US2764195A - Adjustably mounted bench clamp - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 25, 1956 w, HEIMES 2,764,195

ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED BENCH CLAMP Filed May 3, 1954 mym'roze. W////am H/MQS K BY Z g rt /am! M United States Patent 'Ofilice 2,764,195 Patented Sept. 25, 1 956 ADJUSTABLY MOUNTED BENCH CLAMP William Heimes, Spokane, Wash.

Application May 3, 1954, Serial No. 427,137

3 Claims. (Cl. 144'290) This invention relates to manual tools and more particularly to a bench clamp.

One ob'ject .of the invention lies in the provision of a clamp adapted to .clamp a work piece to the horizontal work supporting surface .ofa bench.

Another object ofthe invention lies in the provision of a clamp having a shank and clamping means adapted for selective removal from the bench whereupon a smooth .working surfaceisprovided when theclamp is 'not in use.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a bench clamp which cooperates with portions of the clamp rigidly fixed to the top of the bench at a plurality of predetermined locations thereby adapting the clamp for positioninig at one of a number of possible locations.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts:

Figure l is a view partially in elevation and partially in cross section showing the preferred embodiment of my improved bench clamp;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross section taken at line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical cross section of a modified form of the present invention; and,

Figure 4 is a view at line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, I have employed the numeral to indicate the bench clamp as a complete unit and it will be seen that the clamp has a substantially L-shaped clamp beam 11 having a vertically depending shank portion 12 and angularly disposed foot portion 13. The foot portion 13 is I-shaped when viewed in cross section and the shank portion 12 is T-shaped when viewed in cross section.

On its free end, the foot portion 13 is provided with a sleeve 14 having its axis disposed vertically, and internally the sleeve 14 is threaded to receive clamp screw 15 which is provided with a manually operable handle 16 at its upper end and a clamp jaw 17 at its lower end. The clamp screw 15 is rotatably secured in the jaw 17 and the jaw 17 extends rearwardly to the shank 12 where it is slidably secured as at 18.

On its web portion the shank 12 is provided with a plurality of recesses 19, the use of which will be hereinafter described.

The present clamp is adapted for use with a work bench and since the bench may be formed of any desired rigid construction, the details are not disclosed herein except to show the horizontal top 20 which has a horizontal work supporting surface 21.

Extending downwardly through the top 20 I provide a sleeve 22 which has an annular flange 23 constituting a face plate and this face plate 23 is recessed into the top 20 so that its upper surface is flush with the work supporting surface 21 of the top 20.

On its bottom side the top 20 is provided with a securing flange 24 which also has a depending sleeve 25 disposed -in axial alignment with the .sleeve 22 and the face plate 231's secured to the top 20 by .means of flat head bolts 26 which extend downwardly through the face plate and flange 24 and are rigidly secured by means of com panion nuts 27. p i

The second sleeve 25 is provided with a radially disposed cylindrical housing 28 which contains a tension spring 29 adapted to urge a manually operable plunger 30 through anaperture 31 formed in the wall of the sleeve 25 so that the-inner end'of the plunger 30 may cooperate with selectedones of the recesses 19 to selectively lock the shank 12 of the clamp 10 at vertically adjusted positions, The cylindrical housing 28 is provided with -a covering cap 32. Plunger 30 is provided with a hand knob 33 for convenience of operation.

Examination of 'Figure .2 will reveal that the bore 34 of the sleeves 22 and 25'is commensuratein cross sectional shape with the cross sectional shape of the shank 12 and therefore the clamp is secured against relative rotation therein and is adapted for vertically adjusted positioning.

In the modified form of the invention, the face plate 23' is provided with-anann-ular recess 35 and the flange 24' does not have an integral depending sleeve 25, but rather a cylindrical sleeve 36 extends downwardly through the cylindrical bore 37 of the sleeve 22. At its upper end, sleeve 36 is provided with an annular collar 38 which cooperates with the recess 35 to prevent down ward movement of the sleeve beyond a position flush with the face plate 23'. At its lower end the sleeve is provided with a clamping ring 39 which is rcleasably secured to the sleeve by means of set bolts 40 and this prevents upward movement of the sleeve 36 out of the sleeve 22'. However, relative rotational movement is permitted by this construction. The clamping ring 39 is provided with the radially disposed cylindrical housing 28' which contains the tension spring 29 urging the plunger 3% into the bore of the sleeve 36 through an aperture 31. The

plunger is provided with a convenient hand knob 33. In this construction the shank 12 extends through the bore 41 of the sleeve 36 and is vertically reciprocable therein but is secured against relative rotational move ment with relation to the sleeve. The sleeve 36 is rotatably carried by the sleeve and face plate 22 and 23. The plunger extends into the recesses 19' formed in the shank 12' for selective manual vertical positioning.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A bench clamp for clamping a work piece to the horizontal work support surface of a bench top comprising a metal sleeve extending downwardly through said top and having an annular flange constituting a face plate recessed flush with the work supporting surface of said top; a clamping flange disposed on the under side of said top vertically below said face plate and rigidly securing said sleeve in said top by means of a plurality of flat head bolts extending downwardly through said face plate and clamping flange and having companion clamping nuts; a second depending sleeve axially aligned with said first named sleeve below said clamping flange; said second named sleeve having a radially extending housing; an aperture coaxial with said housing and communicating through the wall of said second named sleeve with its inner bore; a spring biased plunger carried in said housing and urged into said second named sleeve through said communicating aperture, for manual withdrawal therefrom; an L-shaped clamp beam having a shank portion extending downwardly through the bores of said sleeves and having a right angle foot portion; said shank having a plurality of recesses adapted to receive said plunger for releasably securing said shank at selected vertically adjusted positions; the right angle foot of said clamp having an internally threaded sleeve on its free end and disposed 3 axially parallel with the shank; a manually operable clamp screw threadedly engaged in said last named sleeve; and a clamp jaw on the lower end of said clamp screw.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein the bore of said'axially aligned sleeves is T-shaped in cross section and the shank of said clamp beam is also T-shaped in cross section and non-rotatable therein.

'3; A bench clamp for clamping a work piece to the horizontal work supporting surface of a bench top comprising a metal sleeve extending downwardly through said top and having an annular flange constituting a face plate recessed flush with the work supporting surface of said top; a clamping flange disposed on the underside of said top vertically below said face plate and rigidly securing said sleeve in said top by means of a plurality of flat headed bolts extending downwardly through said face plate and clamping flange and having companion clamping nuts; said sleeve and clamping flange having axially aligned cylindrical bores therethrough; said face plate being provided with an annular recess surrounding said bore; a rotatable 20 accidental upward movement thereof out of said first named sleeve; said clamping band being provided with a radial extending resiliently biased plunger extending into said second named sleeve through an aperture in the wall thereof and adapted for manual withdrawal therefrom; an L-shaped clamp beam having a shank and a right angle foot; the shank of said beam extending downwardly through the bore of said second named sleeve and confined therein against rotation relative thereto and vertically slidable therein; said shank having a plurality of recesses into which said plunger may selectively be inserted for securing said shank against relative vertical movement to said second named sleeve; and manually operable clamping means carried by said shank above said bench top and movable toward and away therefrom for clamping action therewith.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 418,771 Tower Jan. 7, 1890 974,482 Goodell Nov. 1, 1910 2,661,783 Caston Dec. 8, 1953 2,685,310 Lang Aug. 3, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 547,992 Great Britain Sept. 21, 1942

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