Internal tube gripping device

#This application claims the benefit of Provisional application Ser. No. 60/427,784 filed on Nov. 20, 2002, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

#FIG. 1 is a top view of one embodiment of the internal tube gripping device of the present invention.

#FIG. 2A is a top view of one embodiment of the gripping arm of the device seen in FIG. 1.

#FIG. 2B is a top view of one embodiment of the linking member of the device seen in FIG. 1.

#FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention, internal tube gripping device 1. Gripping device 1 generally comprises two gripping arms 4A and 4B, two link members 20A and 20B, and flexible tensioning members 25. Gripping arm 4A is more clearly seen in FIG. 2A. In this embodiment, gripping arm 4B is substantially the mirror opposite of gripping arm 4A when assembled into gripping device 1. Both gripping arms 4 may be cast or stamped from the same mold or design and one gripping arm rotated 180° on its central axis 7 when the device is assembled. Where the letter “A” follows a reference number, it is presumed that there is a substantially identical element with the same reference number followed by the letter “B”. However, for brevity, a reference number may be used herein without including the “A” or “B” when the description pertains to both the “A” and “B” elements.

#All methods of manufacturing gripping arms 4 (or link members 20), e.g., casting, stamping, milling, etc. are intended to come within the scope of the present invention. In one embodiment, gripping arm 4 will include an elongated section 6 running substantially parallel to center axis 7. One end of elongated section 6 will include gripping end 8 which has an arcuate enlarged section 10 with teeth 11. The opposite end of elongated section 6 has angled section 13. In the embodiment shown, a centerline 29 of angled section 13 will be oriented at an angle of approximately 120° with center axis 7. However, other angles could be employed with correspondingly different lengths of gripping arms and link members. Naturally, other angles for angled section 13 are within the scope of the present invention. Gripping arm 4 will include one pivot aperture 16 at about the juncture of elongated section 6 and angled section 13 and a second pivot aperture 28 at the opposite end of angled section 13. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2A, the overall length of elongated section 6 between pivot aperture 16 and the end of gripping end 18 (parallel to center line 7) will be about 8.5 inches. The horizontal dimension (i.e., parallel to center line 7) of angled section 13 in this embodiment is about 4.5 inches and the vertical dimension (i.e., perpendicular to center line 7) is about 6.5 inches.

#FIG. 2B illustrates an embodiment of a link member 20 as seen in FIG. 1. Link member 20 is a straight section having three pivot apertures: front aperture 17, mid aperture 18, and rear aperture 19. As seen in FIG. 2B, mid aperture 18 is not necessarily positioned halfway down the length of link member 20. For example, in one embodiment the overall length of link member 20 may be 13.5 inches with mid aperture 18 being 4.5 inches from front aperture 17 and 7.5 inches from rear aperture 19. In the embodiment shown, both gripping arms 4 and link members 20 are formed of steel bar stock about 2 inches in width and ⅜ inches thick, although many different widths and thicknesses of materials could be employed. Of course, neither gripping arms 4 nor link members 20 are limited to any particular dimensions described above and other embodiments of the present invention could have greatly varying dimensions. Nor is the material from which gripping arms 4 or link members 20 are constructed limited to steel, but could include tensile aluminum, still other metals or alloys, high strength plastics, or any other material which can withstand the stress placed on the gripping device 1 when in use.