Abstract: A gripper housing (16) of a gripper (14) is suspended from two rotatable sliding bars the ends of which are connected to sleeves (50, 51). One of these is provided with a turning wheel (47) meshing with a turning pinion (48) nonrotatably connected with a tong housing (17) rotatably supported on the gripper housing (16). The other is provided with a gripper wheel (33) meshing with a gripper pinion (34) which is connected with gear wheels (38a, 38b) in the tong housing (17) via a gripper bolt (37) passing coaxially through the turning pinion (48). The gear wheels (38a, 38b) mesh with gear racks (52b) on sliders (39a, 39b) which are displaceably supported in the tong housing (17) and have gripping fingers (40a, 40b).