Importance

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Abstract

A rail clamp comprises a frame and a pair of levers. Each of the levers has a brake pad at a first end thereof, a cam follower at second end thereof, and is mounted to the frame by a pivot disposed between said first and second ends. A cam is disposed between the levers and a spring biases the cam in a first direction. A clamp release actuator is operable to displace the cam in a second direction. The second direction is opposite to the first direction. A pair of variably sloped cam surfaces are disposed on opposite sides of the cam. Each of the variably sloped cam surfaces is in contact with the cam follower of a corresponding one of the levers, and each of the variably sloped cam surfaces has a slope which varies to counteract variations in a spring force of the spring as the cam is displaced, thereby maintaining a constant clamping force.

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First Claim