Low-profile rocking lever clamp
OwnerSteven E. Phillipsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rocking lever clamp device is disclosed for holding a workpiece. The rocking lever clamp is a one-piece design. In a preferred embodiment, the rocking lever clamp contains an elongated hole to permit rotation of the clamp relative to downward motion of a jacking screw. In another preferred embodiment, an automatic clamping system is disclosed to rotate the clamp. The rotation of rocking lever clamp causes a workpiece-engaging edge to hold a workpiece.
Claims23
A rocking lever clamp for securing a workpiece to a support, said rocking lever clamp comprising:
- a vertical arcuate edge rotatably contacting the support at a vertical contact point and a horizontal contact point;
- a workpiece-engaging edge located in opposing configuration to said vertical arcuate edge;
- and
- said rocking lever clamp containing a hole therethrough, said hole being located between said vertical arcuate edge and said workpiece-engaging edge, said hole being sized to allow non-threadable passage of a shank of a jacking screw and to restrict passage of a head of a jacking screw, and said hole being elongated in the direction of an axis from said vertical arcuate edge to said workpiece-engaging edge;
- whereby inserting a jacking screw through said hole in said rocking lever clamp and tightening said jacking screw into the support causes said rocking lever clamp to drive the engaging edge into the workpiece.
A clamping system for securing a workpiece, said system comprising:
- a fixture base with a clamp trough and a workpiece abutment edge;
- said clamp trough containing at least one tapped hole;
- and
- at least one rocking lever clamp corresponding to each of the at least one tapped hole.
An automatic rocking lever clamp for securing a workpiece to a support, said automatic rocking lever clamp comprising:
- a vertical arcuate edge rotatably contacting the support of a vertical contact point and a horizontal contact point;
- a workpiece-engaging edge located in opposed configuration to the vertical arcuate edge;
- a portion above the center of rotation of the vertical arcuate edge;
- and
- an expansion mechanism contained in the support adjacent to and engaging the portion above the center of rotation of the vertical arcuate edge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.