GB2349167A

GB2349167A - Clamp adapted to connect fishing accessories to elongate members having different cross sections.

Info

Publication number: GB2349167A
Application number: GB9907329A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gregg Holloway; Alan Hopkins
Original assignee: Hopkins & Holloway Ltd
Current assignee: Hopkins & Holloway Ltd
Priority date: 1999-03-31
Filing date: 1999-03-31
Publication date: 2000-10-25
Anticipated expiration: 2019-03-31
Also published as: GB9907329D0; GB2349167B

Abstract

A clamp for connecting fishing accessories such as seats or tackle boxes to elongate members of different cross sections comprises an outer housing 10 attached to the accessory, a plastic adaptor block 11 slidable within the outer housing 10 and a threaded clamp member 12. An elongate member 13 having a square cross section passes through the outer housing 13 and is secured by the threaded clamp member which bears directly on the elongate member 13. The adaptor 11, which is provided with various shaped cut-outs 18,19, can be slid along the housing 10 into a position to receive elongate members of different cross-section eg circular or octagonal (figures 2 and 4). The elongate member is secured between the adaptor 11 and the outer housing 10 by means of the threaded clamp member 12 bearing on the adaptor 11.

Description

FISHING ACCESSORIES The invention relates to fishing accessories and particularly to clamps suitable for use therewith.

Fishing accessories such as angling seats, tackle boxes, rod rests, and the like frequently involve the use of elongate arms and legs which, in use, need to be clamped in a given position, depending upon the nature of the terrain, the function to be carried out, and the physical characteristics and needs of the angler.

Various forms of elongate member are in use, having differing cross-sectional dimensions and shapes.

The invention relates to a clamp which is much more versatile than known clamps.

The invention provides a clamp comprising a mounting member having at least one location point to receive and locate a first elongate member having a first cross-section, and a clamp member operable to clamp securely the first elongate member in position at the location point, the location point being adaptable to enable a second elongate member, having a second cross-section, to be securely clamped in place at the location point, instead of the first member.

Preferably the mounting member is provided with an adaptor which is shaped to cooperate with the second elongate member and is movable to the location point.

Preferably the adaptor has at least two regions, each of which is shaped to cooperate with a different cross-section of elongate member, such that any one of three or more different elongate members can be securely clamped in position at the location point.

The mounting member may comprise an outer housing, the adaptor comprising a block slidable within the housing.

The outer housing may comprise a tube.

The tube may be of square cross-section.

The ends of the tube may be closed to retain the adaptor within the tube.

The location point may be provided by a passageway extending transversely through the tube.

The passageway may have a square cross-section.

The clamp member may comprise an externally threaded member engaging in an internally threaded aperture in the housing such that rotation of the clamp member in a first direction causes an elongate member to be clamped in the passageway.

The clamp member may be provided with a handle to facilitate its rotation.

In a first position of the clamp, a first elongate member which is shaped to cooperate with the passageway can be securely clamped in position at the location point by direct engagement of the screw threaded clamp member with the elongate member.

In a second position of the clamp, the adaptor may be moved into a position within the housing in which a first region of the adaptor modifies the profile of the passageway to cooperate with a second elongate member, having a different cross-section to the first elongate member, secure clamping being achieved by rotating the clamp member to urge the adaptor against the elongate member.

In a third position of the clamp, the adaptor may be moved into another position within the housing, in which a second region of the adaptor modifies the profile of the passageway to cooperate with a third elongate member, having a different cross-section to the first and second elongate members, secure clamping being achieved by rotating the clamp member to urge the adaptor against the elongate member.

At least one of the regions may be provided by an arch shaped recess in the adaptor.

The invention includes a fishing accessory provided with a clamp according to the invention.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view, partly in cross-section, showing an embodiment of clamp according to the invention, in a first position; Figure 2 is a view of the clamp in a second position; Figure 3 is a view of the embodiment of clamp according to the invention, in a third position; and Figure 4 is a view of the clamp in the same position as in figure 3, but cooperating with a different configuration of elongate member.

The clamp according to this embodiment of the invention comprises three basic components, namely an outer metal housing 10, an inner plastics adaptor block 11 and a clamp member 12.

The outer housing comprises a square cross-section tube and in one example of its use, the tube 10 might comprise a structural cross-member associated with an angler's seat or tackle box.

The purpose of the clamp is to connect securely to the tube 10 an-elongate member, such as the square cross-section bar 13 shown in figure 1. Such bars will normally also usually be of metal, and they may be solid or tubular.

The bar 13 shown in the figures may for example be required to serve as a support leg for the angler's seat or tackle box.

It may be necessary to support other bars, having different shapes and sizes, for example to support fishing rods, umbrellas or other fishing accessories.

The clamp forming the subject of this embodiment of the invention is capable of securely clamping a range of elongate members at a single location point, defined by a square cross-section passageway 14 passing transversely through the tube 10.

The first form of elongate member, comprising the square cross-section bar 13, conforms closely to the dimensions of the passageway 14. The elongate member can therefore securely be clamped by passing it through the passageway and operating the clamp member 12. The clamp member 12 comprises an externally threaded member 15 which passes into an internally threaded nut 16 secured to the side of the tube 10. There is an aperture in the tube (not visible in the drawings) so that the member 15 can be screwed through the nut 16 to project into the interior of the tube 10. The member 15 is provided with a handwheel 17 to facilitate its rotation.

Rotation of the member 15 in a clockwise direction will securely clamp the elongate member 13 in position. When it is desired to remove the elongate member 13, or adjust its position, the member 15 is rotated in the opposite direction.

The plastics adaptor block 11 is provided with a first arch shaped cut-out 18 and a second, smaller, arch shaped cut-out 19.

Figure 2 shows the clamp being used to securely clamp a second embodiment of elongate member 20. The second elongate member 20 is of circular crosssection, the diameter being substantially equal to the width of the square cross-section passageway 14.

If the elongate member 20 were clamped by direct contact with the screwthreaded member 15, the clamping would not necessarily be as secure as would be desirable, given the loads that the components may have to withstand in use.

To improve the security of the clamping the adaptor block 11 is moved into a position in which the first arch shaped cut-out 18 is in register with the passageway 14. This adapts the profile of the passageway 14 to be substantially circular and the threaded member 15 is then tightened so that the elongate member 20 is securely clamped between one edge of the passageway 14 and the circular portion of the cut-out 18.

If the elongate member which is to be secured is of smaller cross-section than the member 20, for example as shown at 21 in figure 3, then the plastic adaptor block 11 is moved further along the interior of the tube 10 to bring the smaller arch shaped cut-out 19 into register with the passageway 14. The member 21 is then clamped between an edge of the passageway 14 and the circular portion of the block 11 as before.

One or more of the arch shaped cut-outs 18 and 19 may also be used securely to clamp non-circular elongate members, and figure 4 shows how an octagonal leg or bar 22 can be clamped, with the adaptor block in the same position as shown in figure 3.

For the sake of clarity, to assist in showing the position of the adaptor block 11, one end of the tube 10 is shown opened in figures 3 and 4. In use however, the ends of the tube 10 will be closed, as shown in figures 1 and 2, for example with plastics plugs, to reduce the risk of the adaptor block falling out of the tube 10 when the clamp is not in use.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment (s).

The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A clamp comprising a mounting member having at least one location point to receive and locate a first elongate member having a first cross-section, and a clamp member operable to clamp securely the first elongate member in position at the location point, the location point being adaptable to enable a second elongate member, having a second cross-section, to be securely clamped in place at the location point, instead of the first member.
2. A clamp according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member is provided with an adaptor which is shaped to cooperate with the second elongate member and is movable to the location point.
3. A clamp according to claim 2, wherein the adaptor has at least two regions, each of which is shaped to cooperate with a different cross-section of elongate member, such that any one of three or more different elongate members can be securely clamped in position at the location point.
4. A clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the mounting member comprises an outer housing.
5. A clamp according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the adaptor comprises a block slidable within the housing.
6. A clamp according to claims 4 or 5, wherein the outer housing comprises a tube.
7. A clamp according to claim 6, wherein the tube is of square cross-section.
8. A clamp according to claims 6 or 7, wherein the ends of the tube are closed to retain the adaptor within the tube.
9. A clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the location point is provided by a passageway extending transversely through the tube.
10. A clamp according to claim 9, wherein the passageway has a square crosssection.
11. A clamp according to claims 9 or 10, wherein the clamp member comprises an externally threaded member engaging in an intemally threaded aperture in the housing such that rotation of the clamp member in a first direction causes an elongate member to be clamped in the passageway.
12. A clamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the clamp member is provided with a handle to facilitate its rotation.
13. A clamp according to claims 11 or 12, wherein in a first position of the clamp, a first elongate member which is shaped to cooperate with the passageway is securely clamped in position at the location point by direct engagement of the screw threaded clamp member with the elongate member.
14. A clamp according to claims 11 or 12, wherein in a second position of the clamp, the adaptor is moved into a position within the housing in which a first region of the adaptor modifies the profile of the passageway to cooperate with a second elongate member, having a different cross-section to the first elongate member, secure clamping being achieved by rotating the clamp member to urge the adaptor against the elongate member.
15. A clamp according to claims 11 or 12, wherein in a third position of the clamp, the adaptor is moved into another position within the housing, in which a second region of the adaptor modifies the profile of the passageway to cooperate with a third elongate member, having a different cross-section to the first and second elongate members, secure clamping being achieved by rotating the clamp member to urge the adaptor against the elongate member.
16. A clamp according to any of claims 3 to 15, wherein at least one of the regions is provided by an arch shaped recess in the adaptor.
17. A clamp substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.
18. A fishing accessory provided with a clamp according to any of the precedingclaims.