Year: 1897

page_text: I, GEORGE EDWARD GREENWOOD, of 35 Syndall Street, Manchester, in the county
of Lancaster, Contractor's Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
:~
A flooring cramp constructed according to this invention is provided with a
lever which, on being pressed downwards, causes the cramp to grip a joist or the
like and at the same time forces a ram or its equivalent against the board to be
laid.
The cramp is furnished with a bridge piece to which are pivotted on parallel
stems two cams or excentric grips connected by links or the like to the returned
end of the main lever in such manner that as the links are moved in one direction
the cams or excentric grips close together and grip the joist or the like which is
placed between them. The movement of the links in the other direction causes
the cams to open and release the joist. The main lever is mounted upon the
bridge piece through the intermediary of the ram, plunger or other device by
means of which the boards are forced into place, the lever and the ram being
suitably pivoted together.
In use, the bridge piece is placed upon a joist with the cams one on each side.
The downward movement of the lever causes the ram to move up against the
board and moves the links in such a direction that the cams are closed together
and grip the joist, thus locking the cramp in position. Continued pressure on
the lever results in a tighter grip upon the joist and greater pressure upon the
board which is to be laid in place.
It is preferred to make the handle of the lever detachable or capable of being
folded out of the way so as not to project over the surface of the board after the
latter has been pressed into place and interfere with the operations of the nailers.
The cams or the like are preferably so mounted in the bridge piece that their
distance apart may be varied to render them adjustable for different sizes of joists.
For this purpose their stems may pass through slots in the bridge and may be
secured in any position by means of nuts, cotters, wedges or the like.
If desired, of course, only one cam need be employed the other being substituted
by a fixed stop or projection.
Dated this Twenty first day of January A.D. 1897.

page_text: GEORGE EDWARD GREENWOOD, of 35 Syndall Street, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Contractor's Foreman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement.
A flooring cramp constructed according to this invention is provided with a
lever which, on being pressed downwards, causes the cramp to grip a joist or the
like and at the same time forces a ram or its equivalent against the board to be laid.
The cramp is furnished with a bridge piece to which are pivotted on parallel
stems two cams or excentric grips connected by links or the like to the returned
and bifurcated end of the main lever in such a manner that as the links are moved
in one direction the cams or excentric grips close together and grip the joist or the
like which is placed between them. The movement of the links in the opposite direc-
tion causes the grips to open and release the joist. The main lever is mounted upon
and connected with the bridge piece through the intermediary of the ram, plunger
or other device by means of which the boards are forced into place, the lever and
the ram being suitably pivotted together.
In use, the bridge piece is placed upon a joist with the grips one on each side.
The downward movement of the lever causes the ram to move up against the edge
of the board and moves the links in such a manner that. the cams are closed
together and grip the joist thus locking the cramp in position. Continued
pressure on the lever results in a tighter grip upon the joist and greater pressure
upon the board which is to be laid in place.
It is preferred to make the handle of the lever detachable or capable of being
folded out of the way so as not, to interfere with the operations of the nailers by.
projecting over the surface of the board after the latter has been pressed into place. 2
The cams or the like are preferably so mounted in or upon the bridge piece that
their distance apart may be varied to render them adjustable for different sizes of
joists. For this purpose their stems may pass through slots in the bridge and may
be secured in any position by means of nuts, cotters, wedges or the like.
If desired, of course, only one cam with its connecting ink need be employed, 3
the other being substituted by a fixed stop or projection.
In order that the construction of my improved cramp may be more readily
understood, I have hereto appended a sheet of drawings which illustrate it both in
use and out of use.
Figure 1 shows the cramp in place upon a joist and pressing a board into place. 3
Figure 2 illustrates it in elevation in its inoperative position.
Figure 3 is an end elevation of the cramp in the position shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a plan of the cramp from underneath, also in the inoperative
position.
The cramp consists of a bridge piece A. upon which are pivotted two excentric 4
grips or cams B, B¹, which are capable of rotary movement upon the stems C.
These stems may be fixtures upon the bridge piece or they may be detachable
therefrom or adjustable thereon. It is preferred to pass them through slots in the
bridge piece and secure them at any desired distance apart by means of cotters 1)
which pass through the stems and engage with serrations or teeth formed on the 4
upper face of the bridge piece. The cams or grips B, B', are connected by links E
to the limbs or extensions F, F, formed upon the lower end of the main lever G.
This lever G is pivotted to the ram or sliding piece H which passes through the
bridge piece A. The downward movement of the lever G thus draws the links E

page_text: in a direction which effects the partial rotation of the cams B, B1, and causes their
surfaces to approach each other and to grip the joist which may have been placed
between them. When the cams can move no further the continued movement of
the lever presses the rain forward and tightens the grip upon the joist.
As shewn in Figure 1 the cramp is placed upon a joist J one of the grips B
being placed upon each side. The lever has been moved down until the grips
have tightened upon the joist and until the further movement of the lever has
forced the end of the ram on its equivalent against the edge of the flooring board K.
The cramp may be locked in this position by means of a chain extending from the
lever to a hook formed upon or attached to the front of the ram, or other means
may be employed for retaining the respective parts of the cramp in their relative
positions.
The lever G may be divided in its length if desired the two parts being joined
tgrether in such a manner that although effective as a single lever, the upper part
may be folded back when desired and when the cramp is in use as illustrated by
Figure 1.
The inner faces of the grips may be roughened or formed with projections so
as to increase their grip upon the intervening joist.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A flooring cramp, consisting of a grip or grips connected to a lever and a ram
or its equivalent also connected to the lever, all constructed arranged and operated
substantially as herein before described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
2. A flooring cramp, constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore
described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st dow of October AD 1897
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.