Quick-action bar clamp

A hand tool comprising

• a fixed jaw;
• a movable jaw, said fixed jaw and movable jaw facing in opposite directions;
• a slide bar, said movable jaw being mounted on one end of said slide bar, said slide bar being movable to bring said movable jaw toward and away from said fixed jaw;
• support means for supporting said slide bar, said fixed jaw being connected to said support means;
• one-way drive means for releasably engaging and, when engaged, for advancing said slide bar and attached movable jaw, said movable jaw being subject to advancement away from said fixed jaw when said one-way drive means is disengaged;
• said one-way drive means having a driving lever, and a braking lever normally engaging said slide rod, said braking lever when engaging said slide bar preventing motion of said movable jaw toward said fixed jaw, said braking lever having an engaging portion extending outwardly from said support means,
• a trigger handle pivotably mounted to said support means rearwardly of said breaking lever and contacting said driving lever,
• said engaged driving lever moving said slide rod and said movable jaw away from said fixed jaw, said support means including a handgrip, a trigger-type relationship existing between said trigger handle and said handgrip, said bar clamp being holdable at said handgrip, said braking lever and the trigger handle being selectively operable by the same hand in such a manner that one of the index and middle fingers is positioned on the engaging portion of the braking lever to actuate the braking lever, while the other fingers encircle and contain the trigger handle and the handgrip.