Clamping devices

Claim 2

An active clamping jaw for sliding along a shank to a desired clamping location and then exerting a clamping force which is reacted through the shank, the jaw comprising: an elongated jaw member, jaw member portions defining a shank receiving aperture at one end portion of the jaw member, a clamping pad secured to the opposite end portion of the jaw member for exerting a force on a workpiece in one longitudinal direction of thE shank, a first contact pad pivotally mounted on said jaw member and arranged for frictional engagement with a side of the shank adjacent the clamping pad, a second contact pad carried by said jaw member and arranged for frictional engagement with the side of the shank remote from the clamping pad at a position along the shank in the direction of said clampin force from the first contact pad, guide means operatively interconnecting the second contact pad to the jaw member such that it is free to move on an arcuate path with respect to the jaw member centred on the pivot of the first jaw member, lateral force exerting means carried by the jaw member and arranged for exerting a force on the second contact pad towards the shank with respect to the jaw member, the arrangement being such taht during a clamping operation the two contact pads frictionally engage the shank and the jaw member is casued to move angularly with respect to the contact pads to apply the clamping force at the clampin pad.

Claim 3

A clamping jaw for sliding along a shank to a desired clamping location and then engaging with said shank and exerting a clamping force which is reacted through szid shank, said jaw comprising: an elongate jaw member, a clamping pad secured at one end portion of said jaw member for exerting a clamping force on a work piece in one longitudinal direction of said shank, a first contact pad and a second contact pad carried at the opposite end portion of said jaw member, said contact pads defining between them a shank receiving space, a surface of said first contact pad being arranged for frictional engagement with a side of said shank adjacent said clamping pad and said second contact pad being arranged for frictional engagement with the side of said shank remote from said clamping pad at a position along said shank in the direction of said clamping force from said first contact pad, and one of said contact pads being mounted on said jaw member for pivotal movement about an axis fixed with respect to said jaw member, and the other of said contact pads being movably mounted on said jaw member, being connected between said that of said contact pads and said jaw member for moving said other of said contact pads relative to said jaw member in a direction towards said shank and thus pivoting said jaw member with clamping to said shank for applying clamping force to said workpiece, said jaw member pivoting about said axis about which said one of said contact pads is mounted for pivoting with respect to said jaw member.

Claim 4

A clamping jaw for sliding along a shank to a desired clamping location and then engaging with said shank and exerting a clamping force which is reacted through szid shank, said jaw comprising: an elongate jaw member, a clamping pad secured at one end portion of said jaw member for exerting a clamping force on a work piece in one longitudinal direction of said shank, a first contact pad and a second contact pad carried at the opposite end portion of said jaw member, said contact pads defining between them a shank receiving space, a surface of said first contact pad being arranged for frictional engagement with a side of said shank adjacent said clamping pad and said second contact pad being arranged for frictional engagement with the side of said shank remote from said clamping pad at a position along said shank in the direction of said clamping force from said first contact pad, and one of said contact pads being mounted on said jaw member for pivotal movement about an axis fixed with respect to said jaw member, and the other of said contact pads being movably mounted on said jaw member, being connected between said that of said contact pads and said jaw member for moving said other of said contact pads relative to said jaw member in a direction towards said shank and thus pivoting said jaw member with clamping to said shank for applying clamping force to said workpiece, said jaw member pivoting about said axis about which said one of said contact pads is mounted for pivoting with respect to said jaw member.

Claim 5

A clamping jaw as claimed in claim 2 wherein said other of said contact pads is mounted for pivoting relative to said jaw member so that in use it is permitted to align itself accurately with said shank.

Claim 6

A clamping jaw as claimed in claim 2 and including a spring operatively connected between said jaw member and said one contact pad in one rotational direction to enable said one contact pad to grip said shank between it and said other contact pad whereby even in the absence of a clamping force said clamping jaw retains itself in a fixed position on said shank.

Claim 7

A clamping jaw as claimed in claim 1 wherein said guide means comprises a link pivoted at one end thereof to the jaw member and at the other end thereof to the second contact pad to control the movement of the second contact pad with respect to the jaw member.

Claim 8

A clamping jaw as claimed in claim 5 in which the first contact pad is pivoted to the jaw member and in which the link is pivoted to the pivotal axis of the first contact pad.

Claim 9

A clamping assembly comprising a shank and two clamping jaws for sliding along said shank to desired clamping locations and then engaging with said shank and exerting a clamping force which is reacted through said shank, each of said jaws comprising: an elongated jaw member, a clamping pad secured at one end portion of said jaw member for exerting a clamping force on a work piece in one longitudinal Direction of said shank, a first contact pad and a second contact pad carried at the opposite end portion of said jaw member, said contact pads defining between them a shank receiving space, a surface of said first contact pad being arranged for frictional engagement with a side of said shank asjacent said clamping pad and said second contact pad being arranged for frictional engagement with the side of said shank remote from said clamping pad at a position along said shank in the direction of said clamping force from said first contact pad, one of said contact pads being mounted on said jaw member for pivotal movement about an axis fixed with respect to said jaw member, and the other of said contact pads being movably mounted on said jaw member, means for being connected between said other of said contact pads and said jaw member for moving said other of said contact pads relative to said jaw member in a direction towards said shank and thus pivoting said jaw member with respect to said shank for applying clamping force to said work piece, said jaw member pivoting about said axis about which said one of said contact pads is mounted for pivoting with respect to said jaw member, said clamping pad of each of said jaws including a work engaging portion, said clamping pad being pivotally connected to the jaw member for movement about an axis transverse to the length of the jaw member and to the length of the shank and said work engaging portion being rotatable with respect to said clamping pad.

Claim 10

A clamping assembly comprising a shank and two clamping jaws for sliding along said shank to desired clamping locations and then engaging with said shank and exerting a clamping force which is reacted through said shank, each of said jaws comprising: an elongated jaw member, a clamping pad secured at one end portion of said jaw member for exerting a clamping force on a work piece in one longitudinal Direction of said shank, a first contact pad and a second contact pad carried at the opposite end portion of said jaw member, said contact pads defining between them a shank receiving space, a surface of said first contact pad being arranged for frictional engagement with a side of said shank asjacent said clamping pad and said second contact pad being arranged for frictional engagement with the side of said shank remote from said clamping pad at a position along said shank in the direction of said clamping force from said first contact pad, one of said contact pads being mounted on said jaw member for pivotal movement about an axis fixed with respect to said jaw member, and the other of said contact pads being movably mounted on said jaw member, means for being connected between said other of said contact pads and said jaw member for moving said other of said contact pads relative to said jaw member in a direction towards said shank and thus pivoting said jaw member with respect to said shank for applying clamping force to said work piece, said jaw member pivoting about said axis about which said one of said contact pads is mounted for pivoting with respect to said jaw member, said clamping pad of each of said jaws including a work engaging portion, said clamping pad being pivotally connected to the jaw member for movement about an axis transverse to the length of the jaw member and to the length of the shank and said work engaging portion being rotatable with respect to said clamping pad.