Mechanical lock for clamps

Abstract

A clamp structure with a clamping band and with at least one plastically deformable so-called "Oetiker" ear to be contracted to tighten the clamp structure about the object to be fastened; to assure a substantially smooth; gap-free transistion in the circumferential direction within the area of overlap, for example, of an inner and outer band portion in the area of mechanical interlock or of an insert member and corresponding parts of the clamping band, a tongue portion is provided at each free end of the inner part which is adapted to engage in a corresponding aperture in the respective outer part when the ear is contracted.

I claim: 
     
       1. A clamp structure which comprises band means.Iadd., connecting means in the end areas of the band means for connecting together the band means, .Iaddend.and at least one means for tightening the clamp structure about an object to be fastened, and in which at least one overlap exists between an outer band portion and the free end of an inner band material which may cause a discontinuity in the smooth, ring-like internal configuration of the clamp structure, characterized by further means including a tongue-like means at the free end of the inner band material and an outwardly directed step in the corresponding overlapping area of the outer band portion .Iadd.and spaced from the end of the outer band portion a predetermined distance, said outer band portion being .Iaddend.provided with means .Iadd.extending from the area of step away from the free end of the outer band portion .Iaddend.for receiving the tongue-like means to thereby assure a substantially smooth, gap-free transition devoid of any step in the circumferential direction from .[.each.]. .Iadd.a respective .Iaddend.free end of the inner band .[.materials.]. .Iadd.material .Iaddend.to the ring-like configuration formed by the adjoining band portion of the band means when the clamp structure is tightened about said object by the use of said tightening means.Iadd., the inner surface of the full width outer band portion in the vicinity of the step constraining the corresponding portion of the tongue-like means against any substantial radial outward movement when the clamp structure is tightened.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       2. A clamp structure according to claim 1, characterized in that said further means includes tongue-like means at each free end of the .[.overlapping.]. .Iadd.overlapped inner .Iaddend.band material and tongue-receiving means in a corresponding outwardly stepped area of each outer band portion, into which a respective tongue means is operable to engage during contraction of the .[.ear.]. .Iadd.tightening .Iaddend.means. 
     
     
       3. A clamp structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the free end of the inner .[.overlapping.]. .Iadd.overlapped .Iaddend.band material is formed by an overlapping inner band portion of the band means itself. 
     
     
       4. A clamp structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the free end of the inner .[.overlapping.]. .Iadd.overlapped .Iaddend.band material is formed by an insert means having a tongue-like means at each free end thereof. 
     
     
       5. A clamp structure according to claim 3, characterized in that the means for tightening the clamp structure includes two outwardly extending leg portions operable to be drawn together. 
     
     
       6. A clamp structure according to claim 4, characterized in that the means for tightening the clamp structure includes two outwardly extending leg portions operable to be drawn together. 
     
     
       7. A clamp structure which comprises a ring-like band means made from band material .[.whose.]. .Iadd.with means for connecting together .Iaddend.overlapping free ends .[.are connected together.]. and which includes in its circumference at least one plastically deformable ear means adapted to be contracted to tighten the clamp structure about an object to be fastened, characterized in that further means are provided near the overlapping end portions of the band means to assure a substantially gap-free transition in the circumferential direction from the free end of the inner band portion to the ring-like configuration of the adjoining outer band portion when the clamp structure is tightened by deformation of the ear means, said further means including a tongue-like portion at the free end of the inner band portion and an outwardly directed step-like portion provided with means for receiving the tongue-like portion within the area of overlap.Iadd., said step being formed in the outer band portion a distance from the free end thereof to enable the inner band portion to slide with its full band width up to the area of the step during tightening of the clamp structure, and said tongue-receiving means beginning at said step-like portion and extending away from the area of overlap of the inner and outer band portions.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       8. A clamp structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the band means is made from substantially flat strip material. 
     
     
       9. A clamp structure according to claim 7, characterized in that the band material is flat steel band material. .[.10. A clamp structure according to claim 7, characterized in that the further means includes tongue means at the free end of the inner band portion which is operable to engage into an aperture forming part of the tongue-receiving means provided in a 
     
     
        corresponding location of the outer band portion..]. 11. A clamp structure according to claim .[.10,.]. .Iadd.36, .Iaddend.characterized in that said last-mentioned aperture is provided at least within the area of said 
     
     
        step-like portion. 12. A clamp structure according to claim 11, characterized in that said step-like portion displaces the outer band portion relative to the ring-like configuration of the clamp structure which is defined within the area of overlap by the inner band portion, by a radial distance at least approximately equal to the thickness of the 
     
     
        band material. 13. A clamp structure according to claim 11, characterized in that the overlapping free ends are mechanically interlocked by 
     
     
        rivet-like means. 14. A clamp structure according to claim 13, characterized in that the rivet-like means is formed by a circumferentially extending tab formed out of the inner band portion and extending through a circumferentially extending slot in the outer band portion, and in that the tab, upon being bent back into the band material, displaces inwardly the band material of the outer band portion disposed 
     
     
        therebelow. 15. A clamp structure according to claim 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 or 14, characterized in that the ear means includes two generally outwardly extending leg portions interconnected by a generally 
     
     
        circumferentially extending bridging portion. 16. A clamp structure according to claim 15, characterized by a groove-like reinforcing means extending generally in the circumferential direction in said bridging 
     
     
        portion. 17. A clamp structure according to claim 15, characterized in that an insert means of flat band material is provided in said clamp structure at least within the area underneath the opening of the ear means and of the band portions adjoining the ear means, and in that still further means are provided at the free ends of said insert means and in the corresponding areas of the band portions to assure a substantially gap-free transition in the circumferential direction from the free ends of the insert means to the ring-like configuration of the clamp structure which is formed by the adjoining band portions of the band means, said still further means including a tongue-like portion at each free end of said insert means and an outwardly directed, tongue-receiving step-like 
     
     
        portion in each corresponding overlapping area of said band portions. 18. A clamp structure according to claim 17, characterized in that each tongue-receiving portion is formed at least in part by an aperture means in corresponding areas of said last-mentioned adjoining band portions, into which a respective tongue-like portion is operable to engage during 
     
     
        contraction of the ear means. 19. A clamp structure according to claim 18, characterized in that each last-mentioned aperture means is located at least within the area of a corresponding outwardly extending step-like 
     
     
        portion. 20. A clamp structure according to claim 19, characterized in that each tongue like portion is relatively flat in transverse cross 
     
     
        section. 21. A clamp structure according to claim 19, characterized in that each tongue like portion is generally convexly curved in transverse cross section to concentrate the engaging forces thereof exerted on the object to be fastened to the outer end areas of the arcuately curved 
     
     
        tongue means. 22. A clamp structure according to claim 10, characterized 
     
     
        in that each tongue like portion is relatively flat in cross section. 23. A clamp structure according to claim 10, characterized in that the tongue like portion is generally convexly curved in cross section to concentrate the areas of engagement thereof with the object to be fastened 
     
     
        to the outer end areas of the arcuately curved tongue means. 24. A clamp structure which comprises a band means, at least one means for tightening the clamp structure about the object to be fastened, and an insert means in said clamp structure at least within the area of an opening underneath the tightening means of the adjoining band portions of the band means, characterized by further means at the free ends of the insert means and in the corresponding areas of the band portions to assure a substantially gap-free, stepless transition in the circumferential direction from the free ends of said insert means to the ring-like configuration formed by the adjoining band portions of the band means, said further means including tongue-like means at each free end of the insert means and tongue-receiving means within outwardly .Iadd.displaced .Iaddend.step-like 
     
     
        portions in said adjoining band portions. 25. A clamp structure according to claim 24, characterized in that said tongue-receiving means includes aperture means in corresponding areas of the adjoining band portions, into which a respective tongue-like means is operable to engage during 
     
     
        contraction of the ear means. 26. A clamp structure according to claim 25, characterized in that each last-mentioned aperture means is located at least within the area of an outwardly extending step-like portion provided in the corresponding band portion of the band means .Iadd.and extends away 
     
     
        from the tightening means.Iaddend.. 27. A clamp structure according to claim 26, characterized in that said step-like portion displaces the outer band portion relative to the ring-like configuration of the clamp structure, by a radial distance at least approximately equal to the 
     
     
        thickness of the band material of the band means. 28. A clamp structure according to claim 24 or 26, characterized in that each tongue like means 
     
     
        is relatively flat in transverse cross section. 29. A clamp structure according to claim 24 or 26, characterized in that each tongue like means is generally convexly curved in transverse cross section to concentrate the areas of engagement thereof with the object to be fastened to the 
     
     
        outer end areas of the arcuately curved tongue means. 30. A clamp structure according to claim 24 or 26 characterized in that each tongue 
     
     
        like means is generally concavely curved in transverse cross section. 31. A clamp structure according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the ear means includes two generally outwardly extending leg portions interconnected by a generally circumferentially extending bridging 
     
     
        portion. 32. A clamp structure according to claim 30, characterized by a groove-like reinforcing means in said bridging portion which extends 
     
     
        generally in the circumferential direction. 33. A clamp structure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the means for tightening the clamp structure includes two outwardly extending leg portions operable 
     
     
        to be drawn together. 34. A clamp structure according to claim 33, characterized in that the two leg portions form part of a plastically 
     
     
        deformable ear means. 35. A clamp structure according to claim 33, characterized in that the two leg portions which form part of a screw-type 
     
     
        clamp are operable to be drawn together by threaded means. .Iadd.36.  A clamp structure which comprises a ring-like band means made from band material with means for connecting together overlapping free ends and which includes in its circumference at least one plastically deformable ear means adapted to be contracted to tighten the clamp structure about an object to be fastened, characterized in that further means are provided near the overlapping end portions of the band means to assure a substantially gap-free transition in the circumferential direction from the free end of the inner band portion to the ring-like configuration of the adjoining outer band portion when the clamp structure is tightened by deformation of the ear means, said further means including a tongue-like portion at the free end of the inner band portion and an outwardly directed step-like portion provided with means for receiving the tongue-like portion within the area of overlap, said tongue-receiving means beginning at said step-like portion and extending away from the area of overlap of the inner and outer band portions, and said tongue means at the free end of the inner band portion being operable to engage into an aperture forming part of the tongue-receiving means provided in a corresponding location of the outer band portion. .Iaddend.