Devices for gripping bottles and the like

Claim 1

A GRIPPING HEAD FOR CONTAINERS HAVING A GROOVED NECK PORTION, COMPRISING AN OUTER HOLLOW FRAME MEMBER HAVING A WALL PORTION FORMING A LEDGE ADJACENT ONE END THEREOF, A RESILIENT RING MEMBER HAVING INTERIOR WALLS CONVERGING FROM BOTH END FACES TO A SUBSTANTIALLY CENTRAL NARROW PORTION OF SMALLEST DIMENSION, SAID RING MEMBER BEING POSITIONED IN SAID FRAME MEMBER WITH ONE OF SAID END FACES ENGAGING SAID LEDGE, A PLUNGER MEMBER RECIPROCABLY MOUNTED IN THE REGION OF THE OTHER END OF SAID FRAME MEMBER AND INCLUDING PORTIONS CONTACTING ONE OF SAID END FACES OF THE RING MEMBER AND BEING EFFECTIVE, UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID PLUNGER MEMBER TOWARDS SAID ONE END FACE, TO COMPRESS SAID RING MEMBER AND TO CAUSE THE INNER WALLS OF SAID NARROW PORTION TO MOVE CLOSER TOGETHER FOR GRIPPING SAID NECK PORTION OF THE CONTAINER, LOCKING MEANS FOR POSITIVELY KEYING SAID PLUNGER MEMBER TO SAID FRAME MEMBER IN THE COMPRESSED POSITION OF SAID RING MEMBER, BIASING MEANS SECURED TO SAID OTHER END FOR URGING SAID PAWL AGAINST SAID NOTCH MEANS, AND MANUALLY OPERABLE RELEASE MEANS FOR DISENGAGING THE INTERLOCKING OF SAID PAWL AND SAID NOTCH MEANS.