US 5,513,837 AGranted

Portable clamp

OwnerThomas P. Osborninventor

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Abstract

The portable clamp is used, for example, in making repairs to a product, such as a snowboard. The repair volume location of the snowboard is reworked to prepare this repair volume, i.e. a damaged portion of the product, to receive repairing materials. After their placement, a pressure distribution plate of this portable clamp is positioned over, and generally beyond, the repair volume location. Then a bottom clamp bar and a top clamp bar are positioned, respectively, under and over the snowboard. These clamp bars are thereafter drawn together by using the preliminary clamping fastener assemblies located at their respective ends. Then final clamping fastener assemblies, threadably positioned in the top clamp bar, in the central portion thereof, are tightened to continue the distribution of clamping forces to the pressure distribution plate. These final clamping forces, transmitted through the pressure distribution plate, conform the curing repairing materials to match the overall contour of the product being repaired.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A portable clamp having cooperating and interfitting members distributing clamping forces during the application of both preliminary clamping forces and final clamping forces, using respectively operated tightening fastener assemblies, with the final clamping forces being distributed through a conforming pressure distribution plate, whereby the portable clamp is particularly functional when repairing, for example, a damaged snowboard, comprising:

a. a bottom clamp bar;
b. a top clamp bar;
c. preliminary clamping fastener assemblies arranged respectively at the respective associated ends of the bottom and top bars, which, when tightened, draw the bottom and top clamp bars together;
d. a pressure distribution plate fitted between the bottom clamp bar and the top clamp bar;
and
e. final clamping fastener assemblies arranged at spaced locations on the top clamp bar, which, when tightened, move the pressure distribution plate toward the bottom clamp bar;
whereby, when repairs are being made, for example on a snowboard, and after the damaged volume has been reworked and filled with repairing materials, this portable clamp is positioned transversely about the snowboard to cover the repair volume location, with the pressure distribution plate being located directly above the repair volume, and then preliminary clamping fastener assemblies are fully tightened, and thereafter the final clamping fastener assemblies are tightened, keeping the repairing materials in the repair volume firmly in position during the curing of the repairing materials in the repair volume location of the snowboard or other product needing such repair.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.