On Apr 8, 2009, at 3:43 PM, Ken Baddley wrote:

> Dear Galoots
>
> In a batch of old tools I have found two alloy two-way clamps with the
> following identifying information moulded in to various parts of them:
>
> Alston Egner Mfg. Corp.
>
> Pat. 4256295[snip]
> Can anyone tell me what these clamps are/were used for, please?

	I think they are for general purpose 
clamp-to-something-strong-like-a-workbench-and-clamp-your 
workpiece-too, or clamp-two-workpieces-together-at an-angle type of 
clamps.  Most clamps are for smooshing two pieces together in the same 
plane.  Woodcarving clamps work a lot like the type you have, but have 
greater ability to adjust the angle that the workpiece is held.

Regards,
Steve

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Dear Galoots

In a batch of old tools I have found two alloy two-way clamps with the
following identifying information moulded in to various parts of them:

Alston Egner Mfg. Corp.

Pat. 4256295

Made in USA

The words 'right arm' are mould into both clamps, which is why I've been
careful not to refer to them as a pair, but it could - of course - be the
case that the Alston Egner company chose that as the name of the product
(the 'Right Arm' clamp?) though I doubt it, somehow.

The US patent abstract is as follows:

An adjustable clamp for holding a workpiece wherein the clamp is
characterized by a pair of fixed, opposing jaws and a first clamping member
movably disposed on one of said jaws. The adjustable clamp further comprises
a second clamping member movably attached to a clamp positioning bar formed
on the body of the adjustable clamp whereby the second clamping member may
be selectively positioned in first and second clamping positions with
respect to a normal plane between the jaws. A second embodiment for the
adjustable clamp is disclosed comprising a third clamping member operatively
mounted on the other jaw in substantially opposing relation to the first
clamping member, whereby a workpiece may be centered between the two jaws.

Can anyone tell me what these clamps are/were used for, please? Was there
some specific purpose which only becomes obvious when the left-hand clamp
(if such there is) is present? If they're indispensible in some way I
haven't yet recognised it would be good to know, and if they did indeed come
in right-and-left pairs, does anyone have a left-hand one to exchange for
one of mine?

Thanks

Ken
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