Patent ID: 7178797

Claim:
Toggle-lever clamping device for clamping work pieces, comprising: a box-shaped body that extends in a longitudinal direction; a linear actuator having a longitudinal axis parallely arranged to the longitudinal direction of the box-shaped body of the device; and at least one clamping member protruding from an opening of the box-shaped body, said clamping member being movable between an advanced position in which it disengages a work piece, and a retracted portion in which it retains the work piece, said clamping member being operatively connected to the linear actuator by means of an articulated quadrilateral system and an intermediate toggle-lever mechanism comprising a connecting link, wherein the clamping member extends from a side of the box-shaped body in a crosswise direction in respect to the box-shaped body and the longitudinal axis of the linear actuator, wherein the articulated quadrilateral system and the intermediate toggle-lever connecting link are constructed and arranged as to transform the linear movement of the actuator into a composite rocking and linear movement of the clamping member wit respect to the cross-wise direction of the box-shaped body and the longitudinal axis of the actuator, and wherein the articulated quadrilateral system comprises a first rod pivotally supported by the box-shaped body to rotate on a first pivotal axis, said first rod being connected to the clamping member by a first hinge axis; said articulated quadrilateral system comprising a second rod having a length shorter than said first rod, the second rod being pivotally supported by the box-shaped body to rotate on a second pivotal axis, said second rod in turn being hingedly connected to the clamping member by a second hinge axis, wherein the pivotal axes of said first and second rods, with respect to the connecting link, are disposed on a side of the clamping member which is opposite to the side of the linear actuator, and wherein the first rod of the articulated quadrilateral system comprises a lever arm operatively connected to the linear actuator by the intermediate toggle-lever connecting link.