Patent Application
20050028395
The present invention relates to a guide clamp.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,800 discloses a conventional guide clamp G including a bar B, a clamp jaw C secured to the bar B and a shifting jaw S movable along the bar B. The shifting jaw S can be moved towards the clamp jaw C so as to clamp a workpiece W. A rod R and a lever L are used to move the shifting jaw S. The rod R extends through a cavity 22 defined in the bar B. The lever L includes a cam formed at an end. The cam is in pivotal connection with the rod R and in contact with the bar B. Thus, pivotal of the lever L causes the movement of the rod R. The shifting jaw S is attached to the rod R so that the shifting jaw S retains its position relative to or slides along the rod R. The shifting jaw S includes a jaw block 51, a plurality of lock clips 52 and a release carrier 53. The jaw block 51 and the release carrier 53 are both mounted on the rod R in a sliding manner. The lock clips 52 are nested between the jaw bock 51 and the release carrier 53 for unitary function. Each lock clip 52 is bent. That is, each lock clip 52 includes an upper portion and a lower portion. The rod R extends in a hole 60 that is defined in the upper portion of each lock clip 52. The holes 60 are sized so that the lock clips 52 easily slide on the rod R whenever they are normal to the rod R, but lock to the rod R whenever they are tipped from the normal position. Referring to
The present invention is therefore intended to obviate or at least alleviate the problems encountered in prior art.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide an easily releasable guide clamp.
According to the present invention, an easily releasable guide clamp includes a body, a rod, a stationary jaw, a movable jaw assembly and a cam. The body is for installment on an object. The rod is movable along the body. The stationary jaw is secured to the body for contact with an edge of the object. The movable jaw assembly is movable along the body. The movable jaw assembly includes a movable jaw, several locking plates, a release carrier and a spring. The movable jaw is for contact with an opposite edge of the object. Each of the locking plates includes an upper portion defining an aperture for receiving the rod and a lower portion extending from the upper portion at an angle. The apertures are sized so that the locking plates easily slide on the rod whenever the upper portions thereof are normal to the rod but lock to the rod whenever the upper portions thereof are tipped from the normal position as the upper portions of the locking plates are moved by means of the rod while the lower portions of the locking plates are stopped by means of the movable jaw. The release carrier is movable relative to the movable jaw. The spring is compressed between the movable jaw and the locking plates for returning the upper portions of the locking plates to the normal position. The cam is pivotally connected with the rod for contact with the stationary jaw so that pivotal of the lever and the contact of the cam with the stationary jaw cause movement of the rod along the body.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the attached drawings.
The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of embodiments referring to the drawings.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The stationary jaw 30 includes a first end, a second end, a bottom, a top and two walls. From each of the walls of the stationary jaw 30 extend at least one protrusion 36 near the top, two fins 35 below the at least one protrusion 36 and two blocks 34 below the fins 35. A tunnel 33 is defined in the stationary jaw 30.
Referring to
The movable jaw 41 includes a first end, a second end, a bottom, a top and two walls. The movable jaw 14 includes two beams 412 extending from the second end of the movable jaw 41 and a fin 414 from each of the walls. A recess 415 is defined in the top of the movable jaw 41.
The release carrier 42 includes a handle 421, a slide 422 extending from the handle 421 and a connector 427 extending from the slide 422. The handle 421 defines an aperture 424. The slide 422 defines a recess 423 communicated with the aperture 424. Two wings 425 extend from the slide 422. The connector 427 includes an enlarged end.
Each of the locking plates 43 is a bent plate with a lower portion and an upper portion defining an aperture 432.
To assemble the movable jaw assembly 40, the connector 427 is put in the recess 415. The enlarged end of the connector 427 is on one end of the movable jaw 41 while the slide 422 and the handle 421 are on an opposite end of the movable jaw 41. Thus, the movable jaw 41 and the release carrier 42 are movable relative to but not detachable from each other. The spring 44 and the locking plates 43 are put in the recess 423.
Referring to
To attach the stationary jaw 30 to the body 10, the fins 35 are inserted in the grooves 15. The fins 35 are put on the flanges 14. The blocks 34 are located below the flanges 14. The at least one protrusion 36 extending from each of the walls of the stationary jaw 30 is in frictional contact with one of two walls of the groove 16 so as to keep the stationary jaw 30 to the body 10.
To attach the movable jaw assembly 40 to the body 10, the wings 414 and 425 are inserted in the grooves 15. The installment of the locking plates 43 and the spring 44 is to be described.
To attach the end cap 20 to the body 10, the wings 26 are inserted in the grooves 15. The at least one protrusion 25 extending from each of the walls of the end cap 20 is in frictional contact with one of the walls of the groove 16 so as to keep the end cap 20 to the body 10.
The rod 60 is inserted through the recess 22, the aperture 424, the recess 423, the apertures 432 defined in the locking plates 43, a tunnel defined in and by the spring 44 and the tunnel 33. The locking plates 43 and the spring 44 are thus mounted on the rod 60. A pin 63 is inserted in an aperture 61 defined in the rod 60 so as to engage with the spring 23. A pin 64 is inserted in an aperture 51 defined in the cam 52 and an aperture 621 defined in the rod 60 so as to pivotally connect cam 52 (and therefore the lever 50) with the rod 60.
Referring to
To clamp the table 200, the lever 50 is pivoted to a locking position shown in
To release the table 200, the lever 50 is pivoted to the releasing position of
Referring to FIGS. 8˜10, two guide clamps 100 are used. One of the guide clamps (“lower guide clamp”) 100 is installed on the table 200, and the other of the guide clamps (“upper guide clamp”) 100 on the lower guide clamp 100. The lower guide clamp 100 is capable of clamping the table 200. The upper guide clamp 100 is capable of clamping a workpiece (not shown) or tool (not shown).
A plurality of connecting devices 70 is used to join the lower guide clamp 100 with the upper guide clamp 100. Each of the connecting devices 70 includes a connecting plate 71, a washer 72 and a bolt 73.
The connecting plate 71 includes a claw 711 put in one of the grooves 132 of the body 10 of the lower guide clamp 100 and another claw 711 put in one of the grooves 132 of the body 10 of the upper guide clamp 100. The connecting plate 71 defines an aperture 712. The bolt 73 is driven into the aperture 712 through the washer 72.
The bodies 10 are combined with one another by means of a connecting device 80. The connecting device 80 includes a dovetail 83 and two screws 82. The dovetail 83 includes two sections each defining an aperture 81. Each of the sections of the dovetail 83 is inserted in the dovetail groove 131 of one of the bodies 10. A screw 82 is driven into each of the bodies 10 through one of the apertures 81.
The dovetail groove 131 and the grooves 132 are capable of receiving and retaining therein a fastening element such as the dovetail 83, the claw 711, a nut (not shown) and a head of a bolt (not shown). These grooves all include two open ends through which a fastener can be moved, a bottom and a top narrower than the bottom for trapping such a fastening element. A tool (not shown) can be attached to the body 100 by means of such a fastening element. Alternatively, a tool such as a ruler may be directly attached to the body 10 via insertion in the dovetail groove 131, without the use of a fastening element.
The present invention has been described via detailed illustration of some embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.
