Keying grip clamp for holding a thin flexible article

Claim 2

A clamp for anchoring an edge of a thin flexible article against a tension force tending to withdraw the article from the clamp, said clamp comprising a first jaw; a key formed of resilient material mounted upon said first jaw; a second jaw formed of rigid material and having a keyway therein with a substantially rectangular cross-section adapted to receive the key on said first jaw, said second jaw having a face opposite said first jaw and a keyway side face substantially perpendicular thereto with a corner therebetween; said key having a generally circular cross-section with a diameter greater than the depth of the keyway; and means connecting said first and second jaws for movement of at least one jaw relative to the other jaw between an open jaw position and a closed jaw position; whereby the edge of the flexible article can be inserted between said jaws in their open position and upon closing of the jaws will be bent around the corner between the second jaw face and the keyway side face so that the second jaw resists a tension force imposed on the flexible article, whereby the edge of the flexible article is bent to conform with the configuration defined between the key and keyway so that it must be drawn through a restricted passage with a series of bends therein to be withdrawn from between the jaws in their closed position, and whereby the flexible article edge is gripped between the key and the bottom of the keyway.

Claim 3

A clamp as described in claim 1 wherein said key is mounted so as to be able to be deformed slightly in response to lateral forces for gripping the edge of the flexible article upon said keyway side face.

Claim 4

A clamp as described in claim 2 wherein said key is an annular member fitting around said first jaw and being retained within grooves located at opposite edges of the first jaw.

Claim 5

A clamp for anchoring an edge of a thin flexible article against a tension force tending to withdraw the article from the clamp, said clamp comprising a first jaw; a key formed of resilient material mounted upon said first jaw; a second jaw formed of rigid material and having a keyway therein adapted to receive the key on said first jaw; and means connecting said first and second jaws for mOvement of at least one jaw relative to the other jaw between an open jaw position and a closed jaw position; said jaw connecting means including an operating pin slidably fitted through each jaw but having a stepped radial face to retain one jaw at a given axial position on the pin, a pair of side plates supporting the ends of the pin, and a spring fitting around the pin between one side plate and one of said jaws to urge said one jaw into engagement with the stepped radial face of the pin and said other jaw; whereby said pin can be shifted axially to compress the spring to open the jaws and, upon release of the shifting force, will be resiliently returned to a closed jaw position by the spring; and whereby the edge of the flexible article can be inserted between the jaws in their open position and upon closing of the jaws will be bent to conform to the configuration defined between the key and keyway so that the edge of the flexible article must be drawn through a restricted passage with a series of bends therein in order to be withdrawn from between the jaws in their closed position.

Claim 6

A clamp for anchoring an edge of a thin flexible article against a tension force tending to withdraw the article from the clamp, said clamp comprising a first jaw; a key formed of resilient material mounted upon said first jaw; a second jaw formed of rigid material and having a keyway therein adapted to receive the key on said first jaw; and means connecting said first and second jaws for mOvement of at least one jaw relative to the other jaw between an open jaw position and a closed jaw position; said jaw connecting means including an operating pin slidably fitted through each jaw but having a stepped radial face to retain one jaw at a given axial position on the pin, a pair of side plates supporting the ends of the pin, and a spring fitting around the pin between one side plate and one of said jaws to urge said one jaw into engagement with the stepped radial face of the pin and said other jaw; whereby said pin can be shifted axially to compress the spring to open the jaws and, upon release of the shifting force, will be resiliently returned to a closed jaw position by the spring; and whereby the edge of the flexible article can be inserted between the jaws in their open position and upon closing of the jaws will be bent to conform to the configuration defined between the key and keyway so that the edge of the flexible article must be drawn through a restricted passage with a series of bends therein in order to be withdrawn from between the jaws in their closed position.

Claim 7

A clamp as described in claim 4 wherein said pin is supported within slots within the pair of side plates, and further including a spring urging the pin towards one end of the slots.