Patent ID: 7896111

Claim:
A gripping tool, comprising: at least one body including an associated load adaptor adapted to be connected to and interact with one of a drive head or reaction frame; a gripping assembly carried by the at least one body, having at least one grip surface adapted to move from a retracted position to an engaged position to radially engage the grip surface with one of an interior surface or an exterior surface of a work piece upon relative axial displacement of the at least one body relative to the grip surface in at least one axial direction; a grip activation assembly carried by and acting between the at least one body and the grip assembly to create relative axial displacement of the at least one body relative to the grip surface and correlatively increase a grip ratio of radial engagement force of the grip surface relative to applied axial load over at least some range of axial load, wherein the grip activation assembly includes a first load screw body and a second load screw body forming a load screw pair; and a linkage acting between the first load screw body and the second load screw body to cause relative rotation and react torque, torque being reacted solely through the linkage, the linkage including: a drive motor to cause rotation of the first load screw body relative to the second load screw body; and an axially extending engagement to accommodate relative axial movement of the first load screw and the second load screw within the linkage while transferring and reacting torque.