Hand operated gripping apparatus

A stand for a manually operable portable tool, especially ferrule crimping pliers, of the kind having first and second lever devices pivotally interconnected intermediate their ends so as to provide a pair of opposed working jaws movable relatively to each other and a pair of opposed handles pivotable relatively to each other to actuate the jaws, wherein the first lever device includes at least two longitudinally spaced pins which are parallel with the pivot axis and engagable in open-ended slot means, said stand comprising base means, enabling support of the stand, longitudinally extending upstanding wall means, first and second longitudinally spaced open-ended slot means formed in the wall means and extending respectively longitudinally and upwardly to receive the said pins on the first lever device of the tool which are parallel with the pivot axis of the tool, so that the tool by the sequential insertion of the said pins in the said slot means can be inserted into the stand to form with the stand a stationary apparatus operable by movement of the handle of the second lever device, the slot means being arranged in such a manner that the tool rests in the stand with at least one of its handles substantially parallel with a support surface carrying the base means of the stand.