Ball lock clamp
AssigneeDelaware Capital Formation, Inc.
InventorMatthew Rentz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ball lock clamp includes a cylinder housing. A first piston is movable in the cylinder housing in response to a first fluid pressure. A second piston is movable in the first piston. A rod extends from the first piston. A biasing member is positioned in the cylinder housing to provide a biasing force between the first piston and the housing. A plunger is at a terminal end of the rod. The plunger includes at least one ball moving radially in and out of the plunger. A receiver receives the plunger. The receiver retains the plunger in a locked position in the receiver. A mechanism releases the plunger from the receiver. The mechanism includes a member in the rod to move the at least one ball radially in and out of the rod.
Claims15
A ball lock clamp comprising:
- a cylinder housing;
- a first piston movable in said cylinder housing in response to a first fluid pressure;
- a second piston movable in the first piston;
- a rod extending from the first piston;
- a biasing member positioned in the cylinder housing for providing a force against the first piston and housing to bias the first piston against the fluid pressure;
- a plunger at a terminal end of the rod, the plunger including at least one ball moving in and out of the plunger;
- a receiver for receiving the plunger, the receiver retaining or locking the plunger in the receiver;
- and
- a mechanism for releasing the plunger from the receiver including a member in the rod, coupled with the second piston, for moving the at least one ball radially in and out of the rod for locking and releasing the at least one ball with the receiver and a contact member in the receiver for contacting the member in the rod.
A mold clamp comprising:
- a pair of mold halves;
- the mold halves coupling with one another for molding a product;
- at least one clamp for clamping the mold halves together, the at least one clamp comprising:
- a cylinder housing;
- a first piston movable in said cylinder housing in response to a first fluid pressure;
- a second piston movable in the first piston;
- a rod extending from the first piston;
- a biasing member positioned in the cylinder housing for providing a force against the first piston and housing to bias the first piston against the fluid pressure;
- a plunger at a terminal end of the rod, the plunger including at least one ball moving in and out of the plunger;
- a receiver for receiving the plunger, the receiver retaining or locking the plunger in the receiver;
- and
- a mechanism for releasing the plunger from the receiver including a member in the rod, coupled with the second piston, for moving the at least one ball radially in and out of the rod for locking and releasing the at least one ball with the receiver and a contact member in the receiver for contacting the member in the rod.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.