Clamping device for a flexible hose

Claim 1

In a clamping device for flexible hose, a channel-section base member having opposed resilient flanges connected by an intermediate web portion and adapted to receive a flexible hose therein, each of said opposed flanges having a slot therein with the slots being transversely aligned, the upper extremities of said slots being spaced a given distance from the upper edge of the corresponding flange and extending generally normal to the web portion of said base member, and an actuating member operatively disposed relative to said base member and having a clamping end portion, said clamping end portion extending between the flanges of said base member and having opposed, transversely aligned projections engageable within the corresponding slots of the base member flanges, said projections being movable within the slots with actuation of the actuating member relative to the base member to selectively clamp and unclamp the flexible hose, said base member flanges having an outwardly flared portion generally extending from the slot to the upper edge thereof, said flared portion of said flanges being engageable by the actuating member projections during assembly so that with an application of pressure between the actuating member and base member the flanges are forced to elastically spread apart to enable the projections to slide over the corresponding flared portions of said flanges and engage within the opposed slots, the outwardly flared portion of each flange extends generally from the upper extremity of the slot to the corresponding upper edge of the flange, the actuating member comprises a generally T-shaped member having a manipulatable central leg portion and a cross arm clamping end portion with said aligned slot engaging projections being disposed generally at the intersection of said portions, said actuating member being selectively actuatable in either direction from an unclamped position by manipulation of the central leg portion to effect a clamping of the flexible hose between the cross-arm clamping end portion and the base member, the base member web portion is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending ribs which project into the hose channel, said ribs being generally symmetrically spaced relative to the slots in the respective flanges and forming a transversely extending through therebetween generally aligned with the slots, with either arm of the cross-arm clamping end portion disposed in the trough and exerting a clamping pressure on the flexible hose against the respective ribs the actuating member is retained in the clamping position until forcibly removed from that position.