Patent ID: 6516496
Filing Date: 2003-02-11
Classification: B25B,B25G,Y10T

Abstract:
A device for facilitating manual gripping of pipes and connectors comprising:(a) a first element; (b) a second element hingedly attached to said first element at a hinge structure, said hinge structure being configured such that said first element is rotatable relative to said second element about a hinge axis from a closed position through a range of angles no more than 180Â° to a fully open position; and (c) a spring element deployed to bias said first element relative to said second element towards said open position, wherein each of said first element and said second element includes a channel extending substantially parallel to said axis, a plurality of projections being deployed projecting into each channel so as to define gripping features, said channels and said gripping features being formed such that, when said first element and said second element assume said closed position, said gripping features are located so as to grip a substantially cylindrical object of outer diameter D located parallel to said axis between said first element and said second element,and wherein said first and said second elements each further include a lateral recess configured such that, when said first element and said second element assume said closed position, said lateral recesses form a lateral opening of diameter at least 15 percent greater than D interconnecting with said channels,and wherein said first element and said second element are configured to provide, respectively, first and second grasp surfaces which, at least in said closed position, lie within a cylindrical volume of diameter 4D circumscribing said channels, said first and second grasp surfaces being shaped such that they can be pressed together by a single hand of a user to close the device around a substantially cylindrical object such that said gripping features grip the object and said grasp surfaces substantially circumscribe the object.