Abstract:
A clamping device has a clamp and a removable handle. A pair of clamping arms is on the clamp. A pivoting device includes a clamp bushing linked with each of the clamping arms of the pair of clamping arms to move the pair of arms between an opened and closed position. The removable handle couples with the clamp bushing. The removable handle includes a release mechanism to actuate the pivot mechanism to move the clamping arms between the open and clamped positions.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/120,538, filed on Feb. 25, 2015. The entire disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to clamping and, more particularly, to a clamping device with a removable handle. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    When clamping workpieces with manual clamps, ordinarily the clamps have handles that extend beyond the workpiece. The user is required to be present around the clamped workpiece conducting other operations. Since the handles project beyond the workpiece, the handles are constantly in the way of the user as he moves about the workpiece. Ordinarily, the handles are bumped or nudged requiring realignment of the clamping device. In some instances, the clamp may be bumped so that it is removed from the workpiece causing additional work to be conducted onto the workpiece. Additionally, the overhang of the handles adds additional weight which increases the moment/torque on the workpiece. Thus, it is possible to cause distortion on thin workpiece structures. 
         [0004]    However, the handles are an important part of the clamp. The handles provide leverage to open the clamp so that the clamp may apply a greater force onto the workpiece. The longer the handles, the less force required to open the clamps and generally the larger the force applied by the clamps onto the workpiece. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, while handled clamps serve a vital purpose, it is desirable to move the handles out of the way so that the handles are not bumped, contacted, or otherwise interfered with by the user while the user is conducting work around the workpiece. 
         [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,740,208, assigned to the assignee of the present disclosure, provides a clamping system with a removable handle. The handle enables the clamp to be applied to the workpiece. The handle is then removed from the clamp so that the handles do not interfere with the user or other materials during manipulation of the workpiece. While the patent works satisfactorily, designers are always striving to improve the art. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    According to a first aspect of the disclosure, a clamping device with a removable handle comprises a pair of clamping arms. A pivot device is coupled with the pair of clamping arms. The pivot device includes a clamp bushing linked with each of the clamping arms of the pair of clamping arms. The pivoting device moves the pair of arms between an opened and a clamped position. A removable handle is coupled with the clamp bushing. The removable handle includes a release mechanism to activate the pivot mechanism. During activation, the clamping arms are moved between an opened and clamped position. 
         [0008]    The bushing further includes a polygonal inner wall to receive the handle. The handle includes a spigot with a ball lock for engaging and disengaging the pivot mechanism. The spigot has a polygonal portion in the area of the ball lock to mate with the polygonal portion of the pivot mechanism. The release mechanism includes a pivot lever coupled with a sliding bushing. The sliding bushing engages the pivot mechanism clamp bushing. The pivot lever is moved between a first and second position. This moves the clamp and sliding bushings between the first and second position which, in turn, moves the arms between an open and clamped position. 
         [0009]    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 
         [0010]    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. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the clamping device. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an elevation view of the clamping device of  FIG. 1   
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the clamping device with the handle removed. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the clamp arms. 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the removable handle. 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a cross-section view of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a cross-section view like  FIG. 6  in an intermediate position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a cross-section view of  FIG. 1  in an open position. 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a view like  FIG. 8  with a handle in a disengaged position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0021]    Turning to the figures, a clamping device is illustrated and designated with the reference numeral  10 . The clamping device  10  includes a clamp  12  and a removable handle assembly  14 . The clamp  12  is illustrated clamped to a workpiece  16 .  FIG. 3  illustrates the handle assembly  14  removed from the clamp  12 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate exploded views of the clamp  12  and handle assembly  14 . 
         [0022]    The clamp  12  includes a pair of arms  18 . The arms  18  are joined at one end by a pivot mechanism  20 . The arms  18  are identical and have a threaded collar  22  to receive a set screw  24 . The other end of the arm includes a clevis  26  to attach the arms to a fulcrum member  28 . The arms  18  include apertures that receive pins  30  that pass through apertures in the fulcrum member  28  to enable the arms  18  to pivot with respect to the fulcrum member  28  from an open to a closed position. 
         [0023]    The fulcrum member  28  includes a body  32  with a pair of arms  34 . The arms  34  include apertures that receive the pins  30 . The body  32  has a hollow configuration. The interior surface  35  of the cylinder has a polygonal configuration and is shown as a hexagonal configuration. This enables the removable handle assembly  14  to be positioned at different angles with respect to the clamp  12 . Additionally, the interior surface  35  includes a ball groove  36  that receives balls from the handle assembly ball lock  104  to lock the handle assembly  14  with the clamp  12 . 
         [0024]    The arms  18  include a clevis end  38  that includes an aperture to receive pins  40 . Links  42  are secured to the arms  18  via the pins  40 . The links  42  are coupled with the clamp bushing  44 . The clamp bushing  44  has a hollow right cylinder body  46  that terminates at a flange  48 . The clamp bushing  44  also includes a pair of arms  50  that include apertures to receive pins  52 . The pins  52  also couple with the links  42  to secure the clamp bushing  44  with the arms  18 . 
         [0025]    The handle assembly  14  includes a release mechanism  60  that, when coupled with the clamp  12 , moves the clamp  12  between its open and clamped position. The handle assembly  14  includes an engagement mechanism  62  to engage and disengage the handle assembly  14  with the clamp  12  in a locked and removed position. 
         [0026]    The handle assembly  14  includes a grip  64 . The grip  64  includes a slot  66  that enables a trigger member  68  of the engagement mechanism  62  to pass through the grip  64 . Also, the grip  64  includes a housing portion  70  that includes apertures for passage of the release mechanism  60  and engagement mechanism  62 . 
         [0027]    The release mechanism  60  includes a squeeze lever  72  pivotably coupled, via pin  75 , with the grip housing portion  70 . The squeeze lever  72  moves between a first and second position. It is illustrated in a closed position in  FIGS. 1 and 3  and in normally open position in  FIG. 2 . A spring  73  keeps the squeeze lever  72  in its normally open position. The squeeze lever  72  is coupled with a slide bushing  74  via links  76 . The links  76  are pinned to the squeeze lever  72  as well as the slide bushing  74 . The slide bushing  74  includes a body  77  as well as a ball lock mechanism  78 . The ball lock mechanism  78  includes a pair of ball lock expanders  80  that are biased by springs  82  through apertures  84  in the body  77 . The ball lock expanders  80  work with the balls  96  to lock and unlock the sliding bushing  74  with the clamp bushing  44  about the flange  48 . 
         [0028]    A release lever  90  is pivotally secured, via a pin  97 , in the squeeze lever  72 . The release lever  90  includes a cam portion  94  that abuts against the grip  64 . As the release lever  90  is pushed forward, the cam portion  94  pushes against the grip  64  moving the squeeze lever  72  away from the grip  64 . The spring  73  then moves the squeeze lever  72  into its open position to move the clamp  12  to an open position as seen in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0029]    The engagement mechanism  62  includes trigger member  68  pivoted via pin  92  on the grip  64 . The end of the trigger member  68  includes a slot  69  to secure with a plunger  98  via a pin  99 . The plunger  98  moves within a spigot  100  that extends from the handle assembly  14 . The spigot  100  includes a polygonal end  102  that includes the ball lock mechanism  104 . The polygonal end  102  mates with the polygonal interior  35  of the body  32 . The spigot  100  also includes a ball lock expander  106  that is biased by spring  108 . The plunger  98  is biased by spring  110  to move the trigger member  68  between a first and second position. Also, the plunger  98  includes a pin  112  that actuate the ball expanders  80 . 
         [0030]    To connect and disconnect the handle assembly  14  with the clamp  12 , the trigger member  68  is pulled towards the grip  64 . As this occurs, the plunger  98  moves in the spigot  100 . As this occurs, the pin  112  contact the ball lock expanders  80  and the end of the plunger  98  contacts ball lock expander  106 . As this happens, the grooves  114 ,  116  of the ball lock expanders  80 ,  106  are aligned with the balls  86 ,  96  enabling the balls  86 ,  96  to move into the grooves  114 ,  116 . Thus, the balls  86 ,  96  of the ball lock mechanisms  78 ,  104  move into the grooves  114 ,  116 . This enables the handle assembly  14  to be inserted into the pivot mechanism clamp bushing  44  or to be removed from it. 
         [0031]    Once the handle assembly  14  is coupled with the clamp bushing  44 , the trigger member  68  is released. The trigger member  68  moves towards the housing portion  70  of the grip  64 . This enables the spring  110  to bias the plunger  98  away from the clamp  12 . As this occurs, the cylinder portions  118 ,  120  of the ball lock expanders  80 ,  106  come into contact with the balls  86 ,  96  locking the ball  96  with the flange  48  and the ball  86  in the groove  36 , respectively. 
         [0032]    Thus, the clamp  12  and handle assembly  14  are connected with one another. With the squeeze lever  72  in an open position, as in  FIG. 2 , the squeeze lever  72  is moved towards the grip  64 . As this occurs, the squeeze lever  72  pivots about pivot pin  75  which moves the linkage pins  76  which, in turn, moves the slide bushing  74  towards the clamp  12 . As the slide bushing  74  moves towards the clamp  12 , the clamp bushing  44  moves towards the fulcrum member  28 . As this occurs, the clamp arms  18  move into a clamping position. The links  42  are in an overcenter position locking the clamping arms  18  in position. 
         [0033]    To open the clamps  12 , the release lever  90  is moved towards the grip  64 . As this occurs, the cam portion  94  cams against the grip  64  to move the squeeze lever  72  away from the grip  64 . The spring  73  then biases the squeeze lever  72  to its open position. As the squeeze lever  72  moves to an open position, the links  76  pull on the slide bushing  74 . The slide bushing  74  is secured with the flange  48  of the clamp bushing  44 , via the ball locks  86 . This movement moves the clamp bushing  44  along spigot  100  away from the fulcrum member  28  which, in turn, moves the arms  18  into an open position. If desired, the clamp  12  can be removed from the handle assembly  14  by activating the trigger member  68  as explained above to disengage the handle assembly  14  from the clamp  12 . 
         [0034]    The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.