Abstract:
A clamp has a powered actuator that includes an arm moving between a first and a second position. A linkage mechanism has a link and a base. The link and base are pivotally connected with one another. The link couples with the arm of the cylinder. The bracket couples with the actuator and the base. The bracket is movable along the base for adjusting the angle opening between the link and the base.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/410,487, filed on Nov. 5, 2010. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to clamps and, more particularly, to an open style power clamp. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Power clamps in the past have included a housing enclosing the clamping structure. Thus, the clamps can be utilized for a single operation. While the clamps work satisfactory for their intended purpose, they are incapable of being modified to be used in various types of operations. 
         [0004]    The present disclosure provides a clamp that has an adjustable opening angle that enables the clamp to be used in numerous operations. A cylinder may be positioned on a linkage base and assembled in various positions along the base to provide for different opening angles. The present disclosure enables the same parts to be used with numerous cylinders with different diameters. The present disclosure may be utilized with an electric linear drive. Sensors are positioned on the clamp such that they are protected against shock and splatter during welding operations. Clamps may be assembled with one another to provide bigger opening angles. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Accordingly to an object of the present disclosure, a clamp comprises an actuator, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder or electric linear drive. The actuator is coupled with a linkage to move a link between a first and second position. The actuator includes a bracket that is secured onto a linkage base. The base is movably coupled with the link. The bracket is adjustable along the base to vary the position of the actuator which, in turn, adjusts the opening angle of the link with respect to the actuator. A plurality of different sized actuators can be utilized with the same linkage. A sensor is positioned between the link and the base for sensing the opening angle. The sensor is fixed to at least the length of the base. Additionally, a pair of sensor pickup pins is fixed to the length or the base. The pins activate the sensor to determine the first and second open position. One of the sensor pins is fixed in position and the other is adjustable along the length of the base. 
         [0006]    According to a second aspect of the disclosure, a clamp comprises a powered actuator including an arm moving between a first and second position. The actuator may be a pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder or an electric linear actuator. A linkage mechanism includes a pair of links. The links are pivotable connected with one another. A first link is coupled with the arm of the power actuator. The second link is coupled with the actuator. The power actuator is movable along the second link to adjust an opening angle between the pair of links. A plurality of different sized actuators can be utilized with the same linkage. A sensor is positioned between the link and the base for sensing the opening angle. The sensor is fixed to at least the length of the base. Additionally, a pair of sensor pick-up pins is fixed to the length or the base. The pins activate the sensor to determine the first and second open position. One of the sensor pins is fixed in position and the other is adjustable along the length of the base. 
         [0007]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a clamp assembly. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a clamp assembly. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the sensor indicating a closed position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the sensor indicating an open position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an additional clamp assembly. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Turning to the figures, a clamp assembly is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral  10 . The clamp assembly  10  includes an actuator  12  and a linkage  14 . The actuator  12  may be a cylinder of the hydraulic or pneumatic type as illustrated. Additionally, an electric linear drive may be utilized as the actuator  12 . 
         [0016]    The actuator  12  includes a housing  16  with a rod  18  extending from the housing  16 . While not shown, the rod  18  is connected to a piston that moves in response to fluid pressure within the housing  16  as is well known in the field. A clevis  19  projects from the housing  16 . The clevis  19  includes a pair of ears  20 ,  22 , both that include bores  24  to receive a clevis pin  26 . The piston rod  18  likewise includes a clevis  28  with ears  30 ,  32  that include bore  34  to receive a clevis pin  36 . 
         [0017]    The linkage  14  includes a link member  40  and a base member  42 . The link member  40  includes a clevis  44  with ears  46 ,  48 . The ears include bores  50  that receive a clevis pin  52 . At least one of the ears  50  includes a plurality of apertures  60 . The apertures  60  receive a pin that communicates with a sensor as described herein. 
         [0018]    The link  40  has an overall rectangular body portion  62  with the extending clevis  44 . The rectangular body portion  62  includes a plurality of threaded bores  64 . The bores  64  enable connection with an additional base  42 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , to provide larger opening angles. The threaded bores  64  are aligned with bores on the base  42 . A guiding portion  66  extends from the body  62 . The guiding portion  66  may have an overall U-shape. The guiding portion  66  ensures that the body portion  62  is in the same direction and does not move left or right. The guiding portion  66  compensates for part tolerances. 
         [0019]    The base  42  includes a body  70  with an extending arm portion  72 . The body  70  has an overall rectangular shape with a plurality of threaded bores  74 . The threaded bores enable the base  42  to be secured with a support. The arm  72  includes an aperture  76  that receives the pin  52 . The arm  72  pivotally connects the base  42  with the link member  40 . The link member  40  and the base  42  pivot with respect to one another. The body  70  includes a guide  71  that cooperates with the guiding portion  66  to ensure proper positioning of the link member  40  and base  42 . 
         [0020]    A bracket  80  is secured to the base body  70  and the cylinder  12 . The bracket  80  includes a body portion  82  and an arm portion  84 . The body portion  82  includes a pair of bores  86  that receives threaded fasteners  88 . The fasteners  88  secure the bracket  80  onto the body  70  via the threaded bores  74 . The arm  84  includes a bore  90  that receives the clevis pin  26 . Thus, the bracket  80  movably secures the cylinder  12  with the base  42 . The plurality of threaded bores  74  enable the bracket  80  to be aligned in different positions along the longitudinal axis of the body  70 . Thus, this enables the actuator  12  to be aligned in various positions along the base  42  to change the opening angle of the link member  40  with respect to the base  42 . 
         [0021]    A sensor  100  is positioned onto the arm  72  of the base  42 . The sensor  100  is positioned between the link member  40  and base  42 . The sensor  100  is protected from shock and splatter from a welding environment. The sensor  100  is connected with a controller to sense the opening sensor  101  and closing sensor  103  of the link with respect to the base  42 . An additional pin  102  is positioned through clevis ears  46  and  48  to provide a stop position for the linkage  14 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . The other pin  104  is positioned in one of the plurality of bore  60  to indicate an opening positioned of the linkage  14  that is to be indicated by the sensor  100 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . As the actuator  12  is positioned in various positions along the body  70  of the base  42 , the pin  104  is positioned in one of the plurality of bores  60  on the clevis. Thus, as the opening angle of the linkage is changed, the sensing pin  104  must also be changed in the plurality of bores  60  so that the sensor senses when the linkage is in an opened position. The closing pin  102  always remains in one position on the clevis  44 . 
         [0022]    Various sizes of cylinders may be utilized with the same linkage  14  as illustrated. Thus, larger or smaller cylinders may be coupled with the linkage as long as they include a clevis on their housing. 
         [0023]    As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the bores  74 ,  64  of the base and link members  42 ,  40 , respectively, include the same pattern. This enables the base  42  to be aligned with and positioned onto the link  40  as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . This enables a second actuator to be positioned onto a first actuator in order to reach a larger opening angle. 
         [0024]    The description of the disclosure is merely exemplary in nature and thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the disclosure. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.