Single person wedge clamp

A dead-end clamp assembly for a utility conductor, comprising:

• a clamp body including a base having a front end and a rear end, a first jaw guide extending from the base, and a second jaw guide extending from the base, wherein the base, first jaw guide, and second jaw guide at least partially define a trough and the trough at least partially defines a conductor axis;
• a first jaw movably engaging the body and a second jaw movably engaging the body, the first jaw engaging the second jaw such that the first and second jaws move together;
• a sag eye extending from the clamp body beneath the base opposite the trough, the sag eye having an opening configured to receive a hotstick and oriented to allow a connected hotstick to be positioned beneath the base;
• and a clevis connector extending from the rear end of the clamp body, wherein the clevis connector includes a first leg and a second leg spaced from one another by a gap, and wherein the gap is positioned entirely below the conductor axis at a distance to receive a clevis pin and a connected insulator entirely below the conductor axis when the base and the trough are positioned below the conductor relative to a ground surface.

A method of installing a dead-end clamp assembly on a utility conductor comprising:

• positioning a clamp assembly including a clamp body, a first jaw, a second jaw, a sag eye, and a clevis connector, wherein the clamp body between the first jaw and the second jaw defines a trough for receiving a conductor;
• connecting a hotstick to the sag eye;
• moving the clamp assembly, with the hotstick, to receive the conductor;
• and
• engaging the first jaw and second jaw with the conductor,
• wherein moving the clamp assembly to receive the conductor and engaging the first jaw and second jaw are performed using a single hotstick without requiring disengagement of the hotstick from the sag eye,
• wherein the clamp assembly includes a conductor axis and the clevis connector is configured to receive a clevis pin so that the clevis pin and a connected insulator are positioned entirely below the conductor axis when the trough is positioned below the conductor relative to a ground surface.