Low profile rail clamp assembly

Abstract

A clamp assembly including a clamp base, a clamping member carriage, and a clamp member. The clamp base includes a clamping end and a release end with an elongate member support section extending therebetween, the clamping member carriage slidably connected to and positioned below the clamp base. The clamping member carriage includes first and second ends, the first end extending toward the clamping end of the clamp base and the second end extending toward the release end of the clamp base. The clamp member is pivotally mounted to a guide rod mounted below the clamp base, the clamp member engageable by the clamping member carriage, the clamp member advanceable between a clamp position and an open position upon sliding advancement of the clamping member carriage toward the clamping or release end of the clamp base, and such sliding advancement may be accomplished by a spring and/or an actuator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A clamp assembly for securing an elongate member thereto, comprising:
 a clamp base having an elongate member support section extending from a clamping end to a release end of said clamp base;   a clamping member carriage slidably connected to the clamp base and slidable between the clamping end and the release end of the clamp base; the clamping member carriage having first and second ends, the first end extending toward the clamping end of the clamp base and the second end extending toward the release end of the clamp base;   an actuator connected to the clamping member carriage and operable to selectively move the clamping member carriage between the clamping end and the release end of the clamp base;   a spring acting on and normally urging the clamping member carriage toward the clamping end of the clamp base; and   a clamping member engaged by the clamping member carriage, the clamping member advanceable into clamping engagement with an elongate member supported on the elongate member support section of the clamp base upon movement of the clamping member carriage toward the clamping end of the clamp base by the actuator, and the clamping member advanceable out of clamping engagement with the elongate member supported on the elongate member support section of the clamp base upon movement of the clamping member carriage toward the release end of the clamp base.   
     
     
         2 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the spring comprises at least one compression spring. 
     
     
         3 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator. 
     
     
         4 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the clamping member carriage is slidably connected to the clamp base therebelow and the spring comprises at least one compression spring extending between the release end of the clamping member carriage and an abutment depending from the clamp base. 
     
     
         5 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 4 , wherein the actuator comprises a linear actuator connected at a first end to the clamp base and at a second end to a clamping end of the clamp member carriage. 
     
     
         6 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 1 , further comprising a shaft on which the clamping member is pivotally mounted, the shaft mounted below the clamp base and having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the shaft extending closer to the release end of the clamp base than the lower end of the shaft. 
     
     
         7 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein the clamping member includes a hook configured to move downward and pivot inward upon advancement of the clamping member into clamping engagement with the elongate member supported on the elongate member support section of the clamp base. 
     
     
         8 . A clamp assembly for securing an elongate member thereto, comprising:
 a) a clamp base having an elongate member support section extending from a clamping end to a release end of said clamp base;   b) a shaft having an upper end and a lower end mounted below said clamp base; said lower end of said shaft supported below said upper end of said shaft and said lower end of said shaft extending closer to the clamping end of said clamp base than said upper end of said shaft;   c) a clamping member having a hub pivotally mounted on said shaft; a shank projecting outward from said hub and a clamping flange projecting inward from a distal end of said shank over and in spaced relation to said hub; and   d) a clamping member carriage slidably connected to and below said clamp base and slidable between the clamping end and the release end of the clamp base; the clamping member carriage having first and second ends, the first end extending toward the clamping end of the clamp base and the second end extending toward the release end of the clamp base; the clamping member carriage having a clamping member cavity extending into the clamping member carriage from an upper surface thereof, the clamping member carriage having a first abutment extending adjacent the clamping member cavity from the first end of the clamping member carriage and having a second abutment extending adjacent the clamping member cavity from the second end of the clamping member carriage, the clamping member positioned within the clamping member cavity with the first abutment extending in closely spaced relation to a clamping end face of the clamping member and the second abutment extending in closely spaced relation to a release end face of the clamping member such that sliding advancement of the clamping member carriage toward the clamping end of the clamp base advances the clamping member on the shaft toward the lower end thereof and sliding advancement of the clamping member carriage toward the release end of the clamp base advances the clamping member on the shaft toward the upper end thereof.   
     
     
         9 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 8 , further comprising at least one compression spring acting on a second end of the clamping member carriage and normally biasing the clamping member carriage toward the clamping end of the clamp base. 
     
     
         10 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 9 , further comprising a linear actuator acting on a first end of the clamping member carriage for selectively advancing the clamping member carriage toward the release end of the clamp base against the biasing force of the at least one compression spring. 
     
     
         11 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 8 , wherein the shank of the clamping member extends through a clamp slot formed in the clamp base, the clamp slot defined by a clamping end wall, a release end wall, and inner and outer edge walls extending therebetween; the clamping end of the clamp base extending closer to the clamping end wall than the release end wall. 
     
     
         12 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 11 , further comprising a first sloped transition section extending between the release end wall and the inner edge wall and a second sloped transition section extending between the clamping end wall and the outer edge wall. 
     
     
         13 . The clamping assembly as in  claim 12 , wherein the clamping member pivots inward upon engaging the first sloped transition section as the clamping member advances toward the lower end of the shaft; and the clamping member pivots outward upon engaging the second sloped transition section as the clamping member advances toward the upper end of the shaft. 
     
     
         14 . A clamp assembly for securing an elongate member thereto, comprising:
 a clamp base having an elongate member support section extending from a clamping end to a release end of said clamp base, an elongate clamp slot formed in said clamp base, said elongate clamp slot including a clamping portion proximate to an inner end wall of said elongate clamp slot and a release portion proximate to an outer end wall of said elongate clamp slot;   a clamp member carriage slidably connected to said clamp base and slidably advanceable between the clamping end and the release end of said clamp base; said clamp member carriage having first and second ends, the first end extending toward the clamping end of said clamp base and the second end extending toward the release end of the clamp base a guide rod mounted to an underside of said clamp base, said guide rod extending between a first end mounted proximate to the outer end wall of said elongate clamp slot and a second end mounted proximate to the inner end wall of said elongate clamp slot, said guide rod sloping downward from said first end thereof to said second end thereof; and   a clamp member comprising a hub pivotally mounted to said guide rod and a hook extending outward therefrom, the hook extending through said elongate clamp slot, said clamp member advanceable between a clamping position and an open position upon sliding advancement of the clamp member carriage between the clamping end and the release end of said clamp base.   
     
     
         15 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 14 , further comprising a linear actuator attached to the first end of the clamp member carriage, the linear actuator operable to slidably advance the clamp member carriage between the clamping end and the release end of said clamp base. 
     
     
         16 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 15 , further comprising at least one compression spring acting on the second end of the clamp member carriage, the at least one compression spring normally biasing the clamp member carriage toward the clamping end of the clamp base. 
     
     
         17 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 14 , wherein the hook comprises a shank projecting outward from said hub and a clamping flange projecting inward from a distal end of said shank, said clamping flange projecting over and in spaced relation to said hub to form a gap extending between said clamping flange and said hub. 
     
     
         18 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 14 , wherein said hook moves downward and rotates inward upon advancement of said clamp member to the clamping position, and said hook moves upward and rotates outward upon advancement of said clamp member to the open position. 
     
     
         19 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 14 , wherein said clamp member carriage has a clamp member cavity extending therein from an upper surface thereof, said clamp member positioned within the clamp member cavity. 
     
     
         20 . The clamp assembly as in  claim 14 , wherein said clamp member carriage is a pair of clamp member carriages, said guide rod is a pair of guide rods, and said clamp member is a pair of clamp members; each one of the pair of clamp member carriages positioned on an opposite longitudinal side of the elongate member support section of said clamp base, each one of the pair of guide rods positioned on an opposite longitudinal side of the elongate member support section of said clamp base, and each one of the pair of clamp members positioned on an opposite longitudinal side of the elongate member support section of said clamp base.