Grip device

Claim 1

A grip device for gripping articles such as needles or the like, comprising A. A TUBULAR BODY MEMBER (1) HAVING FORWARD AND REAR ENDS; B. A PUSH ROD (7) ARRANGED IN CONCENTRICALLY SPACED RELATION WITHIN SAID BODY MEMBER FOR AXIAL DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS RELATIVE THERETO, THE REAR END OF SAID PUSH ROD PROJECTING REARWARDLY BEYOND THE REAR END OF SAID BODY MEMBER WHEN SAID PUSH ROD IS IN THE RETRACTED POSITION; C. ARTICLE GRIPPING MEANS (9) CONNECTED WITH THE FORWARD END OF SAID PUSH ROD, SAID ARTICLE GRIPPING MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY OUTWARDLY BIASED SPRING JAWS THAT ARE IN A RADIALLY EXPANDED CONDITION WHEN SAID PUSH ROD IS IN THE EXTENDED CONDITION, THEREBY TO RECEIVE AN ARTICLE TO BE GRIPPED; D. CAM MEANS (8) CONNECTED WITH THE FORWARD END OF SAID BODY MEMBER FOR RADIALLY CONTRACTING SAID SPRING JAWS INTO GRIPPING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ARTICLE WHEN THE PUSH ROD IS IN THE RETRACTED POSITION; E. A CAP (5) CONTAINING A THREADED BORE (6) AND A COUNTERBORE (6A) THAT DEFINES A TRANSVERSE WALL (6B), THE REAR END OF SAID PUSH ROD BEING THREADABLY CONNECTED WITH SAID THREADED BORE, SAID PUSH ROD HAVING SUCH A LENGTH AND SAID CAP BEING SO DIMENSIONED THAT WHEN SAID PUSH ROD IS IN THE RETRACTED POSITION, THE REAR END OF SAID BODY MEMBER EXTENDS INTO SAID COUNTERBORE AND TERMINATES IN SPACED RELATION A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE FROM SAID TRANSVERSE WALL; AND F. SPRING MEANS BIASING SAID PUSH ROD TOWARD THE RETRACTED POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID BODY MEMBER, SAID SPRING MEANS INCLUDING A COIL SPRING (4) ARRANGED CONCENTRICALLY ABOUT SAID PUSH ROD, THE REAR END OF SAID SPRING BEING SEATED AGAINST SAID TRANSVERSE WALL AND THE FORWARD END OF SAID SPRING BEING SEATED AGAINST A SPRING SEAT DEFINED ON SAID BODY MEMBER, WHEREBY SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID COUNTERBORE TRANSVERSE WALL AND THE REAR END OF SAID BODY MEMBER CONTROLS THE EXTENT OF AXIAL DISPLACEMENT OF SAID PUSH ROD IN THE EXTENDED DIRECTION.