Patent ID: 6994387

Claim:
A mechanical conveyer for gripping and conveying objects, comprising: a substantially torus shaped membrane elongated parallel to its symmetric axis with a front end, a rear end, an expanded exterior portion and a substantially collapsed central channel portion collinear with the symmetric axis of the torus; said torus shaped membrane enclosing an interior volume filled with a fluid material; said torus shaped membrane being sufficiently flexible to allow the collapsed central channel portion of the torus to be rotated to the position of the expanded exterior portion of the torus; and a roller assembly placed in rolling contact with said expanded exterior portion; and said roller assembly having at least one driven roller in physical contact with the torus to provide radial sliding motion of said front end, wherein the path through the collapsed central channel portion is unobstructed by said roller assembly, whereby objects can enter said front end and exit said rear end without making physical contact with the roller assembly.