Pipe homing tool and method

摘要

A pipe homing tool includes a plurality of clamps each having a clamp cavity, a chain extending through the clamp cavity of each of the plurality of clamps and a binder engaging the chain and adapted to selectively shorten and lengthen the chain.

主权项

1. A pipe homing tool, comprising:
at least three clamps, each clamp having a base wall having an upper surface defining a clamp cavity and a lower surface defining a clamp bottom face and at least one side wall extending generally perpendicular from an edge of the base wall, wherein said at least one side wall has an exterior, pipe homing surface; a section of chain extending through said clamp cavity of each clamp, said section of chain being able to adopt a looped arrangement for engaging an exterior surface of a first pipe section; a binder engaging said chain and adapted to selectively shorten and lengthen said section of chain; wherein the at least three clamps are movable about said section of chain, allowing to adjust the spacing between the clamps, and allowing to adjust the relative position of the corresponding at least three clamp pipe homing surfaces so that said at least three pipe homing surfaces can adopt a relative position in which said at least three pipe homing surfaces are arranged in a coplanar manner that provides an abutment plane for limiting axial motion of a terminal end of a mating pipe section.