Stringer clamp
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorArnold Nelsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A clamp for use in holding a wing panel stringer to a header on a wing panel jig includes a clamp base affixed to the header. A stringer locator, which has a pair of clamp-engaging surfaces, is mounted for rotational movement on the clamp base. The first clamp-engaging surface is oriented generally parallel to the rotational axis of the locator while the second surface is a locus of lines that are preferably generally perpendicular to the first surface and form a convexly arcuate second surface. A J-shaped clamping member is slidably and rotationally mounted in the clamp base. The terminus of the curved portion of the clamping member engages the exposed surface of a stringer to hold it tightly against the first and second clamp surfaces.
Claims4
In an airplane wing panel jig including a plurality of headers, an improved clamp for clamping stringers to said headers comprising:
- a clamp base and means for mounting said base to a header,
- locator means having a rotational axis, a first clamping surface oriented substantially parallel to said rotational axis thereof, and a second convexly arcuate clamping surface, said second clamping surface being a locus of lines generally perpendicular to said first clamping surface,
- mounting means for mounting said locator means on said clamp base for rotational movement about said rotational axis, and
- a J-shaped member having a shank terminating in a first end and having a curved portion terminating in a second end, said shank being mounted in said clamp base for rotational and sliding movement about the longitudinal axis of said shank, said J-shaped member being mounted and constructed so that said second end is selectively positionable adjacent the intersection of said first and second clamping surfaces.
A clamp for securing a member having intersecting surface portions to a jig member, comprising:
- a clamp base adapted for mounting on said jig member,
- locator means having a rotational axis and having a first substantially planar clamping surface oriented parallel to said rotational axis and having a second convexly arcuate clamping surface, said second surface being a locus of lines oriented transversely to said first clamping surface,
- mounting means for mounting said locator means on said clamp base for rotational movement about said rotational axis, and
- clamp means operatively associated with said clamp base for clamping said member to said locator means, said clamp means including a J-shaped member having a first end and a second end, said J-shaped member having a shank terminating at said first end, joined to a curved portion terminating at said second end, said shank being mounted in said clamp base for rotational and sliding movement about the longitudinal axis of said shank, said J-shaped member being mounted and constructed so that said second end is selectively positionable adjacent the intersection of said first and said second clamping surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.