Patent ID: 6782588
Filing Date: 2004-08-31
Classification: A43C,Y10T

Abstract:
A clamp device for a string, comprising:a housing confining an operating space and formed with a string inlet hole and at least one string outlet hole that are communicated with said operating space, said string inlet hole having a first hole axis and a pair of first hole edges opposite to each other in a first direction transverse to the first hole axis; a pair of clamp members disposed in said operating space, each of said clamp members having a pivot portion and a clamping portion connected to said pivot portion, said pivot portion of each of said clamp members being disposed adjacent to a respective one of said first hole edges of said string inlet hole, and being pivotally retained in said housing to permit pivoting movement of said clamp members about a respective pivot axis that extends in a second direction transverse to both the first direction and the first hole axis, said clamping portion of each of said clamp members extending from said pivot portion toward the first hole axis, and having a first side face, a second side face that is opposite to said first side face in a third direction transverse to the first and second directions and that is disposed to confront said string inlet hole, and an inclined end face that is remote from said pivot portion and that extends from said first side face to said second side face, said clamp members being pivotable so as to move said clamping portions thereof toward each other from a releasing position to a clamping position, where said inclined end faces of said clamping portions of said clamp members cooperate to form a clamping space that is communicated with said string inlet hole, that diverges along the first hole axis in a direction away from said string inlet hole, and that has a wider section and a narrower section between said wider section and said string inlet hole, said clamping portion of each of said clamp members being formed with a stop block that extends from said inclined end face and that is formed with an inclined stop face for abutting against said inclined end face of said clamping portion of the other of said clamp members so as to limit movement of said clamping portions of said clamp members from the releasing position to the clamping position; and an operating unit connected to said clamp members and operable so as to pivot said clamp members for moving said clamping portions of said clamp members from the clamping position to the releasing position; whereby, when the string is extended through said string inlet hole, between said inclined end faces of said clamping portions of said clamp members, and out of said at least one string outlet hole, and when said clamping portions of said clamp members are moved to the clamping position, the string is clamped by said inclined end faces of said clamping portions of said clamp members such that movement of the string in a direction toward said string inlet hole is prevented while movement of the string in an opposite direction away from said string inlet hole is permitted.