Back to results
US 5,165,670 AGranted
Retracting power clamp
AssigneeBTM Corporation
InventorEdwin G. Sawdon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid-actuated clamping device is adapted for releasably clamping and holding an item in a desired position at a desired location, with the clamping mechanism or sub-assembly being capable of being completely retracted into the body of the clamping device before and after clamping engagement of the item. The preferred clamping device is economically and conveniently converted between horizontal and vertical clamping applications due to its great degree of interchangeability of components in both of such applications.
Claims22
A fluid-actuated, retractable clamping device for releasably clamping an item in a predetermined position, said clamping device comprising:
- an elongated body having a fluid chamber therein and a pair of fluid ports longitudinally spaced from one another in fluid communication with said fluid chamber;
- an armature disposed within said body and extending longitudinally in said fluid chamber;
- a piston longitudinally fixed on said armature and sealingly disposed for slidable longitudinal movement within said fluid chamber between said fluid ports in order to selectively and forcibly extend and retract said armature longitudinally outwardly and inwardly, respectively, in response to respective greater and lesser fluid pressures in one of said fluid ports with respect to the other of said fluid ports;
- and
- a clamping sub-assembly interconnected with a longitudinally outer portion of said armature and being selectively and forcibly extendable and retractable therewith between fully-extended and fully-retracted positions in order to be movable into and out of said clamping engagement with the item in response to selective longitudinal movement of said armature, said clamping sub-assembly including a sleeve member, a clamping member, and linkage means interconnecting said sleeve member and said clamping member and providing for movement of said clamping member relative to said sleeve member to and from a transversely-extending position relative to said armature at least when said clamping sub-assembly is in an extended position protruding longitudinally from an outer end of said elongated body, said sleeve member having a longitudinally-extending sleeve opening therein, said armature extending longitudinally within said sleeve opening for slidable longitudinal movement relative thereto, said linkage means being interconnected with said armature and said clamping member, and said clamping member being pivotally interconnected with said sleeve member, said pivotal movement of said clamping member occuring in response to said extension and retraction of said armature over a predetermined outer range of its movement.
2 more elements
A fluid-actuated, retractable clamping device for releasably clamping an item in a predetermined position, said clamping device comprising:
- an elongated body having a fluid chamber therein and a pair of fluid ports longitudinally spaced from one another in fluid communication with said fluid chamber;
- an armature disposed within said body and extending longitudinally in said fluid chamber;
- a piston longitudinally fixed on said armature and sealingly disposed for slidable longitudinal movement within said fluid chamber between said fluid ports in order to selectively and forcibly extend and retract said armature longitudinally outwardly and inwardly, respectively, in response to respective greater and lesser fluid pressures in one of said fluid ports with respect to the other of said fluid ports;
- and
- a clamping sub-assembly interconnected with a longitudinally outer portion of said armature and being selectively and forcibly extendable and retractable therewith between fully-extended and fully-retracted positions in order to be movable into and out of said clamping engagement with the item in response to selective longitudinal movement of said armature, said clamping sub-assembly including a sleeve member, a clamping member, and linkage means interconnecting said sleeve member and said clamping member and providing for pivotal movement of said clamping member relative to said sleeve member to and from a transversely-extending position relative to said armature at least when said clamping sub-assembly is in an extended position protruding longitudinally from an outer end of said elongated body, said sleeve member being disposed at least partially within said body and being longitudinally movable relative to said armature between longitudinally limited positions relative to said elongated body, said clamping assembly further including resilient biasing means for resiliently biasing said sleeve member in a longitudinal outward direction away from said piston, said pivotal movement of said clamping member occurring in response to said extension and retraction of said armature over a predetermined outer range of its movement.
2 more elements
A fluid-actuated, retractable clamping device for releasably clamping an item in a predetermined position, said clamping device comprising:
- an elongated body having a fluid chamber therein and a pair of fluid ports longitudinally spaced from one another in fluid communication with said fluid chamber;
- an armature disposed within said body and extending longitudinally in said fluid chamber;
- a piston longitudinally fixed on said armature and sealingly disposed for slidable longitudinal movement within said fluid chamber between said fluid ports in order to selectively and forcibly extend and retract said armature longitudinally outwardly and inwardly, respectively, in response to respective greater and lesser fluid pressures in one of said fluid ports with respect to the other of said fluid ports;
- a clamping sub-assembly interconnected with a longitudinally outer portion of said armature and being selectively and forcibly extendable and retractable therewith between respective fully-extended and fully-retracted positions in order to be movable into and out of said clamping engagement with the item in response to selective longitudinal movement of said armature, said clamping sub-assembly including a sleeve member, a slide member, a clamping member, and a link member;
- said sleeve member being disposed at least partially within said body, said sleeve member being longitudinally movable with said armature relative to said body during a longitudinally inner portion of the longitudinal range of movement of said armature and being longitudinally relative to said body during a longitudinally outer portion of the longitudinal range of movement of said armature, said clamping device further including resilient biasing means for resiliently biasing said sleeve member longitudinally outwardly away from said armature, said resilient biasing means being resiliently compressed during said longitudinally outer portion of the longitudinal range of movement of said armature;
- said slide member being longitudinally fixed relative to said armature and longitudinally movable therewith, said slide member being longitudinally movable relative to said sleeve member during said longitudinally outer portion of the longitudinal movement of said armature;
- said clamping member being pivotally interconnected with said sleeve member for pivotal movement during said longitudinally outer portion of said longitudinal movement of said armature, said clamping member being pivotal between a transversely-extending position relative to said armature and a generally longitudinally-aligned position relative to said armature;
- and
- said link member pivotally interconnecting said armature and said clamping member in order to cause said pivotal movement of said clamping member during said longitudinally outer portion of said longitudinal movement of said armature, said clamping member being urged into clamping engagement with the item when said clamping member is in said transversely-extending position.
6 more elements
A fluid-actuated, retractable clamping device for releasably clamping an item in a predetermined position, said clamping device comprising:
- an elongated body having a fluid chamber therein and a pair of fluid ports longitudinally spaced from one another in fluid communication with said fluid chamber;
- an armature disposed within said body and extending longitudinally in said fluid chamber;
- a piston longitudinally fixed on said armature and sealingly disposed for slidable longitudinal movement within said fluid chamber between said fluid ports in order to selectively and forcibly extend and retract said armature longitudinally outwardly and inwardly, respectively, in response to respective greater and lesser fluid pressures in one of said fluid ports with respect to the other of said fluid ports;
- a clamping sub-assembly interconnected with a longitudinally outer portion of said armature and being selectively and forcibly extendable and retractable therewith between respective fully-extended and fully-retracted positions in order to be movable into and out of said clamping engagement with the item in response to selective longitudinal movement of said armature, said clamping sub-assembly including a sleeve member, a slide member, a clamping member, and a link member;
- said sleeve member being disposed at least partially within said body, said sleeve member being longitudinally movable with said armature relative to said body during a longitudinally inner portion of the longitudinal range of movement of said armature and being longitudinally relative to said body during a longitudinally outer portion of the longitudinal range of movement of said armature, said clamping device further including resilient biasing means for resiliently biasing said sleeve member longitudinally outwardly away from said armature, said resilient biasing means being resiliently compressed during said longitudinally outer portion of the longitudinal range of movement of said armature;
- said slide member being longitudinally fixed relative to said armature and longitudinally movable therewith, said slide member being longitudinally movable relative to said sleeve member during said longitudinally outer portion of the longitudinal movement of said armature;
- said clamping member being pivotally interconnected with said sleeve member for pivotal movement during said longitudinally outer portion of said longitudinal movement of said armature, said clamping member being pivotal between a transversely-extending position relative to said armature and a generally longitudinally-aligned position relative to said armature;
- and
- said link member pivotally interconnecting said armature and said clamping member in order to cause said pivotal movement of said clamping member during said longitudinally outer portion of said longitudinal movement of said armature, said clamping member being urged into clamping engagement with the item when said clamping member is in said longitudinally-aligned position.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.