EP1584413A1

EP1584413A1 - Retaining device for movable heads of pressure jacks, clamping screws, carpenter's clamps or the like

Info

Publication number: EP1584413A1
Application number: EP04380203A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Juan Carlos Piqueras Ocon
Original assignee: Industrias Piqueras SA
Current assignee: Industrias Piqueras SA
Priority date: 2004-04-06
Filing date: 2004-10-07
Publication date: 2005-10-12
Also published as: ES1057330Y; ES1057330U

Abstract

A retaining device for movable heads of pressure jacks, clamping screws, carpenter's clamps and the like, consisting of a straight flat bar (2, 12) with a fixed jaw (1, 11) on one of its ends and second movable jaw (3, 13) movable throughout the flat bar.

The retaining device is housed in a small opening (6) of the movable jaw (3) and consists in a roller (7) permanently biased against the flat bar (2) itself by means of a spring (8), allowing the placement of the movable jaw (3) with the flat bar (2) due to the joint action of a toothed brake (9) located in opposition to the opposite side of the flat bar (2).

Alternatively, the assembly roller (7)-spring (8) can be replaced by a spring (10) supported on the wall of the opening (16) of the movable jaw (13).

Each adopted position can be manually changed by means of a slight rotation of the movable jaw device to overcome the force of the retaining device.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention refers to a retaining device housed in the movable portion of so-called pressure clamps, intended for fixing of this movable portion throughout its flat bar, thus adopting a certain position in the place where it has to worked or be fixed, without allowing for free or possible sliding of the movable portion.
The movement or adjustment of the movable portion through the rod can be carried out by being manually actuated by the user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is known, a frequent solution for a pressure jack consisting of a straight flat bar, which incorporates a fixed jaw perpendicularly on one of its ends, and along said flat bar, a second jaw, the movable portion, generally provided with a pressure element on its free end, is movable.
The pressure element acts against the fixed portion, with placement of the parts to be clamped, blocking the entire tool.
Therefore, the movable portion moves freely along the flat bar until being blocked by actuating the pressure element, and only then.
To prevent that the movable portion is freely and loosely arranged throughout the flat bar, or to prevent placement losses, and interferences in work preparation, as well as to prevent unexpected or fortuitous accidents, the different springs and mechanisms object of the present invention have been developed, which applied to the movable portion, place the latter with regard to the flat bar, allowing for said placement to be manually changed by the user in a simple manner.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is focused on the fact that the movable portion of a clamping screw or the like, in addition to having a wide sliding opening for the flat bar, has another opening perpendicular to the former in which a roller of a smaller diameter than that of said opening is housed, and which is permanently biased by means of a spring, such that the roller is at all times in contact with the flat bar, pressing it by the action of said spring, either radially or axially. In this manner, the flat bar remains in contact with the movable portion and a toothed brake, if provided, thus carrying out a placement of the movable portion with the flat bar.
Each adopted position can easily be changed manually if the movable head is actuated by means of a slight rotation to overcome the force of the spring. The user can make said roller rotate from the exterior thereof with his or her thumb, while pushing the flat bar with the rest of the hand, thus causing the longitudinal and controlled movement of the movable portion with regard to the flat bar and therefore an approximation more accurately and freely defined by the user.
The roller, permanently biased by the spring, may be replaced by a ball. In both cases, the resistance to motion is reduced and wear is mostly eliminated, practically eliminating the maintenance of the tool.
The spring loaded roller or ball mechanism can be replaced by other mechanisms consisting of springs, which, supported on the wall of the opening provided in the movable portion, bias the flat bar, thus obliging the brake provided in the movable portion, or in case of its absence, the movable portion itself, to press against the flat bar, thus determining a placement of the movable portion with regard to the flat bar. In this manner, manual actuation by the user is also allowed in order to vary the placement of the movable portion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following figures are included to aid in understanding the invention:
Figure 1: Perspective view of a clamp carried out according to the object of the present invention. One of possible alternatives of the retaining device is shown in broken lines.
Figure 2: Perspective view of an enlargement of the area of the retaining device of Figure 1.
Figure 3: Upper view of the tool with a partial section in the area of the retaining device of Figures 1 and 2.
Figure 4: Figure 3 is shown, but with an alternative retaining device.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in more detail below, which should be understood in a broad and non-limiting sense.
Figure 1 shows a clamping screw formed by a fixed jaw (1), a flat bar (2) and a movable jaw (3) provided with a pressure element (4) on its end.
Figures 1 and 2 show the base of the movable jaw (3), which is traversed by the flat bar (2) through an opening (5), there being a small opening (6) perpendicular to the former (5) and arranged on the side of the flat bar (2) opposite to the pressure element (4) of the movable portion.
As shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3, a roller (7) is housed in the small opening (6) which is permanently biased against the flat bar (2) by means of a spring (8). In this manner, the flat bar (2) remains in contact with the movable jaw (3) and a toothed brake (9) arranged on the side of the flat bar (2) opposite to the roller (7), thus allowing for a placement of the movable jaw (3) with the flat bar (2).
Each adopted position can be easily changed manually if the movable jaw (3) is actuated by means of a slight rotation to overcome the force of the spring (8). This mechanism eliminates most of the wear, and therefore requires less tool maintenance.
Figure 4 shows an alternative to the mechanism described in Figures 1 to 3, in which the assembly roller-spring has been replaced by a spring (10), which, supported on the wall of an opening (16) carried out in the movable jaw (13), biases the flat bar (12), thus determining a placement of the movable jaw (13) with regard to the flat bar (12).

Claims

A retaining device for movable heads of pressure jacks, clamping screws, carpenter's clamps and the like, consisting of a straight flat bar (2, 12), a fixed jaw (1, 11) being perpendicularly joined to one of its ends, and along said flat bar (2, 12), a second movable jaw (3, 13) provided with a pressure element (4) on its free end is movable, characterized in that said retaining device consists in a spring (8, 10), which presses the flat bar (2, 12) by itself or through a roller (7) or a ball actuated by the spring, and which is housed in an opening (6, 16) carried out in the movable jaw (3, 13).
A retaining device for movable heads of pressure jacks, clamping screws, carpenter's clamps and the like, according to the previous claim, characterized in that each one of the bases of said roller (7) is coupled to a surface located on the outer portion of the movable jaw (3).