Clamp with surge protection

Claim 2

A clamping device with surge protection comprising: an insulating base; a wire clamp, having a bracket and threaded clamping portion for seizing a wire therebetween, mounted on said insulating base; an upstanding ground strap having a first portion fixedly attached to said insulating base and adapted to be fixedly attached to a ground connection and an upstanding second portion, said ground strap being insulated from said wire clamp by said insulating base; and an upstanding support having a first portion fixedly clamped between said bracket and said insulating base for making electrical contact with said wire clamp and a resilient upstanding second portion mounted in a spaced relationship with said ground strap for resiliently retaining a surge protection device between said second portions of said ground strap and said support.

Claim 3

A clamping device with surge protection as defined in claim 1 wherein said surge protection device is a spark gap socket.

Claim 4

A clamping device with surge protection as defined in claim 1 wherein said wire clamp includes a threaded post attached to said bracket and extending through said insulating base for fixedly securing said wire clamp to said insulating base.

Claim 5

In an equipment housing having a grounded chassis therein for carrying electrical components thereon and a port in a wall of said housing for coupling a coaxial cable thereto with a signal carrying conductor of said coaxial cable protruding through said wall, a clamping device comprising: an insulating base for mounting in said housing adjacent said wall; a clamp fixedly attached to said insulating base for fixedly clamping said conductor; and first and second upstanding metallic supports mounted in spaced relationship for resiliently retaining a surge protection device therebetween, said first support having a base portion fixedly clamped between said clamp and said insulating base for making an electrical connection to said clamp and an upstanding resilient portion, and said second support having a first portion for fixedly attaching to said insulating base and for making an electrical connection to said chassis and an upstanding second position comprising a ground strap whereby voltage surges on said conductor are electrically shunted to ground by said surge protection device.

Claim 6

In an equipment housing having a grounded chassis therein for carrying electrical components thereon and a port in a wall of said housing for coupling a coaxial cable thereto with a signal carrying conductor of said coaxial cable protruding through said wall, a clamping device comprising: an insulating base for mounting in said housing adjacent said wall; a clamp fixedly attached to said insulating base for fixedly clamping said conductor; and first and second upstanding metallic supports mounted in spaced relationship for resiliently retaining a surge protection device therebetween, said first support having a base portion fixedly clamped between said clamp and said insulating base for making an electrical connection to said clamp and an upstanding resilient portion, and said second support having a first portion for fixedly attaching to said insulating base and for making an electrical connection to said chassis and an upstanding second position comprising a ground strap whereby voltage surges on said conductor are electrically shunted to ground by said surge protection device.

Claim 7

A clampinG device as defined in claim 4 wherein said clamp includes a bracket and a threaded insert for clamping said conductor therebetween, and further includes a post attached to said bracket and extending through said insulating base for fixedly securing said bracket to said insulating base.

Claim 8

A clamping device as defined in claim 5 wherein said base portion of said first support is clamped between said bracket and said insulating base.

Claim 9

A clamping device as defined in claim 6 additionally including a socket resiliently retained between said upstanding resilient portion of said first support and said second support, said socket including first and second metallic buttons with a spark gap therebetween, each of said first and second metallic buttons being in electrical contact with one of said first and second supports.

Claim 10

A clamping device as defined in claim 5 wherein said post includes a terminal portion for extending through an opening in said chassis for making a signal connection thereto.

Claim 11

A clamping device as defined in claim 7 additionally including an insulating strap attached to said socket whereby said socket can be inserted or removed from between said first and second supports by said insulating strap.