Patent ID: 8245360

Claim:
A device for gripping elongate articles, said device comprising: a male end cap; a first insert engaged with the male end cap; a first channel defined by said male end cap and said first insert, said first channel being disposed along a longitudinal axis of the device; a female end cap, and wherein a portion of the male end cap is receivable within a portion of the female end cap; and the male and female end caps are disposed in end-to-end relationship along the longitudinal axis; a second insert engaged with the female end cap; wherein each of the first and second inserts comprises: a body having a first end, a second end, an exterior wall, an inner wall, a first side and a second side; and wherein the inner wall of the body is semi-circular when viewed from either of the first and second ends; a second channel is defined by said female cap and said second insert; said second channel being disposed along the longitudinal axis; wherein said first and second channels comprise a rope channel adapted to receive the elongate articles therethrough; a longitudinally extending first slot is defined in the male end cap, and wherein the first insert is complementary to the first slot and is removably received therein; a longitudinally extending second slot is defined in the female end cap, and the second insert is complementary to the second slot and is removably received therein; and wherein each of the male and female end caps has: a first end, a second end, an exterior wall, an interior wall; a first side wall and a second side wall; and wherein the first and second side walls define the associated one of the first and second slots; and when the associated one of the first and second inserts is engaged with the male and female end caps, the first end of the body is aligned with the first end of the one of the male and female end caps, the second end of the body is aligned with the second end of the one of the male and female end caps, the exterior wall of the body is aligned with the exterior wall of the one of the male and female end caps, and the first and second sides of the body are in abutting contact with the first and second sides walls, respectively; and a plurality of ridges and recesses provided on the exterior walls of each of the male and female end caps and the first and second inserts; and a retaining collar connecting the male end cap to the female end cap.