A clamp-mount device is disclosed for mounting equipment to an associated I-beam and the like structural member of the type having oppositely extending flanges wherein the device comprises a base and a pair of oppositely facing clamping members carried diagonally on the base clamping flanges therebetween and having flange receiving openings facing one another. Lock means are carried diagonally by the base opposite the clamping members locking the flanges in the clamping members. A resilient hub is carried centrally of the base engaging and biasing a back side of the flanges maintaining tightly clamped and facilitating use on vertical as well as horizontal members. The base turns about the hub to receive the flanges within the clamping members. Equipment may be secured to the base by any suitable means such as bolts in openings. Slidable gate latches secure the hinged locks in an upright locking position. The resilient hub includes a recess opening formed in the base and a rubber-like pad carried in this opening being depressably and rotatably carried therein

Clark, K. H.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

United States Patent [191 
Clark 
[111 4,422,609 
[45] Dec. 27, 1983 
[54] CLAMP-MOUNT DEVICE 
[75] Inventor: Keith H. Clark, Decatur, Ala, 
[73] Assignee: The United States of America as 
represented by the Administrator of 
the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration, Washington, D.C. 
[21] Appl. No.: 293,414 
[22] Filed: Aug. 14, 1981 
[51] Int. Cl.3 ......................... A47B 96/06; E04G 3/00 
[52] U.S. Cl. .................................................... 248/228 
[58] Field of Search .............. 248/228, 317, 72, 222.1; 
52/27, 39,483; 403/316, 317 
1561 References Cited 
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 
2,868,490 VI959 Price ................................... 248/228 
3,003,735 10/1961 Havener .............................. 248/228 
3,018,080 1/1962 Loudon ............................... 248/228 
4,112,550 9/1978 De Witt et al. ..................... 248/228 
4,191,352 3/1980 Schuplin ............................. 248/317 
Primary Examiner-William H. Schultz 
Assistant Examiner-Ramon 0. Ramirez 
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Joseph H. Beumer; John R. 
Manning; Leon D. Wofford, Jr. 
[571 ABSTRACT 
A clamp-mount device is disclosed for mounting equip- 
ment B to an associated I-beam 50 and the like structural 
member of the type having oppositely extending flanges 
52,54 wherein the device comprises a base 10 and a pair 
of oppositely facing clamping members 12, 14 carried 
diagonally on the base clamping flanges therebetween 
and having flange receiving openings facing one an- 
other. Lock means 20,22 are carried diagonally by the 
base opposite the clamping members locking the flanges 
in the clamping members. A resilient hub 30 is carried 
centrally of the base engaging and biasing a back side of 
the flanges maintaining same tightly clamped and facili- 
tating use on vertical as well as horizontal members. 
The base turns about the hub to receive the flanges 
within the clamping members Equipment B may be 
secured to said base 10 by any suitable means such as 
bolts in openings lob. Slidable gate latches 24,26 secure 
the hinged locks 20, 22 in an upright locking position. 
The resilient hub includes a recess opening 34 formed in 
base 10 and a rubber-like pad 32 carried in this opening 
being depressably and rotatably carried therein. 
7 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19840008492 2020-03-22T08:12:37+00:00Z
U.S. Patent Dec. 27, 1983 Sheet 1 of 2 4,422, 
A 
3 4  
U.S. Patent Dec. 27, 1983 lrjheet 2 of 2 4,422, 
4,422,609 
1 2 
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a mounting 
clamp device according to the invention mounting an 
associated camera to an “I” beam, 
FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a clamp and 
5 mounting device constructed according to the present 
invention in position prior to being clamped to an 
beam, 
attached to the 
pad of the device of FIG. 2. 
CLAMP-MOUNT DEVICE 
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION 
The invention described herein was made by an em- 
ployee of the United States Government and may be 
manufactured and used by or for the Government for 
governmental purposes without the payment of any 
royalty thereon or therefor. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The purpose of this invention is to provide a clamp DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED 
mounting device, for quickly attaching to or removing EMBODIMENT 
from a support member, such as an I-beam instruments- 15 A clamp-mount device, designated generally at A, is 
tion and/or equipment without the use of tools Or any disclosed for mounting instrumentation or equipment B, 
significant force. for example, a spot light or TV scanning camera, to an 
Prior devices used are C-clamPs, bolts, Or very strong associated structure. The device includes a mounting 
spring clips. Disadvantages of prior devices are that face 
C-clamps are cumbersome and require more time and 20 Referring in detail to the drawings, the clamp and 
considerable force to install. Bolts require the drilling of mounting device A constructed according to the pres- 
holes and hand tools. Strong spring clips require signifi- ent invention, is illustrated as including a base plate 10 
cant force to be put in place and do not provide a posi- ,having clamping means in the form of a pair of oppo- 
tive fail-safe mounting and clamping device. sitely facing clamping members 12 and 14 carried on 
Flange clips are known such as the type in U.S. Pat. 25 diagonal corners and affixed thereto by means of bolts 
Nos. 4,191,352 and 3,003,735, however, these simplified 16. The clamping members each include a base portion 
devices are not satisfactory for mounting heavy instru- such as at 12a, 14u between which a resilient means in 
mentation and equipment and may be accidentally dis- the form of rubber pad 18 is carried to give some degree 
engaged. of resiliency to the clamp which thus can impart a resil- 
is a 
vention is to provide a device for quickly mounting to clamping face 12b which is spaced above the Plate 10 
or removing from a support member such as an sufficiently to engage a structural member to which the 
beam without the use of tools or any significant force. device attached 
Yet another important object of the present invention Lock means is provided by safety locks 2o and 22 
is to provide a clamp and mounting device for mounting 35 carried on the remaining diagonal corners of the clamp- 
various equipment to beams and the like which may ing plate and are hinged so as to pivot out of the way as 
best seen in FIG. 2. Latch means 24 is carried on the be used on vertical as well as horizontal support mem- 
side of plate 10 in the form of a sliding gate for locking 
the safety lock 20 in its locking position as shown in bers. 
40 FIG. 1 and a similar latch 26 is carried on a side plate 10 Still another important object of the present inven- 
FIG. 
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken through the pressure 
is a perspective view of the device of FIG, 
beam of FIG. 2, and 
10 
and a clamping face 1 0 ~ .  
Accordingly, an important object of the present in- 30 ient clamping force. Extending from the base 
as a flange Of an ‘‘I” beam* 
tion is to provide a clamp and mounting device which 
includes a safety lock once the device is mounted to a 
structure which will prevent it from being accidenti- 
cally disengaged. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The above objects are accomplished according to the 
present invention by means of a device having a pair of 
oppositely facing clamps which engage the flange of an 
“I” beam and a pair of pivotable locking members 
which engage the opposing edge of the flange of the “I” 
beam which pivot in and out of place and may be locked 
in a locking position. A pressure pad is utilized to place 
pressure on a bottom web of the flange of the “I” beam 
and the like structural member when the device is used 
on a vertical member. Equipment or instrumentation 
may be affixed to the opposing side of the device by any 
suitable arrangement such as bolts. 
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
The construction designed to carry out the invention 
will be hereinafter described together with other fea- 
tures thereof. 
The invention will be more readily understood from 
a reading of the following specification and by refer- 
ence to the accompanying drawings forming part 
thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown 
and wherein: 
for latching the safety lock 22 in its locking position. 
Each latch includes slots 24a, 26a by which the gates 
slide on brads. 
Located medially of the plate 10 is a resilient hub 
45 means 30 which is illustrated as including a circular 
rubber pressure pad 32 which is received in a recess 34 
and rotatably affixed to the plate by means of a threaded 
screw at 36. Such provides a biasing means for biasing 
the clamp and structural member tightly together. Body 
50 screw 36 is received in a threaded opening 38 which is 
formed in a hub 40 formed in the recess 34 which is 
machined in the plate 10. A spring is carried between 
the bottom of recess 34 and is received in a groove 42 of 
the pressure pad 30 so as to urge it upwardly to provide 
55 a biasing force against the bottom of the member to 
which the device is attached. As illustrated, pressure 
pad 30 includes the rubber pad 32 which is carried on a 
circular metal plate 34 in which the groove 42 is ma- 
chined. The rubber pad may be affixed thereto by any 
60 suitable means such as cementing. The pressure pad is 
important in allowing the clamp and mounting device 
to be attached to a vertical member as it exerts enough 
force against the member and enough friction to pre- 
vent the device from slipping. This is also an expedient 
In operation, the clamp device A is placed against the 
structural member to which it is to be attached such as 
the “I” beam in FIG. 2 designated as 50. Pressure pad 30 
65 in providing a tight clamp on a horizontal movement. 
4,422,609 
3 
is depressed. The device A is then rotated to the posi- 
tion of FIG. 3 such that one leg 52 of the flange of the 
“I” beam is received under clamp member 14 and the 
opposing leg 54 of the flange is received under clamping 
member 12 with the safety locks in their release position 
as shown in FIG. 2. Pressure pad 32 bears against a back 
side or web 56 of flanges 52, 54 tightly clamping the 
device on I-beam 50. Thereafter, the safety locks are 
pivoted up to their locking position as shown in FIG. 1 
whereupon the latches 24 and 26 are slid behind the 
safety locks to prevent them from releasing. In this 
manner, a stable and secure mounting and clamp device 
is provided which will stay attached to either a horizon- 
tal or vertical member. The instrumentation or equip- 
ment B which is desired to be mounted to the structural 
member is attached to the opposite face 10a of the base 
plate 10 by any suitable means such as bolts (not shown) 
extended through openings 10b in the base plate. 
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has 
been described using specific terms, such description is 
for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood 
that changes and variations may be made without de- 
parting from the spirit or scope of the following claims. 
What is claimed is: 
1. A clamp-mount device for mounting equipment to 
an associated I-beam and the like structural member of 
the type having oppositely extending flanges, said de- 
vice comprising: 
a base; 
a pair of oppositely facing clamping members carried 
diagonally on said base clamping said flange there- 
between and having flange receiving openings 
facing one another; 
lock means carried diagonally by said base opposite 
said clamping members locking said flanges in said 
clamping members; 
resilient hub means carried centrally of said base 
engaging and biasing a back side of said flanges 
4 
maintaining same tightly clamped, said base turn- 
ing about said hub means to receive said flanges 
within said clamping members; and 
means securing said equipment to said base. 
2. The device of claim 1 including resilient means 
carried between each said clamping member and said 
base. 
3. The device of claim 1 wherein said lock means 
includes locks pivotably carried by said base and slid- 
10 able latch means for securing said hinged locks in an 
upright locking position. 
4. The device of claim 1 wherein said resilient hub 
means includes a recess opening formed in said base, 
and a rubber-like pad carried in said opening being 
5. The device of claim 4 including biasing means 
urging said pad upwardly. 
6. The device of claim 1 wherein each said clamping 
member includes a base portion, a resilient pad carried 
20 between said base portion and said base, and a flange 
portion carried by said base portion extending out- 
wardly overlying said base. 
7. A clamp mount device for mounting equipment to 
an associated I-beam and the like structural members 
25 having oppositely extending flanges, said device com- 
prising: 
5 
15 depressably and rotatably carried therein. 
base means; 
clamping means carried by said base means engaging 
said flanges; 
lock means carried by said base means locking said 
flanges in said clamping means; 
resilient means carried by said base means exerting 
pressure against a back side of said flanges main- 
taing same tightly clamped so that said device re- 
mains tightly clamped whether on a horizontal or 
vertical structure member; and 
30 
35 
means securing said equipment to said base means. 
+ * * + e  
40 
45 
50  
55 
60 
65 


Clamp-mount device

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