Tubular product clamp

A tubular product clamp for clamping a tubular product, the product clamp having a ring frame having three or more clamping devices, the three or more clamping devices being provided at regular intervals along the inside of the ring frame around a central product passage having an axis, and wherein each clamping device comprises:

• a base part, the base part being mounted to the ring frame, a front side that defines a guide surface facing towards the central product passage, and a left side and a right side provided with cam tracks, the cam tracks extending substantially parallel to the guide surface defined by the front side;
• a clamp part, the clamp part having a back side that defines a guide surface facing the guide surface defined by the front side of the base part, a front side facing the central product passage, and a left side and a right side provided with cam tracks, the cam tracks extending substantially parallel to the guide surface defined by the back side;
• two load transfer rollers, each load transfer roller having a central rotational axis, wherein said load transfer rollers are each provided between the guide surface of the base part and the guide surface of the clamp part to provide a rolling support for the clamp part;
• and
• a trolley frame, the trolley frame being configured for positioning the base part, the clamp part and the load transfer rollers relative to each other, the trolley frame carrying the load transfer rollers, the load transfer rollers being each rotatably mounted to the trolley frame at the respective central rotational axis,
• wherein the trolley frame is provided with cam followers, wherein the trolley frame engages the cam tracks in the sides of the base part and the clamp part with said cam followers, and
• wherein the guide surface of the base part faces the guide surface of the clamp part, the guide surface of the base part and the guide surface of the clamp part define a guide track therebetween for each of the load transfer rollers, each of said guide tracks extending along both the guide surface of the base part and the guide surface of the clamp part,
• wherein, when the clamp part is moved relative to the base part, the trolley frame positions the load transfer rollers relative to the base part and the clamp part such that the load transfer rollers roll along both the guide surface of the base part and the guide surface of the clamp part, and therefore the central rotational axis of each load transfer roller moves with the trolley frame relative to the base part and the clamp part along the guide track of the respective load transfer roller, and
• wherein the guide tracks extend at an angle with the axis of the central product passage such that by moving the clamp part relative to the base part, the clamp part is moved along the axis as well as in radial direction thereof.