Patent ID: 8132309

Claim:
A clamping apparatus for joining the ends of two boards having mating joints on adjoining ends, comprising: a pair of clamp components, each clamp component having a first set of flexible fingers and a second set of flexible fingers on opposing ends of the clamp component, said flexible fingers extending angularly from the clamp component, with the first set of flexible fingers extending in a first direction generally opposed to that of the second set of flexible fingers extending in a second direction, the first and second sets of flexible fingers on each of the clamp components being configured to deflect when forced against two boards disposed between the pair of clamp components so as to cause the two boards to move towards each other, whereby mating ends of said boards are joined and, a clamp device comprising first and second jaws, a bar, a handle and an actuator configured to compress the pair of clamp components against two boards disposed between the first and second sets of flexible fingers on the pair of clamp components.