Clamping apparatus

Claim 2

Clamping apparatus comprising: a molded plastic, generally L-shaped frame member including an elongate bar portion and a jaw portion formed integrally with the bar portion and extending substantially perpendicularly with respect thereto; the jaw portion of the frame member being substantially H-shaped in cross section at least adjacent its distal end to provide opposed inwardly facing and outwardly facing jaw surfaces; said inwardly and outwardly facing jaw surfaces extending substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicularly to the bar portion of the frame member; a molded plastic slider member including an aperture portion defining an axis and a jaw portion formed integrally with the aperture portion and depending therefrom substantially perpendicularly to the axis; the jaw portion of the slider member being substantially T-shaped in cross section throughout its length to define a jaw surface; said jaw surface of the slider member extending substantially parallel to the inwardly and outwardly facing jaw surfaces of the jaw portion of the free member; the slider member being normally positioned on the bar portion of the frame member with the jaw surface of the slider member facing the inwardly facing jaw surface of the frame member to apply inwardly directed forces therebetween and the positioning of the slider member on the bar portion of the frame member being reversible so that the jaw surface of the jaw portion of the slider member cooperates with the outwardly facing jaw surface of the jaw portion of the frame member to apply outwardly directed forces therebetween; the aperture portion of the jaw member defining an inclined camming surface on an inside surface thereof; a molded plastic locking member comprising a camming portion and an actuator portion formed integrally therewith; the camming portion of the locking member extending through the aperture of the aperture portion of the slider member and engaging the bar portion of the frame member along substantially the entire length of said bar portion when said slider member is normally positioned or reversibly positioned on the bar portion of the frame member, such that the inwardly and outwardly directed forces between the jaw surface of said frame member and the jaw surface of said slider member are selectively positioned along substantially the entire length of said bar portion; the camming portion of the locking member defining an outwardly facing camming surface for cooperation with the inwardly facing camming surface of the aperture portion of the slider member to lock the slider member against movement along the bar portion of the frame member and extending to an outwardly projecting tip for preventing disengagement of the locking member from the aperture of the slider member; and the actuator portion of the locking member extending substantially perpendicularly to the camming portion thereof to first advance the slider member along the bar portion of the frame member and then lock the slider member either in engagement with an object situated between the jaw surface of the jaw portion of the slider member and the inwardly facing jaw surface of the frame member, or in separating objects by the outwardly directed forces of the jaw surface of the jaw portion of the slider member cooperating with the outwardly facing surface of the jaw portion of the frame member.

Claim 3

The clamping apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the bar portion of the frame member comprises opposed, substantially flat, substantially parallel surfaces, wherein the aperture of the slider member includes a surface which engages one of the flat, parallel surfaces of the bar portion, and wherein the camming portion of the locking member includes a surface which engages the other flat, parallel surface of the bar portion.

Claim 4

The clamping apparatus of claim 1 further including an actuator portion formed integrally with the bar portion and the jaw portion and extending substantially perpendicularly from the bar portion at the same end thereof as the jaw portion.

Claim 5

The clamping apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the actuator portion of the frame member and the actuator portion of the locking member extend to end surfaces situated in a common plane, whereby the clamping apparatus may be supported on the end surfaces of the actuator members with the jaw portions extending outwardly.

Claim 6

The clamping apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the frame member, the slider member and the locking member are all fabricated by means of injection molding.

Claim 7

The clamping apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the frame member, the slider member and the locking member are all fabricated from glass filled polyester.

Claim 8

The clamping apparatus comprising: a generally L-shaped frame member including an elongate bar portion defined by opposed, substantially flat, substantially parallel surfaces and a jaw portion formed integrally with the bar portion and extending substantially perpendicularly with respect thereto; the jaw portion of the frame member being substantially H-shaped in cross section throughout its length to provide opposed inwardly and outwardly facing jaw surfaces having surfaces for clamping along its entire length; said inwardly and outwardly facing jaw surfaces extending substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicularly to the bar portion of the frame member; a molded plastic slider member including an aperture portion defining an axis and a jaw portion formed integrally with the aperture portion and depending therefrom substantially perpendicularly to the axis; the jaw portion of the slider member being substantially T-shaped in cross section throughout its length to define a jaw surface for clamping along its entire length; said jaw surface of the slider member extending substantially parallel to the inwardly and outwardly facing jaw surfaces of the jaw portion of the frame member; the slider member being normally positioned on the bar portion of the frame member with the jaw surface of the slider member facing the inwardly facing jaw surface of the frame member to apply inwardly directed forces therebetween and the positioning of the slider member on the bar portion of the frame member being reversible so that the jaw surface of the jaw portion of the slider member cooperates with the outwardly facing jaw surface of the jaw portion of the frame member to apply outwardly directed forces therebetween; the aperture portion of the jaw member defining an aperture including a surface and normally engaging one of the flat, parallel surfaces of the bar portion of the frame member and an opposed, inclined camming surface; a locking member comprising a camming portion and an actuator portion formed integrally therewith; the camming portion of the locking member including a surface normally engaging the other flat, parallel surface of the bar portion of the frame member and an opposed, inclined camming surface normally engaging the camming surface of the aperture of the aperture portion of the slider member; the camming portion of the locking member normally engaging said other flat, parallel surface of the bar portion of the frame member along substantially the entire length of said bar portion when said slider member is normally positioned or reversibly positioned on the bar portion of the frame member, such that the inwardly and outwardly directed forces between the jaw surface of said frame member and the jaw surface of said slider member are selectively positioned along substantially the entire length of said bar portion; the camming portion of the locking member extending to an outwardly projecting tip for normally preventing disengagement of the locking member from the aperture of the slider member; and the actuator portion of the locking member extending substantially perpendicularly to the camming portion thereof to first advance the slider member along the bar portion of the frame member and then lock the slider member in engagement with an object situated between the jaw surfaces of the jaw portions of the frame member and the slider member by movement relative to the slider member and to locking engagement between the adjacent flat, parallel surfaces of the bar portion of the frame member and the adjacent inclined camming surface of the aperture portion of the slider member.

Claim 9

The clamping apparatus comprising: a generally L-shaped frame member including an elongate bar portion defined by opposed, substantially flat, substantially parallel surfaces and a jaw portion formed integrally with the bar portion and extending substantially perpendicularly with respect thereto; the jaw portion of the frame member being substantially H-shaped in cross section throughout its length to provide opposed inwardly and outwardly facing jaw surfaces having surfaces for clamping along its entire length; said inwardly and outwardly facing jaw surfaces extending substantially parallel to each other and substantially perpendicularly to the bar portion of the frame member; a molded plastic slider member including an aperture portion defining an axis and a jaw portion formed integrally with the aperture portion and depending therefrom substantially perpendicularly to the axis; the jaw portion of the slider member being substantially T-shaped in cross section throughout its length to define a jaw surface for clamping along its entire length; said jaw surface of the slider member extending substantially parallel to the inwardly and outwardly facing jaw surfaces of the jaw portion of the frame member; the slider member being normally positioned on the bar portion of the frame member with the jaw surface of the slider member facing the inwardly facing jaw surface of the frame member to apply inwardly directed forces therebetween and the positioning of the slider member on the bar portion of the frame member being reversible so that the jaw surface of the jaw portion of the slider member cooperates with the outwardly facing jaw surface of the jaw portion of the frame member to apply outwardly directed forces therebetween; the aperture portion of the jaw member defining an aperture including a surface and normally engaging one of the flat, parallel surfaces of the bar portion of the frame member and an opposed, inclined camming surface; a locking member comprising a camming portion and an actuator portion formed integrally therewith; the camming portion of the locking member including a surface normally engaging the other flat, parallel surface of the bar portion of the frame member and an opposed, inclined camming surface normally engaging the camming surface of the aperture of the aperture portion of the slider member; the camming portion of the locking member normally engaging said other flat, parallel surface of the bar portion of the frame member along substantially the entire length of said bar portion when said slider member is normally positioned or reversibly positioned on the bar portion of the frame member, such that the inwardly and outwardly directed forces between the jaw surface of said frame member and the jaw surface of said slider member are selectively positioned along substantially the entire length of said bar portion; the camming portion of the locking member extending to an outwardly projecting tip for normally preventing disengagement of the locking member from the aperture of the slider member; and the actuator portion of the locking member extending substantially perpendicularly to the camming portion thereof to first advance the slider member along the bar portion of the frame member and then lock the slider member in engagement with an object situated between the jaw surfaces of the jaw portions of the frame member and the slider member by movement relative to the slider member and to locking engagement between the adjacent flat, parallel surfaces of the bar portion of the frame member and the adjacent inclined camming surface of the aperture portion of the slider member.

Claim 10

The clamping apparatus of claim 7 further including an actuator portion formed integrally with the bar portion and the jaw portion and extending substantially perpendicularly from the bar portion at the same end thereof as the jaw portion.

Claim 11

The clamping apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the actuator portion of the frame member and the actuator portion of the locking member extend to end surfaces situated in a common plane so that the clamping apparatus may be supported on the end surfaces of the actuator members with the jaw portions extending outwardly.

Claim 12

The clamping apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the frame member, the slider member and the locking member are all fabricated from glass filled polyester plastic material by means of injection molding.