Improvements in Cramps.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov., 1899
Improvements in Cramps.
I, JOSEPH WOODHEAD, of Boggo Road, South Brisbane, in the Colony of Queens-
land, Engineer, 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:-
-
My invention relates to that class of flooring cramp that is operated by the
direct action of one lever; and it has for its object the production of a cramp
that when placed in position first grips the joist (or its equivalent) and afterwards
cramps up the work.
My invention consists of a lever articulated in such a manner that at first it
acts as a lever of the first order when gripping the joist, and after that object is
attained it operates as a lever of the second order when cramping up the work.
The cramp constructed in accordance with my invention consists of a saddle
frame having four inverted terminals, each of which carries a short lever having
one end formed with teeth to grip the joist while the other end is connected to
a similar lever on the same side of the saddle. On the top of the saddle, working
in suitable grooves or slides, is a ram pivoted to a bifurcated lever, while the
lower ends of this lever are stepped into slotted links pivoted to the couplers
connecting each short lever on either side. In order however that the invention
may be clearly understood I will now describe it with reference to the accom-
panying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a side view of my invention with part of the saddle frame shown in
section.
Fig. 2 is an inverted plan of same.
Fig. 3 is a detail view of the coupler with the end of the lever shown broken
off.
Fig. 4 is a plan of same.
Fig. 5 is a side view of the short levers.
Fig. 6 is a plan of same.
a, a are the short levers provided at one end with sharp teeth to enable them
to grip the joist K; by means of studs etc., each lever is pivoted to one of the
terminals of the saddle frame b. Each short lever on one side is connected to
the corresponding one on the same side by a coupler c. In the centre of each
coupler is pivotally connected a slotted-link d made to receive the lower ends of
the bifurcated lever e.
On the top of the frame working in suitable slides or slots is the ram f con-
nected to the bifurcated lever e by the cross bar g.
The stay is provided to hold the cramp in position while the boards are being
secured.
The whole of the cramp may be made of malleable cast iron or other suitable
material, and made in sizes to suit the various uses to which it may be put, such
as flooring or ceiling joists walls studs etc.
The method of using this cramp is as follows:-
The operator places the cramp over the joist k with the ram facing him and

page_text: close against the boards to be cramped up, then, on pulling the lever towards
him, the ram head being against the boards the cross bar g becomes the fulcrum
j
and the movement of the lever e causes the teeth of the short levers to grip the
joist ; when this grip is attained further movement of the lever means that
the ram must be moved forward because the fulcrum is now at the lower extremity
of the lever. When no further movement is possible to stay h holds the cramp
while the boards are fastened, after which the stay is removed and the lever put
back; in so doing the short levers immediately release the joist so that the
cramp can be pushed back or removed to allow of more boards being placed in
position.
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 —
In a flooring eramp a single lever articulated in such a manner that it first
operates as a lever of the first order when gripping the joist and subsequently
operates as a lever of the second order when cramping up the boards, as herein
described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
1 1
2:11 1
1000
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees and Hull,
Agent for the Applicant.
G. J. CLARKSON,
Chartered Patent Agent, Stockton-on-Tees and Hull,
Agent for the Applicant.