Patent ID: 8764083

Claim:
Clamping device ( 1 ) for clamping a tubular member ( 11 ), like a thin walled tube or a pile, having a tube wall and provided with a flange ( 6 ) at a tube end, and for hoisting said tubular member while clamped only at its flange with the clamping device, wherein the clamping device comprises at least two clamping means ( 2 ) for engaging the flange and clamping the flange, a clamping device frame ( 10 ) that fixedly joins the at least two clamping means for maintaining mutual position of the at least two clamping means while hoisting the tubular member, and wherein the at least two clamping means are arranged and distributed along an imaginary outer circumference of the clamping device for clamping the tubular member at its flange such that the tubular member hangs down in a substantially vertical position when hoisting the tubular member, wherein each of the at least two clamping means comprise; a first clamping member ( 3 ) provided with an upper clamping shoe ( 18 ) for engaging the upper side of the flange, a second clamping member ( 4 ) hingedly coupled with the first clamping member and provided with a lower clamping shoe ( 16 ) for engaging the lower side of the flange, wherein the first and second clamping members are mutually hingeable around a hinging axis ( 8 ) between an open position for receiving the flange between the upper and lower clamping shoes, and a closed position for clamping the flange between the upper and lower clamping shoes, a coupling member ( 5 ) for coupling the clamping device with a hoisting element like a hoisting cable or a link plate, and applying a hoisting force (F) to the clamping device, wherein the coupling member is provided with the first clamping member ( 3 ) and the hinging axis ( 8 ) being arranged between the coupling member ( 5 ) and the upper clamping shoe ( 18 ) for applying a clamping force at the flange when the hoisting force is applied at the coupling member, wherein the coupling member and the upper and lower clamping shoes are arranged with respect to the hinging axis for subjecting the flange at its transition section with wall of the tubular member substantially only to tensile stress when hoisting the tubular member with the clamping device.