Patent ID: 8661637

Claim:
A sealing plug removal apparatus comprising: a pneumatically powered tool; and a tool body having along an axial axis of the body: a flange portion that extends radially from the axial axis of the tool body; a punch portion adapted for forcible insertion into a hole in a stem of a sealing plug, wherein the punch portion is dimensioned so as to create an interference fit between the punch portion and the stem, to drive the stem out of the sleeve, and to retain the stem on the punch portion by virtue of the interference fit; and a sleeve-engaging portion is adapted to engage a sleeve of the sealing plug after the punch portion has removed the stem from the sleeve; wherein the sleeve-engaging portion comprises a screw-thread adapted to form a mutually engaging thread in the sleeve when the sleeve-engaging portion is rotated; wherein the pneumatically powered tool is configured to engage the flange portion of the tool body and is adapted to remove the sealing plug after engagement of the tool body.