Patent ID: 8628268

Claim:
A cam lock clamp, comprising: a disc spring stack comprising a number of disc springs; a stud having a body portion, a first end portion, and a second end portion, the first end portion comprising a head area having a first diameter larger than a cross-sectional dimension of the body portion, the second end portion having a second diameter larger than the cross-sectional dimension of the body portion and arranged to support the disc spring stack concentrically about the stud, the stud configured to be non-rotatably affixed to a consumable electrode in a semiconductor plasma processing environment; a socket arranged to mechanically couple concentrically around the stud and the supported disc spring stack with the head area of the stud exposed above an uppermost portion of the socket, the socket configured to be firmly attached to the consumable electrode, the disc spring stack being arranged within the socket to limit lateral movement of the stud in a direction substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of the stud, the disc spring stack and the stud arranged to be in rigid contact with the socket at a base portion of the socket; and a camshaft having a substantially cylindrical body with a diameter larger than the first diameter of the head area, the camshaft being configured to mount within a bore of a backing plate and further comprising an eccentric cutout area located in a central portion of the cylindrical camshaft body, the camshaft being further configured to rotatably engage and lock the head area of the stud when the consumable electrode and the backing plate are proximate to one another, the longitudinal axis of the stud being substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of the camshaft upon the rotatable engagement of the camshaft to the stud.