Hand or foot manipulated self clamping device

In a holding tool and vise combination suitable for holding, adjusting and clamping a work piece by independent use of a foot pedal and the operator's hands, the combination comprising

• a stationary base with a raised edge;
• a secondary base resting on the stationary base and removable therefrom;
• a stationary jaw integral with the secondary base;
• a slotted slide slidably attached to the secondary base;
• a movable jaw integral with the slotted slide at its one extremity;
• a slide raise integral with the slotted slide at its other extremity;
• a cylindrically wound spiral spring extending between the slide raise and the stationary jaw;
• a threaded shaft with a handle at one end and a tip at the other end, screwably mounted in a matching threaded hole in the slide raise, with the tip toward the stationary jaw;
• and
• an actuator system comprising a foot pedal extension, a vertical rocker, a universal pivot, a clevis connector, a horizontal pivot, and a bearing, with the bearing pushing against the slotted slide when the foot pedal is depressed:
• the method for holding, adjusting, clamping and transporting a work piece comprising the steps
• (a) retracting the threaded shaft by rotation of the handle by an amount exceeding the size of the work piece to be held:
• (b) depressing the foot pedal to cause the actuator system to push forward the slotted slide and thus spread apart the movable jaw and stationary jaw until the gap between said jaws exceeds the size of the work piece, thus also partially compressing the spiral spring and partially advancing the tip of the threaded shaft;
• (c) inserting the work piece by hand into the oversize gap between the stationary jaw and the movable jaw and holding the work piece there by hand;
• (d) releasing the foot pedal and allowing the compression of the spiral spring to push back the slotted slide, thereby causing the movable jaw to approach the stationary jaw and hold the work piece under spring pressure;
• (e) removing the hands from the work piece which is now held solely by spring pressure without hand or foot action;
• (f) to adjust the position of the work piece, holding the work piece by hand, depressing the foot pedal as in step (b) to spread apart the stationary jaw and movable jaw, re-positioning the work piece by hand in the oversize gap, releasing the foot pedal as in step (d) and removing the hands as in step (e);
• (g) advancing the threaded shaft by rotation of the shaft handle until the shaft tip presses against the stationary jaw, overriding the spring pressure, to clamp the work piece in a positive vise grip;
• (h) to adjust the position of the work piece after being clamped between the stationary jaw and movable jaw, performing steps (a), (f) and (g) in that order to re-clamp the work piece;
• and
• (i) to transport the clamped work piece, lifting off the stationary base the assembly of secondary base, slotted slide and clamped work piece and carrying the assembly elsewhere for further operations.