UNIVERSAL GRIPPER

Objects of different sizes and shapes are gripped in a monostable manner by an apparatus which has a single pneumatic power source and has interchangeable jaw assemblies attached to an operating mechanism that provides a linear motion to engage the object. The gripping jaws are selected from a set of three basic types of generic jaws, i.e., nose-shaped jaws and vee-shaped jaws for curved surfaces, and rest button jaws for flat surfaces. Various turbine blades, for instance, are grasped by the airfoil and root using different combinations of these jaw types and have a predictable location relative to the gripping device.