What is it and how is it used? It appears to be made of brass/bronze.
(http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d101/frankr87gt/089.jpg)
I've seen power company linemen use these to hook one wire to another from the ground, turn the thumbscrew to make the connection. Someone should have the correct name.
"Hot line clamp"
good old fashioned stick bug
thats what is is. all done on hot wires using a hot stick I have several hot stick tools from my days with the power company.
bob w.
pics are of a hot stick limb trimmer after some modifaction
64longstep is responsible for the forging work
this is work in progress a hot stick wire raiser
That would make a heck of a pike.
Found this in a Rose Tool post of aCrescent Catalog from the thirties or forties.
(http://i1202.photobucket.com/albums/bb373/johnsironsanctuary/Crescent%20Tools/scan0006.jpg)
Picture #1 shows
KEARNEY TOOLS #7296 VINTAGE TUBE, PIPE, CABLE CLAMP
Picture #2 shows a current Kearney grounding clamp
So, in vertical order you got a porkchop
a stickbug
a bar or cabinet stickclamp
BTW, the only time a porkchop instantly releases is when you don't want it to.