Clamp assembly

Abstract

A clamp adapter for use with a lever operated quick connect clamp having spaced apart clamping arms. The clamp adapter includes a one piece body having an upper section which is slidably positioned between the clamping arms and a base which abuts against the bottom the clamping arms. Threaded fasteners secure the body to the clamping arms. An elongated rod is slidably positioned in a through bore in the body and locked in place by a bolt.

Claims

1. A clamp adapter for use with a lever operated quick connect clamp having two spaced apart clamping arms comprising a body having an upper section dimensioned to be slidably received between the clamping arms and a base having a width greater than the spacing between the clamping arms, a first fastener threadably attached to said body and dimensioned to abut against the clamping arms so that said upper section of said body is entrapped between said fastener and said base, a rod slidably positioned in a bore in said body, and a second fastener threadably mounted in a hole in said body, said hole intersecting and open to said bore.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said body and said base are of a one piece construction.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said body is made of plastic.

4. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said bore in said body is a through bore.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said upper section of said body has a height less than a height of the clamping arms.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said first fastener comprises a pair of first fasteners.

7. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said first fastener comprises a button head cap bolt.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the accompanying drawing when read in conjunction with the accompanying specification, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is an elevational view illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention mounted to a quick connect clamp;

(3) FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but with the quick connect clamp removed, and

(4) FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3in FIG. 1 and enlarged for clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) With reference now to the patent drawing, a clamp assembly 10 is shown in FIG. 1 with the clamp actuator 12 and a clamp adapter 14 according to the present invention. The clamping assembly 12 is standard in construction and includes a clamping arm 16 which, upon pivoting, pivotally moves a pair of spaced apart clamping arms 20 about a pivot axis 22.

(6) It will be understood, of course, that the clamp assembly 12 shown in FIG. 1 is by way of illustration only. However, in all cases, the clamping arm will include a pair of clamping arms 20 which are spaced apart from each other and will move between a locked and an unlocked position.

(7) With reference now to both FIGS. 2 and 3, the clamp adapter 14 includes an upper section 24 dimensioned to be slidably received between the clamping arms 20 of the clamp assembly 10. The clamp adapter 14 also includes a lower base 26 which is preferably of a one piece construction with the upper section 24 and is wider than the upper section 24. As such, the base 26 includes two abutment surfaces 28 which abut against the bottom of the lever arms 20. Furthermore, the height of the upper section 24 is less than the right of the clamping arms 20.

(8) With the clamp adapter 10 positioned in between the lever arms 20 and with the abutment surfaces 28 in abutment with the bottom 21 of the lever arms 20, at least one, and preferably two threaded fasteners 30, such as button head cap bolt, threadably engage the threaded holes in the upper section 24 of the clamp adapter 14. These fasteners 30, furthermore, have a diameter greater than the width of the upper section 20 so that, upon tightening of the fasteners 30, the fasteners 30 abut against the top of the lever arms 20 and securely fasten the clamp adapter 14 to the lever arms 20. It will be appreciated, however, that the longitudinal position of the clamp adapter 14 is slidably adjustable relative to the lever arms 20.

(9) A throughbore 32 is formed longitudinally through the base 28 so that the axis of the throughbore 32 is generally parallel to the axis of the lever arms 20 and thus perpendicular to the pivotal axis of the lever arms 20. An elongated rod 40, which may have a central bend 42, has one end 44 slidably positioned within the throughbore 32 in the base 28. A free end 46 of the rod 42 is then shaped to engage the part to be clamped.

(10) In order to fix the position of the rod 42 relative to the clamp adapter 14, a thumbscrew 46, or other threaded fastener, is threadably mounted to the base 26. Thus, with the clamping rod 42 positioned as desired, upon tightening of the thumbscrew 46, the rod 40 is then secured to the clamp adapter 14 in its adjusted position.