1.-20. (canceled)
21. A movable pole extension for a magnetic clamping apparatus (1) for holding a ferromagnetic workpiece (P), comprising:
a fixed pole member (5) extending in a predetermined longitudinal direction (X-X) and
at least two pole members (6, 7) coupled to said fixed pole member (5), said at least two pole members (6, 7) being movable relative to said fixed pole member (5), characterized in that it comprises holder means (8) operably coupled to said fixed pole member (5), wherein said holder means (8):
are movable in said predetermined longitudinal direction (X-X) between a first operating position (P1) and a second operating position (P2) and
operate on said at least two movable pole members (6, 7) to hold them in mating contact with said fixed pole member (5).
22. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 21, wherein said at least two movable pole members (6, 7) are each movable in different directions relative to said predetermined longitudinal direction (X-X).
23. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 21, wherein said holder means (8) include a hollow member (9) in slideable mating relationship with said fixed pole member (5), said hollow member (9) being able to hold at least one portion (5A) of said fixed pole member (5) by a form fit between complementary profiles.
24. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 23, wherein said hollow member (9) comprises an end wall (9A) with side walls (9B) extending therefrom in said longitudinal direction (X-X) to contain said at least one portion (5A) of said fixed pole member (5).
25. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that it has abutment means (10) for urging said holder means (8) to slide in said longitudinal direction (X-X) between said first operating position (P1) and said second operating position (P2), thereby limiting the stroke of said holder means (8) relative to said fixed pole member (5).
26. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 21, wherein said fixed pole member (5) has a receptacle (11) that defines at least two curved surfaces (12, 13) relative to said predetermined longitudinal direction (X-X) and a bottom (14), said at least two movable pole members (6, 7) being each in slideable mating contact with one respective surface of said at least two surfaces (12, 13).
27. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 26, wherein said at least two curves surfaces (12, 13) are oriented in opposite directions, converging towards said bottom (14).
28. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 27, wherein said at least two curves surfaces (12, 13) are second order algebraic surfaces.
29. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 28, wherein said at least two second order algebraic surfaces (12, 13) are substantially cylindrical.
30. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 21, characterized in that it comprises elastic means (17) operating on said two movable pole members (6, 7) for holding said at least two movable pole members (6, 7) in contact with said fixed pole member (5).
31. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 130 wherein said elastic means (17) include at least one spring interposed between said at least two movable pole members (6, 7) and said fixed pole member (5).
32. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 25, wherein said fixed pole member (5) has at least two planar surfaces inclined to said predetermined longitudinal direction (X-X), said at least two movable pole members (6, 7) being each in slideable mating contact with one respective inclined surface of said fixed pole member.
33. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 32, wherein said at least two surfaces (12A, 12B, 13A, 13B) define respective sliding surfaces (12A, 13A) for said at least two movable pole members (6, 7), said respective surfaces (12, 13A) being oriented in opposite directions.
34. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 33, wherein each of said respective surfaces (12A, 12B, 13A, 13B) forms an angle of 40\xb0 to 50\xb0, preferably 45\xb0, relative to said predetermined longitudinal direction (X-X).
35. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 32, characterized in that it comprises elastic means (17) operating on two movable pole members (6, 7) for holding said at least two movable pole members (6, 7) in contact with said fixed pole member (5).
36. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 21, wherein said fixed pole member (5) has fastener means (15) for fixation thereof to said clamping plate (2) of said magnetic clamping apparatus (1).
37. A movable pole extension as claimed in claim 21, wherein said holder means (8) and said fixed pole member (5) have a circular plan shape.
38. A movable pole extension as claimed claim 21, wherein said holder means (8) and said fixed pole member (5) have a polygonal or elliptic plan shape or a polygonal shape with rounded corners.
39. A magnetic clamping apparatus comprising a frame adapted to contain a plurality of pole pieces, each of said plurality of pole pieces having a ferromagnetic pole member which defines a clamping surface, characterized in that at least one of said plurality of pole pieces is designed to be associated to a movable pole extension (4), said movable pole extension (4) comprising:
a fixed pole member (5) extending in a predetermined longitudinal direction (X-X) and
at least two pole members (6, 7) coupled to said fixed pole member (5), said at least two pole members (6, 7) being movable relative to said fixed pole member (5), wherein said holder means (8) operably coupled to said fixed pole member (5), wherein said holder means (8):
are movable in said predetermined longitudinal direction (X-X) between a first operating position (P1) and a second operating position (P2) and
operate on said at least two movable pole members (6, 7) to hold them in mating contact with said fixed pole member (5).
40. A magnetic clamping apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein, when said magnetic apparatus is activated, said holder means (8) for sad movable pole extension (4) at least partly act as a collector for the magnetic flux generated by said magnetic apparatus (1).
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A header assembly for a movable partition comprising:
an overhead track;
a metal header pan at least partially abutting a portion of the overhead track, wherein at least one of the overhead track and the metal header pan is configured to form a fire-resistant barrier extending from a wall of an adjoining structure to an opposing wall of the adjoining structure;
at least one fastener element configured to attach the overhead track to the adjoining structure; and
at least one retainer clip configured to attach to at least one wall of the adjoining structure, wherein the metal header pan extends laterally from at least a portion of the overhead track to a portion of the at least one retainer clip.
2. The header assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one structural element coupling at least a portion of the overhead track to the at least one fastener element.
3. A header assembly for a movable partition comprising:
an overhead track;
a metal header pan at least partially abutting a portion of the overhead track, wherein at least one of the overhead track and the metal header pan is configured to form a fire-resistant barrier extending from a wall of a header structure to an opposing wall of the header structure;
at least one fastener element configured to attach the overhead track to the header structure;
at least one structural element coupling at least a portion of the overhead track to the at least one fastener element; and
a cross brace having at least one hole formed therein, the cross brace abutting at least a portion of the at least one structural element and extending from the wall of the header structure to the opposing wall of the header structure, and wherein the at least one fastener element extends through the at least one hole.
4. The header assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one retainer clip comprises a first retainer clip and a second retainer clip, the first retainer clip configured to attach to the wall of the adjoining structure and the second retainer clip configured to attach to the opposing wall of the adjoining structure.
5. The header assembly of claim 4, wherein the metal header pan further comprises:
a central portion at least partially abutting the overhead track;
a first side portion extending in a first direction to the first retainer clip; and
a second side portion extending in a second direction to the second retainer clip.
6. The header assembly of claim 1, wherein a central portion of the metal header pan comprises a channel and wherein at least a portion of the overhead track is received in the channel.
7. The header assembly of claim 1, wherein the metal header pan comprises a plurality of header pan sections and at least one header pan joint, the header pan joint abutting at least one of the plurality of header pan sections to form a contiguous structure.
8. The header assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one retainer clip further comprises a receiving portion configured to extend away from the at least one wall of the adjoining structure to form a recess, and wherein an edge portion of the metal header pan is received within the recess.
9. The header assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one fastener element comprises a plurality of rods configured to attach to the adjoining structure and wherein at least one of the plurality of rods is coupled to the at least one structural element.
10. A movable partition system comprising:
a header assembly having a longitudinal axis, the header assembly comprising:
at least one elongated structural element extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly;
at least one fastener element configured to couple the at least one elongated structural element to a portion of a header structure;
an elongated overhead track extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly and coupled to the at least one elongated structural element by at least one fastener element; and
an elongated metal header pan at least partially abutting a portion of the elongated overhead track, the metal header pan extending in a first direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly and configured to extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly toward at least a portion of at least one wall of the header structure, wherein at least one of the elongated overhead track and the elongated metal header pan is configured to form a fire-resistant barrier extending from a wall of an adjoining structure to an opposing wall of the adjoining structure; and
at least one elongated retainer clip extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly and configured to couple to the header structure, and wherein an edge of the elongated metal header pan extends in the second direction to the at least one elongated retainer clip; and
a pleated structure having a plurality of hingedly coupled panels suspending from the elongated overhead track.
11. The movable partition system of claim 10, further comprising a cross brace having at least one hole formed therein, the cross brace abutting at least a portion of the at least one elongated structural element and wherein the at least one fastener element comprises a plurality of rods, at least one of the plurality of rods extending through the at least one hole formed in the cross brace.
12. A header assembly for a movable partition comprising:
at least one elongated structural element extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the header assembly;
at least one fastener element configured to couple the at least one elongated structural element to a portion of a header structure;
an elongated overhead track extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly and coupled to the at least one elongated structural element;
an elongated metal header pan at least partially abutting a portion of the elongated overhead track, the metal header pan configured to at least partially form a barrier by extending in a first direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly and configured to extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly toward at least a portion of at least one wall of the header structure; and
at least one elongated retainer clip extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly and configured to couple to the header structure and wherein an edge of the elongated metal header pan extends in the second direction to the at least one elongated retainer clip.
13. A header assembly for a movable partition, comprising:
at least one elongated structural element extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the header assembly;
at least one fastener element configured to couple the at least one elongated structural element to a portion of a header structure;
an elongated overhead track extending in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly and coupled to the at least one elongated structural element;
an elongated metal header pan at least partially abutting a portion of the elongated overhead track, the metal header pan configured to at least partially form a barrier by extending in a first direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly and configured to extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the header assembly toward at least a portion of at least one wall of the header structure; and
a cross brace having at least one hole formed therein, the cross brace abutting at least a portion of the at least one elongated structural element and wherein the at least one fastener element comprises a plurality of rods, at least one of the plurality of rods extending through the at least one hole formed in the cross brace.