Patent ID: 6874789

Claim:
A rotary assembly for use in processing a tubular member, the assembly comprising; a gripping mechanism, the gripping mechanism being moveable from an open position to a closed position, in the closed position the gripping mechanism constructed and arranged to retainingly engage at least a portion of the tubular member; a piston, the gripping mechanism is operatively engaged to the piston, the piston being fluid actuatable from a first position to a second position by a fluid acting upon the piston, such that when the piston is in the first position the gripping mechanism is in the closed position and when the piston is in the second position the gripping mechanism is in the open position, the assembly defining a circuit through which the fluid is transmitted to the piston; a rotary shaft, the rotary shaft being rotatable about a longitudinal axis, a portion of the rotary shaft being operatively engaged to a motor and a first end portion of the rotary shaft being operatively engaged to the piston, the rotary shaft defining a first fluid transmission lumen and a second fluid transmission lumen; a housing, the housing having a fixed position relative to the rotary shaft, the housing comprising a fluid input port and a fluid output port; a first fluid transmission coupling extending externally from the housing to the rotary shaft, the first fluid transmission coupling defining a first fluid transmission coupling lumen which extends between and is in fluid communication with the fluid input port and the first fluid transmission lumen; and a second fluid transmission coupling extending externally from the housing to the rotary shaft, the second fluid transmission coupling defining a second fluid transmission coupling lumen which extends between and is in fluid communication with the fluid output port and the second fluid transmission lumen, the circuit being comprised of the fluid input port, the first fluid transmission coupling lumen, first fluid transmission lumen, the second fluid transmission lumen, the second fluid transmission coupling lumen, and the fluid output port.