Work holders – Operator supported – Handle manipulation for jaw actuation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-09-28
2003-06-10
Watson, Robert C. (Department: 3723)
Work holders
Operator supported
Handle manipulation for jaw actuation
C269S170000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06575442
ABSTRACT:
This application is a continuation of international application number PCT/EP00/00818 filed on Feb. 2, 2000.
The present disclosure relates to the subject matter disclosed in International Application No. PCT/EP00/00818 of Feb. 2, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety and for all purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a clamping device with a clamping rail guided for displacement and an actuating device which comprises a gripping element, by means of which the clamping rail can be displaced.
Clamping devices of this type are known, for example, from DE 39 17 473 A1, DE 197 31 579 A1, DE 296 03 811 U1 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,847. They have the advantage that they may essentially be operated with one hand.
Proceeding on this basis, the object underlying the invention is to provide a clamping device which can be used universally and has, in particular, great operating convenience.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is accomplished in accordance with the invention, in a clamping device of the type specified at the outset, in that the clamping rail can be displaced via the gripping element in one direction or an opposite direction and that a change-over device is provided for freeing the displacement in one direction and blocking the displacement in the opposite direction.
As a result, the inventive clamping device may be used not only for clamping workpieces by exerting a clamping force but also for spreading them apart by exerting a spreading force, wherein the possibilities of use do not hinder one another since the displacement of the clamping rail can be blocked in one direction via the change-over device. In contrast to the devices known from the state of the art, a displacement in two directions may be brought about via the gripping element.
In an advantageous variation of one embodiment, the gripping element comprises a first gripping lever, by means of which the clamping rail can be displaced in one direction, and a second gripping lever, by means of which the clamping rail can be displaced in the opposite direction. As a result, one gripping lever is associated with each displacement direction and so the inventive clamping device may be used in a simple manner.
It is particularly advantageous when only one gripping lever can be actuated at the same time. It is thus ensured that an optimum result is achieved for the respective use—clamping or spreading apart, i.e. only the displacement in a single direction can be actuated at the same time and a clamping position or a spreading position cannot be released due to unintentional actuation of the other gripping lever. Furthermore, this has the additional advantage that the other gripping lever serves each time as a stationary counterpart for the manual system during the pivoting of one gripping lever and so no additional gripping element need be provided but rather the functional parts of a first gripping lever and a second gripping lever facilitate great operating convenience.
In a further variation of one embodiment, a gripping lever is provided, by means of which the clamping rail is displaceable in the one direction or the opposite direction depending on the direction of pivot. Since with such an embodiment only one single gripping lever need be provided, by means of which the clamping rail can be displaced in the one direction or the other direction depending on the direction of pivot, the clamping device may be produced in a simple manner.
It is particularly advantageous when one or several gripping levers are provided which are designed as rocker arms. As a result, a gripping lever can not only be pivoted but also displaced about its point of rotation and, in particular, displaced in a slide path. The advancing of a clamping rail is essentially brought about in that a gripping lever is pivoted and the degree of advancing depends on the angle of pivot. This is, however, limited. Via the design as a rocker arm, a gripping lever may follow the clamping rail in its direction of displacement during its pivoting movement and so a greater path of displacement of the clamping rail can be achieved with the same angle of pivot. It is favorable, in particular, for this purpose when a gripping lever is displaceable on a rocker arm path parallel to the clamping rail. As a result, a gripping lever may follow the clamping rail with its point of rotation in an effective manner.
A first gripping lever and a second gripping lever are advantageously coupled to one another such that they are displaceable together on a rocker arm path. As a result, it is possible for the gripping element to be displaced further as a whole in the right direction, independently of the direction of displacement of the clamping rail when a displacement by means of the first gripping lever and the second gripping lever is actuated, in order to increase the path of displacement of the clamping rail during a pivoting procedure. In this respect, a gripping lever, by means of which the displacement of the clamping rail is actuated, is favorably arranged and designed as a rocker arm so that it is movable in the direction of displacement of the clamping rail. As a result, it is automatically ensured that this gripping lever is guided in the right direction and thus a long path of displacement of the clamping rail can be brought about due to its actuation.
The change-over device favorably comprises blocking means, by means of which a displacement of the clamping rail in one direction can be blocked, wherein the displacement in the opposite direction is not impeded. This ensures that the multifunctionality (clamping or spreading apart) does not interfere with the respective use during use of the inventive clamping device.
In this respect, the direction of displacement of the clamping rail can favorably be switched via the blocking means. As a result, the corresponding direction of displacement of the clamping rail may be set in a simple manner.
The blocking means are favorably structural elements separate from the first and second gripping levers in order not to impair the operating convenience and the functioning of the gripping levers.
In one advantageous design of the inventive clamping device, the first and the second gripping levers are arranged and designed such that they can be gripped together with one hand. As a result, a good force can be exerted via manual actuation and, in particular, no additional stationary counterelement need be provided as handle for the pivoting of the gripping levers. Favorably, the first gripping lever is not pivotable when the second gripping lever can be actuated and the second gripping lever is not pivotable when the first gripping lever can be actuated.
The first gripping lever can be advantageously pivoted in the direction of the second gripping lever for the displacement of the clamping rail, and the second gripping lever can be pivoted in the direction of the first gripping lever for the displacement of the clamping rail. As a result, a displacement of the clamping rail may be achieved in a simple manner and, in particular, the constructional resources for the design of a displacement mechanism can be kept low.
Particularly in the variation of one embodiment, with which a single gripping lever is provided, due to the pivoting of which in the one direction the clamping rail is displaceable in one direction and due to the pivoting of which in the opposite direction the clamping rail is displaced in the opposite direction, it is advantageous when one or several counterelements are provided for the gripping lever which can be gripped with the gripping lever in one hand. This counterelement or these counterelements serve an operator for gripping the inventive clamping device by hand in that the counterelement is placed in the palm of the hand and the gripping element can then be pivoted via movement of the fingers. In a variation of one embodiment, the gripping element can be placed in the palm of the hand while the fingers are supported on the counterelement and the gripping lever
Foshag Siegfried
Klimach Horst
Philipp Karl
Röesch Hans
Bessey & Sohn GmbH & Co.
Lipsitz Barry R.
McAllister Douglas M.
Watson Robert C.
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