Clamp
First Claim
1. A clamp comprising first and second handle assemblies, each handle assembly having a jaw, a hand grip and a intermediate portion, said handle assemblies being pivotally mounted to each other at their intermediate portion for movement between and open position and a predetermined closed position, means for biasing the hand grips and jaws to said open position, locking means to lock said jaws in said predetermined closed position, said locking means comprises a rack mounted on one of said hand grips and pawl mounted on the other hand grip, said pawl and said rack having teeth adapted to mesh with each other to hold the jaws in said predetermined closed position means to release said pawl teeth from rack teeth to permit the jaws and hand grips to move to an open position, means are provided to move said pawl toward said rack to cause the pawl teeth and the rack teeth to mesh with each other, said release means comprised means from moving the pawl away from said rack, a trigger assembly is pivotally mounted on said other grip and said pawl is connected to said trigger assembly, said trigger assembly is pivotally connected to said pawl.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A clamp having first and second handle assemblies with each handle assembly having a jaw, a hand grip and an intermediate portion. The handle assemblies are pivotally mounted to each other at their intermediate portions for movement between an open position and a predetermined closed position. A spring is provided for biasing the hand grips and jaws to an open position. A locking mechanism is provided to lock the jaws in the predetermined closed position. The locking mechanism comprises a rack mounted on one of the hand grips and a pawl mounted on the other hand grip, each of which have teeth adapted to mesh with each other to hold the jaws in the predetermined closed position. Mechanism is also provided to release the pawl teeth from the rack teeth to permit the jaws and hand grips to move to an open position.
92 Citations
10 Claims
- 1. A clamp comprising first and second handle assemblies, each handle assembly having a jaw, a hand grip and a intermediate portion, said handle assemblies being pivotally mounted to each other at their intermediate portion for movement between and open position and a predetermined closed position, means for biasing the hand grips and jaws to said open position, locking means to lock said jaws in said predetermined closed position, said locking means comprises a rack mounted on one of said hand grips and pawl mounted on the other hand grip, said pawl and said rack having teeth adapted to mesh with each other to hold the jaws in said predetermined closed position means to release said pawl teeth from rack teeth to permit the jaws and hand grips to move to an open position, means are provided to move said pawl toward said rack to cause the pawl teeth and the rack teeth to mesh with each other, said release means comprised means from moving the pawl away from said rack, a trigger assembly is pivotally mounted on said other grip and said pawl is connected to said trigger assembly, said trigger assembly is pivotally connected to said pawl.
Specification