Patent ID: 8210546

Claim:
A tube holder for a tube filling machine, the holder comprising: a cup-shaped housing defining a tube receptacle, said tube receptacle having an opening towards a top of said housing into which one end area of a tube can be inserted, wherein an inner wall of said housing proximate said tube receptacle has at least one vertical groove; a pivot bearing having a pivot axis extending substantially tangentially to said inner wall of said tube receptacle, said pivot bearing cooperating with said housing for radial displacement of said pivot bearing relative to said housing; at least one clamping element mounted to said pivot bearing and inserted into said vertical groove such that said clamping element can be radially displaced substantially perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal central axis of said tube receptacle and pivotable about said pivot axis, said clamping element having a first upper section which is disposed on a side of said pivot axis facing said opening of said tube receptacle, above said pivot axis, and a lower second section which is disposed on a side of said pivot axis facing away from said opening of said tube receptacle, below said pivot axis; at least one first spring element cooperating with said housing and said upper first section of said clamping element to urge said upper section of said clamping element in a substantially radial direction towards a tube inserted in said clamping receptacle; and at least one second spring element cooperating with said housing and said lower second section of said clamping element to urge said lower section of said clamping element in a substantially radial direction towards the tube inserted in said clamping receptacle.