Retractable steel wedge stopper

Claim 1

A CYLINDRICAL PIPE STOPPER ASSEMBLY FOR INSERTION INTO, AND HAVING A MINIMUM OUTER DIAMETER LESS THAN, A TRANSVERSE CIRCULAR OPENING THROUGH A PIPE LINE, AND ADAPTED TO BE EXPANDED INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE EDGES OF THE OPENING COMPRISING: AN EXPANDABLE AND CONTRACTABLE LONGITUDINALLY-SPLIT CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE; A PLURALITY OF VANES SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIALLY ABOUT AND SECURED TO THE INNER SIDE OF SAID SLEEVE, SAID VANES HAVING OPPOSITE CONVERGING INNER END SURFACES; A JACK SCREW DISPOSED COAXIALLY WITHIN SAID SLEEVE AND HAVING TWO SETS OF THREADS OF OPPOSITE DIRECTION; A PAIR OF EXPANDER WEDGE MEANS THREADABLY ENGAGED WITH SAID JACK SCREW THREAD SETS AND SELECTIVELY MOVABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM EACH OTHER UPON ROTATION OF SAID JACK SCREW, EACH OF SAID EXPANDER WEDGE MEANS HAVING GENERALLY FRUSTO-CONICAL EXTERIOR AND SURFACES, SAID EXTERIOR SURFACES BEING POSITIONED TO EFFECT SLEEVE-EXPANDING WEDGING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CONVERGING EDGES OF SAID VANES ON MOVEMENT OF SAID WEDGE MEANS TOWARD EACH OTHER; AND WEDGING FINGERS DETACHABLY SECURED TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID VANES AND EXTENDING INTO EACH OF SAID WEDGE MEANS TO EFFECT SLEEVE-CONTRACTING WEDGING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID INTERIOR SURFACES ON MOVEMENT OF SAID EXPANDER WEDGE MEANS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER; MEANS FOR PREVENTING RELATIVE ROTATION BETWEEN SAID WEDGE MEANS AND SAID SLEEVE; MEANS ON ONE END OF SAID ASSEMBLY FOR SECURING THERETO A MANIPULATING TUBE FOR ROTATING AND MOVING SAID ASSEMBLY AXIALLY; AND MEANS ON ONE END OF SAID JACK SCREW FOR SECURING THERETO AN OPERATING EXTENSION TO EXTEND COAXIALLY THROUGH SAID MANIPULATING TUBE, WHEREBY SAID SLEEVE CAN BE POSITIVELY EXPANDED AND CONTRACTED INDEPENDENTLY OF AXIAL MOVEMENTS THEREOF.