this clamp is based on a c-clamp which has had half of the "c" cut off, so that only the threaded, adjustable end remains. the other half is replaced by a suction cup, and the whole thing takes on an "L" shape. typically, a c-clamp works by providing a squeezing force which requires the clamp to be able to fit around the object being clamped. sometimes that is not possible. in my case it was a laminate counter top that i was installing, which required me to glue a strip of laminate on top of the backsplash (this could only be done after the counter top was installed). the suction cup would "suck" on to the main surface of the counter top (providing the force required to retain the clamp), and the adjustable bit would press down on the laminate being glued to the top of the backsplash. i ended up just using masking tape, but this would have been so much more elegant, don't you think?
if this doesn't make sense please let me know, and i will try to clarify. i really don't have a way of posting a drawing.-- mihali, Feb 03 2003 Ding King http://www.alltvstuff.com/ding1.htmlLike this, but L-shaped? [DrCurry, Oct 17 2004] Thank goodness there are people like you [mihali], so people like me can have furniture. Whatever makes it easier for you to build stuff gets a croissant from me.-- snarfyguy, Feb 03 2003 I'm not entirely certain if I've understood this correctly, but I don't think a rubber suction cup would have the strength or rigidity to stabilise the other end and allow the grip to exert much pressure. I'm imagining this as like a horseshoe with a sucker at one end and an adjustable plate at the other. In a conventional C clamp pressure is exerted from both sides along the same axis, so there is no turning moment; this invention will put powerful twisting forces on the sucker.
Possibly with a larger number of suckers this would be more useful. If they were arranged around the clamp grip in a triangle/line/circle (depending if you have 3, 2 or more) then there would not be such a turning force and the suckers would be more likely to stay in place.
This is the sort of thing that needs diagrams though.-- kropotkin, Feb 03 2003 yes, kropotkin, that's exactly what i had in mind. i envisioned the adjustable plate being located a close as possible to the suction cup in the axial plane, so as to reduce the turning moment as you described. i guess this would only be useful for close-up work such as a counter top backsplash (i haven't come up with any other uses for it yet). perhaps a vacuum pump would allow the suction cup to oppose more clamping force?-- mihali, Feb 03 2003 In a box of crap in the garage I've got a miniature suction cup vice, (I think it’s for model making), very similar to this idea. The only way I found to keep it stuck longer than a few minutes was to place a drop of my kids hair gel to the suction cup, anything which does not evaporate quickly should have the same result. (+)-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Feb 03 2003 I was half hoping that this was about a car clamping device that had been poorly thought through.-- po, Feb 03 2003 If I am picturing what you want correctly, this is normally achieved through the application of weights. Or maybe you want that suction device they are always selling on TV for removing dents on car bodies.-- DrCurry, Feb 03 2003 are you stoopid or what?-- po, Feb 03 2003 No, but you really don't want me laminating your kitchen counter. (Or doing body work on your car, for that matter.)-- DrCurry, Feb 03 2003 do I not?-- po, Feb 03 2003 dr c, that's sort of what i had in mind, but the forces are being applied in the wrong directions. as for the weights, yes, i did end up using a heavy book and masking tape, which worked quite nicely, but i thought a tool should be available to accomplish the task.-- mihali, Feb 03 2003 as an ex cabinet maker I always laminated and fixed the backsplash to the ciunter before installing the counter. But if I did need to laminate backsplash after installation I would use the laminate glue which if used properly only requires the pressure of a laminate roller to stick the laminate.-- cabler, Apr 27 2003 random, halfbakery