In FIGS. 1 through 4D are shown the inner gripping member 11 and outer gripping member 12 of the device. The inner member 11 has approximately the size and shape of one half of the shell of a very small hen's egg and is relatively rigid. At or near the tip of this inner "shell" is attached a rigid or semirigid rod or strut 16. At the end of the strut can be attached a cord or band as a means of applying tension to the inner shell . The device in actual use is shown in FIGS. 2 through 4D.

The open end of this half shell 11 is placed over the glans penis 13 , Fig. 4A, so as to partially or fully cover it.

The skin 14,15 of the penile shaft just below the glans is then pulled part way up against the outer surface of the shell, FIG. 4B and held in place with the fingers. The second, outer gripping member 12 is also approximately the shape of half an egg shell, but is flexible, minimally stretchable, and a little larger so that it will fit snugly over the skin which has just been pulled up to cover the lower portion of the inner shell. This outer shell has an opening (from approximately one-fifth to three-quarters inch in diameter) at its small end, through which the wire strut can move freely.

When in use, the space between the two gripping members is, at least in part, approximately uniform and equal to the thickness of the double layer of foreskin between them. The result is a nearly uniform pressure over a relatively large area. This reduces the chance of pressure points and increases comfort.

The outer shell is actually detached from other parts of the device; however, it functions in a rather surprising manner when it is placed snugly over the skin which was pulled up over the inner shell and tension is applied to the wire strut. By applying increasing tension to the strut, the outer shell of the clamp is actually drawn ever more tightly against the skin, so that as the tension increases, so too does the clamping pressure.

This rather unexpected result can be explained as follows. First of all, both of these two clamping surfaces 11, 12 which hold the skin 14, 15 between them (the outer surface of the inner shell and the inner surface of the outer shell) have surfaces which do not allow easy sliding of the skin over them (they may be rough, covered with rubber, or ribbed, for example). Now, let us suppose that the inner shell has been placed over the glans, FIG. 4A , the double layer of skin has been pulled up over it, FIG. 4B, and the outer shell placed snugly over the skin, FIGS. 3A and 4C .

Now consider what happens when the wire strut (attached only to the inner shell) is pulled, FIG. 3B. [The crucial point here is what happens along the distal edge 18 of the skin lying on the inner shell, where the skin is folded back.] The way in which the skin moves can be seen by observing the index marks on the two layers of skin in FIGS. 3A and 3B.The outer layer of skin 14 on the upper surface of the penis extends back to the abdominal wall, where it is firmly attached 19 . Due to this attachment, this outer layer of skin, along with its covering outer shell, does not move significantly when the wire strut is pulled; yet, at the same time, the inner shell, along with its covering inner layer of skin 15, does move distally, away from the body. This causes the index mark on the inner skin layer 15 to move distally relative to the outer skin layer 14 .

This progressive eversion allows the inner shell to move distally into the stationary outer shell, so that the outer shell forms a sort of stationary socket into which the inner shell, along with its covering skin, is pulled by tension on the strut. And, because of the tapered shape of the two shells, this results in an increased clamping pressure. In other words, the harder one pulls on the strut, the more strongly the clamp grips the skin.