VEHICLE-GROUNDING CLAMP

• US 3,641,473 A
• Filed: 05/28/1970
• Issued: 02/08/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas J. Attaway
• Original Assignee: Thomas J. Attaway
• Inventors: Attaway, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Champion, Marvin A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US05/041,249
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 339/14,255,260,59,28,29 24/81.35 317/2
• US Class Current: 439/108
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 11/24 with gripping jaws, e.g. crocodile clip
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/64 Connections between or with conductive parts having primarily a non-electric function, e.g. frame, casing, rail
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/923 Separation or disconnection aid

Abstract

A grounding clamp is constructed of two arms pivotally interconnected intermediate the ends thereof with each arm having a handle end and a jaw end. The jaw ends of the arms are spring biased toward one another. The arms of the clamp are formed of a synthetic plastic having high electrical insulating characteristics. Replaceable metal jaw elements are secured to the jaw ends of the arms and the jaw elements include perpendicularly projecting spiked teeth. The teeth of each jaw element project toward the opposite jaw element, and the tips of the teeth of each jaw element lie in substantially parallel planes. An electrical lead extends to each jaw element with one of the leads grounded and the other lead in series circuit with a signal triggering device. When the clamp engages a portion of the vehicle to be grounded between the teeth, the vehicle is grounded and the triggering circuit completed through the vehicle. In an alternate embodiment, the teeth are formed by the pointed ends of mounting bolts which extend from the jaw ends of the arms through the jaw elements. A snap apart electrical connector is provided in an electrical lead cable which extends between an electrostatic drain and the clamp and the connector will open to prevent damage of the grounding clamp if the vehicle is moved without first removing the clamp.

Claims

1. A clamp for grounding flammable-liquid-transporting vehicles and dissipating any electrostatic charges carried by the vehicle, said clamp comprising a body, said body including two jaw portions, means for moving said portions relative to one another, means biasing the jaw portions toward one another, a jaw contact member for each jaw portion, the jaw portions including means for receiving its associated jaw contact member, each jaw portion being constructed of one piece molded synthetic plastic, electrical lead means, the electrical lead means extending from an electrostatic drain device to each jaw contact member whereby a series electrical circuit may be completed from each lead through the respective jaw contact member and through an electrically conducting portion of the vehicle body to drain any electrostatic charge carried by the vehicle during a flammablefluid-loading operation, wherein the body is formed of two arms, means pivotally interconnecting the arms intermediate the ends thereof, each arm including a handle portion adjacent one end thereof and on a common side of the means pivotally interconnecting the arms, the jaw portions being formed in each arm on the opposite side of the means pivotally interconnecting the arms, each arm being of one-piece molded synthetic plastic construction, wherein the means biasing the jaw portions toward one another includes a helical coil spring, the means pivotally interconnecting the arms includes a pin, the helical coil spring having convolutions which extend substantially concentrically about the pin, wherein each jaw contact member includes a baseplate and a plurality of spiked protuberances projecting therefrom, means mounting the jaw contact members in the means receiving the jaw contact members, the mounting means including a plurality of bolts, each of said bolts having a spiked tip, the bolts having their longitudinal axis in substantially perpendicular relationship to the base plate, the bolts extending from the jaw portions through the baseplate and outwardly therefrom, the portion of each bolt extending outwardly from its respective baseplate forming the spiked protuberance, and the jaw contact members being formed of metal in a one-piece construction, whereby the spiked protuberances may readily engage an electrically conducting portion of the vehicle body.

2. A clamp constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein means forming a plurality of parallel spaced grooves across one of the handle portions in a direction transverse to the length thereof is provided, whereby the manual grasping of the handle portion is facilitated by the placement of the user'"'"''"'"'s fingers within selected grooves.

3. A clamp constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein the spiked protuberances in one jaw contact member extends along the longitudinal axis of the one contact member and the spiked protuberances of the other jaw contact member are spaced from the longitudinal axis of the other contact member, the spiked protuberances of the other contact member being grouped in pairs with each pair lying in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the other contact member base and an associated spiked protuberance of the one jaw contact member lying in the same transverse plane whereby at least three-point mechanical contact may be made between the respective jaw contact members over an electrically conductive curved surface of the vehicle.

4. A clamp constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein sHims are provided, said shims being spaced between the baseplate of each jaw contact member and the means receiving each jaw contact member, whereby the tips of the spiked protuberances of the respective jaw contact members may be positioned in substantially parallel relationship.

5. A clamp constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein means for adjustably varying the length of each spiked protuberance is provided, said adjustment means comprising shim washers, said shim washers being spaced between the heads of the bolts and the jaw portions to vary the effective length of each bolt.

6. A clamp constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein means is provided for automatically disconnecting the electrical lead means between the electrostatic drain device and the clamp if the vehicle is inadvertently moved while the clamp is still affixed to the vehicle, said automatic disconnecting means comprising a snap apart electrical connector, said electrical connector being positioned in the lead means intermediate the clamp and the electrostatic drain device.

7. A clamp constructed in accordance with claim 1 wherein coupling means is provided to mechanically interconnect each jaw contact member and the electrical lead means, the coupling means including means forming a bore in each jaw contact member, the electrical lead means including two electrical leads, an electrical lead extending into each bore, the coupling means further including means forming a transverse passageway in each jaw contact member, each of said passageways extending into its respective bore, each passageway including a setscrew, the setscrew bearing against the electrical lead seated within the bore.