Patent ID: 7380336

Claim:
A gripping system, wherein the gripping system comprises: a cam shaft; a gripping jaw, wherein the gripping jaw includes a first opposing member and a second opposing member, and wherein the first opposing member and the second opposing member are operable to grasp a gripped object between the first opposing member and the second opposing member at a contact location; a first non-extensible bar having first and second ends, the first end attached to the cam shaft and the second end attached to the second opposing member of the gripping jaw; a rod substantially parallel to the cam shaft and extending through the first bar between the cam shaft and the second opposing member of the gripping jaw; a knuckle coupled to the rod; and a second extensible bar coupled to the knuckle such that rotation of the rod moves the second bar generally axially, the second bar also extending to and coupled to the first opposing member of the gripping jaw, wherein the second extensible bar comprises an upper portion and a lower portion, wherein the upper and lower portions are coaxial, wherein the upper portion is coupled to the lower portion via an extensible joint, and wherein a first distance from the upper portion to the lower portion at the extensible joint is proportional to a second distance between the first opposing member and the second opposing member.