| CPC F16L 23/04 (2013.01) [A61M 39/1011 (2013.01); F16B 2/18 (2013.01); F16B 7/0426 (2013.01); F16L 3/1025 (2013.01); F16L 3/1075 (2013.01); F16L 37/084 (2013.01); F16L 2201/10 (2013.01); F16L 2201/44 (2013.01)] | 1 Claim |

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1. A clamp comprising:
a first arcuate portion;
a second arcuate portion;
a hinge having a shaft about which one of the first arcuate portion and the second arcuate rotates; and
a ratchet mechanism for locking the first and second arcuate portions in a closed position;
wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises a linear rack provided with the second arcuate portion and a pawl provided with the first arcuate portion for receiving the linear rack;
wherein the linear rack includes a first set of teeth on a first surface and a second set of teeth on a second surface, the second surface opposite of the first surface, the first set of teeth different than the second set of teeth and the pawl comprises a finger which is configured to engage at least one of the first set of teeth and the second set of teeth of the linear rack;
wherein the pawl is formed by a module which is detachably connected to the first arcuate portion, wherein the module is one selected from a plurality of interchangeable modules, each finger of the plurality of interchangeable modules is configured differently from the other so as to engage the linear rack in different manner.
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