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US 2002/0149160 A1Published application
Expanding pullback clamping module
AssigneeAmerican Workholding, Inc.
InventorBERNARD T. VARNAU
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clamping module has a retractable drawbar and pivoting expansion members. The expansion members are pivotable from a first position having an effective diameter which is less than the minimum diameter of the workpiece hole through which the drawbar and expansion members are extended and a second position engaging the workpiece so as to transmit an axial force from the drawbar through the expansion members to the workpiece sufficient to secure the workpiece.
Claims1
A clamp for holding a workpiece in place, said workpiece having an opening, said opening having an effective perimeter, said clamp comprising:
- a. a first member movable from a first position to a second position, said first member having an effective perimeter which is less than the effective perimeter of said opening of said workpiece;
- and
- b. a plurality of pivoting expansion members movable from a retracted position when said first member is in said first position, and a extended position when said first member is in said second position, said plurality of expansion members having a retracted effective perimeter when said plurality of expansion members are disposed at said retracted position, said retracted effective perimeter being less than the effective perimeter of said opening of said workpiece, said plurality of pivoting expansion member being configured to engage said workpiece when said plurality of expansion members are disposed at said extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.