Patent ID: 6899552

Claim:
A gripping and locking electrical grounding device for grounding single phase or multiphase electrical equipment to a ground bus to render the electrical equipment safe for servicing and repair, comprising: at least one phase conductor; a ground conductor being coupled to said at least one phase conductor; and a gripping and locking clamp device ( 80 ) being coupled with each of said plurality of phase conductors and said ground conductor and having a fixed jaw ( 90 ) and a fixed handle assembly ( 102 ) and a moveable jaw ( 92 ) being pivotally connected with said fixed jaw and a locking handle assembly ( 94 ) and being pivotally moveable between an unlocking position permitting opening movement of said moveable jaw relative to said fixed jaw and a locking position securing said moveable jaw at a clamping position; said gripping and locking clamp device further characterized by including an adjustment device ( 104 ) longitudinally received into a distal end of said fixed handle assembly, an adjustment link ( 100 ) having a first end pivotally coupled to said moveable jaw and a second end received in a portion of said fixed handle assembly and abutting said adjustment device, a first locking opening formed through said locking handle assembly, and a second locking opening formed through said adjustment link, wherein said adjustment device and said adjustment link cooperate to limit the maximum distance between said fixed jaw and said moveable jaw in said locking position, and said first and said second openings are in general alignment when said griping and locking clamp device is in said locking position such that a lock device may be inserted through said first and second lock openings to prevent unlocking movement of said locking handle and thus maintain positive clamping of said locking clamp device with respect to said at least one phase lead and said ground bus and maintain the electrical equipment in safe grounded condition for servicing and repair operations.