Patent ID: 8132310

Claim:
A work carrier for carrying a plate-like work with the work held in an upright position, the work carrier comprising: a fixed clamp unit having a first clamp member for holding a vertical edge of the work; and a movable clamp unit having a second clamp member disposed opposite to the first clamp member for holding another vertical edge of the work, wherein the movable clamp unit comprises: a horizontal guide rail mounted to extend toward the first clamp member; a rack extending parallel to the guide rail; a first slider and a second slider that are slidably mounted on the guide rail with the first slider situated nearer the first clamp member in relation to the second slider, the first slider supporting thereon the second clamp member; a resilient member resiliently connecting together the first slider and the second slider; a lock lever pivotally mounted on the second slider and having a toothed portion engageable with the rack for locking the second slider in position against movement relative to the guide rail; a spring member acting between the second slider and the lock lever and urging the lock lever to turn in a first direction to move the toothed portion of the lock lever into meshing engagement with the rack; an operating lever pivotally mounted on the second slider to undergo pivotal movement between a first position and a second position through a third position disposed between the first and second positions; and a cam mechanism operable in response to pivotal movement of the operating lever such that when the operating lever is in the first position, the lock lever is urged to turn in a second direction opposite to the first direction against the force of the spring member so as to disengage the toothed portion from the rack to thereby allow the first and second sliders to be displaced toward and away from the first clamp member, when the operating lever is in the third position, the lock lever is allowed to turn in the first direction under the force of the spring member to the extent that the toothed portion is in complete mesh with the rack to thereby lock the second slider in position against movement relative to the guide rail, and when the operating lever is in the second position, the first slider and the second clamp member are displaced toward the first clamp member against the resiliency of the resilient member while the second slider remains locked in position on the guide rail via meshing engagement provided between the rack and the toothed portion under the force of the spring member.