Clamping arrangements for tools or workpieces

Claim 1

A CLAMPING ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING, IN CMBINATION, A BASE PLATE ADAPTED TO SUPPORT AN OBJECT TO BE CLAMPED BY THE CLAMPING ARRANGEMENT AND HAVING ALONG OPPOSITE EDGES THEREOF ABUTMENT PORTIONS PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM THE UPPER FACE OF THE BASE PLATE; HYDRAULIC CLAMPING MEANS ABUTTING WITH ONE SIDE THEREOF AGAINST ONE OF SAID ABUTMENT PORTIONS AND ADAPTED TO CLAMPINGLY ENGAGE WITH GRIPPING PISTONS AT THE OTHER SIDE THEREOF WITH OBJECT TO BE CLAMPED; AT LEAST ONE WEDGE PORTIONS AND ONE FACE THEREOF THE OTHER OF SAID ABUTMENT PORTIONS AND HAVING AN OPPOSITE FACE FACING SAID OBJECT; AN INTERMEDIATE PLATE EXTENDING ALONG SAID WEDGE AND ABUTTING WITH ONE SURFACE THEREOF SAID OPPOSITE FACE OF SAID WEDGE; AT LEAST ONE GRIPPING MEMBER HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY SPHERICALLY CURVED REAR FACE ABUTTING ALONG THE WHOLE SURFACE THEREOF AGAINST A CORRESPONDINGLY CURVED SURFACE PORTION OF SAID INTERMEDIATE PLATE MATCHING SAID CURVATURE OF SAID REAR OBJECT SO THAT THE SAME MAY BE SECURELY CLAMPED BETWEEN SAID GRIPPING PORTIONS OF SAID CLAMPING MEANS AND SAID FRONT FACE OF SAID GRIPPING MEMBER, SAID GRIPPING MEMBER BEING SPACED FROM SAID UPPER FACE OF SAID BASE PLATE SO THAT SAID GRIPPING MEMBER MAY IUNIVERSALLY TILT WITH RESPECT TO SAID INTERMEDIATE PLATE; AND RESILIENT CONNECTING MEANS CONNECTING SAID GRIPPING MEMBER TO SAID INTERMEDIATE PLATE.