US3290971A

US3290971A - Toggle actuated tool having jaws for pipe alignment and clamping

Info

Publication number: US3290971A
Application number: US417672A
Authority: US
Inventors: Donald E Belval
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-12-11
Filing date: 1964-12-11
Publication date: 1966-12-13
Anticipated expiration: 1983-12-13

Description

Dec. 13, 1966 D. E. BELVAL TOGGLE ACTUATED TOOL HAVING JAWS FOR PIPE ALIGNMENT AND CLAMPING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1964 Dona/a E. Bel val INVENTOK.

Dec. 13, 1966 D. E. BELVAL 9 3 TOGGLE ACTUATED TOOL HAVING JAWS FOR PIPE ALIGNMENT AND CLAMPING Filed Dec. 11, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet Z V ma uq Donald E. Be/va/ INVENTOK.

Attarne United States Patent 3,290,971 TOGGLE ACTUATED TOOL HAVING JAWS FOR PIPE ALIGNMENT AND CLAMPING Donald E. Belval, Maysville, Ky. (1246 Thurnridge Drive, Reading, Ohio) Filed Dec. 11, 1964, Ser. No. 417,672 8 Claims. (Cl. 81-367) This invention generally relates to new and useful improvements in pipe handling tools and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character comprising novel means for expeditiously and accurately aligning and firmly holding a pair of pipe sections to be connected.

Another highly important object of the present invention is to provide an aligning clamp or vise of the character described which is readily adjustable for use on all sizes of pipe within a given range.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide a pipe aligning or handling clamp which is of the open end type to facilitate application to the work.

Another object is to provide, in a hand tool of the character described comprising a pair of pivotally connected coacting jaws, unique adjustable lever and toggle means for actuating said jaws.

Other objects are to provide an improved, portable pipe handling clamp or vise which is comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light Weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, showing a tool embodying the present invention in use;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in transverse section, taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the tool, showing same in use;

FIGURE 5 is a view in side elevation of the tool, showing the device applied to a small pipe section; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 66 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a stationary lower jaw 8 and a swingable upper jaw 10. The lower jaw 8 is fixedly mounted on the forward end of a substantially T-shaped handle 12. The handle 12 is of suitable tubular metal and includes on its forward end a crosshead 14. The lower jaw 8 comprises a pair of flat metallic arms 16 which are affixed to the ends of the member 14. The arms 16 include tubular forward end portions 18 having therein spaced openings 20. It will be noted that the arms comprising the elements 16 and tubular portions 18 are angulated and extending between said arms adjacent the angles thereof is a stationary cross member 22. Slidably mounted on the tubular portions 18 of the arms 16 is a cross member or bar 24. The bar 24 includes on its end sleeves or the like 26 which are slidable on the elements 18. Pins 28 in the sleeves 26 are engageable selectively in the openings 20 for securing the bar 24 in adjusted position on the elements 18. Spaced parallel

pipe aligning rods

30 and 32 are mounted on the

bars

22 and 24, respectively.

The upper jaw is substantially similar to the lower jaw 8 in that it also includes a pair of flat metallic arms 34 including tubular outer end portions 36 having spaced openings 38 therein. The inner end portions of the arms 34 are pivotally connected to the arms 16 of the jaw 10 by a pivot bolt 40 which passes through said arms 16 and the member 14. A stationary bar 42 extends between the arms 34 adjacent the angles thereof. An adjustable bar 44 extends between the tubular portions 36 of the arms 34 and includes on its end sleeves or the like 46 which are slidably adjustable on the tubular portions 36. The sleeves 46 are secured in adjusted position through the medium of pins 48 which are engageable selectively in the spaced openings 38 in the tubular portions 36. A stationary aligning rod 51] is mounted on the bar 42. An adjustable aligning rod 52 is mounted on the bar 44 and the sleeves 46.

The tubular handle 12 is of circular cross-section and has formed therein a longitudinal slot 54. The slot 54 is provided with an enlarged forward end portion 56. The handle 12 further includes a tapered, internally threaded rear end portion 58 having threaded therethrough an adjusting screw 60.

Means comprising a tubular metallic lever 62 is provided for actuating the jaw 10. Angularly affixed to the forward end of the lever 62 is a pair of spaced, parallel toggle links 64. The forward end portions of the links 64 receive therebetween an car 66 on the bar 42 and are pivotally connected thereto as at 68.

A link 70 has its forward end portion pivotally secured between the rear end portions of the links 64, as at 72. The rear end portion of the link 70 is pivotally and slidably engaged in the tubular handle 12 and abuts the adjusting screw 60. The link 70 travels in the slot 54. A short crosshead 73 on the rear end portion of the link 70 slidably and pivotally anchors said link in the handle 12. The

links

64, 70, etc. provide a toggle 74 for which the member 62 is the operating lever. A stop 76 on the link 70 limits the swinging movement of the lever 62 toward clamping position. A spring 78 on the member 14 is operatively connected to the

arms

34 and 16 for yieldingly urging the jaw 10 toward open position.

It is thought that the use or operation of the tool will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Reference numeral 80 designates a pair of pipe sections to be joined or connected. Briefly, the lever 62 is swung upwardly for opening the jaw 10. The open tool is then slipped on the adjacent end portions of the pipe sections 80. The lever 62 is then swung downwardly for actuating the jaw 10 to closed or clamping position against the action of the spring '78 through the medium of the toggle 74. The

rods

30, 32, 50 and 52 longitudinally engage the pipe sections at circumferentially spaced points and bridge the abutting ends 82 thereof. Thus, the pipe sections 80 are aligned and securely held in an obvious manner. When the

links

64 and 70 of the toggle 74 pass dead center the lever 62 engages the stop 76 and is arrested thereby. In this manner the

jaws

8 and 10 are retained in clamping and aligning position. The clamping position of the

jaws

8 and 10 may be adjusted as desired through the medium of the screw 60. However, for small pipe sections as indicated at 84 in FIG- URES 5 and 6 of the drawing, the

rods

32 and 52 are adjusted inwardly on the

tubular portions

18 and 36 and secured in position, as shown. Although, as indicated, the tool is primarily for aligning pipe sections, said tool may, of course, be used for any other purpose for which it may be found adapted.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modificatons and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A hand tool for aligning and holding a pair of endabutting pipe sections, said tool comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaws for receiving the adjacent end portions of the pipe sections therebetween, said jaws including means for aligning the pipe sections, a fixed handle on one of the jaws, and means for actuating the other of said jaws, the first-named means including a plurality of spaced, parallel rods engageable longitudinally with the pipe sections at circumferentially spaced points and adapted to bridge the abutting ends thereof, certain of the rods being adjustable toward and away from others of the rods for accommodating pipe sections of different sizes, said jaws further including pairs of pivotally connected arms, and sleeves on said certain rods slidable on said arms for slidably mounting said certain rods thereon.

2. The combination of claim 1, together with means for securing the sleeves in adjusted position.

3. The combination of claim 2, said arms having spaced holes therein, the last-named means including removable pins in the sleeves engageable selectively in the holes.

4. A hand tool for aligning and holding a pair of endabutting pipe sections, said tool comprising a pair of pivotally connected jaws for receiving the adjacent end portions of the pipe sections therebetween, said jaws including means for aligning the pipe sections, a fixed handle on one of the jaws, and means for actuating the other of said jaws, the first-named means including a plurality of spaced, parallel rods engageable longitudinally with the pipe sections at circumferentially spaced points and adapted to bridge the abutting ends thereof, certain of the rods being adjustable toward and away from others of the rods for accommodating pipe sections of different sizes, the second-named means comprising a handle fixedly mounted on one of the jaws and a toggle having one end connected to the handle and operatively connected to the other of the jaws, said toggle including an operating lever.

5. The combination of claim 4, said handle being tubular and having a longitudinal slot therein slidably and pivotally receiving said one end of the toggle, and a screw threadedly mounted for longitudinal adjustment in the handle and engaged with said one end of the toggle for adjusting same in said handle.

6. A pipe aligning tool comprising a generally T-shaped handle including a crosshead, a stationary jaw comprising a pair of arms fixedly mounted on the crosshead, a swingable jaw comprising a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said crosshead, stationary aligning rods mounted on the pairs of arms, slidable aligning rods on the pairs of arms adjustable toward and away from the stationary rods and paralleling same, and means for actuating the swingable jaw.

7. The combination of claim 6, said means including a toggle connected to the handle and the swingable jaw and including an operating lever on its knee portion.

8. A pipe alignment clamp comprising a pair of elon gated jaw members pivotally connected together at one pair of end portions for relative movement of the other pair of end portions thereof toward and away from each others, means operatively connected with said jaw members for effecting said relative movement, a first pair of parallel, opposing and elongated transversely extending pipe aligning and clamping members carried by said other pair of end portions of said jaw members and movable therewith toward and away from each other, a second pair of parallel, opposing and elongated transversely extending pipe aligning and clamping members generally paralleling said first pair of members and mounted on said other pair of end portions of said jaw members for movement longitudinally thereof relative to and toward and away from the corresponding first pair of clamping members, said other pair of end portions of said jaw members and said second pair of clamping members including coacting means operative to releasably retain said second pair of clamping members in adjusted positions along said other pair of end portions.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,299,454 10/1942 Borchers 81-372 2,557,202 6/1951 Raymond et a1. 2,686,521 8/1954 Sheldon et a1 81-367 X OTHER REFERENCES Laboratory Apparatus and Supplies, Catalog H 351, Copyright 1935. 1

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

GIL WEIDENFELD, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A HAND TOOL FOR ALIGNING AND HOLDING A PAIR OF ENDABUTTING PIPE SECTIONS, SAID TOOL COMPRISING A PAIR OF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED JAWS FOR RECEIVING THE ADJACENT END PORTIONS OF THE PIPE SECTIONS THEREBETWEEN, SAID JAWS INCLUDING MEANS FOR ALIGNING THE PIPE SECTIONS, A FIXED HANDLE ON ONE OF THE JAWS, AND MEANS FOR ACTUATING THE OTHER OF SAID JAWS, THE FIRST-NAMED MEANS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SPACED, PARALLEL RODS ENGAGEABLE LONGITUDINALLY WITH THE PIPE SECTIONS AT CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED POINTS AND ADAPTED TO BRIDGE THE ABUTTING ENDS THEREOF, CERTAIN OF THE RODS BEING ADJUSTABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM OTHERS OF THE RODS FOR ACCOMMODATING PIPE SECTIONS OF DIFFERENT SIZES, SAID JAWS FURTHER INCLUDING PAIRS OF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED ARMS, AND SLEEVES ON SAID CERTAIN