Machine tool clamp
OwnerHector Sequininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A machine tool clamp includes an elongated clamping member with its mid-section anchored at an adjustably spaced distance above a base plate. The front end of the clamping member is adapted to clamp a work piece to a machine tool work platform. The rear end or heel of the clamping member bears pivotally on the base plate in such a manner that the adjustable anchor of the mid-section is a movable fulcrum. A height adjustable mechanism with a large mechanical advantage is positioned in the heel of the clamping member to lever the clamping member about the adjustable fulcrum to clamp the front end on a work piece. The height adjustable mechanism can be a screw, eccentric cammed lever, hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, or other suitable mechanism.
Claims22
A machine clamp adapted for gripping a work piece, comprising:
- a base plate having first and second ends;
- an upright guide post secured to said base plate;
- a clamp member having a central portion receiving said guide post, a heel end positioned over said first end of said base plate, and a pair of parallel elongated curved fingers extending from said heel end in an arch shape and having a slot therebetween, said fingers each terminating in a free end and said central portion being defined by a brace block extending across said slot and formed integrally with and as a solid extension of said fingers;
- first adjustment means associated with said guide post for moving said central portion toward and away from said base plate;
- and
- second adjustment means associated with said heel end for selectively moving said heel end away from said base plate and permitting return of said heel end in a direction toward said base plate.
A machine clamp adapted for gripping a work piece, comprising:
- an elongated slide bracket adapted to be mounted on a working surface and having a longitudinal channel formed therein;
- a base plate slidably mounted to said slide bracket and relatively movable therealong, said base plate including a longitudinal rib positively engaging said channel;
- a clamp arm having a gripping end, a heel end, and a central portion, said gripping end dimensioned to extend beyond one edge of said base plate;
- movable fulcrum means interconnecting said central portion and said base plate for moving said central portion toward and away from said base plate;
- and
- adjustment means associated with said heel portion for moving said heel portion toward and away from said base plate.
A machine clamp adapted for gripping a work piece, comprising:
- a base plate;
- an upright fulcrum post secured to a first end portion of said base plate and projecting in a substantially perpendicular direction to the plane thereof, said fulcrum post pivotable through at least small acute angles with respect to said perpendicular direction, said fulcrum post having a threaded portion at an end opposite said base plate;
- an arcuate clamp member having a heel end positioned over a second end portion of said base plate, a pair of parallel elongated gripping fingers opposite said heel end and projecting forwardly of the first end portion of said base plate, and a central portion formed unitarily with said gripping fingers and having a bore therethrough and adapted for receiving said fulcrum post in loose-fitting, mated relation, said clamp member defining an arch above said base plate an being rotatable about said fulcrum post;
- a spring positioned in surrounding relation to said guide post between said base plate and said clamp member and operative to bias said clamp member and said base plate away from one another;
- an adjusting knob threadably received on said fulcrum post on a side of said clamp member opposite said base plate;
- and
- adjustment means associated with said heel end for selectively moving said heel end away from said base plate and permitting return of said heel end in a direction toward said base plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.