Worm gear clamping apparatus

Claim 2

A flexible, encircling, clamping apparatus comrpising: a. a worm gear drive head; b. a flexible strap member having a first end adapted to be attached to said worm gear drive head and a second end, said strap member having an inward side and an outward side, said outward side having a portion adjacent said second end defining partial internal threads; c. worm member having external threads, threadably engageable with said internal threads, over a portion of its length, a flexible elongated guide portion projecting forwardly thereof; and means disposed at the rearward end thereof for rotating said worm member; d. said worm gear drive head defining a strap-receiving opening extending axially therethrough for receiving said second end of said strap member; e. said worm gear drive head defining a worm chamber adapted to receive said external threaded portion of said worm member rotatably disposed therein said worm chamber having a clearance with said worm when said worm is engaged with said partial internal threads of said second end within said chamber allowing rotation of said worm but preventing radial movement of said worm relative to said chamber sufficient to cause said worm to disengage from said partial internal threads; f. said worm gear drive head including a forward wall portion defining a journal opening adapted to receive said elongated guide portion axially movable therein, said guide portion including a stop portion for limiting normal rearward axial movement of said guide portion relative to said journal opening; g. said worm member defining an assembled position relative to said worm gear drive head with said external threads disposed within said worm chamber and in meshing engagement with said partial internal threads; and

Claim 3

h. said worm member defining a pre-assembled position relative to said worm gear drive head with said stop portion disposed adjacent said forward wall, said guide portion disposed within said worm chamber and said external threads disposed rearwardly of said worm gear drive head to permit said worm member to be pivoted away from said strap member, disengaging said external threads from said partial internal threads and permitting free axial movement of said strap member relative to said worm gear drive head.

Claim 4

h. said worm member defining a pre-assembled position relative to said worm gear drive head with said stop portion disposed adjacent said forward wall, said guide portion disposed within said worm chamber and said external threads disposed rearwardly of said worm gear drive head to permit said worm member to be pivoted away from said strap member, disengaging said external threads from said partial internal threads and permitting free axial movement of said strap member relative to said worm gear drive head.

Claim 5

A clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said worm gear drive head has a length L measured along the axis of said worm chamber, said elongated guide portion has a length approximately equal to said length L, said worm chamber has an axial extension approximately equal to said length L and said length L is greater than twice the pitch of the worm.

Claim 6

A flexible, encircling, clamping apparatus, comprising: a. a one-piece, molded worm gear drive head and strap assembly, said strap having a first end integral with said worm gear drive head and having a free end, said strap including an outward surface defining partial internal threads; b. a one-piece, molded worm member having external threads adapted to engage said partial internal threads, said worm member including means disposed at the rearward end thereof to effect rotation of said worm member, an elongated flexible guide portion projecting forwardly of said external threads, and a stop portion disposed at the forward end of said elongated guide portion; c. said worm gear drive head defining i. a strap receiving opening for receiving said free end of said strap; ii. a worm chamber configured to receive said external threads of said worm member rotatably disposed therein, said worm chamber having a clearance with said worm when said worm is engaged with the partial external threads on said strap within said chamber allowing rotation of said worm but preventing radial movement of said worm relative to said chamber sufficient to cause a disengagement of said worm and said partial external threads, said chamber, said guide portion and said externally threaded portion being of substantially equal axial lengths; iii. a journal opening for receiving said elongated guide portion axially movable therein; iv. an external, rearward surface cooperating with the axis of said worm chamber to define an included angle of between about thirty degrees and about sixty degrees; d. said worm member and said worm gear drive head defining a pre-assembled position with said elongated guide portion in its rearwardmost orientation, with said stop portion disposed adjacent said journal opening, said worm member being pivotable away from said strap to disengage said external threads from said partial internal threads and permit free axial movement of said strap relative to said worm gear drive head.

Claim 7

A flexible, encircling, clamping apparatus, comprising: a. a one-piece, molded worm gear drive head and strap assembly, said strap having a first end integral with said worm gear drive head and having a free end, said strap including an outward surface defining partial internal threads; b. a one-piece, molded worm member having external threads adapted to engage said partial internal threads, said worm member including means disposed at the rearward end thereof to effect rotation of said worm member, an elongated flexible guide portion projecting forwardly of said external threads, and a stop portion disposed at the forward end of said elongated guide portion; c. said worm gear drive head defining i. a strap receiving opening for receiving said free end of said strap; ii. a worm chamber configured to receive said external threads of said worm member rotatably disposed therein, said worm chamber having a clearance with said worm when said worm is engaged with the partial external threads on said strap within said chamber allowing rotation of said worm but preventing radial movement of said worm relative to said chamber sufficient to cause a disengagement of said worm and said partial external threads, said chamber, said guide portion and said externally threaded portion being of substantially equal axial lengths; iii. a journal opening for receiving said elongated guide portion axially movable therein; iv. an external, rearward surface cooperating with the axis of said worm chamber to define an included angle of between about thirty degrees and about sixty degrees; d. said worm member and said worm gear drive head defining a pre-assembled position with said elongated guide portion in its rearwardmost orientation, with said stop portion disposed adjacent said journal opening, said worm member being pivotable away from said strap to disengage said external threads from said partial internal threads and permit free axial movement of said strap relative to said worm gear drive head.

Claim 8

A clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said worm member includes a transverse wall extending from said elongated guide portion to said external threads, said transverse wall and said rearward surface of said worm gear drive head being disposed generally parallel, and slightly spaced apart, in said pre-assembled position.

Claim 9

A clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said worm gear drive head and strap assembly and said worm member are molded as an integral unit with a frangible member connecting said head and strap assembly and said worm member.

Claim 10

A flexible, encircling, clamping apparatus, comprising: a. a one-piece, molded worm gear drive head and strap assembly, said strap having a first end integral with said worm gear drive head and a second end, said strap including an outward surface defining partial internal threads; b. a one-piece, molded worm member having external threads adapted to engage said partial internal threads, said worm member including means disposed at the rearward end thereof to effect rotation of said worm member, an elongated flexible guide portion projecting forwardly of said external threads, and a transverse wall extending from said elongated guide portion to said external threads; c. said worm gear drive head defining i. a strap-receiving opening for receiving said second end of said strap; ii. a worm chamber configured to receive said external threads of said worm member rotatably disposed therein; iii. a journal opening for receiving said elongated guide portion axially movable therein; iv. an external, rearward surface disposed at an acute angle relative to the axis of said worm chamber; v. said worm chamber having a clearance with said worm member when said worm member is engaged with said partial internal threads of said second end within said chamber allowing rotation of said worm but preventing radial movement of said worm relative to said chamber sufficient to cause said worm to disengage from said partial threads; d. said worm member and said worm gear drive head defining a pre-assembled position with said elongated guide portion in its rearwardmost orientation relative to said journal opening and said transverse wall of said worm member in engagement with said rearward surface of said worm gear drive head to disengage said external threads from said partial internal threads and permit free axial movement of said strap relative to said worm gear drive head.

Claim 11

A flexible, encircling, clamping apparatus, comprising: a. a one-piece, molded worm gear drive head and strap assembly, said strap having a first end integral with said worm gear drive head and a second end, said strap including an outward surface defining partial internal threads; b. a one-piece, molded worm member having external threads adapted to engage said partial internal threads, said worm member including means disposed at the rearward end thereof to effect rotation of said worm member, an elongated flexible guide portion projecting forwardly of said external threads, and a transverse wall extending from said elongated guide portion to said external threads; c. said worm gear drive head defining i. a strap-receiving opening for receiving said second end of said strap; ii. a worm chamber configured to receive said external threads of said worm member rotatably disposed therein; iii. a journal opening for receiving said elongated guide portion axially movable therein; iv. an external, rearward surface disposed at an acute angle relative to the axis of said worm chamber; v. said worm chamber having a clearance with said worm member when said worm member is engaged with said partial internal threads of said second end within said chamber allowing rotation of said worm but preventing radial movement of said worm relative to said chamber sufficient to cause said worm to disengage from said partial threads; d. said worm member and said worm gear drive head defining a pre-assembled position with said elongated guide portion in its rearwardmost orientation relative to said journal opening and said transverse wall of said worm member in engagement with said rearward surface of said worm gear drive head to disengage said external threads from said partial internal threads and permit free axial movement of said strap relative to said worm gear drive head.

Claim 12

A clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said rearward surface and said axis of said worm chamber define an included angle of about thirty degrees to about sixty degrees.

Claim 13

A clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein said worm gear drive head and strap assembly and said worm member are molded with a frangible member connecting said worm member and said worm gear drive head.

Claim 14

A clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said guide portion, said externally threaded portion and said worm chamber are of substantially equal axial length, said axial length being greater than twice the pitch of the worm member.