US 4,355,527 AGranted

Hold down mechanism

AssigneeThe Continental Group, Inc.

InventorDonald E. Miller

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Abstract

This disclosure relates to a hold down mechanism which is particularly adapted to apply a preselected hold down pressure on an element. It employs a bar which is pivotally mounted on a support member with the bar having a hold down surface thereon so positioned that when the bar is pivoted in a selected direction the hold down surface will engage the element in clamping relation and further pivoting of the bar in the same direction will result in the shifting of the pivot point for the bar from the pivot member to the hold down surface. The pivot member is spring loaded for lifting movement at this time with an associated spring pack providing for a controlled loading by the hold down surface against the element. A movable cam member having a wedge shaped lower end moves between a cam follower carried by the arm and a fixed cam follower to effect the controlled pivoting of the bar.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A hold down mechanism for clamping in place an element, said mechanism comprising a support positioned adjacent the intended clamped position of said element, a carrier mounted in said support for guided movement away from said support in a controlled direction generally parallel to but opposite to an intended direction of clamping force on said element, resilient means reacting on said carriage opposite to said controlled direction for resiliently seating said carriage on said support, a pivot member extending transversely of said controlled direction and being mounted on said carriage for movement therewith in said controlled direction against the restraint of said resilient means, a hold down arm carried by said pivot member for swinging movement between a retracted position and an element clamping position, a hold down surface projecting from said arm for clamping engagement with said element, and actuating means engageable with said arm for first pivoting said arm about said pivot member to engage said hold down surface with said element and effect clamping of said element in place and then pivoting said arm about said hold down surface while moving said carrier and pivot member in said controlled direction against the resistance of said resilient means to apply a resilient predetermined clamping force against said element.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.