ARM CLAMP

Abstract: An arm clamp device comprising two arcuate arms (10 and 11) each pivotally connected at one end thereof to form when closed upon each other an encircling member having an inside surface (19 and 20) and an outside surface (17 and 18), a multiplicity of spaced pointed pins (21) projecting radially inwardly from said inside surface, a hand grip handle (23) projecting radially outwardly from the said outside surface (17) adjacent said pivotal connection and ratchet means (26 and 31) to hold said arms in any selected position biased against being spread apart pivotally. This device is useful as a defense against an attacker to temporarily immobilize the attacker's arm.

Description: ARM CLAMP TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a device for defending against a personal assault, and more particularly relates to an arm clamp to be applied to the forearm of the assailant. BACKGROUND ART This invention relates to a device which can be used to defend against an attack by one intent on committing an assault. It is particularly useful for a woman who is being attacked from behind by an intended rapist. Published statistics indicate that approximately 85% of all rapes and physical assaults occurring outside the home follow a definite pattern. The victim is attacked from behind and grabbed around the neck, shoulders or chest by the assailant. The victim's normal reaction is to grab the encircling arm and try to break the hold. If she had a de¬ vice that causes the assailant to loosen his hold on her, she might be able to escape. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device that will divert the attention of the assailant, suddenly and completely. The surprise of suddenly having a strong clamp applied to his arm, coupled with the unexpected pain, produces a psychological paralysis of the assailant's arm. With his attention diverted the victim will be able to break loose and run to seek help and safety. The device of this invention locks in the closed position, and any effort to pull it away from the arm OMPI produces more pain. Also, if the device is applied nor¬ mally and properly, the unlock mechanism is not readily apparent to the attacker. The paralyzing effect on the striated muscles of the forearm makes it painful to twist and pivot the arm to find how to unlock the device. In this situation, the assailant's sole attention is focused on getting the clamp off his arm while the victim is ignored. When the clamp is finally removed, the arm slowly regains its normal feeling and the only marks left on the arm are four depressions or minor punctures. If the assailant is apprehended with the arm clamp still in his possession, on or off his arm, it will serve as evidence of the assault because of a serial number on the device that is traceable to the victim. It is an object of this invention to provide an arm clamp device for use in foiling an intended assault. It is another object to provide a device that can be carried by a person and quickly applied to an assailant as a defensive maneuver. Still other objects will appear from the more detailed description which follows. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an arm clamp device com¬ prising two arcuate arms each pivotally connected at one end thereof when closed upon each other an encircling member having an inside surface and an outside surface, a multi¬ plicity of spaced pointed pins projecting radially inwardly from said inside surface, a hand grip handle projecting radially outwardly from the said outside surface adjacent said pivotal connection and ratchet means to hold said arms in any selected position biased against being spread apart pivotally. In a specific embodiment of this invention the arm clamp includes blunt point pins that will easily pass through clothing but will not readily puncture human skin, and the device is readily closed by pushing on a T-shaped handle which closes the arms toward each other with a rachet system preventing the arms from opening until a ratchet pawl is disengaged from the ratchet teeth. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The novel features believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the ap¬ pended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organisation and method of. operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be under¬ stood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the arm clamp of this invention in a partially closed position. FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the arm clamp of this invention in a widespread open position. FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the device shown in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a schematic view of how the arm clamp of this invention might be applied to an assailant. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the arm clamp of this invention closed over the forearm of an assailant. DETAILED DESCRIPTION AND BEST MODE OF THE INVENTION In FIG. 1 there may be seen the features of the arm clamp device of this invention. The device comprises two arcuate arms 10 and 11 each having an outside surface 17 and 18 and an inside surface 19 and 20,respectively. Each arm 10 and 11 is tapered from a relatively large end 13 and 14 to a relatively small end 15 and 16,respectively. The two arms 10 and 11 are connected to each other pivotally at large ends 13 and 14 by pivot pin 12 so that the arms may be piv- ited from a widespread open position, as at FIGS. 2 and 3 to a closed position where small ends 15 and 16 touch each other. The position depicted in FIG. 1 is about halfway between the two extreme positions. Projecting radially inwardly from inside surfaces 19 and 20 are a plurality of pins 21 spaced apart from each other. Preferably, pins 21 have pointed ends that are blunted 22 to prevent the pins from easily puncturing human skin, but yet sharp enough to pierce clothing readily. Pro¬ jecting radially outwardly from outside surface 17 of arm 10 in large end 13 adjacent pivot pin 12 is a hand grip handle 23. A preferred embodiment is for handle 23 to be T-shaped, with upright portion 24 rigidly fastened to arm 10, e.g., by pin 35, and cross-bar portion 25 shaped to be easily gripped by a hand. Handle 23 is gripped and pushed away from pivot pin 12 to cause arms 10 and 11 to close upon each other. Arms 10 and 11 are maintained in any selected posi¬ tion between widespread open and closed by a ratchet means that includes ratchet strip 26 and pawl 31 which catches in ratchet teeth 29. Strip 26 has ratchet teeth 29 on one side J E thereof and a smooth side 30 opposite to teeth 29. Strip 26 at its lower end 27 is affixed to arm 11, e.g., by being pinned or cemented into recess 28. Strip 26 is flexible and extends from recess 28 through passageway 37 in arm 10 to project outwardly of surface 17 adjacent upright portion 24 of handle 23. The pressure of pawl 31 pressing against a tooth 29 of strip 26 pushes strip 26 against handle 23. It may be seen that as handle 23 is pushed in the direction of arrow 44 pawl 31 will automatically permit ratchet strip 26 to move upward past pawl 31, but arms 10 and 11 cannot be moved toward the widespread open position because of pawl 31 being engaged with ratchet teeth 29. Pawl 31 is biased by spring 33 to have its forward tip 45 engaged with teeth 29, and can be disengaged only by pressing downwardly on rear portion 46 until tip 45 no longer engages teeth 29. In order to maintain closing pressure-on arms 10 and 11 coil spring 34 is attached to pin 35 in arm 10 and pin 36 in arm 11. The tension in spring 34 provides a firm contact between forward tip 45 of pawl 31 and teeth 29 of ratchet strip 26. Pins 35 and 36 are positioned with re¬ spect to pivot pin 12 such that when arms 10 and 11 are in the widespread open position of FIG. 2 spring 34 produces a bias to maintain the widespread position. However, as soon as arms 10 and 11 are moved only a short distance toward the closed position the bias of spring 34 is to maintain the closed position and not permit arms 10 and 11 to inadvert¬ ently move toward the open position. In FIG. 4 there is shown the manner in which the arm clamp device of this invention would be used as a defensive weapon against the attack of a mugger or rapist. Assailant 38 usually attacks victim 39 by approaching from the rear and putting an arm around the victim's neck and shoulders. Victim 39 quickly applies the clamp device 40 in a widespread open position against forearm 41 of as¬ sailant 38 and pushes handle 23 by gripping it in hand 42 causing the device to close around forearm 41 with pins 21 pushing into the skin of forearm 41 making it painful for assailant 38. This causes the assailant to loosen his hold on victim 38 allowing her to escape. In FIG. 5 it is seen that when the arm clamp device of this invention is closed over the forearm of an assailant pins 21 will pierce any clothing as at 43 and press against the skin causing pain. In order to loosen the device from the arm pawl 31 must be pressed downward on rear portion 46 to free it from the teeth of ratchet strip 26 allowing arms 10 and 11 to be moved to the open position. An assailant not familiar with the device will have some difficulty figuring out how to loosen the device and thus giving the victim more time to escape and find help. Preferably all parts of the device are made of zinc, aluminum, steel or other strong metal, except for ratchet strip 26 which is made of nylon, polyethylene, or other strong flexible plastic. It is entirely feasible, however, to make all parts of the device from a strong, rigid plastic material, although springs 33 and 34 are pref¬ erably steel. While the invention has been described with respect to certain specific embodiments, it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the inven¬ tion. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. What is claimed as new and what is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

Claims: 1. An arm clamp device having two arcuate arms each pivotally connected at one end thereof to form when closed upon each other an encircling member having an inside sur¬ face and an outside surface; characterized in that a multi¬ plicity of spaced pointed pins project radially inwardly from said inside surface, a hand grip handle projects ra¬ dially outwardly from the said outside surface adjacent said pivotal connection, and having ratchet means to hold said arms in any selected position biased against being spread apart pivotally. 2. The device of Claim 1 wherein each said arm is arcuately tapered from a wide section adjacent said pivotal connection to a narrow section " at the other end of said arm. 3. The device of Claim 1 wherein each said arm has two spaced pointed pins projecting at least one half inch in¬ wardly from said inside surface. 4. The device of Claim 3 wherein each said pin has a blunted point. 5. The device of Claim 1 which includes spring biased means to urge said arms to close upon each other. 6. The device of Claim 1 wherein said hand gripping handle is a T-shaped member having an upright portion and a cross-bar portion, said upright portion being connected to said outside surface. 7. The device of Claim 6 wherein said ratchet means includes a flexible elongated strip having ratchet teeth on one side thereof and a smooth surface on the opposite side thereof, said opposite side being in slideable contact with said upright portion, said ratchet teeth being engaged by a pivoted spring biased ratchet tooth catch, said strip being fixed at one end to said arm that does not have said hand gripping handle attached thereto and being slideably engaged with a guiding passageway through said arm having said hand gripping handle attached thereto. 8. A forearm encircling and clamping device comprising two arcuate arms each tapering from a large connection end to a small free end, a pivot pin connecting said two arms pivotally at their connection ends to permit said arms to pivot from a widespread position to a closed forearm encir¬ cling position, each said arm having an inside surface to be adjacent said forearm and an outside surface facing away from said forearm; said . device characterized in that a plurality of spaced pointed pins project radially inwardly from said inside surface of each said arm, a T-shaped handle adapted for manual gripping having an upright portion and a cross-bar portion with said upright portion projects radially outwardly from said outside surface of one said arm adjacent said pivot pin, and ratchet means are included to hold said arms in any selected position and biased to inhibit movement of said arms to any position more widespread than said se¬ lected position. 9. The device of Claim 8 wherein said pins have blunt points. 10. The device of Claim 9 wherein each said arm has two said spaced pins. 11. The device of Claim 8 wherein said ratchet means includes a flexible elongated strip having ratchet teeth along one longitudinal side of said strip and being fixed at one-end tnereof to said arm not having said handle attached thereto, said strip extending from said fixed end through a passageway in said arm having a handle attached thereto and beyond said outside surface adjacent said upright portion of the T-shaped handle, a ratchet tooth engaging pawl pressing said strip against said upright portion and adapted to permit movement of said arms toward said closed position and to pre¬ vent movement of said arms toward said widespread position. 12. The device of Claim 8 which additionally includes spring means biased to move said arms towards said closed position. 13. The device of Claim 12 which additionally is adapted to hold said arms in said widespread position, but, upon movement of said arms slightly towards said closed position said spring means is biased toward said closed position. 14. The device of Claim 8 wherein said pins are adapted to pierce clothing easily but not to pierce human skin easily. O PI

Inventors: KING FRANKLIN D, KING, FRANKLIN, D.
Applicants: KING FRANKLIN D, KING, FRANKLIN, D.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: B25B9
IPC codes: F41B15