Patent ID: 7743943

Claim:
An apparatus for transporting a hollow container, comprising: a plurality of fingers having an outer surface, each of the fingers being eccentrically mounted on a mounting structure to extend generally parallel to each other in a first direction, each finger being rotatable about an axis of rotation that is generally parallel to the first direction; and a rotary drive unit operatively associated with the fingers that rotates the fingers about their respective axes of rotation; wherein the fingers are moveable between a retracted position, in which the outermost portions of the outer surfaces of the fingers define a first circle, and an extended position, in which the outermost portions of the outer surfaces of the fingers define a second circle that is larger in diameter than the first circle, the second circle corresponding to the inner perimeter of a hollow container, the outer surfaces of the fingers being contact surfaces configured and positioned to contact an inner surface of the container when the fingers are in the extended position; and wherein the fingers include prongs extending generally parallel with the axes of rotation, the prongs being configured to grip the exterior of a lid for the container.