Patent ID: 7552517
Filing Date: 2009-06-30
Classification: B65G,F16G,Y10S,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for clamping a belt, the apparatus comprising: an elongate housing having opposite longitudinal ends, a predetermined length therebetween, opposite sides extending along the housing length including a side wall portion at one of the housing sides extending between the opposite longitudinal ends, and an elongate opening at the other housing side for receiving a side edge of a belt in the housing; opposite longitudinal end openings of the housing at the corresponding longitudinal ends thereof for allowing the belt to extend therethrough; a clamping device having a clamping portion that is operable to clamp the belt in the housing; and an impact portion of the clamping device adjacent one of the opposite longitudinal ends and the corresponding end opening of the housing and adapted to receive an impact force generally directed in a lengthwise direction from the one longitudinal end of the housing toward the other longitudinal end thereof for driving the clamping portion against the belt for quick clamping thereof in the housing, wherein the clamping device comprises a clamp member including the clamping portion and a separate actuator member including the impact portion at an end thereof, the impact end is adapted to receive an impact blow in a direction generally parallel to the belt, and the clamp member and actuator member include ramp surfaces that cooperate to cammingly drive the clamp member in a clamping direction in the housing that is transverse to the direction of the impact blow.