Clamp assembly

A clamp assembly for clamping a first object having a first bore extending through the first object to a second object having a threaded second bore so that the first object lies flat against the second object and the first and second bores are axially aligned, the clamp assembly comprising:

• a sleeve having an unexpanded size adapted to fit within the first bore in the first object, the sleeve having a first end, a second end, and a slit extending from the first end to the second end, which sleeve is composed of a resiliently deformable material;
• and
• expansion means for radially expanding the sleeve within the first bore of the first object while applying force to the sleeve axially toward the second object;
• the expansion means including a first conically shaped structure having a first conically shaped surface facing the first end of the sleeve;
• the expansion means including a second conically shaped structure having a second conically shaped surface facing the second end of the sleeve;
• and
• the expansion means including a bolt having a head adapted to be engaged by a tool for purposes of rotating the bolt, and a shank adapted to extend through the sleeve and through the second conically shaped structure and to screw into the second bore for purposes of engaging the second object, said bolt operating when rotated to force the first conically shaped structure toward the second object in order to force the first conically shaped surface against the first end of the sleeve and toward the second object while the second conically shaped surface bears in opposition against the second end of the sleeve;
• wherein the first conically shaped structure has a size and shape adapted to fit in the first bore;
• and
• wherein the head of the bolt has a size and shape adapted to fit in the first bore;
• whereby a user can remove the first object from the second object without removing the bolt from threaded engagement of the second object by engaging the head of the bolt with the tool, rotating the bolt sufficiently with the tool to allow the sleeve to contract to the unexpanded size, and then withdrawing the first object from the second object while the bolt remains in threaded engagement of the second object and the head of the bolt and the second conically shaped structure move axially out of the first bore.

A clamp assembly for clamping a first object having a first bore extending through the first object to a second object having a threaded second bore so that the first object lies flat against the second object and the first and second bores are axially aligned, the clamp assembly comprising:

• a sleeve composed of a resiliently deformable material, the sleeve having a first end, a second end, a slit extending from the first end to the second end, a first tapered inner surface extending axially from the first end toward the second end while decreasing in inside diameter, a second tapered inner surface extending axially from the second end toward the first end while decreasing in diameter, and a cylindrically shaped outside diameter smaller than the diameter of the first bore;
• and
• expansion means for radially expanding the sleeve within the first bore of the first object while applying force to the sleeve axially toward the second object in order to thereby cause the sleeve to bear against the first object radially as well as axially toward the second object;
• the expansion means including the combination of a conically shaped member with a bore through it and a bolt having a conically shaped head adapted to be engaged by a tool for purposes of rotating the bolt, and a shank adapted to screw into the second bore in the second object for purposes of engaging the second object, said bolt operating when rotated to force the conically shaped head against the first tapered inner surface of the sleeve while the conically shaped member bears in opposition to the conically shaped head against the second tapered inner surface of the sleeve;
• the conically shaped head of the bolt including a tapered exterior surface facing the first tapered interior surface of the sleeve, and the conically shaped member having a tapered exterior surface facing the second tapered inner surface of the sleeve;
• the shank of the bolt extending from the conically shaped head of the bolt, axially through the sleeve, and then axially through the bore in the conically shaped member to a threaded end portion of the shank in a position beyond the conically shaped member enabling the shank to be screwed into the second bore in the second object;
• wherein the head of the bolt has a size and shape adapted to fit in the first bore;
• whereby screwing the shank of the bolt sufficiently into the second bore in the second object, with the sleeve disposed within the first bore in the first object, causes the tapered exterior surface of the conically shaped head of the bolt and the tapered exterior surface of the conically shaped member to cooperatively bear against respective ones of the first and second tapered inner surfaces of the sleeve and thereby cause the diameter of the sleeve to increase so that the sleeve bears against an interior surface of the first bore radially as well as axially toward the second object;
• and
• whereby a user can remove the first object from the second object without removing the bolt from threaded engagement of the second object by engaging the head of the bolt with the tool, rotating the bolt sufficiently with the tool to allow the sleeve to contract to the unexpanded size, and then withdrawing the first object from the second object while the bolt remains in threaded engagement of the second object and the head of the bolt moves axially out of the first bore.

An improved apparatus of the type having means in the form of at least one pallet component for holding a workpiece and means in the form of a receiver component for removably holding the pallet component on a worktable in order to facilitate machining of the workpiece, the improvement comprising:

• means in the form of at least one clamp assembly for removably clamping the pallet component on the receiver component;
• the clamp assembly including a sleeve having unexpanded size adapted to fit within a first bore in the pallet component, the sleeve having a first end, a second end, and a slit extending from the first end to the second end, which sleeve is composed of a resiliently deformable material;
• and
• the clamp assembly including expansion means for radially expanding the sleeve within the first bore while applying force to the sleeve axially toward the receiver component;
• the expansion means including a first conically shaped structure having a first conically shaped surface facing the first end of the sleeve;
• the expansion means including a second conically shaped structure having a second conically shaped surface facing the second end of the sleeve;
• and
• the expansion means including a bolt having a head adapted to be engaged by a tool for purposes of rotating the bolt, and a shank adapted to extend through the sleeve and through the second conically shaped structure, and to screw into a second bore in the receiver component for purposes of engaging the receiver component, said bolt operating when rotated to force the first conically shape structure toward the receiver component in order to force the first conically shaped surface against the first end of the sleeve and toward the receiver component while the second conically shaped surface bears in opposition against the second end of the sleeve;
• wherein the first conically shaped structure has a size and shape adapted to fit in the first bore;
• and
• wherein the head of the bolt has a size and shape adapted to fit in the first bore;
• whereby screwing the bolt into the second bore in the receiver component, with the first and second bores axially aligned and the sleeve disposed within the first bore, causes the first conically shaped surface and the second conically shaped surface to cooperatively bear against respective ones of the first and second ends of the sleeve and thereby cause the diameter of the sleeve to increase so that the sleeve bears against an interior surface of the first bore radially as well as axially toward the receiver component;
• and
• whereby a user can remove the pallet component from the receiver component without removing the bolt from threaded engagement of the receiver component by engaging the head of the bolt with the tool, rotating the bolt sufficiently with the tool to allow the sleeve to contract to the unexpanded size, and then withdrawing the pallet component from the receiver component while the bolt remains in threaded engagement of the receiver component and the head of the bolt and the second conically shaped structure move axially out of the first bore.