Patent ID: 8047516

Claim:
A solid surface clamp for providing a clamping force to a solid surface target, comprising: a single elongated stiffening bar, the elongated bar constructed to be as thick or thicker in its dimension that is in-line with the clamping force as compared to its dimension perpendicular to the clamping force; a track in the elongated bar; a plurality of spaced-apart clamping sets coupled to the track of the elongated bar; and each clamping set arranged to apply a compressive force to the elongated bar, and each clamping set further comprising: a top jaw slideably received into the track of the elongated bar; a bottom jaw; a bolt attached to the bottom jaw and slideably received through the top jaw, a threaded portion of the bolt extending from the top jaw; a nut threaded onto the threaded portion of the bolt; and a shroud shielding the nut and the entire threaded portion of the bolt that extends from the top jaw, the shroud constructed to continuously shield the nut and the entire threaded portion that extends from the top jaw: i) when the clamping set is in its open position; ii) when the clamping set transitions from the open position to a clamped position; and iii) when the clamping set is in the clamping position; wherein the track is constructed as an integral track extending the full length of the elongated bar, and the top jaw of each clamping set is coupled to the track.