Patent ID: 7540401

Claim:
A device for welding a plurality of pipes together, said device comprising: (a) first and second rings, said first and second rings comprising respective first and second clamping means for tightly engaging outer sides of respective first and second pipes having respective ends in line with and at a welding distance from each other, each of said first and second rings being disposable in either (i) a clamping position with the first or second clamping means tightly engaging outer sides of the respective first or second pipes or (ii) a non-clamping position with the first and second clamping means not tightly engaging the outer sides of the respective first or second pipes, each of said first and second clamping means comprising a plurality of first and second clamping members, (b) support means for connecting the first ring to the second ring to form a frame, said support means extending axially and radially outward from respective outer surfaces of the first and second rings; (c) movement means on the frame for moving the frame along and over the plurality of pipes while being supported on the pipes; and (d) welding means supported on the frame for welding the plurality of pipes, said welding means being movable along the frame in a circumferential direction, said first and second rings, connection means and movement means being assembled to allow such movement.