Clamp

1. A clamp comprising:

a bar disposed along a lateral axis;

a first jaw, movable along the bar along the lateral axis, and positioned on a first side of the bar;

a second jaw positioned on the bar on a second side of the bar, opposite the first side;

an actuator including one or more drive plates, one or more lock plates, and a lever arm, the lever arm movable between a) a release mode where the actuator positions the drive plates and the lock plates relative to the bar to permit free movement of the first jaw across the bar, b) a drive mode where the drive plates are operatively coupled to the bar and engage the bar and move the first jaw toward the second jaw, and c) a lock mode where the lock plates are operatively coupled to the bar to prevent movement of the first jaw with respect to the bar; and

a c-clamp configured to selectively secure the clamp to a support workpiece separate from the one or more workpieces;

wherein the lever arm is configured to be moved along a drive channel in a direction generally transverse to the lateral axis to cause said movement of the actuator moves the first jaw toward the second jaw along the lateral axis;

wherein movement of the lever arm into the release mode comprises movement of the lever arm in a direction away from the bar; and

wherein the actuator is biased into the lock mode.

2. The clamp of claim 1 , wherein the drive plates are enclosed within a housing.

3. A vise comprising:

a movable jaw housing on a bar disposed along a lateral axis on a first side of the bar;

a second jaw on the bar, on a second side of the bar, opposite the first side;

an actuator including a lever arm for moving the movable jaw housing along the lateral axis toward the second jaw, wherein the lever arm is configured to be moved along a drive channel in a direction generally transverse to the lateral axis among a plurality of modes, including a) a release mode where the actuator disengages the bar to permit free movement of the first jaw across the bar, b) a drive mode where the actuator engages the bar and moves the first jaw toward the second jaw, and c) a lock mode where the actuator engages the bar to prevent movement of the first jaw with respect to the bar; and

a c-clamp configured to selectively secure the clamp to a support workpiece separate from the one or more workpieces;

wherein movement of the lever arm into the release mode comprises movement of the lever arm in a direction away from the bar; and

wherein the actuator is biased into the lock mode.

4. The vise of claim 3 , wherein moving the lever arm in a direction opposite the direction of movement of the movable jaw housing causes the movable jaw housing to move towards the second jaw.

5. The vise of claim 3 , wherein the actuator includes one or more drive plates operatively coupled to the bar when the movable jaw housing is moved from the lock mode into the drive mode.

6. The vise of claim 3 , wherein the actuator includes one or more lock plates, wherein in the lock mode the one or more lock plates are operatively coupled to the bar to lock the movable jaw housing with respect to the bar.

7. The vise of claim 3 , wherein the actuator includes one or more drive plates operatively coupled to the bar when the movable jaw housing is in the drive mode and wherein the drive plates are enclosed within a housing.

8. The vise of claim 3 , wherein the actuator includes one or more drive plates, operatively coupled to the bar such that the lock plates pivot around a pin workpiece.

9. The vise of claim 3 , wherein the lever arm is moved from the lock mode to the drive mode through a generally linear pumping motion.

10. A clamp comprising:

a bar defining a lateral axis;

a movable jaw housing disposed on the bar and movable along the lateral axis including to a first end of the bar;

a second jaw on a second end of the bar, opposite the first end; and

an actuator for moving the movable jaw housing along the lateral axis toward the second jaw, the actuator comprising a lever arm;

wherein the lever arm is configured to be moved along a drive channel in a direction generally transverse to the lateral axis among a plurality of modes, including a) a release mode where the actuator disengages the bar to permit free movement of the first jaw across the bar, b) a drive mode where the actuator engages the bar and moves the first jaw toward the second jaw, and c) a lock mode where the actuator engages the bar to prevent movement of the first jaw with respect to the bar;

wherein movement of the lever arm into the release mode comprises movement of the lever arm from the lock mode in a direction away from the bar;

wherein movement of the lever arm into the drive mode comprises movement of the lever arm from the lock mode in a direction towards the bar; and

wherein the lever arm is biased from the drive mode into the lock mode such that driving the first jaw towards the second jaw via movement of the lever arm comprises pumping the lever arm from the lock mode into the drive mode.