Hose clamp

Claim 1

A hose clamp comprising, in combination: a. a strap having an end portion thereof formed to define a single, inwardly open transverse channel having interior sides; and b. a tightening mechanism including: i. a housing for parts of said mechanism, said housing having an arched middle portion and outwardly directed shoulders which are angled downwardly, ii. said parts including two base members in engagement with said single, transverse channel in a form-fitting positive tensile manner, said base members being embodied as two angled tops of said housing and having free ends positioned in said single, transverse channel from opposite ends thereof, said two base members being respectively connected to respective lower ends of said shoulder and said housing being free of any fixed connection to said strap, iii. a worm gear carried within said housing and secured against axial displacement therein, said housing having inwardly directed flanges, at its two faces, which serve for axial and radial mounting of said worm gear, threads of said worm gear engaging ribs in said straps, said flanges forming apertures for said worm gear, said apertures being open toward said strap and the distance between the bottom of said transverse channel of said strap and said threads of said worm gear being smaller than the thickness of said strap, and iv. an opening with a narrowing toward its free end of one of said base members and a projection from the said free end of the other of said base members, said projection being inserted into said opening.