AMBIDEXTROUS LOCKING CLAMP SYSTEM

摘要

An ambidextrous locking clamp system for providing a user the ability to use the right or left hand to engage and disengage a ratcheting means on the clamp. The clamp has hingedly connected first and second elongated members each with a finger engaging member arm, a finger engaging member, a working head, and a latching member featuring ratcheting teeth. The teeth face each other in a direction parallel with a longitudinal axis of the clamp. The teeth are engaged by moving the finger engaging members toward each other in an engaging motion, and are disengaged by sliding them in a disengaging motion perpendicular to the engaging motion with opposing force applied to the finger engaging members. A space is defined between the finger engaging member arms and the finger engaging members. The latching members extend into the space from where the finger engaging members transition from their corresponding finger engaging member arms.

主权项

1. An ambidextrous locking clamp for allowing a right hand or left hand user to operate said clamp, said ambidextrous locking clamp comprising:
at least one first member comprising:
at least one first elongated body including at least one first working head located at an end of said first elongated body;at least one first finger engaging member arm transitioning from said first elongated body;at least one first finger engaging member transitioning from said first finger engaging member arm defining a first member space between at least a section of said first finger engaging member arm and at least a section of said first finger engaging member; andat least one first latching member extending through said first member space, said first latching member including at least one first latching member head, said first latching member head including first member ratcheting teeth, said first member ratcheting teeth extending from said first latching member head in a direction parallel with a longitudinal axis of said ambidextrous locking clamp; at least one second member comprising:
at least one second elongated body including at least one second working head located at an end of said second elongated body;at least one second finger engaging member arm transitioning from said second elongated body;at least one second finger engaging member transitioning from said second finger engaging member arm defining a second member space between at least a section of said second finger engaging member arm and at least a section of said second finger engaging member; andat least one second latching member extending through said second member space, said second latching member including at least one second latching member head, said second latching member head including second member ratcheting teeth, said second member ratcheting teeth extending toward said first member ratcheting teeth; wherein said first and second members being pivotably connected so that said first and second working heads face each other and are moved toward each other when said first and second finger engaging member are moved toward each other; wherein said first and second member ratcheting teeth being orientated so as to be engageable with each other by an engaging motion when said first and second finger engaging members are moved toward each other; wherein said first and second member ratcheting teeth having a configuration capable of disengaging with each other by sliding said first and second member ratcheting teeth apart by a disengaging motion perpendicular to said engaging motion resulting in moving said first and second latching members away from each other when an opposing force is applied to said first and second finger engaging members.