Hose clamp

Claim 2

A hose clamp, comprising a channel frame having a bottom wall and two opposed upstanding side walls, and a compression drum having an arcuate compression surface that is substantially cylindrical, means pivotally suspending said drum from and between said side walls on an axis parallel to and offset away from the central axis of said substantially cylindrical surface and from a location substantially diametrically opposed to the circumferentially central region of said substantially cylindrical surface, the pivot-axis offset from said bottom wall exceeding the diameter of the generally circular contour which characterizes said substantially cylindrical surface, and actuating means integral with said drum, the inner surface of said bottom wall being characterized by two transversely extending hose-pinching edges substantially symmetrically positioned on opposite longitudinal sides of the plane normal to the channel bottom and through the axis of pivotal suspension, said bottom wall being so characterized that said hose-pinching edges define with said drum surface throats at which said bottom wall has greatest proximity to said drum surface.

Claim 3

A hose clamp according to claim 1, in which said hose-pinching edges are longitudinally spaced to an extent which approximates the radius of said generally circular contour.

Claim 4

A hose clamp according to claim 2, in which the minimum clearance between said drum and each of said corner edges is at least no greater than substantially 60 percent of the radius of said generally circular contour.

Claim 5

A hose clamp according to claim 3, in which said minimum clearance is in the order of 40 percent of said radius.

Claim 6

A hose clamp according to claim 1, in which the mininum clearance between said drum and the bottom wall is at least no greater than substantially 60 percent of the radius of said generally circular contour.

Claim 7

A hose clamp according to claim 5, in which said minimum clearance is in the order of forty percent of said radius.

Claim 8

A hose clamp according to claim 1, in which said bottom wall has an opening extending between said side walls and for the Longitudinal span between said hose-pinching edges, said edges being defined by corners of said opening.

Claim 9

A hose clamp according to claim 1, in which said hose-pinching edges are defined by transverse ridges struck up from said bottom wall in the direction of reducing the gap to said drum.

Claim 10

A hose clamp according to claim 1, in which said hose-pinching edges are defined by longitudinal limits of a cupped-depression of said bottom wall in the region beneath the pivot axis.

Claim 11

A hose clamp according to claim 1, in which said actuating means is a handle member extending tangentially to the general circle of said contour and at a location substantially diametrically opposite the circumferentially central region of said substantially cylindrical surface.

Claim 12

A hose clamp according to claim 10, in which said drum, handle and pivot means are rigidly united.

Claim 13

A hose clamp according to claim 11, in which said drum, handle and pivot means are of metal, with a coating of low-friction material on said drum.

Claim 14

A hose clamp according to claim 10, in which said drum and handle are of injection-molded self-lubricating plastic construction.

Claim 15

A hose clamp according to claim 1, in which said frame is a single piece of formed sheet metal.

Claim 16

A hose clamp according to claim 1, in which said channel frame is elongate and includes a hose guide at a location longitudinally offset from said drum and pivot.

Claim 17

A hose clamp, comprising a channel frame having a bottom wall and two upstanding side walls, and a compression drum having an arcuate compression surface that is substantially cylindrical, means on said side walls pivotally supporting said drum between said side walls on an axis parallel to and offset away from the central axis of said substantially cylindrical surface, said offset being also in the direction diametrically opposed to the circumferentially central region of said substantially cylindrical surface, the pivot-axis offset from said bottom wall exceeding the diameter of the generally circular contour which characterizes said substantially cylindrical surface, and actuating means integral with said drum, the inner surface of said bottom wall being characterized by two transversely extending hose-pinching edges substantially symmetrically positioned on opposite longitudinal sides of the plane normal to the channel bottom being so characterized that said hose-pinching edges define with said drum surface throats at which said bottom wall has greatest proximity to said drum surface.

Claim 18

A hose clamp, comprising a channel frame having a bottom wall and two upstanding side walls, and a compression drum having an arcuate compression surface that is substantially cylindrical, means on said side walls pivotally supporting said drum between said side walls on an axis parallel to and offset away from the central axis of said substantially cylindrical surface, said offset being also in the direction diametrically opposed to the circumferentially central region of said substantially cylindrical surface, the pivot-axis offset from said bottom wall exceeding the diameter of the generally circular contour which characterizes said substantially cylindrical surface, and actuating means integral with said drum, the inner surface of said bottom wall being characterized by two transversely extending hose-pinching edges substantially symmetrically positioned on opposite longitudinal sides of the plane normal to the channel bottom being so characterized that said hose-pinching edges define with said drum surface throats at which said bottom wall has greatest proximity to said drum surface.

Claim 19

A hose clamp, comprising a channel frame having a bottom wall and two upstanding side walls, and a compression drum having an arcuate compression surface that is substantially cylindrical, means on said side walls pivotally supporting said drum between said side walls on an axis parallel to and offset away from the central axis of said substantially cylindrical surface, said offset being also in the direction diametrically opposed to the circumferentially central region of said substantially cylindrical surface, the pivot-axis offset from said bottom wall exceeding the diameter of the generally circular contour which characterizes said substantially cylindrical surface, said drum including manually operable means for rotating the same about the pivot axis, said manual means being operative to position said drum in closed position of greatest approach to said bottom wall and in variously opened positions removed from said closed position, and the inner surface of said bottom wall having a transversely extending recess extending between said side walls and local to the longitudinal region of drum support and defining two transversely extending hose-pinching edges on opposite longitudinal sides of the plane normal to the channel bottom and through the pivot axis, said edges defining with said drum in closed position two like spaced pinch throats in orientations similarly but oppositely inclined on opposite sides of said normal plane, said bottom wall being so charaCterized that said throats define the locations of greatest proximity of said bottom wall and of said drum surface.

Claim 20

A hose clamp, comprising a channel frame having a bottom wall and two upstanding side walls, and a compression drum having an arcuate compression surface that is substantially cylindrical, means on said side walls pivotally supporting said drum between said side walls on an axis parallel to and offset away from the central axis of said substantially cylindrical surface, said offset being also in the direction diametrically opposed to the circumferentially central region of said substantially cylindrical surface, the pivot-axis offset from said bottom wall exceeding the diameter of the generally circular contour which characterizes said substantially cylindrical surface, said drum including manually operable means for rotating the same about the pivot axis, said manual means being operative to position said drum in closed position of greatest approach to said bottom wall and in variously opened positions removed from said closed position, and the inner surface of said bottom wall having a transversely extending recess extending between said side walls and local to the longitudinal region of drum support and defining two transversely extending hose-pinching edges on opposite longitudinal sides of the plane normal to the channel bottom and through the pivot axis, said edges defining with said drum in closed position two like spaced pinch throats in orientations similarly but oppositely inclined on opposite sides of said normal plane, said bottom wall being so charaCterized that said throats define the locations of greatest proximity of said bottom wall and of said drum surface.