Device and method for reversibly gripping a bolt-shaped element, in particular a rivet mandrel

A device for reversibly gripping a bolt-shaped element with a tension head extending in an axial direction, comprising:

• a mouthpiece sleeve;
• a clamping jaw sleeve movably mounted in said mouthpiece sleeve along the axial direction;
• a plurality of segmented clamping jaws each extending in the axial direction from a front end to a rear end thereof, wherein said clamping jaws:
• define a receiving space between one another for receiving the bolt-shaped element;
• are configured to hold a rivet mandrel of a blind rivet within said receiving space;
• are disposed within said clamping jaw sleeve;
• are configured to be displaced in a radial direction in order to reversibly grip the bolt-shaped element on occasion of an axial movement of said clamping jaw sleeve;
• are displaceable with respect to one another independently of an actuation via said clamping jaw sleeve;
• and
• are furthermore held by an elastic holding element;
• a stroke range being defined within which said clamping jaw sleeve is in an open position in which said clamping jaw sleeve is spaced apart from said clamping jaws, and wherein, within the stroke range, said clamping jaws are transferable from a fixing position into a releasing position by way of at least one control element, said clamping jaws being oriented obliquely with regard to the axial direction in the fixing position, to thereby form a funnel-like receiving space, and in the releasing position, said clamping jaws being spread in relation to one another at a rear end.