Abstract:
An adjustable clamping and spreading bar clamp or bench vice includes a fixed jaw and a movable jaw opposing the fixed jaw, where the fixed jaw and the movable jaw each include two jaw pads facing in opposite directions. The movable jaw connects at one end to a slide bar, which is movable to bring the movable jaw toward and away from the fixed jaw, the movable jaw includes means to releasably engages the slide bar and advances the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw or moves the movable jaw away from the fixed jaw for spreading or jacking. A two-way drive means is operational by a trigger handle grip. Also included is a pair of mechanical detent switches, which are rotated approximately ¼ revolution, to either change the direction of the movable jaw, or release the clamp after either clamping or spreading.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to adjustable bar clamps and bench vises, and more specifically adjustable bar clamps and vices that can be used for clamping and spreading workpieces without the need for physically changing or rearranging of parts. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to adjustable bar clamps used to quickly and easily clamp two articles together, for example, for gluing, or to hold a workpiece for some other operation, and more specifically, to a bar clamp or bench clamp capable of clamping and spreading workpieces with substantial and equal force and without disassembly, detachments and rearrangement being made to the device. 
     Pipe or bar clamps of various configurations are well known, such as traditional wood gluing clamps, as used by woodworkers. These known clamps are often effective only when used for the specific purpose that they were made, however there are a few clamps that can be used for both clamping and spreading. There are many needs for a spreader, one such use is to dismantle doweled chair legs, where it is desirable to remove all dowels that need gluing, some of which may be slightly loose when the chair is sat on, but are not easily pulled apart by hand and using a hammer is not appropriate and will often causes damage to the parts. 
     Known clamps that are capable of both clamping and spreading require alterations, which normally involve the attachment and reattachment of the fixed jaw from one end of the bar to the other end, and where this jaw is rotated 180 degrees before attachment so that the clamp pad is facing either in for clamping, or facing out spreading. 
     Inventor is aware of PCT Application PCT/EP98/03915 “Clamping Tool, Especially A Clamping Clip, Clamping Rod Or Clamping Bench”, filed by Wolfcraft GMBH. The invention relates to a clamping tool with a clamping area between a first mobile clamping jaw and a fixed second clamping jaw, which rests on a housing. A pivoting handle is displaced causing the pull rod to displace progressively in such a way that the first mobile clamping jaw is moved towards the second fixed clamping jaw. The clamping tool also has a backpressure lock and a release lever for releasing the backpressure lock. Both the pivoting handle and the release lever are located on the housing, on the side of the grip facing away from the clamping area and the mobile clamping jaw can be moved back (moved OR “displaced” only), and no mechanism for spreading and holding bar or rod once displaced back by operating the release lever. If spreading is desired, the fixed jaw must be detached by removing a bolt, then replacing and bolting the fixed jaw in a 180 degree rotated position on the opposite end of the bar or “pull rod”. 
     Inventor is also, aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,168 Bar Clamp For Single-Hand Operation, issued to Drake, Dec. 29, 1998 A bar clamp for single hand operation; includes a housing, a fixed jaw and a movable jaw mounted on one end of a slide bar for movement in a direction toward the fixed jaw. A spring-loaded driving key is secured on the slide bar and through operation of a trigger handle engages the slide bar for advancing the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw. A locking key is biased against the slide bar and normally engaged with the slide bar to prevent motion of the second jaw away from the first jaw and actuatable to disengage from the slide bar to allow advancement of the second jaw away from the first jaw. The trigger handle has one end pivotably mounted within the housing and formed with two lateral mounting plates of arched outer configuration. The housing is comprised of a first housing portion and a second housing portion, with at least the driving key and the locking key being accommodated within the housing. No means for spreading are designed into this clamp. 
     Inventor is also aware of U.S. Pat. No 4,722,999 and continuation-in-part U.S. Pat. No 5,009,134 both issued to Sorenson et al. This clamp has a movable jaw, which is easily movable over a bar to clamp against a workpiece, and is operable with one hand. The movable jaw is connected to one end of a movable slide bar and a stationary jaw is supported on the slide bar by a support structure including a trigger handle grip which releasably engages the slide bar and advances the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw. A new PCT patent application PCT/US99/04961 has been applied by owner American Tool Companies Inc. to improve this clamp for spreading and other enhancements, which includes a quick change fixed jaw, where the fixed jaw is detachable by sliding a locking mechanism, then replacing the fixed jaw in a 180 degree rotated position on the opposite end of the bar and then relocking into position for spreading. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An adjustable clamping and spreading bar clamp or bench vice includes a fixed jaw and a movable jaw opposing the fixed jaw, where the fixed jaw and the movable jaw each include two jaw pads facing in opposite directions. The movable jaw connects at one end to a slide bar, which is movable to bring the movable jaw toward and away from the fixed jaw, the movable jaw includes means to releasably engages the slide bar and advances the movable jaw toward the fixed jaw or moves the movable jaw away from the fixed jaw for spreading or jacking. A two-way drive means is operational by a trigger handle grip. Also included is a pair of mechanical detent switches, which are rotated approximately ¼ revolution, to either change the direction of the movable jaw, or release the clamp after either clamping or spreading. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved adjustable bar clamp and spreader wherein in one embodiment the moving jaw may be moved over short and long distances in either direction for positioning and then either clamping or spreading. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable bar clamp which in one embodiment may be used with equal force in either direction for both clamping and spreading, and without detaching and then reattaching parts. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide a mechanism that can be used on a vice or for use on a clamping bench, where the clamping jaws are mounted on two parallel members or bars, and perpendicular to these parallel bars, are clamping boards or jaws that are guided in the substantially parallel direction relative to each other and where as the clamping mechanism and thus the clamping boards or jaws may be actuated by either a hand powered lever or a foot powered pedal. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Various other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein; 
     FIG. 1 is a left side view of the adjustable bar clamp showing the detent switches in neutral position. 
     FIG. 2 is a left side view of the adjustable bar clamp. 
     FIG. 3 is a right side view of the adjustable bar clamp. 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the adjustable bar clamp. 
     FIG. 5 a  is an end view of the adjustable bar clamp looking at the fixed jaw. 
     FIG. 5 b  is an end view of the adjustable bar clamp looking at the movable jaw. 
     FIG. 6 a  is a left side view of the adjustable bar clamp showing the detent switches in position for clamping. 
     FIG. 6 b  is a left side view of the adjustable bar clamp showing the detent switches in position for clamping where the trigger has been squeezed. 
     FIG. 7 a  is a left side view of the adjustable bar clamp showing the detent switches in position for spreading. 
     FIG. 7 b  is a left side view of the adjustable bar clamp showing the detent switches in position for spreading where the trigger has been squeezed. 
     FIG. 8 is a left side view of the adjustable bar clamp showing the movable jaw body only. 
     FIG. 9 is a left side view of the adjustable bar clamp showing the movable jaw body cover plate. 
     FIG. 10 a  is a left side view of a detent switch. 
     FIG. 10 b  is an end view of a detent switch. 
     FIG. 10 c  is a right side view of a detent switch. 
     FIG. 11 a  is an end view of a single first pressure and brake dog from a pair. 
     FIG. 11 b  is a side sectional view of a single first pressure and brake dog from a pair taken from FIG. 11 a.    
     FIG. 11 c  is an end view of a single second pressure and brake dog from a pair. 
     FIG. 12 a  is a front view of trigger handle. 
     FIG. 12 b  is a side view of trigger handle. 
     FIG. 13 is a side view of the present invention in a secondary embodiment a clamping and spreading vice. 
     FIG. 14 is a front view of the present invention in a secondary embodiment a clamping and spreading vice. 
     FIG. 15 is an enlarged, partially cut-away left side view of an alternative embodiment of the adjustable bar clamp or bench vice employing a quick release button. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to the Figures, and in particular to FIG. 1, adjustable clamping and spreading bar clamp generally referred to as  10  is shown open and ready for use, where clamp  10  includes a fixed jaw  12  attached to a slide bar  14 . The slide bar  14  is slidably supported to movable jaw body assembly  16  through two slots  18  and  20 , which pass through body  16 . 
     Jaw body  16  includes a handle grip  22  attached to jaw body  16 . A moving clamping jaw  24  is attached to jaw body  16  on the clamping side of jaw body  16  and a moving spreading jaw  26  is attached to body  16  on the spreading side of jaw body  16 . A trigger handle  28  is pivotably attached within the center of jaw body  16  by pivot pin  30 . The fixed jaw  12  opposes moving clamping jaw  24 . Fixed jaw  12  includes a fixed spreading jaw  32 . 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 12 a  and  12   b , trigger handle  28  is void in part, a cavity  28   a  so as to receive the handle grip  22  in a cavity  28   a . As best illustrated in FIG. 1, trigger handle  28  is positioned within a second cavity  34  within jaw body  16  that lies between slots  18  and  20 . A first pressure and brake dog pair  36  is suspended on the slide bar  14  near moving clamping jaw  24 , slide bar  14  passes through a hole  36   a  (FIG. 1 la) in the first pressure and brake dog pair  36 . There is a second pressure and brake dog pair  38  which is suspended on slide bar  14  near moving spreading jaw  26 , slide bar  14  passes through a hole  38   a  in the second pressure and brake dog pair  38 . 
     As best illustrated in FIG. 1, a pair of extension springs  40  and  42  extend between the first pressure and brake dog pair  36  and the second pressure and brake dog pair  38 . First pressure and brake dog pair  36  and the second pressure and brake dog pair  38  include extension spring attachment holes  40   a ,  42   a  and  40   b ,  42   b . An upper end  44  of the trigger handle  28  is forked and straddles slide bar  14 . Extension springs  40  and  42  are also straddled by upper trigger handle end  44 . Force of the springs  40  and  42  urge first pressure and brake dog pair  36  and the second pressure and brake dog pair  38  against surfaces  46   a ,  46   b  and  48   a  ,  48   b  of trigger handle end  44  providing a neutral condition where slide bar  14  can move freely through jaw body assembly  16 . 
     To position the first pressure and brake dog pair  36  and the second pressure and brake dog pair  38  for clamping or spreading and for releasing there is a first detent switch  50  for clamping and a second detent switch  52  for spreading, where first detent switch  50  is positioned above slide bar  14  and second detent switch  52  is positioned below slide bar  14 , within voids  54  and  56  of trigger handle end  44 . The detent switches  50  and  52  are rotatably supported within body cavity  34  by holes  50   a ,  50   b  and  52   a ,  52   b  in a cover plate  58 . Also, trigger handle  28  is rotatably supported in holes  30   a  and  30   b.    
     As illustrated in FIG. 6 a ,  6   b ,  7   a  and  7   b , in operation, user engages either first detent switch  50  for clamping, or second detent switch  52  for spreading, by rotating switch either  50  or  52  approximately ¼ revolution from the release position to either the clamp or spread position, then adjusts the moveable jaw by grasping jaw body  16  and the fixed jaw  12  or slide bar  14  and adjusts jaw body  16  to the approximate distance between movable and fixed jaws as required and then user grasps handle grip  20  and trigger  24  and squeezes together handle grip  20  and trigger  24  to either clamp or spread as needed. As trigger  28  is squeezed, trigger surfaces  46   b  or  48   b  of trigger handle end  44  contact either the first pressure and brake dog pair  36  or the second pressure and brake dog pair  38  for clamping or spreading. 
     To use for clamping, a user turns detent switch  50  so as to point leg  51  and foot  51   a  of leg  51  generally parallel along bar  14  as seen in FIG. 6 a . Leg  51  and foot  51   a  so positioned stabilizes and supports dog pair  36  against protrusion  34   a  of body  16 , thereby allowing biased movement only of bar  14 . With the housing cover on, this movement corresponds to rotating knob  50   a  of switch  50  so as to indicate the word “clamp” or the like on the housing cover. The jaws may then be slid together in direction A only, but not slid apart, so as to abut a workpiece between the jaws. The trigger  28  is then squeezed as seen in FIG. 6 b  until tight thereby tightening the jaws onto the workpiece. In particular, squeezing trigger  28  rotates trigger surface  48   b  about pin  30  forcing a corresponding rotation of dog pair  38  relative to bar  14 . This rotation pinches bar  14  within the longitudinally distal ends of hole  38   a  in dog pair  38 . With bar  14  thus gripped within dog pair  38 , further rotation of trigger  28  and trigger surface  48   b  about pin  30  drives longitudinal translation of bar  14  such as illustrated in the longitudinal translation of bar  14  between FIGS. 6 a  and  6   b . Releasing trigger  28  allows for its return rotation about pin  30  under the resiliently biasing force of spring  42  urging dog pair  38  and surface  48   b  in a return direction relative to bar  14  thereby releasing the grip of dog pair  38  on bar  14  and allowing dog pair  38  to slide over bar  14  so as to return to the position of FIG. 6 a  ready for the user to again squeeze trigger  28 . During this clamping sequence, the rotation of switch  50  so as to rotate leg  51 , and in particular foot  51   a  , against dog pair  36  stabilizes and supports dog pair  36  in a stand-off position relative to trigger surface  46   b  as trigger  28  is rotated about pin  30 . With dog pair  36  so supported and stabilized, dog pair  36  allows translation of bar  14  as trigger  28  is squeezed, but once trigger  28  is released, clamps bar  14  to prevent a return translation of bar  14  relative to jaw  24 . 
     When it is desired to release the clamped workpiece, switch  50  is rotated so as to rotate leg  51  and foot  51   a  out of engagement with dog pair  36 . In use, this corresponds to rotating knob  50   a  of switch  50  which also advantageously corresponds to knob  50   a  indicating the word “release” or the like on the housing cover. Trigger  28  is squeezed until a click is heard, indicating that bar  14  may then be slid freely. 
     For use in spreading, a user turns detent switch  52 , the knob for which may be located on the opposite side of the clamp housing so that leg  53  and foot  53   a  are generally parallel along bar  14  as seen in FIG. 7 a , in an opposite direction to that correspondingly described for leg  51  when used for clamping. With the clamp housing cover on, this movement of switch  52  corresponds to rotating knob  52   a  of switch  52  so as to indicate the word “spread” or the like on the housing cover. With leg  53  and foot  53   a  so positioned so as to stabilize and support dog pair  38  against protrusion  34   b  of body  16 , thereby allowing biased movement only of bar  14 , the jaws may be spread apart in direction B only, but not slid together, so as to engage the workpiece to be spread. Trigger  28  is then squeezed by the user so as rotate trigger  28  about pin  30 . This forces surface  46   b  against dog pair  36  thereby longitudinally translating bar  14  so as to spread jaw  26  apart relative to jaw  32 . This longitudinal translation of bar  14  corresponds to the movement illustrated between FIGS. 7 a  and  7   b.    
     Release of squeezing pressure on trigger  28  allows the return rotation of trigger  28  about pin  30  under the return biasing force of spring  40  pulling on dog pair  36  against trigger surface  46   b . This also releases dog pair  36  from pinched engagement with bar  14  so that dog pair  36  returns from its position of FIG. 7 b  to its position of FIG. 7 a  under the resilient biasing of both springs  40  and  42 . Trigger  28  may then again be squeezed to continue longitudinal translation of bar  14  through housing  16  until jaws  26  and  32  are snugged in spreading compression against the workpiece. 
     Foot  53   a  on leg  53  stabilizes and supports dog pair  38  so that during spreading longitudinal translation of bar  14  as trigger  28  is squeezed, bar  14  is allowed to slide through hole  38   a  as bar  14  is gripped or pinched within hole  36   a  on dog pair  36 , dog pair  38  resisting a return translation of bar  14  once pressure is released on trigger  28 . 
     To release the spreading compression of the workpiece, switch  52  is rotated, for example until knob  52   a  indicates the word “release” on the housing cover. Trigger  28  is then squeezed until a click is heard indicating that bar  14  may be slid freely. 
     In the alternative embodiment of FIG. 15, quick release button  100  is slidably mounted into hole  102  so that it may be plunged or inwardly biased against the resiliently return biasing force of resilient spring  104 . Plunging button  100  inwardly relative to housing  16  causes dog pair  36  to be momentarily released from bar  14  allowing bar  14  to slide freely only while button  100  is depressed. This provides for ease of re-engaging dog pair  36  with bar  14  for quick and repetitive clamping use. 
     As shown in FIG. 13 and 14, bench  62  includes two slide bars or pipe  64  and  66  which are attached to a moving bench jaw  68  and which will operate on the same principle as above except for spreading where there are movable dogs or chocks  70  on the bench top and movable jaw dogs  72 . The same method of operation for a bench vise is used as above except there may be a foot pedal  74  through linkage  76  to actuate movable jaw  68  to clamp, or to actuate movable jaw  68  for spreading. Bench  62  includes extra bench dog holes  62   a.    
     The detent switches, and in particular that legs  51  and  53  may be made of a resilient material such as nylon so as to provide a spring pressure against the dog pairs when either dog pair is in use. The detent switches may also be made with a ball and spring on the contact feet to provide a resilient pressure for proper operation, so long as the pressure applied by the ball and spring exceeds the tension of the extension springs  40  and  42  used to position the dog pairs. 
     It should be mentioned that there are methods of switching the dog pairs other than as shown and described herein, such as by using linkages or cables. A simple method with few moving parts is shown but is not intended to be limiting. The dog pairs may be arranged together in numbers other than as illustrated, for example one or three. Further, the springs may be in a different arrangement and still accomplish the same effect. Consequently the drawings are to be considered illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims. 
     As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.