ANNULARLY EXPANDING AND RETRACTING GRIPPING AND RELEASING MECHANISM

摘要

An annularly expanding and retracting gripping and releasing mechanism comprises an annular array of longitudinally fixed flexure elements and a corresponding number of longitudinally movable flexure elements. The arrangement is such that a longitudinally outward movement of the longitudinally movable flexure elements within the annular array of longitudinally fixed tubular flexure elements causes the fixed flexure elements to flex transversely outwardly and creates an annularly expanded condition defined by an annular series of transversely outwardly flexed fixed flexure elements interconnected at their flexure points by an annular series of arcuately outwardly flexed portions of the movable flexure elements. A manual movement in the opposite direction effects a longitudinally inward movement of the movable flexure elements to cause the expanded condition to progressively retract during which the outwardly flexed fixed flexure elements are progressively less flexed transversely outwardly and the arcuately flexed portions of the movable flexure elements have a progressively less arcuate extent.