FLANGED MATERIAL AND STANDING SEAM CLAMP

• US 20170248161A1
• Filed: 03/13/2017
• Published: 08/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gregory A. Header
• Original Assignee: Gregory A. Header
• Inventors: Header, Gregory A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,641,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/00 Special arrangements or devices in connection with roof coverings; Protection against birds; Roof drainage ; Sky-lights ventilation tiles E04D1/30; ventilation slabs E04D3/40; internal channels E04F17/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/10 Snow traps ; Removing snow from roofs; Snow melters
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 13/12 Devices or arrangements allowing walking on the roof or in the gutter
• CPC Class Codes: E04D 3/30 of metal
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/065 using screw-thread elements F16B2/08 - F16B2/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F24S 25/615 for fixing to protruding parts of buildings, e.g. to corrugations or to standing seams
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 20/23 specially adapted for roof structures
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/10 Photovoltaic [PV]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 10/20 Solar thermal
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/47 Mountings or tracking
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7067 Threaded actuator

Abstract

A clamping assembly for attaching loads to various kinds of flanged seams, the assembly comprising a generally U-shaped clamp body, at least one clamping hammer disposed interior of the clamp body, the clamping hammer is secured to the clamp body along the longitudinal axis of the clamp body, at least one adjustment screw extending through the clamp body and adapted to selectively impinge against the clamping hammer and cause it to pivot about its axis or otherwise move inwardly within the clamp body, the adjustment screw extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the clamping hammer, at least one locking screw adapted to selectively impinge against the clamping hammer to prevent pivoting of the same may be optionally provided whereby a standing seam received within the clamp body may be tightly grasped between the clamp body and the clamping hammer under action of the adjustment screw.

Claims

1. A clamping assembly comprising:

a) a generally U-shaped clamp body having an interior region for receiving a structure to be clamped;

b) at least one clamping hammer disposed within the interior region of the clamp body, the clamping hammer is hingedly secured to the clamp body along the longitudinal axis thereof; and

c) at least one adjustment screw extending through the clamp body and adapted to selectively impinge against the clamping hammer so as to cause it to pivot about its longitudinal axis, the adjustment screw extending transverse to the longitudinal axis of the clamping hammer, whereby a structure to be clamped that is received within the clamp body may be tightly clamped by the clamping hammer under action of the at least one adjustment screw.

2. A clamping assembly as in claim 1 wherein the clamp body comprises a top wall and a pair of side walls, the side walls aligned as mirror images and the top wall and side walls having interior and exterior surfaces respectively.

3. A clamping assembly as in claim 2 and further comprising a second clamping hammer, the at least one clamping hammer and the second clamping hammer are aligned as mirror images and disposed within the interior region of the clamp body.

4. A clamping assembly as in claim 3 wherein each of the at least one adjustment screw and the second adjustment screw extends through a separate one of the pair of side walls and are aligned along a common longitudinal axis.

5. A clamping assembly as in claim 3 and further comprising:

a) at least one cylindrical recess, the at least one cylindrical recess extends into the interior surface of the top wall and is adjacent one of the side walls and extends along the longitudinal axis of the clamp body; and

b) the at least one clamping hammer having at one end thereof a cylindrical hinge member that is received within the at least one cylindrical recess such that the at least one clamping hammer is hingedly movable between the side walls.

6. A clamping assembly as in claim 5 and further comprising:

a) a second cylindrical recess, the second cylindrical recess extends into the interior surface of the top wall, is adjacent one of the side walls and extends along the longitudinal axis of the clamp body; and

b) the second clamping hammer having at one end thereof a cylindrical hinge member that is received within the second cylindrical recess so that the second clamping hammer is hingedly movable between the side walls to clamp a standing seam or other structure therebetween.

7. A clamping assembly as in claim 6 and further comprising a second locking screw, the second locking screw extends through one of the side walls and is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the second clamping hammer such that the second locking screw is adapted to selectively impinge upon the cylindrical hinge member of the second clamping hammer and prevent pivoting of the same.

8. A clamping assembly as in claim 5 wherein the at least one locking screw extends through one of the side walls and is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the at least one clamping hammer such that the screw is adapted to selectively impinge upon the cylindrical hinge member and prevent pivoting of the same.

9. A clamping assembly as in claim 3 wherein the at least one clamping hammer and the second clamping hammer are generally L-shaped in cross-section.

10. A clamping assembly as in claim 3 wherein the at least one clamping hammer and the second clamping hammer are shaped to accommodate therebetween the head portion of a standing seam to be clamped.

11. A clamping assembly as in claim 3 and further comprising an elastomeric material, the elastomeric materials is secured to one of the at least one clamping hammer and second clamping hammer.

12. A clamping assembly as in claim 2 and further comprising a second adjustment screw, the at least one adjustment screw and the second adjustment screw extend through one of the pair of side walls and into the interior region of the clamp body.

13. A clamping assembly as in claim 2 and further comprising a threaded aperture, the threaded aperture extends into the exterior surface of at least one of the clamp body top wall and side walls.

14. A clamping assembly comprising:

a) a one-piece clamp body, the clamp body has a top wall, a pair of side walls and an interior region therebetween;

b) a pair of clamping jaws, the clamping jaws are disposed within the interior region and each jaw of the pair of clamping jaws is hingedly secured to the clamp body and adjacent a separate one of the pair of side walls to restrict pivoting to within the interior region; and

c) at least first and second adjustment screws, the first adjustment screw extends through one wall of the pair of side walls to selectively engage against one of the clamping jaws and cause pivoting of the same toward the opposite of the pair of clamping jaws, the second adjustment screw extends through a separate wall of the pair of side walls to selectively engage against a separate one of the clamping jaws and cause pivoting of the same toward the opposite of the pair of clamping jaws, the first and second adjustment screws are transverse to the longitudinal axis of the clamp body, whereby a structure to be clamped that is received within the interior region may be clamped between the pair of locking jaws under action of the first and second adjustment screw.

15. A clamping assembly as in claim 14, further comprising d) at least first and second locking screws, each one of the first and second locking screws extends through a separate one of the pair of side walls to selectively impinge against one of the clamping jaws where it is hingedly secured to the clamp body and to prevent pivoting of the same whereby the structure to be clamped that is received within the interior region and clamped between the pair of locking jaws under action of the first and second adjustment screws is locked into place by the first and second locking screws.

16. A clamp assembly as in claim 15 and further comprising additional adjustment screws and locking screws.

17. A clamp assembly as in claim 14 and further comprising a threaded aperture, the threaded aperture extends into at least one of the top wall and the side walls.

18. A clamp assembly as in claim 14 wherein each jaw of the pair of clamping jaws is generally L-shaped in cross-section and aligned within the interior region of the clamp body as a mirror image of the other of the pair of clamping jaws.

19. A clamping assembly as in claim 14 wherein each jaw of the pair of clamping jaws is shaped to accommodate the head portion of a standing seam.

20. A clamping assembly as in claim 14 and wherein each clamping jaw of the pair of clamping jaws having at one end thereof a cylindrical hinge member adapted to pivotally engage a cylindrical recess extending within the clamp body and above the side wall to which it is adjacent.