Patent ID: 7028585

Claim:
Apparatus for applying torque to a first tubular relative to a second tubular, the apparatus comprising: a first tong for gripping in the first tubular, the first tong comprising a plurality of hydraulically driven clamping jaws for gripping the first tubular; and a second tong for gripping the second tubular, wherein: the first tong is provided with teeth around a peripheral surface thereof, the second tong is provided with at least one pinion, the at least one pinion meshes with the teeth in such a way that the first tong and the second tong can be rotated relative to one another when the pinion is rotated, each of the first and second tongs have an axial passage extending therethrough for receiving a tubular, and an opening is provided from an edge to the axial passage of each of the first and second tongs to allow the introduction of the tubular into the axial passage of each of the first and second tongs.