Improvements in or relating to Cramps.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cramps.
I, ALFRED EDWARD APPLETON, Trinity Walk. Tewkesbury, in the County of
Gloucester, Builder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to cramps such as are used for squeezing together the
floor boards of rooms and buildings before the said boards are nailed to the
joists.
In accordance with this invention the improved cramp consists of two jaws
adapted to be brought together and tightened by the means hereinafter described
against the sides of the joists.
The said jaws consist preferably of two angle plates or bars having means
combined therewith so that they can be moved in opposite directions to or from
the joist.
The upper horizontal members of the angle plates or bars are adapted to move
one against the other by preferably pin and slot connections or one within the
other in which latter case one of the said members would be bifurcated to receive
the other.
In the preferred construction the jaws are provided with claws or spikes for
entering the sides of the joists the said spikes having optionally a threaded stem
screwing into the jaw so that it can be adjusted, and for moving the jaws one of
the latter has a lever connected thereto and the other a link pivotted also to the
lever so that by moving the said lever the jaws are caused to move in opposite
directions as herein before stated.
To the side of one of the jaws or to a projection thereon there is fulcrummed
a lever connected also to a link attached to an angle or other suitably shaped bar
by which, through the medium of the last named lever, the pressure is exerted
against the floor boards.
The details of construction may be varied slightly within the main lines of the
invention.
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to cramps such as are used for squeezing together the
floor boards of rooms and buildings before the said boards are nailed to the joists.
My invention will be fully understood from the following description having
reference to the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cramp constructed in accordance with my
invention and shown in the position in which it is about to be tightened on a
joist.
Figure 2 and Figure 3 are front and side elevations respectively of the cramp
in its operative position i.c. fixed on a joist and exerting pressure against a floor
board.
A cramp constructed in accordance with my invention comprises two jaws
adapted to move against or slide the one within the other and means for tighten-
ing said jaws on the joist and an angular pressure plate for squeezing the floor
boards one against the other and an arrangement of links and levers for effecting
the pressure.
Referring to the drawings the jaws comprise two angular plates A A¹ adapted
to move one within the other.
In the construction illustrated the upper horizontal member of A' has a bifur-
cation A2 extending the whole of its length as shown most clearly in Figure 1
and into which is received the corresponding horizontal member of A adapted to
fit movably therein.
The downwardly depending members of A A¹ are provided with bosses A³ A¹
through which passes screwed stalks A A having on their adjacent ends two
plates A7 A8 fitted with spikes adapted when pressure is applied thereto to enter
opposite sides of a joist E to hold the cramp is position thereon.
The end of the horizontal member of A¹ is furnished with two lugs A A
between which a lever B is fulcrummed and the end of the horizontal member
of A is furnished with a lug A" to which are pivotted two link plates A1 A13
the other ends of which are pivotted to the lever B.
When the angle plates A A', spiked plates A7 A8, lever B and links AA are
in the position indicated in Figure 1 the angle plates rest on the upper surface
of the joist and the spiked plates bear lightly against the sides thereof but when
the lever B is depressed as in Figures 2 and 3 it and the link plates A2 A3 move
the two angle plates in opposite directions thereby closing the jaws and pressing
the spiked plates against the sides of the joist with sufficient force to cause the
spikes to enter the wood and hold the cramp firmly in position preparatory to
squeezing the floor boards together.
For this latter purpose there is attached to or formed integrally with the
horizontal member of A¹ a pair of lugs A14 between which is fulcrummed a lever C
to which two links C₁ C are pivotted thereto at one end and at the other end to
an angular pressure plate D adapted to rest on the joist, and when the lever C
is depressed as in Figure 3, to press with force against the edge of a floor board E
Figs. and 3 and squeeze it against the adjoining board ready for being nailed
in position. A bearer plate F rivetted to or formed integrally with the angle
plate A and arranged to bear on the upper face of the joist is employed to pre-
vent the jaws from tilting when the lever C is depressed. As an alternative con-
struction the jaws A1 A2 may be provided with pin and slot connections or other-
wise arranged so that they will slide side by side or move one within the other.
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 cramp comprising two sliding jaws, means for actuating the said jaws to
engage or release a joist and means for exerting pressure against the floor boards.

page_text: 2. A cramp comprising two sliding jaws, an arrangement of a lever and links
for actuating said jaws, a pressure plate or equivalent device and lever and links
for actuating the latter for the purpose described.
3. A cramp comprising two sliding jaws fitting movably one within the other,
a lever and links to move the jaws in opposite directions, a lever fulcrummed to
one of the said jaws and connected by links or equivalent to a pressure plate for
the purpose described.
4. A cramp comprising a pair of sliding jaws such as A A', spiked plates such
as A A8, lever B and links A12 A3 pressure plate D and lever C and links C¹ C³
substantially as described.
5. The improved cramp consisting of the parts constructed, arranged and
operating substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
un dav
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Dated this
OF JUV IX99.
Dated HIS OLD dav 01 JUV 899.
Witness,
E. N. LEWIS,
Berridge Street Chambers, Leicester,
A. E. APPLETON,
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.