Improvements in Pipe Clamps for Use with Tongs or other Means for Rotating Screw Threaded Pipes
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 21st Feb., 1895-Accepted; 23rd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Pipe Clamps for Use with Tongs or other Means
for Rotating Screw Threaded Pipes.
1, CHARLES HALL, residing at No. 111 East 64th Street, in the City and
State of New York, United States of America, Bolt Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
1
Difficulty has heretofore been experienced in grasping and turning thin pipes and
pipes with polished surfaces which are often made use of as supply pipes for water, gas,
etcetera, because the ordinary wrenches made use of in screwing up iron pipes are
liable to scratch, indent and injure the surfaces of such thin or polished pipes, and
where pipe tongs have been made with special reference to pipes of this character,
the plumber or gas fitter is obliged to carry clamp tongs adapted' to the different
sizes of pipes, and wrenches or pipe tongs for the ordinary rough iron pipes.
The present invention relates to a clamp that is especially adapted to grasping
Sinooth or thin pipes and rotating the same in screwing up and unscrewing such
pipes by the action of an ordinary pipe wrench, the clamps being placed between
the jaws of the pipe wrench.
A
With this object in view I make use of a two-part clamp, the interior surface
of which is of a size and shape adapted to the size of the pipe to be acted upon,
and such clamp is preferably lined' with leather or rubber so as not to injure the
surface of the pipe, and the two parts of the clamp are advantageously -hinged
together or otherwise connected so as not to become misplaced, and a clamp screw
passing, through lugs may be employed at the opposite side of the hinge so as to
hold the clamp to the pipe with greater or less force.
'
1
The exterior of the two-part clamp is made cylindrical at one portion of its
length, so that a common pipe wrench or tongs may be applied upon this
cylindrical exterior portion of the clamp to grasp the saine and rotate it together.
with the pipe, and at another portion of the length of the clamp the.exterior
surface is advantageously made with a flat side to set within one of the jaws of a
pipe wrench, the other jaw of such pipe wrench acting to press upon the clamp and
cause it to grasp the pipe when the wrench is moved in one direction, and to
liberate the grasping action when the wrench is moved in the other direction, so
that at that time the clamp can be turned around the pipe by the action of the
wrench.
Dated this 9th day of October 1894.
1

page_text: Improvements in Pipe Clamps for Use with Tongs or other means
for Rotating Screw. Threaded Pipes.
I, CHARLES HALL, residing at No. 111 East 64th Street, in the City and State
of New York, United States of America, Bolt Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to.
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :--
Difficulty has heretofore been experienced in grasping and turning thin pipes and
pipes with polished surfaces which are often made use of as supply pipes for water,
gas, etc., because the ordinary wrenches made use of in screwing up iron pipes
are liable to scratch, indent and injure the surfaces of such thin or polished.pipes,
and where pipe tongs,have been made, with special reference: to pipes of this
character, the plumber or gas fitter is obliged to carry clamp congs adapted to the
different sizes of pipes, and wrenches or pipe tongs for the ordinary rough iron pipes.
The present invention relates to a clamp that is especially 'adapted to grasping
smooth or thin pipes and rotating the same in screwing up and unscrewing such
pipes by the action of an ordinary pipe wrench, the clamps being placed between
the jaws of the pipe wrench.
With this object in view'I make use of a two-part clamp, the interior surface of
which is of a size and shape adapted to the size of the pipe to be acted upon, and
such clamp is preferably lined with leather or rubber so as not to injure the surface
of the pipe, and the two parts of the clainp are advantageously hinged together or
otherwise connected so as not to become misplaced, and a clamp screw passing.
through lugs may be employed at the opposite side of the hinge so as to hold the
clamp to the pipe with greater or less force.
The exterior of the two-part clamp is made cylindrical at one portion of its
length, so that a common pipe wrench or tongs, may be applied upon this cylindrical
exterior portion of the clamp to grasp the same and rotate it together with the
pipe, and at another portion of the length of the clamp the exterior surface is
advantageously made with a flat side to set within one of the jaws of a pipe
wrench, the other jaw of such pipe wrench acting to press, upon the clamp and
cause it to grasp the pipe when the wrench is moved in one direction, and to
liberate the grasping action when the wrench is moved in the other' direction,
so that at that time the clamp can be turned around upon the pipe by the action of
the wrench.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a sectional view of my improved clamp, at the line,, of Fig. 2,
showing the manner in which the same is applied with the jaws of a wrench.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of such clamp at the line y, y, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an end view of a clamp with the two parts hinged together.
The internal measurement of the clamp is adapted to the particular size of
pipe with which such clamp is to be used, and the clamp is made of two parts"A
and B which may either be separate, or united by a hinge Cas represented; and
the interior concave surfaces of the clamps are recessed for the reception of strips of
india rubber, leather or similar material, as represented at 2, such recesses being
of such depth that the rubber or leather only will come into contact with the surface
f the pipe to which the clamps may be applied, so as to protect the pipe from
injury by the contact therewith of any of the metal portions of the clamp, and
the exterior surfaces of the clamps are adapted to be received between the jaws of
an ordinary pipe wreuch, so that by moving the wrench in the manner usual in
screwing up or unscrewing pipes, the parts of the claimp will be tightly bound upon
the surfaces of the pipe, so as to rotate such pipe by the frictional contact therewith
of the rubber, leather or similar material.

page_text: In applying, these clamps to ornamental or polished pipes, especially, where the
pipe is in a vertical position there is a risk of the clamp slipping down from.
between the jaws of the wrench, or of the wrench slipping off the exterior
surfaces of the.. clamps, and marring tho, pipe. To, prevent, this I provide
flanges 4, 5, upon, the exterior surfaces of the clamp, the width between the
flanges being, sufficient for receiving between them the jaws of the pipe, wrench, so
that these flanges prevent the clamps from falling out, from between the jaws of
the wrench. while being manipulated upon the pipe. These flanges also serve to
hold the clamps in their proper, relative positions,within the pipe wrench; when the
two parts of the clamp are not hinged together, but it is usually advantageous to
connect the two parts of the clamp by the hinge, C; as illustrated in Fig. 3, and to
employ the flanges 4 and 5 in addition, so that the wrench is passed in between
such flanges when acting upon the pipe, and the pieces of rubber, leather, or
similar material; being secured firmly into the recesses at the inuer surfaces of the
clamps, are not liable to fall out when the clamp is disconnected from the pipe,
and when applied to the pipe the power to rotate the pipe is simply the frictional
grasp of the clamps upon the finished or polished surface of the pipe, and hence
the pipe itself is not injured in the operation.
By providing one or more screws the clamp can be applied upon the pipe and
held tightly by friction and the wrench can be put around the clamp to rotate
the same and the pipe. I have shown a screw at 10 to hold the clamps together.
When the clamp is removably applied upon the pipe so as to remain in oue
position while the pipe is being screwed up or unscrewed, it is advantageous to
inake the portion 11 of the clamp cylindrical, so as to be acted upon by an
ordinary pipe wrench the same as though the cylindrical portion 11 was a pipe, but
when the clamp is alternately held and relieved and partly turned on the pipe
between one, gripping action and the next, it is advantageous to make a flat
portion 12, to set against one jaw of the wrench, so that the entire clamp will be
moved with the wrench first one way and then the other, as the wrench handle
is moved, and the wrench will cause the clamp to grasp the pipe as the handle is
moved one way and the clamp will be released as the handle is moved the other
way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :
First: The combination with a pipe wrench of separate movable clamps having
smooth interior surfaces to come into contact with the smooth or thin pipe and
projections on the exterior to come at the edges of the jaws of the pipe wrench and
steady the clamps in such wrench, substantially as specified.
Second-The combination with a pipe wrench, of separate clamps adapted to
fit upon the pipe and to he received between the jaws of the pipe wrench, such
clamps having an internal lining of rubber, leather or other yielding material, a
hinge for uniting the two parts of the clamp, and flanges upon the exterior surfaces
of the clamps to come at opposite sides of the pipe wrench jaws, substantially as
set forth.
Third-The combination with a pipe wrench, of separate clamps adapted to
fit upon the pipe and to be received between the jaws of the pipe wrench, such
clamps having an internal lining of rubber, leather or other yielding material, a
hinge for uniting the two parts of the clamp and a screw for holding the clamp
around the pipe, substantially as set forth.
Fourth-The clamps for ornamental pipes, composed of two parts each having
a lining of rubber, leather or similar yielding material within the recesses in the
inner surfaces of the clamp, flanges upon the exterior surfaces of the clamps to
come adjacent to the edges of the pipe wrench, and a screw for holding the parts
of the clamp to the pipe, substantially as set forth.
Filth: The two-part clamp for smooth pipes, having an interior surface adapted
"
"

page_text: to fit the surface of the pipe, means for holding the two parts of the clamp together,
the exterior surface of such clamp being cylindrical to be acted upon by a pipe
wrench, substantially as specified.
Sixth-The two-part clamp for smooth or thin pipes having an interior surface
adapted to fit the surface of the pipe, means carried thereby for holding, the two
parts of the clamp together, the exterior surface of such clamp being flat at one
place to be acted upon by a wrench, substantially as specified.
Seventh: The two-part clamps for smooth pipes, having an interior surface
adapted to fit the surface of the pipe, means for holding the two parts of the clamp
together, the exterior surface of such clamp being flat at one place and cylindrical
at another place, so as to be acted upon by a wrench, substantially as specified.
Dated this 21st day of February 1895.
:
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for Applicant.