US3253843A - Clamp - Google Patents

Description

y 1, 1966 v. A. STATHAM 3,253,843

CLAMP Filed June 12, 1964 o i g INVENTOR.

VlNCENT ALFRED STATHAM WWO,

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent "ice 3,253,843 CLAMP Vincent Alfred St ath am, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, England,

assignor t0 Avco Corporation, vColdwater, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware FiledJurte 12, 1964, Ser. No. 374,70

1 Claim. (Cl. 287-51) This invention relates to clamps for clamping together two longitudinal members such as rods, bars, tubes or the like in crosswise formation and isconcerned with such a clamp of the kind in which a U-shaped member is arranged to engage about or straddle one of the longitudinal members and is provided with holes or openings in its limbs for receiving transversely therethrough the other of said longitudinal members whilst a clamping element .is provided which is received between the limbs of theU-shaped member and between the longitudinalme-mbers whereby on screw or other act-nation of said clamping element relative to one of said longitudinal members it co-acts between the latter so as to thrust them into frictional contact with corresponding portions of the U- shaped member.

The object of thisinvention is to provide an improved clamp of the above mentioned kind which is of simple and effective construction for use in clamping a round or similar section longitudinal member in relation to a further longitudinal member .such as a frame member whereby the round section or similar member may be adjusted either angularly and/or axially on release or slackening of the clamp.

A particular object of the invention isto provide such a clamp which does not call for a high precision fit of the round or similar sectionmem-ber in theclamp whilst no part of the latter bites into or similarly engages said member so that the periphery thereof may remain substantially unimpaired in this respect.

According to this invention a clamp of the kind referred to is characterized by the clamping element thereof being formed so as to engage with a bending action about an adjacent part of the periphery of a corresponding longitudinal member of round or similar section of two longitudinal members when the latter are received by the clamp in order to frictionally hold said longitudinal member on the clamping element being screw or otherwise actuated for thrusting co-action between said longitudinal members.

Referring to the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of a clamp according to this invention shown in position of use and FIGURE 2 is an end view. 7

Referring to the drawings and in a practical embodiment of the invention for clamping, for example, a round section bar 1 to a frame or similar member 2 of rectangular section, the Ushaped member or bracket 3 is formed such that its closed end engages about or straddles a said frame member 2 so that the limbs 4 of the U-bracket 3 extend beyond the latter at each side.

Whereas the frame member 2 has been shown of rectangular section it is to be understood that it may be of round, square, angle, channel or any other suitable section in which case the corresponding closed end of the U-bracket 3 is formed accordingly.

Near their free ends the limbs 4 are each provided with an opening or hole 5 which holes are arranged in register to receive the round section bar 1 transversely therethrough so that the bar is at an angle such as a right angle to the frame member 2 and spaced a short distance from it for receiving therebetween a clamping element 6. I

The clamping element 6 is in the nature of a tongue and may consist of a suitable forging arranged to ex- 3,253,843 Pa en ed May 3 966 member 2 and bar 1.

For Obtaining a desired action of the clamp the said thin section portion 7 of the clamping element 6 .is preferably of part circular form as shown so as to engage about the round section [bar 1 whilst the said thin section portion {7 should be such that it has a resilient bending action.

One end of the clamping element 6 is provided with an enlargement or head 9 which may as shown include a nose portion 10 adapted to .bear against the adjacent side of the frame member 2 whilst the other end extends as a lug 11 of somewhat thicker sect-ion than the thin section portion 7 and is arranged to be actuated by preferably screw means such as a bolt 12 threaded through it and arranged to bear against the frame member 2 at a point a short distance from the U-bracket 3. If desired other means such as cam mechanism may be employed to actuate the lug 11 relative to the frame member 2.

On turning the bolt 12 in the usual tightening direction its co-action against the frame member '2 is such that the lug 11 of the clamping element 6 is thrust away from the frame member 2. This results in the head 9 of the clamping element 6 being drawn in a direction between the bar ,1 and frame member 2 so as to have a wedge action in thrusting them apart and into firm frictional contact with corresponding portions of the U- bracket 3. In addition the thin section portion 7 of the clamping element 6 is caused to bend or wrap about a corresponding peripheral part of the round section bar 1 so as to provide further frictional engagement with the latter.

Conversely on slackening the bolt 12 .the clamping element 6 may be released or slackened from its wedge action whilst, due to its resilient action, the thin section portion 7 springs open from its intimate engagement about the corresponding peripheral part of the round section bar 1. This enables the latter to be readily adjusted axially and/or angularly after which it may be readily re-clamped in its adjusted position.

The leverage afforded by the lug 11 extending from the clamp assembly enables the bolt 12 to be readily operated either for effecting application of adequate clamping pressure or for obtaining release when required.

It is noted that the projecting threaded adjustable member 12, providing the adjustable contact between the lug portion 11 and the frame member 2, is substantially farther from the center of the bar 1 than is the contact afforded by thenose portion 10 of the enlarged head of the clamping element. This results in a definite mechanical advantage in the clamping operation produced by actuation of the screw threaded adjustable projecting member 12. A positive clamping force is made possible by this mechanical advantage with a relatively small application of force on the screw threaded member or other adjustable contacting portion which may be used.

It is noted also that the central portion 7 of the clamping element 6, as shown in FIGURE 1, contacts the bar member 1 but does not contact the frame member 2. The resilience of the relatively thin section 7 is of assistance in providing a satisfactory clamping action and the enlarged ends 10 and 11 assure that the clamping element will remain in place even.though the adjusting screw 12 is released.

The clamp disclosed herein is of the general type which provides a bracket for positioning a bar in transverse spaced relationship relative to a frame member with longitudinal adjustable sliding movement of said bar in a direction longitudinally of the bar. The invention disclosed provides improved means for clamping said bar in selected longitudinal sliding positions relative to the frame member while at the same time affording means to adjust both the bar and the clamp relative to the frame when desired. Provision of a clamping element-with simplicity in operation affording a substantial mechanical advantage resulting in positive clamping but with ease of operation are important practical advantages of the device.

From the foregoing it Will be appreciated that a clamp or clamp assembly according to this invention is not'only of robust and compact construction but is also of an extremely simple and inexpensive nature having particular, but not exclusive, application for use in agricultural and similar equipment. a

The invention has been described by reference to a specific structure found practical in actual operation but it is intended that various modifications be made within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

A clamp of the character described for securing a bar to a frame member in transverse relationship thereto, comprising;

a U-shaped bracket surrounding said frame member and having end portions thereof extending laterally in substantially parallel relationship beyond said frame member, a said laterally extending end portions having aligned openings therein to position said bar in spaced relationship offset from said frame member,

a clamping element having a central section partially surrounding said barand disposed in space between said frame member and said bar,

said central section contacting said bar but spaced from said frame member,

a head of said clamping element extending at one end thereof laterally displaced from said central section,

a nose portion of said head contacting said frame member at a distance displaced from the center of said bar,

a lug portion of said clamping element extending laterally from said central section of said clamping element in a direction opposite relative to said bar from said nose portion,

an adjustable projecting member carried by said lug portion and displaced from the center of said bar a sufficient distance so as to contact said frame portion on the opposite side of said bar from said nose portion at a distance from the center of said bar substantially greater the distance from said center of said nose portion contact, thereby to afford a me chanical advantage on operation of said adjustable projecting member forcing said lug portion away from said frame portion resulting in a clamping force for positive positioning of said bar relative to said frame member,

said central section of said clamping element between end portions thereof being, of sufliciently relatively thinner cross section than the ends thereof and also of arcuate form to frictionally engage with a resilient bending action about said peripheral portion of said bar when clamped therebout, and

wherein said lug portion end of said clamping element has an adjustable projecting member that is a screw threaded member adjustable in position so as to obtain a movement of said end away from said frame member and to bend the intermediate portion of said clamping element about said bar in clamping relationship.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,476,551 12/1923 Strandlund 3061.5 3,107,932 10/1963 Johnson et al. 287-49 X CARL W. TOMLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. V. KUNDRAT, Assistant Examiner.

Images