Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Clasp – clip – support-clamp – or required component thereof – Including track or way guided and retained gripping member
Patent
1990-01-24
1991-08-27
Sakran, Victor N.
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Clasp, clip, support-clamp, or required component thereof
Including track or way guided and retained gripping member
24509, A44B 2100
Patent
active
050421182
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a clamping device for releasably clamping an article such as clothing on rails, drying ropes or the like. Such clamping device comprises a pair of opposed arm members provided with clamping jaws at their. The arm members are interconnected kinematically so as to be capable of relative movement with respect to each other. The clamping device further comprises a spring assembly urging the arm members and thus, the clamping jaws toward one another to grip the article therebetween.
BACKGROUND ART
The following U.S. patents pertain to spring clamps, clips and similar devices. None of these, however, discloses a clamp having the features of the present invention. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,524,537 and 3,203,061. U.S. Pat. No. 4,388,747 discloses a clip provided with a hinge that is materially integral with a pair of clamping means. The whole device is made of thermoplastics, and the arms are substantially extended in the area of the hinge.
For a wide range of applications, clamping devices provided with clamping jaws or jaw-forming members that are movable along a linear path have also become known. Hungarian Patent Specification No. 102,024 describes a clamping head of such type for a memo-pad, while U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,823 discloses a hanging necktie holder that holds ties through the use of clamps which press the ties against the crossarm over which they are draped. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,508 a surgical clamp for the occlusion of blood vessels or other tubular conduits in human or other animal bodies is described that also follows the principle of linear jaw movement. The common characteristic feature of all prior art devices lies in that the attainable clamping force never exceeds the force stored in the spring element used, and release of the clamping device to allow removal of the article from between the jaw-forming members has to be effected by squeezing the handle portions of the device toward one another to open the jaws against the full spring action.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An important object of the present invention is to provide a clamping device by which a clamping or gripping force that exceeds the force stored in the tensioned, compressed spring element of the clamp can be exerted and maintained onto the article between the clamping jaws of the device. Another object of the invention is to provide a clamping device in which the increased gripping force mentioned above yields increased clamping and holding safety while easy handling and releasing characteristics, together with simple, aesthetic design and appearance are also achieved. A still further object of the present invention lies in the provision of a clamping device that has wide application.
Generally considered, the clamping device of the present invention is composed of a pair of opposed arm members provided with clamping jaws at their respective ends. The arm members are interconnected kinematically so as to be capable of relative movement with respect to each other. The clamping device further comprises a spring assembly urging the arm members and thus, the clamping jaws toward one another to grip the article therebetween. The novel features of the above-described clamping device according to the present invention are characterized in that the arm members are interconnected by means of a loose fit linear slide guide which is arranged parallel to and in a definite spaced relationship with the force line of the clamping force that is exerted by the clamping jaws on the article gripped therebetween, and that the spring assembly is pre-stressed and located in proximity to the slide guide.
In a preferred embodiment, the arm members are inter- or overcrossed whereby the clamping jaws are urged to grip the article clamped therebetween by a compression force stored in the pre-stressed spring assembly, and the spring assembly comprises at least one preferably coil-type compression spring the force line of which is aligned or at least very nearly parallel with the slide guide.
In a furth
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Meller Michael N.
Rubik Studio Muszaki Fejleszto Kisszovetkezet
Sakran Victor N.
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