitting


56


,


57


with their soldered cross-wise keyed tubular members


54


,


55


are press fit from the bottom sides into the openings provided in jaws


22


,


23


, after which third rod


40


with its two sets


41


,


42


spirally-wound keyways are keyed to sets


50


,


51


of keys in tubular members


54


,


55


of the cylindrical fittings


56


,


57


in the jaws


22


,


23


. Barrel nuts


71


with bolts


80


, boltheads


81


, washers


82


and spacers


83


are inserted into their corresponding openings in the tops of their jaws. Bar


61


is mounted to the top of each jaw, with the shoulders


75


on their ramps


74


engaging the underside of the washers


82


. Flanged members


63


then are placed in position to guide and retain sliding bar


61


after which screws


64


secure it to the top of each jaw


22


,


23


. The handled threaded rods


24


,


25


are thrust through both jaws and through the ‘quarter-turn’ threaded bores of the barrel nuts. The metal pieces


46


of plate member


44


are fitted together about the rods


24


,


25


, and


40


at the midpoint


36


and securely mounted thereto by screws


47


.




In the assembly of the embodiment illustrated in

FIGS. 19-24

, the barrel nut


99


, spacer


101


, and bolt


102


are connected together, inserted between the side rails


93


, the pins


97


thrust through slots


95


to abut or tend to abut bolt/screw


99


. This sub-assembly then is dropped into each jaw


92


, with the barrel nut


104


rotatably seated in its cylindrical opening


102


, the pins


97


seated in their corresponding openings


98


in jaws


92


. The side rails


93


seat in their slideways


89


. Each covering plate


106


is then secured to its jaw by screws


107


to retain sliding assembly


94


in place.




In the

FIG. 17-18

embodiment, cylindrical openings


117


in the jaws


118


are provided for each barrel nut


115


and its associated spring


123


. Handle


116


is connected to each pair of barrel nuts


115


in its jaw


118


, after which, by depressing handle


116


, threaded rods


121


are inserted through the bores


122


of the barrel nuts


115


in each pair of jaws.




Suitable materials, such as wood, metal, plastic, glass reinforced nylon, etc., form the aforescribed elements, the particular material suitable and applicable for each of such elements, with their farications, being well known in the art.




Various modifications, changes, and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The descriptive term ‘quarter-turn’ for the threads in the bores of the barrel nuts is not limited to a 90-degree threading in the bores abut includes a threading for a reasonable number of degrees in the threads by which engagements thereof to the jaws assures the locking of the jaws to the threaded rods. The inventive concept of clamp mechanism


20


and its illustrated embodiments embraces design of sliding assemblies within the bodies of the jaws


22


,


23


themselves. The sliding assemblies are applicable to conventional clamp mechanisms which do not necessarily include the third rod


40


. The senses of the threaded rods are not limited to two (2) as but only one (1) sense is applicable to the operation of the invention as well. Only one keyway to each side of plate member


44


need be formed in rod


40


, such keyway cooperating with the keys in the cylindrical fitting for the jaw to its particular side of the plate member. The distance to the center plate mounting from the handles


32


,


33


is not necessarily limited to being equal for both threaded rods


24


,


25


. A flanged member can be substituted for washer


82


so that bolt


80


rides along shoulders


75


. The pins


97


can be but one pin projecting throughout siderails


93


into the openings


98


, however, less mobility for the barrel nuts would occur.




Industrial Applicability




The apparatus is most useful in wood-working applications, however, the mechanism itself is not limited to fastening merely wooden components together, and is suitable for application in other classes of art as well.



Claims
  • 1. A clamp mechanism including a pair of jaws and threaded rod members extending through said jaws,barrel nut means rotatably mounted in each of said jaws, said barrel nut means including body formations forming bores and on which ‘quarter-turn’ means are formed in the bores, and slidable assembly means mounted to said jaws for actuating said barrel nut means whereby said ‘quarter-turn’ means engage and disengage said rod members thereby locking and unlocking said threaded rod members.
  • 2. The clamp mechanism of claim 1 whereinsaid slidable assembly means comprises ramp means by which said ‘quarter-turn’ means engages and disengages from said threaded rod members.
  • 3. The clamp mechanism of claim 2 whereinsaid slidable assembly means includes members having bases slidably mounted along said jaws, said ramp means included in said slidably mounted members and by actuation of which said ‘quarter-turn’ means engages and disengages from said threaded rod members.
  • 4. The clamp mechanism of claim 3 whereinsaid ramp means comprises slotted means extending from said bases upwardly through said slidably mounted members, and means for connecting said barrel nut means to said slotted means.
  • 5. The clamp mechanism of claim 4 whereinsaid connecting means comprises a bolt-and-washer arrangement extending through said slotted means and fixed to said barrel nut means.
  • 6. The clamp mechanism of claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 or claim 4 or claim 5 includingmeans for maintaining equality of opening and closing from a midpoint for said pair of jaws from and to one another along said threaded rod members.
  • 7. The clamp mechanism of claim 6 whereinsaid maintaining means comprises spirally-wound rod means offset from the plane of and extending through said pair of jaws in the same directions as said threaded rod members, and means for joining together said rod means and threaded rod members at the mid-point.
  • 8. The clamp mechanism of claim 7 whereinsaid joining means comprises rigid means mounted at the mid-point for said threaded rod members and rod means, said threaded rod members and rod means extending through and to each side of said rigid means, the points of said threaded rod members and rod means at said rigid means remaining the same in operation of said clamp mechanism.
  • 9. The clamp mechanism of claim 8 includingradiating conically-configured slots in said jaws, said rigid means including hole means about said threaded rod members and rod means whereby angular motion for either or both of said jaws is effected through said conical-like slots in the unlocked mode of said jaws to said threaded rod members by rotation of the barrel nuts in said barrel nut means.
  • 10. The clamp mechanism of claim 9 whereinsaid threaded rod members comprise a pair of threaded rods, each of said threaded rods having a sense of threads different than the other and extending in opposing directions from the mid-point.
  • 11. The clamp mechanism of claim 1 whereinsaid pair of jaws include slideways, said sliding assembly means comprising sliding members having siderails seated in said slideways, slot means formed in said siderails, pin means seated in hollow openings in each of said jaws exteriorly of its slideways, said pin means operatively connected to said slot means, whereby the sliding of said sliding assembly along said slot means engages and disengages said ‘quarter-turn’ means with said threaded rod members.
  • 12. The clamp mechanism of claim 11 includingcover means for retaining said sliding members to said pair of jaws.
  • 13. The clamp mechanism of claim 11 or claim 12 includingmeans for maintaining equality of opening and closing from a midpoint for said pair of jaws from and to one another along said threaded rod members.
  • 14. The clamp mechanism of claim 13 whereinsaid maintaining means comprises spirally-wound rod means offset from the plane of and extending through said pair of jaws in the same directions as said threaded rod members, and means for joining together said rod means and threaded rod members at the mid-point.
  • 15. The clamp mechanism of claim 14 whereinsaid joining means comprises rigid means mounted at the mid-point for said threaded rod members and rod means, said threaded rod members and rod means extending through and to each side of said rigid means, the points of said threaded rod members and rod means at said rigid means remaining the same in operation of the invention.
  • 16. The claim mechanism of claim 15 includingradiating conically-configured slot in said jaws, said rigid means including hole means about said threaded rod members and rod means whereby angular motion for either or both of said jaws is effected through said conical-like slots in the unlocked mode of said jaws to said threaded rod members by rotation of the barrel nuts in said barrel nut means.
  • 17. The clamp mechanism of claim 16 whereinsaid threaded rod members comprise a pair of threaded rods, each of said threaded rods having a sense of threads different than the other and extending in opposing directions from the mid-point.
  • 18. The clamp mechanism of claim 1 includingmeans for maintaining equality of opening and closing from a midpoint for said pair of jaws from and to one another along said threaded rod members, and means on said maintaining means for preventing said jaws from exiting from said mechanism.
  • 19. The clamp mechanism of claim 18 whereinsaid preventing means is at least one nut secured to an end of said maintaining means.
  • 20. A clamp mechanism including a pair of jaws and threaded rod members extending through said jaws, said jaws including radiating conically-configured slots,barrel nut means rotatably mounted in each of said jaws, said barrel nut means having barrel nuts and including body formations forming bores and on which ‘quarter-turn’ means are formed in the bores, means for maintaining equality of opening and closing from a midpoint in said clamp mechanism for said pair of jaws from and to one another along said threaded rod members, and means for depressing said barrel nut means fixed to said barrel nut means whereby said jaws disengage from said threaded rod members upon depressing said depressing means and engage said threaded rod members upon releasing said depressing means..
  • 21. The clamp mechanism of claim 20 whereinsaid depressing means comprises a depressible handle means, said barrel nut means including spring means below said barrel nuts that are rotatably mounted in said jaws and against which the depressing action of said handle means disengages said jaws from said threaded rod members.
  • 22. The clamp mechanism of claim 20 whereinsaid maintaining means comprises spirally-wound rod means offset from the plane of and extending through said pair of jaws in the same directions as said threaded rod members, and means for joining together said rod means and threaded rod members at the mid-point.
  • 23. The clamp mechanism of claim 22 whereinsaid joining means comprises rigid means mounted at the mid-point for said threaded rod members and rod means, said threaded rod members and rod means extending through and to each side of said rigid means, the points of said threaded rod members and rod means at said rigid means remaining the same in operation of said clamp mechanism.
  • 24. The claim mechanism of claim 23 includingradiating conically-configured slot in said jaws, said rigid means including hole means about said threaded rod members and rod means whereby angular motion for either or both of said jaws is effected through said conical-like slots in the unlocked mode of said jaws to said threaded rod members by rotation of the barrel nuts in said barrel nut means.
  • 25. The clamp mechanism of claim 24 whereinsaid threaded rod members comprise a pair of threaded rods, each of said threaded rods having a sense of threads different than the other and extending in opposing directions from such mid-point.
  • 26. The clamp mechanism of claim 20 whereinsaid pair of jaws include slideways, said assembly means comprising sliding members having siderails seated in said slideways, slot means formed in said siderails, pin means seated in hollow openings in each of said jaws exteriorly of its slideways, said pin means operatively connected to said slot means, whereby the sliding of said assembly along said slot means engages and disengages said ‘quarter-turn’ means with said threaded rod members.
  • 27. A clamp mechanism comprisinga pair of jaws and threaded rod members extending through said jaws, rotatably mounted means in each of said jaws, and slidable assembly means mounted to said jaws for advancing and retracting said rotatably mounted means thereby respectively locking and unlocking at least one of said threaded rod members to and from at least one of said pair of jaws.
  • 28. The clamp mechanism of claim 27 whereinsaid rotatably mounted means comprises barrel nut means in each of said jaws, said barrel nut means including body formations forming bores and on which ‘quarter-turn’ means are formed in the bores, said slidable assembly means when activated respectively advancing and retracting said barrel nut means to and from said threaded rod members.
  • 29. The clamp mechanism of claim 28 includingmeans for maintaining equality of opening and closing from a midpoint for said pair of jaws from and to one another along said threaded rod members.
  • 30. The clamp mechanism of claim 29 whereinsaid maintaining means comprises spirally-wound rod means offset from the plane of and extending through said pair of jaws in the same directions as said threaded rod members, and means for joining together said rod means and threaded rod members at such mid-point.
  • 31. The clamp mechanism of claim 30 whereinsaid joining means comprises rigid means mounted at such mid-point for said threaded rod members and said rod means, said threaded rod members and rod means extending through and to each side of said rigid means, the points of said threaded rod members and rod means at said rigid means remaining the same in operation of the invention.
  • 32. The claim mechanism of claim 31 includingradiating conically-configured slot in said jaws, said rigid means including hole means about said threaded rod members and rod means whereby angular motion for either or both of said jaws is effected through said conical-like slots in the unlocked mode of said jaws to said threaded rod members by rotation of the barrel nuts in said barrel nut means.
Parent Case Info

This invention is related to but not limited to provisional applications U.S. Ser. Nos. 60/209,619, filed Jun. 6, 2000 and 60/252,155, filed Nov. 22, 2000 in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

US Referenced Citations (8)
Number Name Date Kind
174838 Naumann Mar 1876 A
178022 Naumann May 1876 A
179942 Naumann Jul 1876 A
1428608 Parker Sep 1922 A
2351178 Zimmerman Jun 1944 A
5326076 Sorensen et al. Jul 1994 A
5335898 Johnson Aug 1994 A
5370157 Oertli Dec 1994 A
Provisional Applications (2)
Number Date Country
60/209619 Jun 2000 US
60/252155 Nov 2000 US