US2408560A - Plate clamp - Google Patents

Description

Oct. l, 1946..v w.'|.. KEEHN 2,408,560

' PLATE CLAMP Filed Jan. '7, 1944 2 sheets-sheet l v A .v Y 3 I x M a w A. 7 2. 2 7. 4 ,ezw

W. L. KEEHN Oct. l, 1946.

PLATE CLAMP Filed Jan. 7, 1944 2 Sheng-sheet 2 snventor Warner' L. Kee/m )g/M JM@ and actuated by a cam which also sure by the cam,

` the clamp along the line 3 3 Patented oct. 1, 1946 PLATE CLAMP Warner L. Keehn, Spokane, Wash. Application January 7, 1944, Serial No. 517,424

9 Claims.

This invention relates to a clamp and more particularly to a clamp by means of which plates disposed one upon another may be firmly held in close face to face engagement with each other While rivets are applied as permanent fasteners for the plates.

One object of the invention is to provide a clamp which is cam-actuated and by means of which plates may be very tightly pressed against each other during application of rivets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clamp including a shaft adapted to be passed through registering openings in the plates and carrying dogs for engaging the under face of one plate when the shaft is shifted upwardly byn a pressure applying cam.

vAnother object of theinvention is to so mount the dogs that they may be tilted to a retracted position while the shaft is being passed down wardly through the registering openings of the plates, the dogs being moved to retracted position by a rod passing longitudinally through the shaft shifts the shaft upwardly to a clamping'position.

Another object of the invention is to so mount the dogs that when the rod is relieved of presa spring may move the dogs to extended position'for engaging the under face of the lower or inner plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide the clamp with a base or support adapted to be adjusted to accommodate theA clamp to the thickness of the plates and also permitting a preliminary clamping action to be applied to the plates andthe cam then actuated for final clamping of the plates close against each other.

Another object of the invention is to provide a clamp of this character which is simple Yin construction and very easy to apply and operate.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improv-ed clamp showing the same in clamping engagement with plates.

Fig. 2 is a front view ofthe clamp.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken vertically7 through of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of the lower portion of the clamp. I

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken transversely through the lower portion of the clamp on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken through the upper portion of the clamp, on the line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Vto secure the plates vgroove I4 is provided vlowed to form a pocket 24 Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, with the ciarip in releasing position.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

This improved clamp is used to hold plates I and ment with each othery while rivets are applied together. The plates are formedA with registering openings 3 to receive a vshaft 4 `which constitutes an element of the clamp and is slidable longitudinally through the bore 5 of a support 6. This support has a threaded shank 1 carrying a nut or internally threaded sleeve 8 formed about its upper end with an outstanding flange 9 having its'edge face knurled so that it may be gripped and the sleeve turned and elfect adjustment of the sleeve and the support longitudinally of each other, as shown in Figs. 3 and 7. Bearing arms or posts It extend upwardly from the support 6 and between their upper ends extends a shaft I I serving asa mounting for a cam disc I2. The cam has a handle I3 by which it is turned and its peripheral edge face is formed with a groove I4 constituting an auxiliary cam surface which extends partially about the circumference of the disc and at one end is formed with a sloping shoulder l5. This to receive the upper end of a plunger rod I6 which is slidable longitudinally through the bore I1 of the shaft 4. A bracket I8 has a base formed with a threaded opening I9 to receive the threaded upper end of shaft 4. The arms 2Q of the bracket extend upwardly from its base at opposite sides thereof and upper ends ofthe arms 2i! are provided with cated by dotted 'lines in Fig. 7,'the shoulder I5 will act upon the upper end of the rod I 6 and depress the rod for a purpose to be set forth hereinafter. I.

The lower end portion of the shaft 4 is holhaving its lower end normally closed by a cap 25 formed with a threaded shank 26 which is screwed into the lower end of the pocket and, by referring to Figs. 3 and 4,

3 it will be seen that the shank is formed with a recess 21 constituting a seat for a 28. A sleeve or carrier 29 is slidably mounted within the pocket 24 and within the lower portion of the sleeve 29 is an inner sleeve 30 held in place by a set screw 3|. The upper end of the spring 28 is received in the cup-shaped inner sleeve or filler 30 and urges the sleeve 2% upwardly. The sleeve 29 is also cup-shaped and formed across its upper portion with a diametrically extending slot 32 at opposite sides of which the sleeve is formed with bearings 33 to receive a pin or shaft 36. The shaft 34 passes through the ears 35 and 36 of dogs 3'! and 38 to pivotally mount the dogs. These dogs project outwardly sides of the pocket and upon reference to Fig. 4, it will be seen that the upper ends or edges A of the openings are disposed diagonally at an upward incline toward their outer ends and lower ends of the openings extend at right angles to walls of the pocket. By this arrangement, the dogs may be tilted upwardly to retracted position and, since outer end edges 4| of the dogs are out diagonally, the dogs will be disposed entirely within the shaft and the shaft may be thrust downwardly through registering openings in the plates, or withdrawn therefrom. The ear 36 of dog 38 is substantially circular and has its lower p0rtion resting upon a hemispherical boss at the center of the inner sleeve 3B, as shown in Fig. 4, and its upper portion projecting into the enlarged lower end portion or throat t3 of the bore l1 and engaged by the tapered lower end Mi of the rod I5.

When this clamp is in use, the cam is turned to the position indicated by dotted lines in Figure 7, to move the shoulder l into engagement with the upper end of the rod i5 and rod downwardly to press against the fect retraction of the dogs by contact with lower ends of the slots 33 as the sleeve 29 is depressed and the spring 23 compressed. During turning of the cam, the shaft 4 is shifted downwardly through the bore 5 of the support is passed downwardly through registering openings in the plates. rhe cam disk is then turned in an opposite direction toward the position of Fig. 3 by swinging the handle i4 downwardly and, during this movement, the cam moves out of compressing engagement with the upper end of the rod and allows the dogs to be projected outwardly to the extended position by expansion of the spring 28, the cam then acting upon the roller 23 to shift the shaft 4 upwardly and move the dogs into abutting engagement` with the under face of the plate 2. Continued turning of the cam causes the plates to be tightly clamped against each other between the dogs and the lower end of the shank 'l of the support and its sleeve 8 and a rivet may then be passed through the plates and headed. Ifit is found that with the sleeve in the position of Fig. 3, sufhcient pressure is not applied to the plates, the sleeve may be turned downwardly toward the position of Fig. '7 so that it projects downwardly from the lower end of the support and the cam then turned to shift the shaft 4 upwardly and the support downwardly and strong clamping pressure will be applied to the plates. It will thus be seen that the clamp may accommodate itself to the thickness of the plates to be riveted together, and plates of various thicknesses clamped tightly against each other, while rivets are applied. After the rivets are applied, the handle helical spring.

6 and the shaft said arms with its is swung upwardly to turn the cam disc and shift the shaft downwardly and depress the rod to retract the dogs, the shaft being then drawn upwardly out of the registering openings of the plates. The clamp may then be transferred to' another set of registering openings and pressure applied to clamp the plates against each other while other rivets are passed through the plates and headed.

Having thus claimed is:

l. A plate clamp comprising a support, a sleeve threaded upon said support for resting upon plates to be riveted together about registering openings therein and shifting the support vertically to adjusted positions, bearing arms extending upwardly from said support, a shaft slidable longitudinally through said support between lower portion protruding downwardly from the support for passing through the openings inl the plates, said shaft being formed with a longitudinal bore and a pocket at the lower` end of the bore, a removable cap for the lower end of said pocket, there being side openings leading from the upper end of the pocket at an upward incline and formed with straight cut lower ends, a sleeve slidable vertically in said pocket and having its upper portion formed with a diametrically extending slot, dogs in said slot projecting outwardly through the side openings and having overlapping ears at their inner ends, a pin carried by said sleeve and passing through said ears to pivotally mount the dogs for tilting movement from extended position to an upwardly inclined retracted position, a bracket carried by the upper end of said shaft and extending upwardly therefrom, a roller carried by the upper end of said bracket and disposed over the shaft, a rod slidable longitudinally through the bore of said shaft with its lower end resting upon the ear of one dog and its upper portion protruding fromV the shaft, a circular disc eccentrically mounted between the bearing arms and constituting a cam having its upper portion engaging said roller and its lower portion engaging the upper end of the shaft and formed with a circumferentially extending groove receiving the upper end of said rod, and a handle disc to shift the rod longitudinally for extending and retracting the dogs and shifting the shaft longitudinally to move the dogs into and out of position for abutting engagement with the under face of the plates to clamp the plates together between the dogs and lower ends of the support and its sleeve.

2. A plate clamp comprising a support for resting against the upper face of plates to be secured together about registering openings formed through the plates, a shaft slidable longitudinally through said support for passing through the registering openings, the shaft being formed with a longitudinal bore and a pocket at the lower end of the bore, a carrier in said pocket yieldably held against downward movement therein, dogs pivoted to said carrier and projecting outwardly from the pocket through described the invention, what is openings in sides of the shaft, a rod slidable i longitudinally through said bore with its upper i stituting an auxiliary cam surface for engaging the uppei' end of the rod, a member carried by said shaft and engaging the upper portion of the cam, and means for turning the cam to shift the shaft longitudinally and move the auxiliary cam surface of the cam into and out of position to depress the rod and effect retraction of the dogs.

3. A plate clamp comprising a support for resting against the upper face of plates to be secured together about registering openings formed through the plates, a shaft slidable longitudinally through said support for passing through the registering openings, the shaft being formed with a longitudinal bore and a pocket at the lower end of the bore, a carrier in said pocket yieldably held against downward movement therein, dogs carried by the carrier and projecting outwardly from the shaft through side openings thereof when the carrier is in raised position, a cam pivotally carried by said support with a lower portion bearingY against the upper end of said shaft, a member carried by said shaft and having a portion extending upwardly therefrom and engaging the upper portion of said cam, means for moving the cam to shift the shaft longitudinally through the support and the openings of the plates, and a rod through the plates, a shaft slidable longitudinalfor depressing the carrierslidable longitudinally y through the bore of said shaft with its upper end protruding from the shaft,lsaid cam being provided with an auxiliary cam surface forv acting upon the upper end of said rod and depressing the rod to shift the carrier downwardly and effeet inward movement of the dogs by engagement of the dogs with lower ends of the side openings of the shaft.

, 4. A plate clamp comprising a support for resting against the upper face of plates to be secured together about registering openings formed through the plates, a shaft slidable longitudinally through said support for passing through the registering openings, the shaft being formed with a longitudinal bore and ay pocket at the lower end of the bore, a carrier in said pocket yieldably held against downward movement therein, clogs carried by the carrier and projecting outwardly from the shaft through side openings thereof when the carrier is in raised positiomthe dogs being shifted inwardly tolretracted position by engagement with lower edges of the slots when the carrieris moved downwardly, a rod for depressing the carrier slidable longitudinally through the bore of the shaft, a cam. rotatably mounted over said shaft and having surfaces for engagingA upper` ends of the shaft and the rod for shifting the same downwardly when the camv is turnedv in one direction, and a member carried by said shaft and engaged by the upper portion of the cam for shifting the shaft upwardly when the cam is turned in an opposite direction.

5. A plate clamp comprising a support for resting against the upper face of plates to be secured together about registering openings formed through the plates, a shaft slidable longitudinally through said support for passing through y the registering openings, the shaft being formed with a longitudinal bore and a pocket at the lower end of the bore, a carrier in saidpocket yieldably held against downward movement therein, dogs carried by the carrier and projecting outwardly from the shaft through side Yopenings thereof when the carrier is in raised position, the dogs being shifted inwardly to retracted position by engagement lwith lower edges of the slots when the carrier is moved downwardl a rod .for depressing ly through the support for passing through said openings, the lower portion of the shaft being formed with a pocket having side openings, dogs pivotally mounted in ,said pocket and normally projecting outwardly through the side openings to extended position, the dogs when shifted downwardly being tilted inwardly to retracted position by contact with lower ends of the openings, a rod carried by said shaft and shiftable downwardly to depress and tilt the dogs to retracted position, and a cam rotatably carried by said support and cooperating with'the shaft and the rod for shifting the shaft longitudinally to clamping and releasing positions and shifting the rod longitudinally to retract the dogs.

7.. A plate clamp comprising a support for resting against the upper face of plates to be secured together about registering openings formed through'the plates, a shaft slidable longitudinally through the support for passing through said openings, the lower portion of the shaft being formed with a pocket having side openings, dogs pivotally mounted in said pocket and normally projecting outwardly through the sidev openings to an extended position, a rod shiftable longitudinally of said shaft into and out of p0- sition for depressing the dogs and effecting retraction thereof, and common means for shifting the sliait longitudinally into vand out or' a clamping position and depressing the rod to effect retraction of the dogs.

8. A plate clamp comprising a support for resting against the upper face or' plates to be secured together about registering openings formed through the plates, a shaft slidable longitudinal- I ly through the support for passing through said lil() l ing against the upper face openings, the lower portion of the shaft being y formed with a pocket having side openings, dogs pivotally mounted in said pocket and normally projecting outwardly through the side openings to extended position, a rod shiftable longitudinally ofsaid shaft into and out of position for depressing the dogs yand effecting retraction thereof, a member for shifting said shaft longitudinaily into and out of clamping position, and said member being engageable with the rod for depressing the same and retracting the dogs when the shaftV is shifted to releasing position.

9. A plate clamp comprising a support for resttogether through the plates, a shaft slidable longitudinally through the support for passing throughsaid openings, the lower portion of the shaft being formed with a pocket having side openings, dogs adjacent the lower end of said shaft normally projecting laterally from the shaft and movable to retracted position, a cam for shifting the shaft longitudinally into and out of and a member actuated by said cam for effecting retraction of the dogs when the shaft is in releasing position.

WARNER L. KEEHN.

of plates to be secured 1 about registering openings formed clamping position,

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