Carriage with track clamp

Claim 2

A carriage supported by roller means for rolling the carriage on a track to different positions along the track, means for clamping said carriage to the track including a clamp member movable relative to the carriage, and actuating means operable for moving the carriage and the clamp member between an unclamped position in which the carriage and the clamp member are separated from one another and clear of the track with the roller means in engagement with the track and a clamped position in which the clamp member and the carriage are in gripping engagement with opposite surfaces of the track for locking the carriage against movement relative to the track and the roller means is substantially free of clamping stress, said actuating means being reversely operable for moving the carriage and the clamp member from their clamped position to their unclamped position.

Claim 3

A carriage as set forth in claim 1 wherein said roller means is movable relative to said carriage and the actuating means is further operable for moving the roller means clear of the track while said carriage and clamp member are in their clamped position.

Claim 4

A carriage supported by roller means for rolling the carriage on a track to different positions along the track, said carriage and said roller means being movable relative to one another for movement of the carriage between a free position in which the carriage is clear of the track with the roller means in engagement with the track for rolling of the carriage along the track and a clamped position in which the carriage is in engagement with the track and the roller means is substantially free of clamping stress, actuating means operable starting with the carriage in its free position and with the roller means in engagement with the track for effecting movement of the carriage to its clamped position and reversely operable starting with the carriage in its clamped position for effecting movement of the carriage to its free position, and clamp means operable by said actuating means for clamping the carriage to the track when the carriage is moved to its clamped position and for unclamping the carriage from the track when the carriage is moved to its free position.

Claim 5

A carriage supported by roller means for rolling the carriage on a track to different positions along the track, said carriage and said roller means being movable relative to one another for movement of the carriage between a free position in which the carriage is clear of the track with the roller means in engagement with the track for rolling of the carriage along the track and a clamped position in which the carriage is in engagement with the track and the roller means is substantially free of clamping stress, actuating means operable starting with the carriage in its free position and with the roller means in engagement with the track for effecting movement of the carriage to its clamped position and reversely operable starting with the carriage in its clamped position for effecting movement of the carriage to its free position, and clamp means operable by said actuating means for clamping the carriage to the track when the carriage is moved to its clamped position and for unclamping the carriage from the track when the carriage is moved to its free position.

Claim 6

A carriage as set forth in claim 3 operable on a track having one surface for engagement by the roller means and a generally oppositely facing surface for engagement by said clamp means.

Claim 7

A carriage as set forth in claim 3 wherein said actuating means is further operable starting with the carriage in its free position and with the roller means in engagement with the track for effecting movement of the carriage to its clamped position and then moving the roller means clear of the track, said actuating means being reversely operable starting with the carriage in its clamped position and the roller means clear of the track for effecting movement of the roller means into engagement with the track and then moving the carriage to its free position.

Claim 8

A carriage as set forth in claim 5 wherein the roller means comprises rollers carried by and movable with the clamp means and wherein the carriage and clamp means are relatively movable.

Claim 9

A carriage as set forth in claim 3 operable on a track comprising a pair of spaced rails having upper and lower surfaces, said clamp means comprising a first pair of clamp members mounted for vertical sliding movement on the sides of the carriage outside the rails adjacent one end thereof and a second pair of clamp meMbers mounted for vertical movement at the sides of the carriage outside the rails adjacent the other end of the carriage, each clamp member having a lower clamp jaw extending inwardly underneath and cooperable with the lower surface of a respective rail, said roller means comprising a roller on the inside of each clamp member engageable with the upper surface of a respective rail.

Claim 10

A carriage as set forth in claim 7, said actuating means comprising a first shaft extending crosswise of the carriage having cam means thereon for raising and lowering the first pair of clamp members relative to the carriage and a second shaft extending crosswise of the carriage having cam means thereon for raising and lowering the second pair of clamp members relative to the carriage.

Claim 11

A carriage as set forth in claim 8, having means interconnecting the shafts for conjoint movement, and wherein each shaft has a pedal on one end thereof, with the pedals out of phase so that one is up when the other is down and vice versa.

Claim 12

A carriage as set forth in claim 5 operable on a track comprising a pair of spaced rails having upper and lower surfaces, said carriage having a pair of shafts extending crosswise of the carriage, with said roller means comprising rollers mounted on the ends of the shafts with their axes offset from the shaft axes for up and down movement of the rollers toward and away from the track and for movement of the rollers relative to the carriage upon rotation of the shafts for effecting movement of the carriage from its clamped position to its free position and vice versa, and cam means on the shafts for movement of the clamp means toward and away from the track, said clamp means comprising clamp members carried by the cam means for up and down movement relative to the carriage each having a lower clamp jaw extending underneath and cooperable with the said lower track surface.

Claim 13

A carriage as set forth in claim 10 wherein the cam means comprises cams secured to the shafts adjacent the rollers and the ends of the shafts, said clamp members having cam openings receiving said cams.

Claim 14

A carriage as set forth in claim 11 wherein each cam is a disk secured to the respective shaft end with the axis of the disk offset from the shaft axis.

Claim 15

A carriage as set forth in claim 12 wherein the shafts have folding handles.

Claim 16

A carriage as set forth in claim 4 wherein said clamp means comprises clamp members each having a clamp jaw extending underneath and cooperable with said generally oppositely facing track surface, each of said clamping jaws having adjustable means for varying the distance the clamping jaw must move for engagement with said generally oppositely facing track surface.