WORKPIECE VICE HOLDING SYSTEM

PINCES-ETAU A POSITIONNEMENT VARIABLE

English Abstract

In this manually operable, free standing, workpiece vice holding system, two "C"clamp vices are arranged parallel to one another, each "C"clamp vice able to exert force (laterally) and hold independently, seperate pieces of a work object. These "C"clamp vices are connected together by guide rods (threaded and unthreaded) that move the two "C"clamp vices (and their captured pieces of a work object) together and apart as needed, along a longitudinal axis. The primary purpose of this manually operable, free standing work piece holding system is to be able to take this tool easily into a workplace environment and hold two workpieces firmly, and with each piece held independently, press them together in a controlled way, holding the two workpieces in a desired postion, thereby freeing both hands of the worker to enable a more perminent join to be excecuted.

French Abstract

Dans ce système de pinces-étaux à fonctionnement manuel, sans support, deux pinces-étaux en « C » sont disposées parallèlement l'une à l'autre, chaque pince-étau en « C » étant en mesure d'exercer une force (latéralement) et de tenir de manière indépendante des pièces séparées d'un objet de travail. Ces pinces-étaux en « C » sont reliées entre elles par des tiges de guidage (filetées et non filetées) qui déplacent les deux pinces-étaux en « C » (et les pièces d'un objet de travail qu'elles emprisonnent) ensemble et séparément au besoin, le long d'un axe longitudinal. L'objectif principal de ce système de pinces-étaux à fonctionnement manuel, sans support, consiste à pouvoir prendre cet outil facilement dans un environnement de travail et maintenir fermement deux pièces et, chaque pièce étant tenue indépendamment, les presser ensemble de manière contrôlée, en maintenant les deux pièces dans une position souhaitée, de manière à libérer les deux mains du travailleur afin de permettre l'exécution d'une jointure plus permanente.

Claims

CLAIMS
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege
is claimed are defined as
follows:
1 A manually operable, free standing, workpiece vice holding system comprised
of two C-clamp vices, one
moveable, one fixed, arranged parallel to one another and connected together
by a threaded positioning
rod that is threaded through the body of the moveable C-clamp vice and
connected with a washer and nut
to a matching point on the fixed C-clamp vice allowing it to turn freely, yet
hold this fixed C-clamp vice in
such a way that when the threaded positioning rod is manually operated, the
distance between the two C-
clamps vices can be decreased or increased allowing the two C-clamp vices,
each independently holding
seperate parts of a workpiece object, to be brought together in a controlled
way, whilst the stability of this
tool is enhanced with a tight fitting, unthreaded, guide rod that parallels
the threaded positioning rod and
also connects the two C-clamp vices by extending completely through matching
points on the bodies of
both C-clamps vices, the guide rod is capped at both ends preventing it from
becoming detached from the
C-clamps whilst allowing free movement of the moveable C-clamp along a
longitudinal axis yet preventing
one or the other C-clamp vices from rotating around the axis of the threaded
positioning rod when it is
operated and in a variety of sizes, this said workpiece vice holding system
meets a variety of workpiece
diameters, yet remains free standing so this tool can be moved easily in and
around a worksite environ-
ment.
-3-

Description

CA 02357769 2004-09-17
2,357,769
WORKPIECE VICE HOLDING SYSTEM
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a manually operable "C"clamp vice for holding
together two or
more parts of a workpiece.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A "C"clamp vice is known to be manually operable, freestanding and adaptable
to many
workplace environments. It is common to use a "C"clamp vice to hold parts of a
workpiece
together. For this purpose, a typical "C"clamp vice is very much like one open
hand pressing a
part of a workpiece against another part of a workpiece with another open
hand. Tools of this
type are however, limited in that the force used to hold the workpiece(s)
together and the force
used to simply hold the pieces) are the same force. This can prove awkward
when a vice is
required to operate in it's widest configuration, in that the force that is at
work holding the
workpieces together tends to exert an eccentric force bending the workpieces
apart and
preventing a controlled and strong bond. Similarly, a problem can arise when
attempting to hold
two workpieces together at a desired angle, or when a workpiece must be joined
at an angle
other than 90 degrees and the force used to press the two workpieces together
simply forces the
pieces out of the desired angle as they are pressed together. Another problem
can arise because,
unless the workpiece shapes permit, vices often have to be quite large to span
both parts of the
entire workpiece object.
Finally, as a result of the aforementioned shortcomings, it is common for a
worker operating
a"C"clamp vice to assist the vice by holding one or both of the workpieces,
thus leaving only one
hand free to perform the task for which the workpieces are in the "C"clamp
vice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
I have found these disadvantages may be overcome by creating a vice which has
an enhanced
ability to hold the separate pieces of a work object firmly while pressing
them together. This is
achieved in the following manner. One of the two workpieces to be joined
together, is placed in
one of the two "C"clamp vices. This "C"clamp is closed exerting a force along
a lateral axis of
the workpiece object, thereby holding it firmly. 'The second "C"clamp vice
parallel to this one is
made to do the same thing to the other piece of the work object. Thus, both
pieces of the work
object are held independently and firmly. This gives more control over
connecting the two
workpieces than when using a conventional "C"clamp, as well, this arrangement
also allows
more flexibility as to the types of workpieces being joined. The two "C"clamp
vices can now be
wound together along a longitudinal axis in order to press the two pieces
together. Thus, this
arrangement works in very much the same way as one's hands, each independently
gripping a
piece of the work object, can be brought together by one's arms in order to
press separate pieces
of a work object firmly together in a controlled way.
In that this invention is freestanding and doesn't have to be mounted to a
table to work, it can
easily be used in and around many different types of work enironments.
Moreover, this tool is
ideally suited for a work environment in which adding like parts together or
adding parts to an
existing system is the objective. These types of operations are made easier
because using this tool
to temporarily join two parts together allows the worker to use both hands to
excecute a
permanent connection.
WEX/C/04desciip4 1

2,357,769 CA 02357769 2005-02-24
.Brief Description of the Drawings
The invention will be better understood and further objects, characterizing
features, details and
advantages thereof will appear more clearly with reference to the diagrammatic
drawing
illustrating a presently preferred specific embodiment of the invention by way
of non-limiting
example only.
Fig. 1 is a right side view of the workpiece vice holding system
Fig. 2 is a front view of the workpiece vice holding system
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the workpiece vice holding system
Detailed Desription
The tool illustrated comprises a Moveable "C"ClampVice Body (5) that houses a
screw-
threaded Holding Rod (3) in it's Holding Rod Receiver (16). When a part of a
workpiece object is
placed in this vice and the Turnstile (13) is operated thereby exerting force
along a lateral axis, the
workpiece object is held firmly by the Fixed Holding Pad (7) and the Floating,
Auto-Adjustable
Pad(9)
A second part of a workpiece object is then placed in the Fixed"C"ClampV ce
(6) and it's Turnstile( 12)
is operated to turn the Holding Rod (4) through it's Holding Rod Receiver( 17)
thereby exerting force
along a lateral axis. Thus the second workpiece object is held firmly between
the Fixed Holding Pad(8)
and the Floating, Auto-Adjustable Pad(10)
These two "C"clamp vices(5,6) are connected in the following manner. The
Positioning Rod with
screw thread ( 1 ) passes through the Positioning Rod Receiver Housing( 19)
and through the body of
the Moveable"C"ClampVice (5) and is attached to a matching point on the
Fixed"C"ClampVice (6) but
is prevented from travelling further by a combination oi; a reduction in the
diametre of the Positioning
Rod ( 1 ) at it's tip, where there is also no threads, a Washer( 1 S) and Nut(
14). This arrangement allows
the Positioning Rod ( 1 ) to turn freely while keeping the
Fixed"C"ClampVice(6) in a fixed position
whilist cranking the Turnstile( 11) ofPositioning Rod ( 1 ), the Moveable V ce
Body (5) can be moved
along a longitudinal axis thereby forcing the two pieces of a work object
together or apart as needed.
Stability of this tool is enhanced with a tight fitting, unthreaded, Guide Rod
(2) that parallels the
threaded Positioning Rod ( 1 ) and also connects the two C-clamp vices (5,6)
by extending completely
through matching points on the bodies of both C-clamps vices, the guide rod is
capped at both ends
( 18, 20) preventing it from becoming detached from the C-clamps (5,6) whilst
allowing free move-
ment ofthe Moveable C-clamp (S) along a longitudinal axis yet preventing one
or the other C-clamp
vices (5,6) from rotating around the axis ofthe threaded Positioning Rod (1)
when it is operated.
-2-

Representative Drawing