The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator

Fred G Sanders

John W Redmon, Jr

Donald H McQueen

A hand hold device (A) includes a housing (10) having a hand hold (14) and clamping brackets (32,34) for grasping and handling an object. A drive includes drive lever (23), spur gear (22), and rack gears (24,26) carried on rods (24a, 26a) for moving the clamping brackets. A lock includes ratchet gear (40) and pawl (42) biased between lock and unlock positions by a cantilever spring (46,48) and moved by handle (54). Compliant grip pads (32b, 34b) provide compliance to lock, unlock, and hold an object between the clamp brackets.

Portable hand hold device

An apparatus (23) is constructed having a pair of side gripping members (32, 34) which are pivotally coupled by hinges to an intermediate gripping member (36). These gripping members (32, 34, 36) have a l/d (length-to-diameter) ratio of approximately 5:1 to distribute compressive forces over a relatively large area. Inner gripping regions (46, 48, 50) of the members (32, 34, 36) are configured having frictional surfaces (46, 48, 50) which frictionally grip a tubular structure, such as a bi-stem (12). A latch (51) having catches (56) is positioned on one of side gripping members (34), and a catch (62) is positioned on the opposite side member (32) for engaging the catches (56), latching the apparatus (23) closed around the bi-stem (12). Handles (68, 70) are centrally affixed to an exterior region of side members (32, 34) and allow the apparatus (23) to be readily closed around the bi-stem (12) and also allow manipulation of the bi-stem (12). These handles may be removed when the apparatus (23) is used as a repair device.

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Huntsville, AL, United States of America

Fred G Sanders