Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
253 words
A device for effecting the positioning of an elongated cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis, said device when in a first state being slideable to a predetermined longitudinal position on said member and arranged to be actuated from said first state to a second state to effect the controlled rotation and/or linear movement of said member with respect to said axis, said device comprising a sleeve having a longitudinal passage therethrough, and which is open at each end for receiving and passing said cylindrical member freely therethrough, said sleeve having a plurality of longitudinal extending slots disposed about the periphery of said sleeve, and actuating means including portions fixedly positioned and extending longitudinally along said sleeve and further including plural gripping elements adapted to pass through said slots in said sleeve for selectively gripping said cylindrical member, said plural gripping elements disposed adjacent said slots, said actuating means being arranged to be actuated from said first state to said second state, said gripping elements, when said actuating means is in said first state, being spaced slightly from the periphery of said cylindrical member, whereupon said device can be readily slid along said cylindrical member to said predetermined location, and said gripping elements, when said actuating means is in said second state, extending through said slots and frictionally engaging the surface of said cylindrical member about the periphery thereof, whereupon rotary motion of said device about said axis or linear motion of said device along said axis causes concomitant movement of said cylindrical member.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
253 words
A device for effecting the positioning of an elongated cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis, said device when in a first state being slideable to a predetermined longitudinal position on said member and arranged to be actuated from said first state to a second state to effect the controlled rotation and/or linear movement of said member with respect to said axis, said device comprising a sleeve having a longitudinal passage therethrough, and which is open at each end for receiving and passing said cylindrical member freely therethrough, said sleeve having a plurality of longitudinal extending slots disposed about the periphery of said sleeve, and actuating means including portions fixedly positioned and extending longitudinally along said sleeve and further including plural gripping elements adapted to pass through said slots in said sleeve for selectively gripping said cylindrical member, said plural gripping elements disposed adjacent said slots, said actuating means being arranged to be actuated from said first state to said second state, said gripping elements, when said actuating means is in said first state, being spaced slightly from the periphery of said cylindrical member, whereupon said device can be readily slid along said cylindrical member to said predetermined location, and said gripping elements, when said actuating means is in said second state, extending through said slots and frictionally engaging the surface of said cylindrical member about the periphery thereof, whereupon rotary motion of said device about said axis or linear motion of said device along said axis causes concomitant movement of said cylindrical member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said portions comprise a plurality of moveable fingers, said gripping elements being mounted on said fingers adjacent said slots.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said fingers are mounted on said sleeve and include portions extending along the outside of said sleeve parallel to said longitudinal passage through said sleeve to serve as a grasping surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said gripping elements are positioned at the ends of said fingers opposite the ends mounted on said sleeve.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device of claim 4 wherein said fingers and gripping elements are formed as an integral unit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 5 wherein said fingers and said gripping elements are formed of a plastic material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The device of claim 2, wherein said gripping elements are comprised of: radially extending wedge-shaped flanges extending from said fingers inwardly toward said slots in said sleeve means; and longitudinally projecting shoe extensions at the end of said wedge-shaped flanges opposite said fingers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said actuating means comprises two sets of plural moveable fingers, a first set of fingers including portions extending along the outside of said sleeve parallel to said longitudinal passage through said sleeve in one direction and a second set of fingers including portions extending along the outside of said sleeve parallel to said longitudinal passage in the opposite direction, said first and second sets of fingers being mounted on said sleeve between the opposite extending ends thereof, and said gripping elements being mounted on the opposite extending ends of said fingers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said fingers and said gripping elements are formed as an integral unit.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The device of claim 1 further comprising cap means surrounding said slots in said sleeve for retaining said gripping elements within said slots.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
107 words
An apparatus for gripping an elongated cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising: sleeve means having a longitudinal passageway therethrough, said passageway being open at each end, for receiving and passing said cylindrical member longitudinally therethrough, said sleeve means having a plurality of slots around the circumference thereof; and actuating means including portions fixedly positioned longitudinally on said sleeve means and extending along the length of said sleeve means, said actuating means further including plural gripping elements aligned with and adapted to pass through said slots in said sleeve means for gripping said cylindrical member passing through said passageway when said actuating means is compressed.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
107 words
An apparatus for gripping an elongated cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising: sleeve means having a longitudinal passageway therethrough, said passageway being open at each end, for receiving and passing said cylindrical member longitudinally therethrough, said sleeve means having a plurality of slots around the circumference thereof; and actuating means including portions fixedly positioned longitudinally on said sleeve means and extending along the length of said sleeve means, said actuating means further including plural gripping elements aligned with and adapted to pass through said slots in said sleeve means for gripping said cylindrical member passing through said passageway when said actuating means is compressed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, further comprising: cap means surrounding said slots in said sleeve means for retaining said gripping elements within said slots.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
98 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein said portions comprise a plurality of finger elements spaced from each other and extending from said body section along the outside of said sleeve means, said finger elements being substantially parallel to the longitudinal passageway of said sleeve means; and wherein one gripping element is mounted on each finger element and spaced from said body section, each gripping element extending radially inwardly toward said sleeve means through one of said slots in said sleeve means; and wherein said actuating means further comprises a body section mounted on said sleeve means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein said gripping elements are comprised of: radially extending wedge-shaped flanges extending from said finger elements inwardly toward said slots in said sleeve means; and longitudinally projecting shoe extensions at the end of said wedge-shaped flanges opposite said finger elements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
113 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein: said sleeve means has a plurality of slots around the circumference thereof at at least two spaced positions along the length thereof; and a plurality of said actuating means are mounted on said sleeve means between said spaced slots, each of said actuating means extending along the length of said sleeve means toward opposite ends thereof from a position between said spaced slots, and each of said actuating means being aligned with and adapted to pass through said slots in said sleeve means at one of said spaced positions for gripping said cylindrical member passing through said sleeve means when said actuating means are compressed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, further comprising: a plurality of cap means surrounding said spaced slots in said sleeve means for retaining said gripping elements within said slots.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
100 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein each of said portions comprise a plurality of finger elements spaced from each other and extending from said body section along and substantially parallel to the longitudinal passageway through said sleeve means on the outside of said sleeve means; and wherein one gripping element is mounted on each finger element and spaced from said body section, each gripping element extending radially inwardly toward said sleeve means through one of said slots in said sleeve means; and wherein each of said actuating means further comprises a body section mounted on said sleeve means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein said gripping elements are comprised of: radially extending wedge-shaped flanges extending from said finger elements inwardly toward said slots in said sleeve means; and longitudinally projecting shoe extensions at the end of said wedge-shaped flanges opposite said finger elements.