Adjustable C-Clamp System

• US 20130140750A1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Published: 06/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allred & Associates, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Allred & Associates, Inc.
• Inventors: Allred, Jimmie B. III, Zielinski, Edmund, Kummer, Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,022,375 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 269/249
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/003 Combinations of clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/067 C-clamps B25B5/061, B25B5/082, B25B5/101, B25B5/125 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/101 C-clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/102 with at least one jaw sliding along a bar

Abstract

A c-shaped clamp tool system preferably includes slider arms, one or more slider arm supports, pads, one or more threaded rods, and turning knobs. The clamping system preferably includes multiple slider arms and slider arm supports of different lengths. In a preferred embodiment, the slider arms are made of unidirectional pultruded carbon fiber and the slider arm support is made of woven carbon fiber.

Claims

1. A c-clamp comprising:

a) a first slider arm support comprising at least two slots that extend through an entire width of the first slider arm support;

b) a first slider arm;

c) a second slider arm; and

d) at least one threaded rod;

wherein the first and second slider arms are retained by the slots in the first slider arm support and the threaded rod is adjustably attached to an end of the first slider arm such that the threaded rod is moved to tighten and loosen the clamp.

2. The c-clamp of claim 1, wherein the first slider arm support comprises two halves.

3. The c-clamp of claim 2, wherein the slider arm support halves are tightened together.

4. The c-clamp of claim 3, wherein the first and second slider arms are held fixed by the tightened slider arm support halves.

5. The c-clamp of claim 1, wherein the c-clamp further comprises:

a) a first sleeve at an end of the first arm having an opening and a second sleeve at the end of the second arm;

b) a first threaded rod extending towards the second sleeve through the opening in the first sleeve;

c) a first pad at an end of the first threaded rod facing the second sleeve; and

d) a second pad located on a side of the second sleeve facing the first threaded rod.

6. The c-clamp of claim 5, further comprising a turning mechanism at an end of the first threaded rod opposite the first pad.

7. The c-clamp of claim 5, further comprising a second threaded rod extending towards the first sleeve through an opening in the second sleeve.

8. The c-clamp of claim 5, further comprising a threaded insert in at least one of the first sleeve or the second sleeve.

9. The c-clamp of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first slider arm support, first slider arm, or second slider arm comprise carbon fiber.

10. The c-clamp of claim 1, wherein the first slider arm support comprises woven carbon fiber.

11. The c-clamp of claim 10, wherein the first slider arm support further comprises a material core that is not made of carbon fiber.

12. The c-clamp of claim 11, wherein the material core is selected from the group consisting of steel;

aluminum; and

titanium.

13. The c-clamp of claim 1, wherein the first slider arm, the second slider arm, or both the first slider arm and the second slider arm comprise a material selected from the group consisting of uni-directional carbon fiber and pultruded carbon fiber.

14. The c-clamp of claim 13, wherein the first slider arm, the second slider arm, or both the first slider arm and the second slider arm comprise a material core that is not made of carbon fiber.

15. The c-clamp of claim 14, wherein the material core is selected from the group consisting of steel;

aluminum; and

titanium.

16. The c-clamp of claim 1, further comprising a second slider arm support, wherein the slots in the second slider arm support are in line with the slots in the first slider arm support.

17. The c-clamp of claim 1, wherein the first slider arm support has greater than two slots.

18. The c-clamp of claim 1, further comprising at least one vertical clamp support attached to either the first or second slider arms.

19. A c-clamp system comprising:

a) a first slider arm support having a first slider arm support length and comprising at least two slots that extend through an entire width of the first slider arm support;

b) a second slider arm support having a second slider arm length different from the first slider arm support length and comprising at least two slots that extend through an entire width of the second slider arm support;

c) a first slider arm having a first slider arm length;

d) a second slider arm having the first slider arm length;

e) a third slider arm having a second slider arm length different than the first slider arm length; and

f) a fourth slider arm with the second slider arm length;

wherein either the first and second slider arms or the third and fourth slider arms are retained by the slots in either the first slider arm support or the second slider arm support.

20. The c-clamp system of claim 19, further comprising:

g) a first threaded rod having a first threaded rod length; and

h) a second threaded rod having a second threaded rod length different from the first threaded rod length;

wherein either the first threaded rod or the second threaded rod is adjustably attached to an end of the first slider arm or the third slider arm such that the first threaded rod or the second threaded rod is moved to tighten and loosen the c-clamp.