Apparatus and methods for gripping an elongated item
DCFirst Claim
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1. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
- a body having a bore therethrough and being capable of being pulled through the at least one space, wherein the elongated item is at least partially insertable into said bore; and
a plurality of gripping members associated with said body, each said gripping member being pivotable and capable of projecting generally inwardly into said bore, wherein at least one said gripping member includes at least two grippers, each said gripper being capable of at least one among gripping and guiding the elongated item.
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Abstract
In some embodiments, apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item(s) through at least one space includes a body and a plurality of gripping members associated with the body. The gripping members are moveable relative to the body and capable of engaging at least one elongated item.
74 Citations
76 Claims
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1. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
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a body having a bore therethrough and being capable of being pulled through the at least one space, wherein the elongated item is at least partially insertable into said bore; and a plurality of gripping members associated with said body, each said gripping member being pivotable and capable of projecting generally inwardly into said bore, wherein at least one said gripping member includes at least two grippers, each said gripper being capable of at least one among gripping and guiding the elongated item. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
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a body having a bore therethrough and being capable of being pulled through the at least one space, wherein the elongated item is at least partially insertable into said bore; and a plurality of gripping members pivotably mounted to said body, each said gripping member being capable of projecting generally inwardly into said bore and engaging at least one elongated item, wherein said gripping members are disposed upon carriers mounted to said body, further wherein at least one pair of said gripping members is disposed upon a common said carrier and each said gripping member among each said pair of gripping members is independently moveable relative to the other said gripping member of said pair. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
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a body having a bore therethrough and being capable of being pulled through the at least one space, wherein the elongated item is at least partially insertable into said bore; a plurality of gripping members pivotably mounted to said body, each said gripping member being capable of projecting generally inwardly into said bore and engaging the elongated item; and a plurality of biasing members associated with at least one said gripping member, said plurality of biasing members being capable of providing biasing force upon said at least one gripping member to at least partially restrict pivoting of said at least one gripping member in one direction. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
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a body having a bore therethrough and being capable of being pulled through the at least one space, wherein the elongated item is at least partially insertable into said bore; a plurality of gripping members associated with said body, each said gripping member being moveable into said bore and capable of engaging at least one elongated item disposed in said bore; and at least one centering device disposed at least partially within said bore and capable of assisting in centering the elongated item in said bore. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
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a body being capable of being pulled through the at least one space, said body having first and second non-adjacent opposite ends and a bore extending through said body from said first end to said second end, wherein the elongated item is insertable into and through said bore; a plurality of gripping members associated with said body, each said gripping member being capable of projecting generally inwardly into said bore and engaging at least one elongated item; and at least one attachment device engageable with said body and being useful to facilitate pulling said body, said attachment device allowing clearance at the openings of said bore2, whereby said openings of said bore are unobstructed by said attachment device so that the apparatus is capable of gripping a non-end portion of the elongated item. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
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a body; and a plurality of gripping members associated with said body, wherein said gripping members are moveable from said body to outside said body and are capable of projecting generally outwardly from said body to engage at least one elongated item disposed at least partially over said body. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item in at least one path, the apparatus comprising:
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at least two gripping devices, each said gripping device including a body having an upper end, a lower end, a bore extending therebetween and a plurality of gripping members associated with said body and capable of engaging an elongated item disposed within said bore thereof, wherein said upper end of said body of a first said gripping device is axially alignable with said lower end of said body of a second said gripping device to axially align said respective bores; and at least one connector engageable between at least two axially aligned said gripping devices, whereby said at least two connected gripping devices are capable of engaging the same elongated item. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A method of releasably gripping an elongated item with a gripping device, the gripping device and elongated item to be pulled through at least one path, the gripping device including a body and a plurality of gripping members moveable from the body to outside the body and capable of projecting outwardly from the body, the method comprising:
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starting at the lower end of the body of the gripping device, sliding an end of the elongated item over the body; after the elongated item is in the desired position relative to the gripping device, moving at least one among the elongated item, relative to the body, in the direction of the upper end of the body, and the body, relative to the elongated item, in the direction of the lower end of the body, causing at least two of the gripping members to grip the elongated item; and pulling the gripping device in a manner in which movement of the upper end of the body generally precedes movement of the lower end of the body, whereby the elongated item is pulled along with the body.
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46. A method of releasably gripping an elongated item with at least two gripping devices, the gripping devices and elongated item to be pulled through at least one path, the method comprising:
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with at least one connector, connecting the at least two gripping devices together aligned axially, whereby the upper end of the first gripping device is located proximate to and generally aligned with the lower end of the second gripping device; inserting an end of the elongated item into a bore of the first gripping device at the lower end of the first gripping device; passing the end of the elongated item through the bore of the first gripping device and into an aligned bore of the second gripping device at the lower end thereof; and gripping the elongated item with grippers associated with at least one among the at least two gripping devices. - View Dependent Claims (47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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53. A method of releasably gripping an elongated item with at least two gripping devices, the gripping devices and elongated item to be pulled through at least one path, the method comprising:
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with at least one connector, connecting the at least two gripping devices together aligned axially, whereby the upper end of the first gripping device is located proximate to and generally aligned with the lower end of the second gripping device; inserting an end of the elongated item over the first gripping device at the lower end of the first gripping device; passing the end of the elongated item over the first gripping device; passing the end of the elongated item at least partially over the second gripping device starting at the lower end thereof; and gripping the elongated item with grippers projecting outwardly from the at least two gripping devices.
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54. An apparatus capable of releasably engaging at least one elongated item so that the at least one elongated item may be pulled through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
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a body having first and second opposite ends and a bore extending through said body from said first end to said second end, the at least one elongated item being insertable into said bore from said first end of said body and removable from said bore through said second end of said body; and a plurality of gripping members associated with said body, moveable into said bore and capable of at least one among gripping and guiding the elongated item disposed within said bore, said plurality of gripping members allowing movement of the at least one elongated item into said bore from said first end of said body, through said bore and out said bore at said second end of said body. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
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at least first and second body portions releasably alignable longitudinally to form a body, said body having a bore and being capable of being pulled through the at least one space, wherein the elongated item is at least partially insertable into said bore; and a plurality of gripping members associated with each said body portion, at least some of said gripping member being capable of gripping the elongated item disposed within said bore. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. An apparatus for releasably gripping at least one elongated item and being used in pulling the elongated item through at least one space, the apparatus comprising:
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at least first and second body portions, said at least first and second body portions being alignable together longitudinally to form a bore extending at least partially therebetween, wherein the elongated item is at least partially insertable into said bore, said at least first and second body portions being capable of being pulled through the at least one space; and a plurality of gripping members projecting inwardly into said bore from at least one among said at least first and second body portions, each said gripping member being capable of at least one among gripping and guiding the elongated item disposed at least partially within said bore. - View Dependent Claims (70)
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71. A method of releasably gripping an elongated item with at least one gripping device, the gripping device and elongated item capable of being pulled through at least one path, the method comprising:
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aligning at least first and second body portions together longitudinally to form a body; engaging at least one holder with the at least first and second body portions; engaging the elongated item with the gripping device; pulling the gripping device and engaged elongated item through the at least one path; disengaging the at least one holder from the at least first and second body portions; and disengaging the at least first and second body portions from the elongated item. - View Dependent Claims (72, 73, 74, 75, 76)
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Specification