Pole clamp assembly and a method of its use

Abstract

A pole clamp assembly (10), and a method of using same, involves two jaws (14, 16) mounted on a base frame, or housing, (12) with a first (14) of the jaws being movable on the frame along two parallel curved tracks between closed and open positions and a selectively-actuatable biasing mechanism (18) comprising an elastic or spring member (38, 102) attached between the movable jaw (14) and a reel or hub (36, 36'). By selectively moving the hub between open and closed positions, the biasing mechanism moves the jaw between the closed and open positions, but if the jaw is held in the closed position, for example, which it will be if the clamp is engaged with a pole, the biasing mechanism flexes when the hub is moved to the open position to allow the movable jaw to remain in the closed position. When the jaw is no longer held in the closed position it snaps to the open position under the influence of the biasing mechanism. Additionally, a spring loaded lock (100) which holds the movable jaw in the open position can be automatically actuated by placing a member to be clamped between the two jaws to automatically release the movable jaw, thereby allowing it to snap to the closed position under the influence of the biasing mechanism.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.