US 6,113,088 AGranted

Adjustable workbench having quick action clamps

AssigneeVermont American Corporation

InventorsVed P. Gakhar, W. Miles Hale, Donald M. Szymanski

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Abstract

In order to enable quick and easy clamping of a work piece or device to the top of a work bench, the work bench is formed with a plurality of keyhole-like slots which are adapted to receive a threaded shaft and stopper arrangement which extends down from each of a plurality of rocker arm-like clamp members. Each of these clamps is such that a stopper which is provided on the bottom of the threaded shafts, is wider than the width of the slot. Rocker arms, which are connected to the upper ends of the threaded shaft, are each provided with a vertically extending bore through which a threaded shaft extends, and an intersecting lateral bore in which a follower nut which cooperates with the threaded shaft, is received. The lateral bore is formed toward one end of the rocker arm that is adapted to have engagement fingers or members at each end. The follower nuts are each formed with a thread only on one side of the bore through which the threaded shaft is disposed and are each arranged to laterally displaceable so that temporary disengagement between the threads can be achieved to allow for quick setting of the clamps.

Claims49

Dependent claims

An apparatus comprising:

a clamp, said clamp comprising:
a body having first and second ends and first and second engagement portions formed respectively at the first and second ends, the first engagement portion being angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of said body at a first angle and the second engagement portion being angled with respect to the longitudinal axis at a second angle which is different from the first angle;
first bore formed through said body portion, said bore being formed so as to be located so as to be closer to the first end of the body than the second end, said first bore having a first axis;
a second bore formed through the body, said second bore being formed so as to intersect said first bore;
a threaded bolt disposed through said second bore;
a cylindrical nut disposed in said first bore, said cylindrical nut having a third bore formed therein through which said threaded bolt extends, said bore having a half thread formed on a first portion of its inner periphery and a smooth surface on a second diametrically opposite inner peripheral portion, said bore having a non-circular cross section so as to be oblong in the direction of said first axis, said cylindrical nut being axially displaceable in said first bore so as to be moved between a first position wherein engagement between the half thread formed on the first portion of the inner periphery of said third bore and a thread on said threaded bolt, engage, and a second position wherein the half thread formed in said third bore and the thread on said threaded bolt disengage;
and
a stopper member fastened to the bottom of said threaded bolt.

5 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a table supported on a support structure, said table comprising first and second table portions which are operatively interconnected by a drive mechanism so as to be movable relative to each other, each of the table portions being formed with a plurality of keyhole-shaped slots which extend having an elongate narrow portion and a wide portion at one end;
and
a plurality of clamp members, each of said clamp members having a stopper member at a lower end thereof, and which can be disposed through a wide portion of a slot and moved to a narrow portion so that the stopper member is engageable with a lower surface of the table portion in which the slot is formed, so that the clamp is restrained against vertical displacement;
wherein each of the clamps comprises:
a threaded bolt which has a lower end rigidly connected to a stopper member;
a body having first and second ends on which first and second engagement portions are respectively formed, the first engagement portion being angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of said body at a first angle and the second engagement portion being angled with respect to the longitudinal axis at a second angle which is different from the first angle;
a first bore formed through said body portion, said bore being formed so as to be located so as to be closer to the first end of the body than the second end, said first bore having a first axis;
a second bore formed through the body, said second bore being formed so as to normally intersect said first bore;
a threaded bolt disposed through said second bore, the stopper member being rigidly connected to a lower end of said threaded bolt;
and
a cylindrical nut disposed in said first bore, said cylindrical nut having a third bore formed therein through which said threaded bolt extends, said bore having a thread formed on one side and a smooth surface on a second diametrically opposite side, said bore having a non-circular cross section so as to be oblong in the direction of said first axis, said cylindrical nut being axially movable in said first bore so as to be moved between a first position wherein engagement between the thread formed in said third bore and a thread on said threaded bolt engage and a second position wherein the thread formed in said third bore and the thread on said threaded bolt disengage.

8 more elements

An apparatus comprising:

a rocker arm respectively pivotal about a laterally extending axis which is coincident with an axis of a first bore which is extends laterally through said rocker arm, and a vertically extending axis which is coincident with an axis of a second bore which extends vertically through said rocker arm, first and second ends of said rocker arm respectively having first and second engagement portions adapted to respectively engage first and second surfaces;
and
means for producing a force which forces the first and second engagement portions into engagement with the first and second surfaces.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/187,338Filed 6 Nov 1998
Granted: 5 Sep 2000
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B25B 5/105
With one screw and one clamping lever and one fulcrum element: with one end of the lever resting on a table and the screw being positioned between…
B25H 1/10
Work benches; Portable stands or supports for positioning portable tools or work to be operated on thereby: with provision for adjusting holders…
Y10S 269/901
Work holders: collapsible or foldable work holder supporting structure
B25B
Tools or bench devices not otherwise provided for, for fastening, connecting, disengaging