Clamping for welding

Citation

(2000), "Clamping for welding", Assembly Automation, Vol. 20 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2000.03320bad.007

Clamping for welding

Clamping for welding

Keywords: Assembly, Welding

Applicant: Simpro SpA (IT)Patent number: EP0891838Publication date: 20 January 1999Title: System for clamping elements for assembly, in particular sheet metal parts for welding

The invention relates to a modular, articulated-lever system for precision clamping mechanical elements for assembly, in particular sheet metal parts for welding. The aim is to produce a system which is strong and cheap to produce and maintain, and is compact, and more specifically is of an overall transverse size roughly equal to the centre distance (about 50mm) of standard industrial welding guns, to enable the formation of two adjacent weld spots, one on either side of the sheet metal parts retained by each clamp. It is to be versatile, adaptable to mechanical elements/components of different types, shapes and sizes; subject to very little wear-induced slack; and, at any rate, provide for fast, trouble-free slack take-up. It comprises a base flange fittable to a pedestal in turn fittable with a supporting element; a control lever; actuating means for activating the control lever; a lock lever fittable with a gripping element co-operating with the supporting element to grip the mechanical elements for assembly; and a connecting rod connecting the control lever to the lock lever, the first ends of the levers being hinged to the base flange by a first and second hinge element; characterized in that the connecting rod is hinged to the control lever by a third hinge element connected to the control lever in a position which, with respect to the first hinge element, is eccentric both in a direction parallel to the radial extension of the control lever, and at the same time in a direction perpendicular to the aforementioned direction.