Tool for gripping tubular items

A tool for gripping a target surface on a tubular article having an internal cylindrical surface and an external cylindrical surface, where the target surface is a selected one of said internal and external cylindrical surfaces, said tool comprising:

• (a) a generally cylindrical main body having an upper end and a lower end, with a lower region of the main body defining a frustoconical surface, arranged to form a downwardly-diverging annular space relative to the target surface when the tubular article is coaxially disposed within the main body;
• (b) a plurality of grip elements, with each grip element having a grip surface and a frustoconical surface, said frustoconical surface being slidingly engageable with the frustoconical surface of the main body;
• (c) a generally cylindrical grip element carrier carrying said plurality of grip elements, said grip element carrier being adapted such that the grip elements are axially movable with the grip element carrier while being radially movable within grip element windows formed in the grip element carrier, said grip element carrier being coaxially disposed within the main body and being axially movable relative thereto;
• (d) a generally ring-shaped land element fixed to a downward-facing shoulder formed on the grip element carrier in a region above the grip elements, said land element defining a downward-facing annular bearing face;
• and
• (e) preload means, for biasing the grip element carrier downward relative to the main body so as to bias the tool toward a disengaged position;
• such that application of a sufficient downward axial force to the main body will move the main body axially downward relative to the grip element carrier, thereby bringing the frustoconical surfaces of the grip elements into engagement with the frustoconical surface of the main body and causing radial displacement of the grip surfaces of the grip elements toward the target surface due to axial movement of the grip elements along the frustoconical surface of the main body.