Cam lock with positive release

Claim 1

A cam lock mechanism for a flexible strap or rope or the like comprising a cam wheel having a curved periphery with an eccentric portion thereon, an aperture eccentrically located with respect to the curved periphery, a bracket including a flat base generally all of the cam wheel and two upstanding legs having aligned apertures, a pin extending through the leg apertures and the aperture in the cam wheel to rotatably support the cam wheel, and a raised ridge positioned on and spanning the base between the legs of said bracket opposite the side of said pin that the eccentric portion of said cam wheel is located when said cam wheel is in a rope engaged position, the raised ridge being adapted to cooperate with the cam wheel to clamp the rope between the raised ridge and the cam wheel, wherein said cam lock provides a two pressure point contact between the base and the rope to compress the rope at two spaced points, one pressure point is located between the cam wheel and the flat base lying thereunder; and the other pressure point is located between the cam wheel and the raised ridge.