Patent ID: 6585243
Filing Date: 2003-07-01
Classification: B25B

Abstract:
A quick-action bar clamp comprising:a body with a top, a bottom, a front edge and a rear edge, a central transverse opening with a rear edge and two sides defined through the body and a handle formed at the bottom of the body; a non-round slide bar corresponding to the central transverse opening, having a series of teeth and slidably mounted in the body, the slide bar having a top edge, a bottom edge, a front end extending out of the front edge of the body and a rear end extending out of the rear edge of the body; clamp device including a stationary jaw formed on the top of the body and a movable jaw opposing the stationary jaw connected to one end of the slide bar; a drive assembly comprising: a drive lever with a central hole mounted around the slide bar in the central transverse opening; a trigger corresponding to the handle and pivotally attached to the body; a push pin mounted in the trigger and adapted to push against the drive lever; and a spring mounted around the slide bar in the central transverse opening between the drive lever and the rear edge of the central transverse opening; and a pawl assembly pivotally mounted in the body with a pivot to engage the teeth on the slide bar and the pawl assembly comprising: a pawl pivotally attached to the body and adapted to engage with one of the teeth on the slide bar in a standby position to keep the slide bar from moving while the trigger is released; a release tab formed on the pawl to disengage the pawl from the teeth on the slide bar while the release tab is pushed; and a biasing element mounted in the body and adapted to hold the pawl in contact with the teeth in the standby position.