Self-tightening clamp structure

A self-tightening clamp structure having a first released position in which the clamp structure exerts a clamping action and a second position in which the clamp structure is adapted to be latchingly held against the inherent spring forces, comprising clamping band means, a tongue-like extension at one end of said clamping band means, first and second longitudinally extending slot-like openings near the other end of the clamping band means disposed one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the clamping band means, said two slot-like openings being of different width in the transverse direction of the clamping band means, and a radially directed offset in the clamping band means near the other end thereof in such a manner that at least one of the slot-like openings is radially outwardly displaced with respect to the inner overlapped clamping band means so that the clamp structure provides an uninterrupted clamping action over its entire circumference.

A reusable self-tightening clamp structure having a first released position in which the clamp structure exerts a clamping action and a second open position in which the clamp structure is adapted to be latchingly held against the inherent spring forces, comprising clamping band means, a tongue-like extension at one end of said clamping band means, latching means including first and second longitudinally extending slot-like openings near the other end of the clamping band means disposed one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the clamping band means, said two slot-like openings being of different width in the transverse direction of the clamping band means, means between said two slot-like openings to hold the clamp structure in its second position against inadvertent release to thereby effectively provide a latching action, and a radially outwardly directed offset in the clamping band means near the other end thereof in such a manner that at least the first slot-like opening disposed nearer the other end of the clamping band means is radially outwardly displaced with respect to the inner overlapped clamping band means so that the clamp structure provides an uninterrupted clamping action over its entire circumference.

A self-tightening clamp structure having a first released position in which the clamp structure exerts a clamping action and a second position in which the clamp structure is adapted to be latchingly held against the inherent tightening forces, comprising clamping band means including a tongue-like extension at one end thereof having a bent-up end portion, a first slot-like opening in said Clamping band means through which said tongue-like extension is adapted to slide, latching means in the other end area of said clamping band means including further means for releasing said tongue-like extension from said second position into said first clamping position by positive tool guidance to prevent sparking during release of the clamp structure from said second position, said further means including a second slot-like opening in the other end area of said clamping band means which is separated from said first slot-like opening, and said second slot-like opening having a smaller dimension in the transverse band direction than the first slot-like opening.

A self-tightening clamp structure having a first released position in which the clamp structure exerts a clamping action and a second position in which the clamp structure is adapted to be latchingly held against the inherent tightening forces, comprising clamping band means including a tongue-like extension at one end thereof having a bent-up end portion, a first slot-like opening in said clamping band means through which said tongue-like extension is adapted to slide, a second slot-like opening following said first slot-like opening in the direction toward the other band end, latching means in the other end area of said clamping band means for holding the clamp structure in its second position, and further means to enable release of said tongue-like extension from said second position into said first clamping position with positive tool guidance of the tongue-like extension in the circumferential direction to prevent sparking during release of the clamp structure from said second position, said further means forming tool-engaging means in the end areas of said clamping band means with tool-engaging surface means in a plane transverse to the plane of the surface of the clamping band means.

A self-tightening clamp structure having a first released position in which the clamp structure exerts a clamping action and a second position in which the clamp structure is adapted to be latchingly held against the inherent tightening forces, comprising clamping band means including a tongue-like extension at one end thereof having a bent-up end portion, the other end portion of said clamping band means being provided with a first slot-like opening in said clamping band means through which said tongue-like extension is adapted to slide and with a second slot-like opening following said first slot-like opening in the direction toward said other end, and latching means in the other end area of said clamping band means including constriction means between said first and second slot-like openings, and said other end portion of the clamping band means being radially outwardly offset with respect to the inner overlapped clamping band means but continuing generally parallelly to the overlapped inner band portion to reduce injury danger.