Magnetically releasable clamp
First Claim
1. A clamp, comprisinga U-shaped member having a pair of legs, with at least one said leg having a cavity in the side of said leg facing the other said leg;
- anda clutch for receiving the legs of the U-shaped member and for restraining said at least one said leg, wherein the clutch includesa housing defining a pair of longitudinal channels for respectively receiving the legs of the U-shaped member and a chamber between the channels, with said chamber being open to at least one said channel;
a ball disposed for movement within the chamber;
a spring disposed at one end of the chamber for biasing the ball toward the other end of the chamber; and
guide means disposed at the other end of the chamber for guiding the ball toward said at least one said channel when the ball is biased toward the other end of the chamber; and
wherein, when the legs of the U-shaped member are inserted into said channels so that the cavity in said at least one said leg is adjacent the ball while the spring is biasing the ball toward the other end of the chamber, the guide means guide the ball into the cavity and into contact with a portion of said at least one said leg adjacent the cavity to thereby restrain the U-shaped member in the housing.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A clamp includes a U-shaped member having a pair of legs, with each leg having a cavity in the side of the leg facing the other leg; and a clutch for receiving and restraining the legs of the U-shaped member. Pads are attached to the insides of the legs for clamping an article between the legs to deter the theft of such article. The clutch includes a housing defining a pair of longitudinal channels for respectively receiving the legs of the U-shaped member and a chamber between the channels, with the chamber being open to the channels; two bails disposed for movement within the chamber; a highly magnetically attractive plunger disposed within and at one end of the chamber; and a spring for biasing the plunger to move into such contact with the balls as to force the balls against respective inclined surfaces disposed at the other end of the chamber for respectively guiding the balls toward different channels. When the legs of the U-shaped member are inserted into the channels so that the cavities are respectively adjacent the balls while the plunger is forcing the balls against the inclined surfaces, the inclined surfaces guide the balls respectively into the cavities and into contact with portions of the respective legs adjacent the respective cavities to thereby restrain the legs of the U-shaped member in the housing. To release the legs from the clutch, a magnet is placed adjacent the one end of the housing to magnetically attract the plunger and the balls toward the one end of the chamber and thereby release each ball from a locked position between the respective inclined surface and the portion of the leg that contacts the ball.
57 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A clamp, comprising
a U-shaped member having a pair of legs, with at least one said leg having a cavity in the side of said leg facing the other said leg; - and
a clutch for receiving the legs of the U-shaped member and for restraining said at least one said leg, wherein the clutch includes a housing defining a pair of longitudinal channels for respectively receiving the legs of the U-shaped member and a chamber between the channels, with said chamber being open to at least one said channel; a ball disposed for movement within the chamber; a spring disposed at one end of the chamber for biasing the ball toward the other end of the chamber; and guide means disposed at the other end of the chamber for guiding the ball toward said at least one said channel when the ball is biased toward the other end of the chamber; and wherein, when the legs of the U-shaped member are inserted into said channels so that the cavity in said at least one said leg is adjacent the ball while the spring is biasing the ball toward the other end of the chamber, the guide means guide the ball into the cavity and into contact with a portion of said at least one said leg adjacent the cavity to thereby restrain the U-shaped member in the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A clamp, comprising
a U-shaped member having a pair of legs, with each leg having a cavity in the side of said leg facing the other said leg; -
a clutch for receiving and restraining the legs of the U-shaped member, wherein the clutch includes a housing defining a pair of longitudinal channels for respectively receiving the legs of the U-shaped member and a chamber between the channels, with said chamber being open to the channels; two balls disposed for movement within the chamber; a spring disposed at one end of the chamber for biasing the balls toward the other end of the chamber; and guide means disposed at the other end of the chamber for guiding the respective balls toward different channels when the balls are biased toward the other end of the chamber; and wherein, when the legs of the U-shaped member are inserted into said channels so that the cavities are respectively adjacent the balls while the spring is biasing the balls toward the other end of the chamber, the guide means guide the balls respectively into said cavities and into contact with portions of the respective legs adjacent the respective cavities to thereby restrain both legs of the U-shaped member in the housing. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification