Laser beam guard clamps

• US 7,798,459 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security LLC (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Dickson, Richard K.
• Primary Examiner(s): BAXTER, GWENDOLYN WRENN
• Application Number:
  US11/809,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20080296822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 248/316.1, 248/316.4, 248/316.8, 248/316.3, 269/254, 269/254.CS, 269/256, 269/269, 269/43, 269/136, 269/282, D32/62, 243/39
• US Class Current: 248/316.3
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 11/00 Work holders not covered by any preceding group in the subclass, e.g. magnetic work holders, vacuum work holders for holding or positioning work for welding, soldering, or cutting by applying heat locally B23K37/04; specially adapted to machine tools B23Q3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/06 Arrangements for positively actuating jaws
• CPC Class Codes: B25B 5/166 Slideways; Guiding and/or blocking means for jaws thereon

Abstract

A quick insert and release laser beam guard panel clamping apparatus having a base plate mountable on an optical table, a first jaw affixed to the base plate, and a spring-loaded second jaw slidably carried by the base plate to exert a clamping force. The first and second jaws each having a face acutely angled relative to the other face to form a V-shaped, open channel mouth, which enables wedge-action jaw separation by and subsequent clamping of a laser beam guard panel inserted through the open channel mouth. Preferably, the clamping apparatus also includes a support structure having an open slot aperture which is positioned over and parallel with the open channel mouth.

Claims

1. A clamping device comprising:

a base plate;

first and second jaws mounted on the base plate with at least one of said jaws being slidably displaceable relative to the other;

means for resiliently biasing the slidably displaceable jaw(s) towards the other jaw for exerting a clamping force therebetween,

said first and second jaws each having a face acutely angled relative to the other face to form a V-shaped, open channel mouth for enabling wedge-action jaw separation by and subsequent clamping of a panel inserted through the open channel mouth, and

means mounted on the base plate for providing an open slot aperture over and parallel with the open channel mouth with said open slot aperture defined between a first slot edge and a second slot edge.

2. The clamping device as in claim 1,

wherein the first jaw is fixedly mounted on the base plate, and the second jaw is slidably carried by the base plate and resiliently biased by the resiliently biasing means towards the first jaw for exerting the clamping force therebetween, and the first slot edge is aligned with a clamping surface of the fixedly mounted first jaw.

3. The clamping device as in claim 1,

wherein the means for resiliently biasing the slidably displaceable jaw(s) includes, for each slidably displaceable jaw, at least one spring having one end fixed with respect to the base plate, and the other end in contact with the slidably displaceable jaw.

4. The clamping device as in claim 1,

further comprising means for mounting the base plate to a work surface.

5. A quick insert and release laser beam guard panel clamping apparatus comprising:

a base plate having means for mounting to an optical table;

a first jaw fixedly mounted on the base plate;

a spring-loaded second jaw slidably carried by the base plate and resiliently biased towards the first jaw for exerting a clamping force therebetween;

said first and second jaws each having a face acutely angled relative to the other face to form a V-shaped, open channel mouth for enabling wedge-action jaw separation by and subsequent clamping of a laser beam guard panel inserted through the open channel mouth; and

means mounted on the base plate for providing an open slot aperture over and parallel with the open channel mouth with said open slot aperture defined between a first slot edge and a second slot edge.