Patent ID: 7473255

Claim:
An apparatus for holding a bone plate comprising: a tubular member comprising: a cylindrical body having a front end and a rear end; a tip opening in said front end; a rear opening in said rear end; a passageway in said body extending from said tip opening to said rear opening; at least two longitudinal slots disposed at said front end of said cylindrical body and around a circumference of said front end of said cylindrical body and extending axially rearward from said front end, at least a portion of said slots extending through said cylindrical body such that said slots form an opening to said passageway; a flange disposed around said rear opening; an inner sleeve being slideably disposed inside said passageway of said tubular member, said inner sleeve comprising: a front end; a back end; and a flange disposed around said back end; at least two substantially longitudinal fingers extending from said front end of said inner sleeve, said fingers being aligned with said longitudinal slots in said front end of said tubular member; whereby said fingers extend axially forward and radially outward as said inner sleeve slides forward in said tubular member, and wherein said fingers retract axially rearward and radially inward as said inner sleeve slides backward in said tubular member; and tips being formed at a distal end of said fingers and bent radially inward.