Clamping cartridge for panel-type products

Abstract

A clamping cartridge for releasably clamping a plurality of panel-type articles in generally parallel spaced-apart manner comprising: a frame; clamping means spaced-apart along the frame, said clamping means being generally oriented perpendicular to their direction of spacing and being normally biased towards a closed position; actuation means operable in association with said clamping means for opening and closing said clamping means in unison; and a slide associated with each of said clamping means.

1 . A clamping cartridge for releasably clamping a plurality of panel-type articles in generally parallel spaced-apart manner comprising: 
 a frame;    clamping means spaced-apart along the frame, said clamping means being generally oriented perpendicular to their direction of spacing and being normally biased towards a closed position;    actuation means operable in association with said clamping means for opening and closing said clamping means in unison; and    a slide associated with each of said clamping means.    
   
   
       2 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 1 , wherein said clamping means include one or more clamps; said actuation means includes cam means associated with said clamping means.  
   
   
       3 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 2 , wherein said actuation means further includes a shaft; said cam means includes a cam wheel having a hole therethrough for receiving said shaft to mount said cam wheel on said shaft, and said clamping means includes a clamp with two arms, each having a hole therethrough for receiving said shaft; wherein said cam wheel is situated between said arms or said clamp.  
   
   
       4 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 3 , wherein said shaft is hexagonal in cross section and said hole in said cam wheel is correspondingly hexagonal in profile and whereby rotation of said shaft imparts a corresponding rotation to said cam wheel to open or close said clamp.  
   
   
       5 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 3 , wherein said slide is adjacent said cam wheel.  
   
   
       6 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 5 , wherein said slide includes an inclined surface inclined downwardly away from said cam wheel.  
   
   
       7 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 3 , further including boot means on the ends of said arms of said clamp.  
   
   
       8 . A clamp for a clamping cartridge comprising: 
 a base and two arms forming a jaw, wherein each of said arms include an end, wherein said ends of said arms are biased toward each other; and    a boot on each of said ends.    
   
   
       9 . The clamp of  claim 8 , wherein each said end of said arms include a retaining means for retaining said boot on said arm.  
   
   
       10 . The clamp of  claim 9 , wherein said retaining means include teeth and said boot includes bridges which are engageable by said teeth to retain said boots on said arms.  
   
   
       11 . The clamp of  claim 10 , wherein said boot includes two walls and wherein said walls are joined together by said bridges.  
   
   
       12 . A clamp according to  claim 10  wherein said teeth includes a pair of outer teeth formed by a slot cut out of the wall and a pair of inner teeth formed by a well.  
   
   
       13 . A retainer for a clamping cartridge comprising: 
 a base;    a tooth extending from one side of the retainer, said tooth including a top inclined surface, a back wall and two side walls, and a flange.    
   
   
       14 . The retainer of  claim 13 , wherein said clamping means includes a clamp including a base and two arms extending from said base, said tooth extends from said base between said arms of said clamp thereby securing said clamp.  
   
   
       15 . A clamping cartridge for releasably clamping a plurality of panel-type articles in generally parallel spaced-apart manner comprising: 
 a plurality of spaced-apart clamps, said clamps being generally oriented perpendicular to their direction of spacing and each having a pair of relatively movable jaws;    actuation means operable in association with said clamps for causing the jaws of all said clamps to move in unison relative to one another, said actuation means comprising a cam operable between the jaws of each clamp whereby movement of the cam causes the relative movement of said jaws, wherein said jaws are normally biased so as to be individually self-adjusting to the presence of an edge of one or more panel-type articles placed therebetween; and    slide means associated with said clamps.    
   
   
       16 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 15 , wherein the cams are rotatable and have a cam surface engageable with a respective interior wall of said jaws of each clamp.  
   
   
       17 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 16 , wherein said cam is tapered transversely with respect to an axis of said cam and said jaws are angled relative to the cam such that there is a relative overlap transverse to the axial direction between a wider side of the cam and the angled jaws, wherein when the cam is rotated, the wider side traces a circular path of rotation which intersects with the angled jaws of the clamp to force the jaws to open and to permit them to close as the cam is rotated.  
   
   
       18 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 17 , wherein said cams are disposed on a rotatable cam shaft which is hexagonal in cross-section.  
   
   
       19 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein the cam shaft projects though an aperture in said jaws of said clamps.  
   
   
       20 . The clamping cartridge of  claim 18 , wherein an aperture is provided in said cam through which said cam shaft is insertable, said aperture having a shape generally corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the cam shaft so as to prevent relative rotational movement therebetween and to allow said cams to be axially slidable along said cam shaft.