Adjustable snap-on-clamp

Abstract

An improved snap-on-clamp is provided for securely fastening one object to another, such as fastening a flexible hose about a pipe, a nipple, or the like, and includes an open-ended, substantially annular band having formed at its ends a pair of opposed, interlockable members. Each interlockable member includes an arcuate jaw having a plurality of teeth which interlock with the teeth of the opposed member's jaw when the interlockable members are interengaged and the clamp is in a clamping position. Each interlockable member further includes resilient bias means spaced apart from its respective jaw to provide opposing forces to the interlocked jaws so that the plurality of teeth are forced together, thereby preventing separation of the interlockable members other than by transverse shear. The radially innermost resilient bias means includes a cantilevered tongue which is tapered to provide a substantially continuous and smooth inner circumferential clamp surface, thereby distributing pressure evenly about a clamped surface.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.