Slide bar clamp and straight edge

A flat bottomed clamp comprising:

• an elongated base having a flat bottom surface and a hollow longitudinal channel on top;
• a rod suspended within the channel and oriented longitudinally therein;
• a first clamp surface fixed on said base perpendicular to said rod;
• a movable lock and clamp structure, mounted within the channel so as to be longitudinally movable along said rod, including a second clamp surface facing said first clamp surface and a lock which can engage said rod to prevent said lock and clamp structure from moving in a direction away from said first clamp surface wherein the lock comprises a housing, a plurality of lock plates arranged face to face located within the housing with each lock plate having a hole through which said rod extends and a handle rotatably mounted to a pivot point on the housing, the handle having a narrowed portion relative to the pivot point and a transition portion that increasingly widens into a cam portion, said movable lock and clamp structure being freely movable along said rod when the handle is oriented with the lock plates leaning on the narrowed portion and said lock and clamp structure being prevented from moving in a direction away from said first clamp surface as the handle is rotated to engage the lock plates with the transition portion and then the cam portion;
• and
• means for mounting the flat bottom surface of said clamp to an adjacent flat surface.

A slide bar clamp comprising:

• a rod;
• a first clamp surface affixed perpendicular to said rod;
• a housing mounted to said rod so as to be movable along said rod, said housing having a second clamp surface facing said first clamp surface;
• a plurality of lock plates arranged face to face within said housing and each of said lock plates having a hole through which said rod extends;
• a spring mounted on said rod between a wall of said housing and said plurality of lock plates to apply force on said lock plates in a direction toward said first clamp surface;
• and
• a handle rotatably mounted to a pivot point on the housing, the handle having a narrowed portion relative to the pivot point and a transition portion that increasingly widens into a cam portion, said movable lock and clamp structure being freely movable along said rod when the handle is and said lock and clamp structure being prevented from moving in a direction away from said first clamp surface as the handle is rotated to engage the lock plates with the transition portion and then the cam portion.

A slide bar clamp comprising:

• an elongated base having a flat bottom surface, two ends, two straight surfaces extending from opposite edges of the bottom surface perpendicular to the bottom surface and a hollow channel between the straight surfaces;
• a rod suspended longitudinally within the channel;
• a first clamp surface fixedly mounted on top of said base perpendicular to said rod;
• a housing mounted to said rod so as to be movable along said rod, said housing having a second clamp surface facing said first clamp surface;
• a plurality of lock plates arranged face to face within said housing and each of said lock plates having a hole through which said rod extends;
• a spring mounted on said rod between a wall of said housing and said plurality of lock plates to apply force on said lock plates in a direction toward said first clamp surface;
• and
• a handle rotatably mounted to a pivot point on said housing and having a narrowed portion relative to a pivot point and a transition portion that increasingly widens into a cam portion, said movable lock and clamp structure being freely movable along said rod when the handle is oriented with the lock plates leaning on the narrowed portion and said lock and clamp structure being prevented from moving in a direction away from said first clamp surface as the handle is rotated to engage the lock plates with the transition portion and then the cam portion.

A double sided clamp comprising:

• an elongated base having a top side and a bottom side;
• a first rod mounted over the top side of said base perpendicular to said first clamp surface and parallel to said elongated base;
• a first movable lock and clamp structure, mounted on said first rod so as to be longitudinally movable along said first rod, including a second clamp surface facing said first clamp surface and a first lock which can be engaged to prevent said movable lock and clamp structure from moving in a direction away from said first clamp surface;
• a third clamp surface fixed on the bottom side of said base;
• a second rod mounted beneath the bottom side of said base perpendicular to said third clamp surface and parallel to said elongated base;
• and
• a second movable lock and clamp structure independent of said first movable lock and clamp structure, mounted on the bottom side of said base so as to be longitudinally movable along said base, including a fourth clamp surface facing said second clamp surface and a second lock which can be engaged to prevent said second movable lock and clamp structure from moving in a direction away from said third clamp surface.