Patent ID: 8052351

Claim:
An apparatus for connecting a connector pipe to a pipeline having a throughbore, the apparatus comprising: a support for accommodating the connector pipe; a guide member for coupling to the pipeline at a known location relative to the throughbore; a pipe handling frame for coupling to the guide member and the pipeline; a cutting tool arranged to be releasably coupled to the guide member; wherein the support and the pipe handling frame are each provided with a positioning mechanism for interconnection of the support and the pipe handling frame to thereby orient the connector pipe at a known position relative to the throughbore and the end of the pipeline, the positioning mechanism comprising a guide post attached to the pipe handling frame and a positioning arm attached to the support and cooperable with the guide post, the guide post being pivotally connected to the pipe handling frame so that the connector pipe accommodated on the support can be oriented substantially parallel to the pipeline; and an actuator to facilitate connection of the connector pipe and the pipeline.