Patent ID: 7690281

Claim:
A tong positioning apparatus, comprising: (a) a base, including a powered cylinder; (b) a first articulating arm attached at a first end to the cylinder and pivotally attached to the base; (c) a second arm attached at a first end to a second end of the first articulating arm; (d) a tong attached to a second end of the second arm, so that when the cylinder moves from retracted and expanded positions, the first and second arms articulate to move the tong between engaged and disengaged positions relative to conjoined tubular members; and (e) a bow structure forming an interface between the tong and the second arm that enables rotation about a generally vertical axis and with respect to an underlying support surface; and (f) wherein the bow structure includes a housing having upper and lower housing sections, a curved beam attached to the upper housing section and a curved beam attached to the lower housing section, at least one of the beams being connected to the tong for movement therewith along an arcuate path.