Double-acting clamp for coupling a funicular vehicle to the running cable

A double-acting clamp coupling a funicular vehicle to a running cable, comprising:

• a pair of jaw operating arms arranged about an axis of symmetry;
• a second pair of operating arms respectively hinged at a first end thereof to said jaw operating arms;
• an elastic mechanism connected to and operated by said second pair of operating arms, said jaw operating arms having first and second ends and being hinged at said second end thereof to the funicular vehicle and jaws located respectively at each of said second ends of said jaw operating arms, said jaws counteractingly cooperating with and gripping the running cable wherein:
• the jaw operating arms and are connected together at said second ends thereof by a single hinge;
• the jaw operating arms bound a space which houses the elastic mechanism and the operating arms;
• a pair of opposing guides are provided which are connected with said first ends of said jaw operating arms wherein the jaw operating arms include at the first ends thereof bearings reducing friction when said first ends respectively interact with said pair of opposing guides;
• the jaws extend along an axis substantially perpendicular to the axis of symmetry;
• the operating arms have the first ends thereof hinged to the first ends of the jaw operating arms and form an acute angle with a concavity thereof facing an interior portion of the space defined by said jaw operating arms;
• and
• the operating arms have the second ends thereof hinged to an element slidable axially on at least one additional guide and act on said elastic mechanism, said elastic mechanism operating parallel to the axis of said additional guide.