2970results about "Clamps" patented technology

Apparatus for gripping tubular members including self aligning gripping jaws with high coefficient of friction for resisting force applied to the elongated member to prevent rotation either clockwise or counterclockwise. Linear cams and cam rollers actuated by a fluid cylinder bring the gripping jaws to an elongated member, applying predetermined gripping force and retract the jaws for removal of the elongated member.

A clamp device is disclosed having a first member having a handle portion and a jaw portion. A second member has a handle portion and a jaw portion. The handle portion and jaw portion of the second member define a notch extending from an inner surface of the handle portion of the second member at least partially into the jaw portion of the second member, the second member being formed as a single piece. A pivot is pivotally coupling the first member and the second member intermediate their respective handle portion and jaw portion for opposed pivotal motion. An arcuate clamp bar has a first end coupled to the first member and a second end, an arc of the arcuate clamp bar being concentric with the pivot. A brake lever has an end pivotally coupled to the second member at the notch. The end contacts the jaw portion of the second member. The brake lever has an aperture with the arcuate clamp bar extending therethrough. The brake lever is movable laterally between a frictionally engaged position, frictionally engaging the arcuate clamp bar and a disengaged position.

A one-piece barrel assembly cart includes a right assembly cart base connected with a left assembly cart base and at least three stabilizer rings that are attached to the assembly cart base. The one-piece barrel assembly cart may be used to stabilize a tapered cured composite barrel, for example the large fuselage barrel of the aft section of a large new generation aircraft, such as a 7E7 Boeing airplane. A modular assembly cart includes at least two identical modules. Each of these modules includes a cart base and a stabilizer ring. The diameter of the inner surface of the stabilizer ring may vary as needed. Other modules including a fuselage support may be added. By providing modular assembly carts any shape and size of a one-piece composite barrel may be stabilized after curing of the composite material.

A magnetic clamp (20) for welding a magnetic object (504), includes a first magnetic member (22) and a second magnetic member (24). A hinge (26) connects magnetic members (22) and (24) so that an angle formed by magnetic members (22) and (24) may be changed. A spring loaded terminal (500) having a contact end (502) is disposed between first magnetic member (22) and second magnetic member (24). Magnetic clamp (20) may be attached to magnetic object (504) so that first magnetic member (22), second magnetic member (24), and contact end (502) all abut magnetic object (504). In a preferred embodiment, a removal tab (36) is connected to magnetic clamp (20) to assist in removing magnetic clamp (20) from magnetic object (504).

One embodiment of the present invention is directed to a clamping device with an attached arm in which the act of opening the clamp makes the arm flexible and the act of closing the clamp makes the arm rigid. By operating in this manner, the present invention may allow a worker to position the arm (while flexible) in any number of different and easily attainable positions while also allowing the worker to secure a workpiece and immobilize the arm in a single step. In another embodiment of the present invention the arm can be made flexible independently of opening the clamp.

A one-piece barrel assembly cart includes a right assembly cart base connected with a left assembly cart base and at least three stabilizer rings that are attached to the assembly cart base. The one-piece barrel assembly cart may be used to stabilize a tapered cured composite barrel, for example the large fuselage barrel of the aft section of a large new generation aircraft, such as a 7E7 Boeing airplane. A modular assembly cart includes at least two identical modules. Each of these modules includes a cart base and a stabilizer ring. The diameter of the inner surface of the stabilizer ring may vary as needed. Other modules including a fuselage support may be added. By providing modular assembly carts any shape and size of a one-piece composite barrel may be stabilized after curing of the composite material.

A gripper is disclosed for gripping a tubular, e.g. to facilitate rotation of the tubular, the gripper including a body, the body having conformable material having an initial body shape, and the conformable material able to change the initial body shape upon contacting a tubular with the body, the tubular having a tubular shape, the conformable material able to conform to the tubular shape of the tubular to facilitate gripping of the tubular with the gripper. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).

A drive device comprising a closed hydraulic circuit which has a hydraulic drive adapted to be actuated by hydraulic medium and has a hydraulic pump responsible for the supply and removal of the hydraulic medium to and from the hydraulic drive. For the operation of the hydraulic pump an electric motor is provided. The activation of the hydraulic drive is controlled by the operational state of the hydraulic pump.

A method and apparatus for performing an assembly operation. A tool may be macro-positioned relative to an exterior of a fuselage assembly. The tool may be micro-positioned relative to a particular location on the exterior of the fuselage assembly. An assembly operation may be performed at the particular location on the panel using the tool.

A clamping fixture comprises a chuck (1) and a workpiece pallet (22) releasably located thereon. The chuck (1) is provided with a clamping mechanism for locating the workpiece pallet (22). The clamping mechanism comprises a plurality of clamping members configured as plungers (10). The workpiece pallet (22) comprises a clamping surface (28a) running essentially along its shell surface (26) for surface contacting the plungers (10) by its front part (12) provided with a compression surface (13) during clamping.

The invention relates to a load-lifting device for handling items, comprising two spaced-apart, mutually opposite gripper arms which are equipped on the mutually facing sides with flexibly inflatable gas chambers that can be filled and emptied and between which the item is held when the gas chambers are in the inflated state. In order to be able to quickly, reliably and securely grip items, including cartons and loads with irregular contours or nonplanar gripping faces and / or those with significantly different dimensions, the gas chambers are constructed as collapsible cushions or bellows whose inflated thickness, measured in the direction of action, corresponds in each case to a multiple of the thickness of the bellows or cushions in the deflated state.

The present invention is directed to apparatus and methods for clamping around a manufacturing tool engaging a work piece. In one embodiment, a clamp includes a moveable support arranged to at least partially surround a circumference defining a work area. A friction reducing element is attached to the support to apply pressure to the surface when the clamp is engaged with the work piece, and to allow the clamp to be moved with the manufacturing tool. In accordance with other aspects of the invention, the clamp co-annularly or partially surrounds the manufacturing tool. In another embodiment, the manufacturing tool is a friction stir welding tool.

A biasing device that returns to a rest position when the biasing device is subjected to one of a first compression by a first object and a first tension by a second object in which the first tension causes a second compression of a third object, in which the first compression causes a second tension of the third object, in which elongation of the rod assembly simultaneously occurs with the first tension and the second compression, and in which elongation of the rod assembly simultaneously occurs with the second tension and the first compression.

A quick-action bar clamp comprises a body, a slide bar, clamp mechanism, a drive assembly and a pawl assembly. The slide bar has a series of teeth along one edge and is movably mounted in the body. The clamp mechanism includes a stationary jaw mounted on the body and a movable jaw opposing the stationary jaw connected to one end of the slide bar. The drive assembly includes a trigger, a drive lever and a spring. A push pin mounted in the trigger presses the drive lever and moves the slide bar when the trigger is squeezed. The pawl assembly includes a pawl, a release tab, a biasing element and a plastic tag. The pawl engages the teeth on the slide bar to positively hold the slide bar in position when the trigger is released.

An insert for use in a gripping assembly is disclosed. The insert includes a base member having a plurality of gripping teeth. The teeth are arranged in at least two substantially adjacent rows, where at least one row of teeth is offset or staggered longitudinally from an immediately adjacent row of teeth. When the teeth engage a cylindrical member, a resistance profile is created that is substantially continuous and does not oscillate over a length of the insert approaching 100% of the length of the entire insert.

This is a system / method of clamping or securing or connecting one or more objects together in a wide variety of ways with the main means being a specifically designed bar and mated slot combination. While the main embodiment is the "Handy Table" project, there are many other ramifications of this invention. The bar and slot design can be altered to perform many other tasks where some way of attaching one or more objects to another need be accomplished. The main embodiment is, in my estimation, the most advanced type of work or project surface. The combination of a tri-sectional work surface, adjustable in a variety of ways, in size, in tilting, in multi-angle clamping capability, in precision height adjustment, and in the ability to transport the object being worked on easily, plus the addition of accessaries that enhance the overall capabilities of the "Handy Table", make it useable by many different professions and by the average project worker, be it man or woman, young or old.

A pole clamp has two legs wherebetween poles of different diameters may be positioned. One of the legs is configured to grip one side surface of the pole. The other leg of the clamp member has a channel through which a threaded shaft is movable along a longitudinal axis toward the one leg. Also formed in the other leg is a bore orthogonally to the channel. A guide that may be in the form of a half nut is movable within the bore, with the threaded surface of the half nut being in a threaded relationship with the threads of the shaft, when the guide is in a first position, so that the shaft is movable along the axis when it is turned. The guide is movable to a second position to disengage its threaded surface from the shaft. When thus disengaged, the shaft is movable bidirectionally along the axis by simple push and pull movements. A second embodiment of the pole clamp utilizes a yoke slider guide having two arms with a narrow gap and a wider gap between the two arms.

A reconfigurable fixture device system, including: a base member; a reconfigurable pad disposed on the base member, wherein the reconfigurable pad comprises a shape memory material configured to selectively conform to a surface contour of a workpiece; an activation device in operative communication with the shape memory material; a controller in operable communication with at least one of the reconfigurable pad, the activation device, and the base member; a plurality of sensors for sensing a parameter associated with at least one of the reconfigurable pad, the base member, the fixture device, and the workpiece, wherein the plurality of sensors is in operable communication with the controller; and an actuator in operable communication with the controller and the at least one of the reconfigurable pad, the base member, the fixture device, and the workpiece.

A bar clamp including a first bar member and a second bar member with the second bar member telescoping out from the first bar member. A securing mechanism, such as a pin in the first member, releasably secures the members together at a preferred telescoping position. The second bar member has a jaw member that can be advanced or retracted by means of a linear actuator and the first bar member has a jaw member that can be adjusted by positioning the cam-action locking mechanism in one of the notches disposed along the length of the first bar member. As a result of the telescoping relationship of the bar members, workpieces of varying sizes may be clamped between the jaw members without the need of multiple bar clamps of varying lengths.