Pipe clamp

Claim 1

AN INTERNAL PIPE CLAMP FOR ENGAGING AND ALIGNING PIPE SECTIONS WITH A PRE-DETERMINED SPACING BETWEEN ADJACENT ENDS OF THE ALIGNED PIPE SECTIONS COMPRISING THE COMBINATION OF AN ELONGATED CENTER SHAFT HAVING A FRONT PORTION FOR ENTERING ONE PIPE SECTION AND A REAR PORTION FOR PROTRUDING FROM SAID ONE SECTION FOR ENTERING A SUBSEQUENT PIPE SECTION, A SUPPORT FRAME ATTACHED TO THE FORWARD END OF SAID CENTER SHAFT HAVING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY SPACED GUIDE LEGS EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AND REARWARDLY OF SAID CENTER SHAFT FOR SUPPORTING AND POSITIONING THE PIPE CLAMP WITHIN THE PIPE, A PAIR OF HOUSINGS SURROUNDINGS THE CENTER SHAFT, A PAIR OF HYDRAULIC MOTORS MOUNTED ON SAID CENTER SHAFT EACH ATTACHED TO ONE OF SAID HOUSINGS, A PLURALITY OF PIPE CLAMPING MEMBERS MOVABLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID HOUSINGS FOR MOVEMENT TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CENTER SHAFT FOR ENGAGING SAID PIPE SECTIONS, A PAIR OF ELONGATED HOLLOW PISTONS ONE COUPLED TO EACH OF SAID HYDRAULIC MOTORS AND BEING SLIDABLY AND CONCENTRICALLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, TOGGLE LINKS OPERATIVELY CONNECTING SAID PISTONS AND SAID PIPE CLAMPING MEMBERS, ONE OF SAID HOUSINGS BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF DRIVE SHAFTS ARRANGED PARALLEL TO SAID CENTER SHAFT FOR ADJUSTABLY COUPLING SAID HOUSINGS TOGETHER, A FIXED COUPLING BETWEEN EACH OF SAID DRIVE SHAFTS AND ONE OF SAID HOUSINGS, AN ADJUSTABLE COUPLING BETWEEN EACH OF SAID DRIVE SHAFTS AND THE OTHER OF SAID HOUSINGS FOR PROVIDING RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID HOUSINGS LONGITUDINALLY OF THE DRIVE SHAFT AND APART FROM ONE ANOTHER AND, MEANS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY OPERATING ALL OF SAID ADJUSTABLE COUPLINGS FOR SPACING SAID PIPE SECTIONS WHILE SAID SECTIONS ARE ENGAGED BY SAID PIPE CLAMPING MEMBERS.