Clamp

Claim 2

Clamping apparatus comprising a pair of opposed gripping jaws adapted to open and close upon a workpiece interposed therebetween, said clamping apparatus including: a. a pair of clamping arms, each arm having an actuating handle portion in axial extension of the clamping arm, a pivoting fulcrum means having a certain first pivot axis coupling said handle portions together for pivotal motion about said first pivot axis; b. each of said clamping arms having a work retaining shoe means coupled thereto to form a gripping jaw, said shoe means including a work engaging surface and means coupling said shoes to said clamPing arms, and mounting means pivotally coupling each of said shoe means to one of said clamping arms along second pivot axes, each of said second pivot axes being disposed generally transverse to the elongated axis of said clamping arms and generally parallel to and spaced from said first pivot axis; c. each of said clamping arms further including elongated connecting rod means coupling each clamping arm to its associated actuating handle portion, said connecting rod means being journaled for axial rotation about the elongated axis of said clamping arms and generally transverse to said first and second pivot axes for alignment of said shoe means relative to the axis of the said jaws.

Claim 3

The clamping apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that bias means are provided for normally resilient retaining said work engaging surfaces in mutually opposed relationship and along an axis generally transverse to said first pivot axis.

Claim 4

The clamping apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that spring bias means are provided for biasing said gripping jaws to a normally closed disposition.

Claim 5

The clamping apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that bias means are provided for normally resiliently biasing each of said shoe means in a direction with the outer tip edges thereof being urged in an arcuate direction inwardly of and away from the axis of the clamping arm to which it is attached and toward the opposed shoe means.

Claim 6

The clamping apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that said work engaging surfaces are resilient pads.

Claim 7

Clamping apparatus comprising a pair of opposed gripping jaws adapted to open and close upon a workpiece interposed therebetween, said clamping apparatus including: a. a pair of clamping arms, each arm having an actuating handle portion in axial extension of the clamping arm, a pivoting fulcrum means having a certain first pivot axis coupling said handle portions together for pivotal motion about said first pivot axis; b. each of said clamping arms having a work retaining shoe means coupled thereto to form a gripping jaw, said shoe means including a work engaging surface and means coupling said shoes to said clamping arms, and mounting means pivotally coupling each of said shoe means to one of said clamping arms along second pivot axes, each of said second pivot axes being disposed generally transverse to the elongated axis of said clamping arms and generally parallel to and spaced from said first pivot axis; c. each of said clamping arms further including connecting rod means coupling each clamping arm to its associated actuating handle portion, said connecting rod means being journaled for axial rotation about the elongated axis of said clamping arms and generally transverse to said first and second pivot axes for alignment of said shoe means relative to the axis of the said jaws; and d. extension means being coupled to and extending laterally outwardly from said handle portions, said extension means providing for adjustable mounting of said clamping arms to said extension means at points disposed laterally outwardly from the axis of said handle portions.

Claim 8

Clamping apparatus comprising a pair of opposed gripping jaws adapted to open and close upon a workpiece interposed therebetween, said clamping apparatus including: a. a pair of clamping arms, each arm having an actuating handle portion in axial extension of the clamping arm, a pivoting fulcrum means having a certain first pivot axis coupling said handle portions together for pivotal motion about said first pivot axis; b. each of said clamping arms having a work retaining shoe means coupled thereto to form a gripping jaw, said shoe means including a work engaging surface and means coupling said shoes to said clamping arms, and mounting means pivotally coupling each of said shoe means to one of said clamping arms along second pivot axes, each of said second pivot axes being disposed generally transverse to the elongated axis of said clamping arms and generally parallel to and spaced from said first pivot axis; c. each of said clamping arms further including connecting rod means coupling each clamping arm to its associated actuating handle portion, said connecting rod means being journaled for axial rotation about the elongated axis of said clamping arms and generally transverse to said first and second pivot axes for alignment of said shoe means relative to the axis of the said jaws; and d. extension means being coupled to and extending laterally outwardly from said handle portions, said extension means providing for adjustable mounting of said clamping arms to said extension means at points disposed laterally outwardly from the axis of said handle portions.

Claim 9

The clamping apparatus as defined in claim 1 being particularly characterized in that the proximate end of said elongated connecting rod is provided with a detent zone adjacent the tip thereof, and wherein detent engaging means are coupled to the distal end portions of each of said actuating handle portions for releasably retaining said connecting rod means.