Quick-acting clamp

Claim 2

A one-piece, sheet metal quick-acting, rod-engaging clamp comprising a sheet metal member having a supporting element, a substantially horizontal plate element extending from said supporting element and having an aperture therein, and a lever element bent at an angle on one side of said plate element upwardly and toward said opening, said lever element having a tooth struck out from said lever and inclined upwardly and extending over the edge of said aperture to engage a rod in said aperture, said lever element extending beyond said tooth to form a lever arm and being movable away from said opening to withdraw said tooth from engagement with said rod, the opposite side of said aperture being formed with an inwardly directed edge to engage a rod in said aperture, the width of said aperture between said inwardly directed edge and the side adjacent said tooth being greater than the diameter of the rod, so that when said tooth is withdrawn by movement of said lever, the rod may be disengaged from the edge of said aperture and moved relative to said clamp.

Claim 3

A clamp as claimed in claim 1, in which said aperture is provided with an upstanding lug perpendicular to the plate opposite said edge, so that the rod may be moved without engaging the opposite edge of the aperture when the lever withdraws said tooth from engagement with said rod.

Claim 4

A clamp as claimed in claim 2, in which the edge is formed on a lug perpendicular to the plate and is directed radially inwardly to engage the rod, said edge being arcuate to conform to the rod.

Claim 5

A clamp as claimed in claim 2, in which said tooth overlies and is closely spaced from said lug, so that said tooth engages said lug under sufficient force on said rod.

Claim 6

A clamp as claimed in claim 4, in which the metal of said clamp is hardened to provide resiliency and to increase engagement with said rod.

Claim 7

A one-piece, sheet metal, quick-acting clamp for engaging and supporting a vertical rod comprising a vertical wall for attachment to a supporting structure, a substantially horizontal plate element extending from said wall and having an aperture therein to receive a vertical rod, one side of said aperture being formed with an inwardly directed edge to engage a rod in the aperture, the width of said aperture between said edge and the opposite side being greater than the diameter of the rod so that the rod may be moved freely in said aperture, a lever element integral with the side of said plate opposite the said edge of said aperture and bent upwardly and toward said aperture, said lever element having a tooth struck out from the material of the lever and extending over the side of the aperture directly opposite said edge, said plate having an upstanding lug on said last-named edge of said aperture underlying and closely spaced from said tooth to limit downward movement of said tooth and a rod in engagement therewith, said lever being bent reversely away from said aperture in substantially a horizontal direction, so that pressure downwardly on the end of said lever withdraws said tooth from engagement with said rod and allows said rod to be disengaged from said edge of said aperture and moved through the aperture.

Claim 8

A one-piece, sheet metal, quick-acting clamp for engaging and supporting a vertical rod comprising a vertical wall for attachment to a supporting structure, a substantially horizontal plate element extending from said wall and having an aperture therein to receive a vertical rod, one side of said aperture being formed with an inwardly directed edge to engage a rod in the aperture, the width of said aperture between said edge and the opposite side being greater than the diameter of the rod so that the rod may be moved freely in said aperture, a lever element integral with the side of said plate opposite the said edge of said aperture and bent upwardly and toward said aperture, said lever element having a tooth struck out from the material of the lever and extending over the side of the aperture directly opposite said edge, said plate having an upstanding lug on said last-named edge of said aperture underlying and closely spaced from said tooth to limit downward movement of said tooth and a rod in engagement therewith, said lever being bent reversely away from said aperture in substantially a horizontal direction, so that pressure downwardly on the end of said lever withdraws said tooth from engagement with said rod and allows said rod to be disengaged from said edge of said aperture and moved through the aperture.

Claim 9

A clamp as claimed in claim 6, in which the said edge is formed on an upstanding lug on the side of the aperture opposite said tooth.