Improvements in Flooring Cramps and other like Cramps.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 19th May, 1896-Accepted, 20th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flooring Cramps and other like Cramps.
I, JOSEPH HAMPTON, of King's Hill, Wednesbury, in the County of Stafford,
Tool Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates principally to cramps used for forcing together edge to
edge boards in the laying of wooden floors and in the fixing of the said boards to
the joists, which said cramps are commonly called flooring cramps and consist
essentially of a joist clamp on the top of which is a tubular box or case in which
the cramping bar works the said tubular box or case and cramping bar when in
use being situated on the top of and parallel with the joist to which the cramp is
clamped. My invention may however be applied to other like cramps.
My invention consists of the construction and arrangement or combination of
parts hereinafter described for operating the cramping bars of flooring or other
cramps, whereby the construction of the cramp is simplified, its operation facilitated
and its action rendered more efficient.
In
In constructing a flooring cramp according to my invention I mount the tubular
box or case in which the cramping bar works on the top of the joist clamp as
herein before described. In a tubular bearing on the top of the tubular box or
case, a vertical axis turns the said axis having on its upper end a crossing
or shaped handle, similar to the operating handle of a letter copying press, and
having on its lower end, situated in the tubular box or case, a vertical worm.
the said tubular box I arrange a worm wheel to gear with the said vertical worm
on the operating axis, the worm wheel turning on a horizontal axis fixed in opposite
sides of the tubular box or case. On the upper side of the cramping bar I form
a rack the teeth of which are slightly inclined to the sides of the said bar and gear
with the worm wheel so that when the worm wheel is turned in one or other
direction the cramping bar is advanced from or drawn into the tubular box or case
of the cramp.
The action of the parts is as follows;—
The cramp having been fixed to one or other of the joists by means of its joist
clamp and the floor board placed in position, the crossing handle of the vertical
axis is turned in the direction proper to advance, through the action of the vertical
worm and worm wheel, the cramping bar against the edge of the floor board so as
to force the said board close up to the one already fixed, the final compression being
effected by the operation of the two hands, one on each of the opposite ends of the
crossing handle of the vertical axis. Thus, great power may be exerted and the
close cramping of the boards more efficiently effected than by ordinary cramps.
After the nailing or fixing of the cramped board to the floor joists, the cramping
bar is withdrawn by the turning of the crossing handle in an opposite direction to
that which effected the forward motion of the cramping bar.
The improvements herein before described for operating the cramping bars of
flooring cramps may also be applied to door cramps and cramps for use in cramping
cabinet and joinery work generally.
Dated this Twenty-first day of September 1895.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Flooring Cramps and other like Cramps.
I, JOSEPH HAMPTON of King's Hill Wednesbury in the County of Stafford
Tool Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates principally to cramps used for forcing together edge to
edge boards in the laying of wooden floors and in the fixing of the said boards to
the joists which said cramps are commonly called flooring cramps and consist
essentially of a joist clamp on the top of which is a tubular box or case in which
the cramping bar works, the said tubular box or case and cramping bar when in
use being situated on the top of and parallel with the joist to which the cramp is
clamped. My invention may however be applied to other like cramps.
My invention consists of the construction and arrangement or combination of
parts hereinafter described for operating the cramping bars of flooring or other
cramps, whereby the construction of the cramp is simplified, its operation facilitated
and its action rendered more efficient.
In
In constructing a flooring cramp according to my invention I mount the tubular
box or case in which the cramping bar works on the top of the joist clamp as
herein before described. In a tubular bearing on the top of the tubular box or
case, a vertical axis turns the said axis having on its upper end a crossing
or T shaped handle, similar to the operating handle of a letter copying press, and
having on its lower end, situated in the tubular box or case, a vertical worm.
the said tubular box I arrange a worm wheel to gear with the said vertical worm
on the operating axis, the worm wheel turning on a horizontal axis fixed in
opposite sides of the tubular box or case. On the upper side of the cramping bar
I form a rack the teeth of which are slightly inclined to the sides of the said bar
and gear with the worm wheel so that when the worm wheel is turned in one or
other direction the cramping bar is advanced from or drawn into the tubular box
or case of the cramp.
The action of the parts is as follows ;-
The cramp having been fixed to one or other of the joists by means of its joist
clamp and the floor board placed in position, the crossing handle of the vertical
axis is turned in the direction proper to advance, through the action of the
vertical worm and worm wheel, the cramping bar against the edge of the floor
board so as to force the said board close up to the one already fixed, the final
compression being effected by the operation of the two hands, one on each of the
opposite ends of the crossing handle of the vertical axis. Thus, great power may
be exerted and the close cramping of the boards more efficiently effected than by
ordinary cramps. After the nailing or fixing of the cramped board to the floor
joists, the cramping bar is withdrawn by the turning of the crossing handle in an
opposite direction to that which effected the forward motion of the cramping bar.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figures 1 and 2 represent sections, taken in planes at right angles to one another,
of a flooring cramp, containing mechanism constructed according to my invention
for operating the cramping bar of the said cramp, and Figure 3 represents a plan
of the cramp.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
a, a is the joist clamp for fixing the flooring cramp to the joist 6 the said joist
clamp consisting of the fixed jaw a and the adjustable jaw a operated by the
screw a³ and handle a as usual; c is the box or case of the flooring cramp mounted

page_text: pon the top of the joist clamp and made in one piece with the fixed parts of the
aid joist clamp. In the said box or case c the cramping bar d works, together
with the parts for operating the said cramping bar. On the upper side and near
he rear end of the cramping bar d is a rack d', the teeth of which are slightly
nclined to the sides of the said bar as represented. The box or case c is closed
v the tubular bearing c fixed to the said box or case by the screw pins c³, c³. In
he said tubular bearing c³ the vertical axis e turns, the said axis having on its
apper end a crossing or T shaped handle f similar to the operating handle of a
letter copying press as represented. On the lower end of the vertical axis e,
situated in the box or case c, is a vertical worm e³ which gears with the worm
wheel 9 turning on the cross axis h fixed by its ends in the sides of the box or
case c(see Figure 2). The said worm wheel g also gears with the teeth of the
rack of the cramping bar d.
By turning the worm e' by its axis e and handle f in one or other direction, the
worm wheel g is rotated in one or other direction and gearing with the rack d³ of
the cramping bar d advances the said bar out of or draws it into the box or case c
of the cramp. By the advance of the cramping bar d its cross head bears against
the floor board to be cramped so as to close it against the one already fixed and by
then operating the crossing handle f by both hands the final compression or
cramping of the board is effected with great power and the cramping of the board
very efficiently performed. After the cramping operation and nailing or screwing
of the board, the crossing handle f is turned in an opposite direction to that by
which the cramping was effected so as to withdraw the cramping bar from the
cramped board and the operations described are repeated on other boards, the joist
clamp being adjusted from time to time on the joist b as is well understood.
The improvements hereinbefore described and represented for operating the
cramping bars of flooring cramps may also be applied to door cramps and
cramps for use in cramping cabinet and joinery work generally. In these cases,
the cramp is fixed to a bench or other support by the side clamp, herein before
called the joist clamp, and the cramping bar advanced against the article to be
cramped in the manner hereinbefore described with respect to the cramping of
floor boards.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "Improvements in flooring cramps and other like cramps
دو
:-
The combination or arrangement of parts herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings, for operating the cramping bars of the said cramps,
the said combination or arrangement of parts consisting essentially of a vertical
axis, operated preferably by a crossing handle, the said axis having at its lower
end a worm which gears with a worm wheel and the latter with the inclined teeth
of a rack on the upper face and rear end of the cramping bar, the several parts
being arranged and operating substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated the Sixteenth day of May 1896.
JOSEPH HAMPTON.