Laterally adjustable clamp

• US 6,732,982 B1
• Filed: 04/09/2003
• Issued: 05/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Messinger, Stanley
• Primary Examiner(s): KING, ANITA M
• Application Number:
  US10/410,797
• Time in Patent Office: 398 Days
• Field of Search: 248/74.1, 248/49, 248/55, 248/65, 248/70, 248/73, 248/74.4, 248/74.5, 24/20.R, 24/16.PB, 174/92
• US Class Current: 248/74.1
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/1233 the member being of metal, with or without an other layer of other material
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/035 in the form of specially adapted hangers or supports
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1498 Plastic band

Abstract

A clamp that is laterally positionable with respect to a fastener includes a clamp body including a pair of opposable legs. Each of the legs includes an elongated hole adapted to movably engage the fastener. One of the legs includes a locking surface. A locking washer is engageable with the locking surface of the clamp body leg. The locking washer includes a hole that is adapted to fixedly engage the fastener. When engaged with the fastener, the locking washer fixes the lateral position of the clamp body with respect to the fastener.

Claims

1. A clamp, which comprises:

a clamp body including a pair of opposable legs, one of said legs including a locking plate, each of said legs and said locking plate including an elongated hole adapted to movably engage a fastener, said elongated hole having a length and a width, said locking plate including a plurality of locking members spaced apart along the length of said elongated hole; and

,

a locking washer lockingly engageable with said locking plate, said locking washer having a hole adapted to fixedly engage said fastener, said locking washer including at least one locking member matingly engageable with locking members of said locking plate, thereby locking said clamp body to said fastener at one of a plurality of fixed positions along said elongated hole.

2. The clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locking plate is affixed to said one of said legs.

3. The clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said hole of said locking washer is substantially circular.

4. The clamp as claimed in claim 3, wherein said width of said elongated hole is substantially equal to the diameter of said hole of said locking washer.

5. The clamp as claimed in claim 1, including a clamp cushion affixed to a portion of said clamp body.

6. The clamp as claimed in claim 5, wherein said clamp cushion is elastomeric.

7. The clamp as claimed in claim 1, including means for locking together said legs.

8. The clamp as claimed in claim 7, wherein said means for locking together said legs comprises a tab on one of said legs engageable with a hole on the other of said legs.

9. The clamp as claimed in claim 1, wherein said locking members of said locking plate are defined by a serrated surface.

10. The clamp as claimed in claim 9, wherein said locking washer includes a serrated surface engageable with the serrated surface of the locking plate.

11. A clamp, which comprises:

a clamp body including a pair of opposable legs, each of said legs including an elongated hole having a length and a width adapted to movably engage a fastener along said length of said elongated hole, one of said legs including a locking surface including a plurality of locking members extending along said length of said elongated hole; and

,

a locking washer including a locking member engageable with said at least one of said locking members of said locking surface of said one of said legs of said clamp body, said locking washer having a hole adapted to fixedly engage a said fastener, thereby locking said clamp body to said fastener at one of a plurality of fixed position along said elongated hole.

12. The clamp as claimed in claim 11, wherein said hole of said locking washer is substantially circular.

13. The clamp as claimed in claim 12, wherein said elongated holes of said legs have a length and a width, said width being substantially equal to the diameter of said hole of said locking washer.

14. The clamp as claimed in claim 11, including a clamp cushion affixed to a portion of said clamp body.

15. The clamp as claimed in claim 14, wherein said clamp cushion is elastomeric.

16. The clamp as claimed in claim 11, including means for locking together said legs.

17. The clamp as claimed in claim 16, wherein said means for locking together said legs comprises a tab on one of said legs engageable with a hole on the other of said legs.

18. The clamp as claimed in claim 11, where said locking surface is defined by a locking plate affixed to said one of said legs.

19. The clamp as claimed in claim 11, wherein said locking members of said locking surface are defined by a serrated surface and said locking member of said locking washer is defined by a serrated surface engageable with said serrated surface of said locking surface.

20. A clamping system, which comprises:

a fastener;

a clamp body, said clamp body including a pair of opposable legs, each of said legs including an elongated hole having a length and a width, said legs being adapted to movably engage said fastener along the length of said elongated hole, one of said legs including a locking surface including a plurality of laterally spaced apart locking members extending along the length of said elongated hole; and

,

a locking washer including at least one locking member engageable with said at least one of said locking members of said locking surface, said locking washer having a hole adapted to fixedly engage said fastener, thereby fixing said clamp body laterally at one of a plurality of fixed positions with respect to said fastener.

21. The clamping system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said fastener includes a bolt.

22. The clamping system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said fastener includes a stud.

23. The clamping system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said fastener includes a substantially circular portion and said hole of said locking washer is substantially circular having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the circular portion of said fastener.

24. The clamping system as claimed in claim 23, wherein said elongated holes of said legs have a length and a width, said width being substantially equal to the diameter of said hole of said locking washer.

25. The clamping system as claimed in claims 20, including a clamp cushion affixed to a portion of said clamp body.

26. The clamping system as claimed in claim 25, wherein said clamp cushion is elastomeric.

27. The clamping system as claimed in claim 20, including means for locking together said legs.

28. The clamping system as claimed in claim 27, wherein said means for locking together said legs comprises a tab on one of said legs engageable with a hole on the other of said legs.

29. The clamping system as claimed in claim 20, wherein said locking surface is defined by a locking plate affixed to said one of said legs.

30. The clamping surface as claimed in claim 20, wherein said locking members of said locking surface include a plurality of serrations on said locking surface and said locking member of said locking washer includes at least one serration engageable with a serration of said locking surface.