Help with new vise grip clamp ideas for senior design project

ct85k10

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Joined
Nov 2, 2005
Location
Newell (charlotte)
Not sure where to post this so if it should go some where else mods feel free to move this thread.

I know there are some professional welders and fabricators on here and many of you weld and fabricate on your rigs so I figure I throw this out there so see if any of you had ideas that might help with my project.

I’m a senior Mechanical Engineering Technology student at UNC Charlotte working on my senior design project. My senior design team is working with Irwin tools the maker of vice grips. We are trying to come up with a new locking clamp to meet some need of welders and fabricators. Right now we are in the research part of the project and trying to come up with some ideas for new clamps.

What I am looking for is an idea of some problems that could be solved or a task that could be simplified by some sort of vice grip style locking clamp. I’m not necessarily looking for the solution as much as the problem to solve but all the information I can get will help.

Thanks in advanced for the help
Colby
 
Ummm, just get them to make their welding clamp in the USA again.

THAT was a good tool. Now it's just an OK tool. :(
 
Just get any company to start making their stuff in the USA again...

from a disillusioned mechanical engineer, just trying to hold on to his job in this crappy economy.

ct85k10 - shoot me a pm
 
Imagine vice grips holding the stem of an apple. Now imagine the apple is between the jaws of the vicegrip. They already have a tool like this. See image below. Now image the part that goes around the apple is adjustible sorta like the arm of the lamp so you can move the apple closer or farther or make the gap in the center bigger or smaller. The challenge would be to keep the adjustible part around the apple simple and compact so it's also afforable yet strong enough to be usefull.

17t_sm.jpg
31H6JnHpDyL._SL500_AA280_.jpg
 
Here's an idea I have thought a lot about, but never moved on it. (remember, if you get a patent, you know where you got it!)

I vice grip with wide jaws. The ends are different though. Both ends had a tube like hollow cylinder. You have a "kit" with different size(according to diameter of tube) curved pieces that will clamp onto tube or pipe(anything round) The kit would also have some flat pieces for either side.
The selection of curved pieces have a stud that will mount it to the vice grip, with O-rings to keep it in place.
 
Make it so they auto adjust. Everything seems to fall from my 3rd hand when I go to tighten the screw. Craftsman had some "robo grip" channel locks like that, and they functioned really well.
 
wait for it....











makem out of bacon!
 
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