Cam actuated filament clamp

Abstract

An ion source filament clamp has a clamp member having first and second ends. The first end has one of a cam surface and a cam follower, and has first and second portions that are opposed to one another and separated by a slot having a lead opening defined therein to receive a lead of an ion source filament. An actuator pin extends along an actuator pin axis and has first and second sections. The first section is coupled to the first portion of the clamp member. The actuator pin extends through, and is in sliding engagement with, a thru-hole in the second portion of the clamp member. A cam member is operably coupled to the second section of the actuator pin. The cam member has a handle and the other of the cam surface and cam follower and is configured to rotate between a clamped position and an unclamped position. The cam follower slidingly contacts the cam surface. In the clamped position, the cam follower engages the cam surface in a first predetermined manner, thus selectively compressing the first and second portions of the clamp member toward one another and exerting a clamping pressure on the lead within the lead opening while inducing a spring tension between the first and second portions of the clamp member. In the unclamped position, the cam follower engages the cam surface in a second predetermined manner, wherein the spring tension extends the first and second portions of the clamp member apart from one another, therein releasing the clamping pressure on the lead within the lead opening.