Electric-component holding apparatus

An electric-component holding apparatus comprising:

• a support member;
• at least two moving members which are supported by the support member such that said at least two moving members are movable toward, and away from, each other;
• at least two holding jaws which are attached to said at least two moving members, respectively, and cooperate with each other to hold an electric component;
• at least two attaching devices which attach said at least two holding jaws to said at least two moving members, respectively;
• and
• a drive device which moves said at least two moving members toward, and away from, each other,
• wherein each one of said at least two attaching devices comprises
• (a) a fitting recess and a fitting projection fitable in the fitting recess, one of the fitting recess and the fitting projection of said each one of said at least two attaching devices being provided by a corresponding one of said at least two moving members, the other of the fitting recess and the fitting projection of said each one of said at least two attaching devices being provided by a corresponding one of said at least two holding jaws, and
• (b) a lock device which is normally held in a locked state thereof in which the lock device prevents the fitting recess and the fitting projection of said each one of said at least two attaching devices from moving away from each other and is unlocked from the locked state thereof by a special movement of at least one of said at least two moving members over a predetermined range of distance therebetween.