Patent ID: 8777199

Claim:
A hydraulic clamping device, comprising: a clamping piece supported in a structure; a hydraulic cylinder having a longitudinal axis and including a cylinder housing fixedly connected to the structure and a piston moveably disposed in the cylinder housing; an intermediate piece axially disposed between the piston and the clamping piece; and a bearing axially disposed between the piston and the intermediate piece; wherein the hydraulic cylinder is configured to exert a force along the longitudinal axis against the clamping piece; wherein the clamping piece is coupled to the intermediate piece through a first pair of mating spherical surfaces in sliding engagement, wherein a first surface of the first pair of mating spherical surfaces is disposed on the clamping device and a second surface of the first pair of mating spherical surfaces is disposed on the intermediate piece; wherein the intermediate piece is coupled to the bearing through a second pair of mating spherical surfaces in sliding engagement, wherein a first surface of the second pair of mating spherical surfaces is disposed on the intermediate piece and a second surface of the second pair of mating spherical surfaces is disposed on the bearing.