Indexing apparatus

Indexing apparatus, comprising rotating means for incrementally rotating a workpiece to be indexed, said rotating means including a first end, a second end, a first tubular member, a second tubular member mounted for reciprocating and rotating movement within said first tubular member, gripping means threadedly attached to said second tubular member at said first end of said rotating means and keyed to said first tubular member such that said gripping means is free to move axially relative to said first tubular member but is prevented from rotating relative to said first tublar member, said gripping means being movable in response to the axial position of said second tubular member relative to said first tubular member between a first position in which said gripping means grips the workpiece to be indexed and a second position in which said gripping means releases a workpiece after it has been indexed, locking means for releasably locking said first tublar member to said second tubular member such that said second tubular member is rotatable conjointly with said first tubular member, and determining means for determining the increments of rotation of said rotating means, said determining means being removably positioned adjacent to said second end of said rotating means to facilitate the removal of said determining means for replacement purposes;

• moving means positioned between said gripping means and said determining means for moving said gripping means between said first position and said second position in response to the axial position of said second tubular member relative to said first tubular member, said moving means including reciprocating means for axially reciprocating said second tubular member within said first tubular member and connecting means for connecting said reciprocating means to said second tubular member such that said second tubular member is rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to said first tubular member when said second tubular member is not locked to said first tubular member, whereby said second tubular member can be rotated relative to said first tubular member and hence said gripping means when said second tubular member is not locked to said first tubular member to thereby threadedly detach said gripping means from said second tubular member for replacement purposes.