Cablehead

An apparatus for gripping a support member, the apparatus comprising:

• a tubular clamp, the tubular clamp defining a throughbore adapted to receive a support member there through,
• a first apparatus member adapted to engage a first portion of an external surface of the tubular clamp,
• a second apparatus member adapted to engage a second portion of the external surface of the tubular clamp;
• a housing adapted to the releasably engage the second apparatus member, and
• a resilient member located within the housing and adapted, upon engagement of the housing and the second apparatus member, to apply a force to the first apparatus member to move the first apparatus member with respect to the tubular clamp.

A method of gripping a support member, the method comprising the steps of:

• feeding a support member through a tubular clamp throughbore,
• engaging a first apparatus member with a first portion of an external surface of the tubular clamp;
• engaging a second apparatus member with a second portion of the external surface of the tubular clamp;
• moving the first apparatus member relative to the tubular clamp in a first direction such that a section of the first end of the tubular clamp deflects into engagement with the support member;
• and
• moving the second apparatus member relative to the tubular clamp in a second direction, opposite the first direction, such that a section of the second end of the tubular clamp deflects into engagement with the support member.

An apparatus for gripping a support member, the apparatus comprising:

• a tubular clamp, the tubular clamp defining a throughbore adapted to receive a support member therethrough,
• a first apparatus member adapted to engage a first portion of an external surface of the tubular clamp,
• a second apparatus member adapted to engage a second portion of the external surface of the tubular clamp;
• wherein tubular clamp external surface defines a decreasing circumferential taper, the taper relative movement of the first apparatus member with respect to the tubular clamp in a first direction results in a deflection of a section of a first end of the tubular clamp into the clamp throughbore and relative movement of the second apparatus member in a second direction, opposite the first direction, with respect to the tubular clamp results in a deflection of a section of a second end of the tubular clamp into the clamp throughbore, the first and second portions surfaces being tapered, each taper decreasing towards the end of the tubular clamp to which it is closest.