Method and apparatus for racking and unracking pipe

A pipe gripper, comprising:

• an expansion sleeve having a distal end, a proximal end, and a bore the therethrough;
• a proximal pressure plate abutting the proximal end of said expansion sleeve;
• a nosepiece at the distal end of said expansion sleeve;
• a mandrel passing through the bore of said expansion sleeve, said mandrel having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being attached to said nosepiece;
• a distal pressure plate at the distal end of said expansion sleeve, said distal pressure plate being coupled to said mandrel such that pulling the proximal end of said mandrel axially compresses said expansion sleeve between said distal pressure plate and said proximal pressure plate;
• wherein pulling the proximal end of said mandrel causes both said nosepiece and said distal pressure plate to exert compressive forces on the distal end of said expansion sleeve;
• and
• wherein the distal end of said expansion sleeve has an external bevel and said nosepiece has an internal bevel for receiving the external bevel of said expansion sleeve.