Swing clamp apparatus with spring biased cam assembly
AssigneeVektek, Inc.
InventorFrederick A. Hausler, III
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved shiftable clamp (12) adapted for connection to a fixture (10) is provided, wherein the clamp (12) is selectively operable to engage and hold a workpiece (14) to the fixture (10). The clamp (12) includes a tubular body (22) and a piston (24) telescopically received within the body (22). Movement of the piston (24) is guided and controlled by way of a cam assembly (26) including a cam track (64) formed in the piston (24) and an associated cam track follower ball (66) mounted on the body (22). A spring unit (74) is also provided on the body (22) and includes a spring (82, 96) serving to self-center and bias the ball (66) into the track (64). This insures that the ball (66) smoothly rotates during movement of piston (22) and reduces wear and premature clamp failure.
Claims13
In a clamp for clamping a workpiece to a fixture, said clamp having an elongated, hollow body for attachment to the fixture and presenting an interior wall, a piston presenting an outer wall and telescopically received within said body for movement between a clamping position for clamping said workpiece to the fixture and a release position, and a cam assembly for guiding relative movement between said piston and said body, the cam assembly including a cam track formed in one of said interior wall of the body and said outer wall of the piston, and a cam follower received within said cam track and attached to the other of said interior wall of the body and said outer wall of the piston, the improvement comprising a spring biasing said cam follower toward said cam track, there being a force-transmitting component engaging said follower, said spring engaging said component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.