Multi-purpose clamping apparatus

Clamping apparatus for pressing the confronting edges of first and second components together and comprising:

• first and second base plates formed with upwardly facing support surfaces for supporting the respective said first and second components with said edges confronting one another;
• a rail slidably coupled to said second base plate for movement of said second base plate therealong relative to said first base plate and anchored on one end to said first base plate;
• a press assembly including a housing mounted on said second base plate and including a brake lever mounted from said housing and releasably engageable with said rail to normally restrict movement of said second base plate on said rail away from said first base plate, said press further including a pusher carried on said rail and formed with a drive tab, said pusher operative upon said drive tab being driven in a direction away from said first base plate to grip said rail, a driver engaged with said drive tab and a drive lever arm carried from said second base plate and operable upon rotation thereof in one direction to drive said driver against said drive tab to engage and drive said pusher away from said first base plate to grip said rail so that upon further rotation of said lever in said one direction, said driver will drive said base plate toward said first base plate;
• and
• a plurality of holders on the respective said first and second base plates for holding said first and second components in fixed position on the respective base plates and said confronting edges disposed in confronting alignment, whereby said second base plate may be positioned on said rail in close spaced relation with said first plate and said first and second components placed on the respective said support surfaces and said holders actuated to fix the respective said components relative to one another and said brake lever released and said second plate then slid along said rail away from said first base plate to expose said confronting edges for application of glue thereto and thereafter, with said brake line released, said second base plate slid on said rail toward said first base plate, said brake lever released and said lever arm actuated to rotate said cam to engage said pusher to draw said base plates positively toward one another to press said confronting edges firmly together.

Clamping apparatus for pressing the confronting edges of first and second components together during a gluing process and comprising:

• first and second base plates formed with upwardly facing support surfaces for supporting the respective said first and second components with said edges confronting one another;
• a rail carried on one end from said first base plate and slidably coupled with said second base plate for movement of said second base plate therealong relative to said first base plate;
• a hub interposed between said first and second base plates, including a plurality of disks, said disks stacked concentrically;
• pivot means to provide for pivoting of said first base plate about said hub so that said first base plate may be pivoted to different selected angles relative to said first base plate;
• a press device mounted on said second base plate engaged with said rail and including a friction latch mechanism coupled to said rail and including a drive cam and a drive lever cooperating with said friction latch mechanism to draw and hold said first and second base plates together;
• a plurality of holders on the respective said first and second base plates for holding said first and second components in fixed position on the respective base plates and said confronting edges disposed in confronting alignment, whereby said second base plate may be positioned on said rail in close spaced relation with said first plate and said first and second components placed on the respective said support surfaces and said holders actuated to fix the respective said components relative to one another and said second plate then slid along said rail away from said first plate to expose said confronting edges for application of glue thereto and thereafter said second base plate may be slid on said rail toward said first base plate and press device operated to draw said base plates positively toward one another to press said confronting edges firmly together.