Work holders

SECTION I - CLASS DEFINITION

Class 269 is the residual locus for patents to a device which, during a work treating operation, contacts a workpiece for the purpose of (a) supporting the work against the force of gravity; or (b) preventing movement of the work in a particular direction or in all directions while, as disclosed, such work is supported against the force of gravity; or (c) providing a surface juxtaposed to the work for constraining the motion of a tool during its performance of such work treating operation.

Holding articles together so that (by disclosure) a glue, cement or adhesive may set and secure said articles together is considered to be a work holding operation for this class. Thus a clamp or vise, disclosed for use by cabinet makers, carpenters, woodworkers, etc., to hold plural pieces together while an adhesive (previously applied) sets, is properly classifiable in this class.

A "clamp" means, per se, to grasp or draw portions of a mold or flask either together or onto a base or support is structurally so similar to the work holders of this class that patents to such clamp are classified in this class. This is a specific exception to the functional workholding concept otherwise maintained for this class.