Patent ID: 6896248

Claim:
A clamping device for clamping a workpiece, the clamping device comprising: a slide bar; a fixed jaw coupled to the slide bar; and a selectively movable member slidingly coupled to the slide bar, the movable member comprising: a housing; a cylinder coupled to the housing, wherein the cylinder comprises a first end cap and a second end cap positioned at opposite ends thereof, wherein an interior region of the cylinder is defined therebetween, and wherein an inlet port is associated with the first end cap, wherein the inlet port is in fluid communication with the interior region of the cylinder; a piston residing within the interior region of the cylinder, wherein the piston is operable to linearly translate within the cylinder, wherein the piston is further coupled to a rod extending through the second end cap; a movable jaw coupled to the rod, wherein the movable jaw is operable to linearly translate with the piston and to selectively clamp the workpiece between the fixed jaw and the movable jaw based upon an application of fluid pressure to the inlet port; and a locking mechanism coupled to the housing, wherein the locking mechanism is operable to selectively engage the slide bar, therein selectively preventing a movement of the housing away from the fixed jaw.