Apparatus for rotating a member

Claim 1

An apparatus for rotating a member comprising: a frame; a first and second arm pivoted to said frame, said arms pivotable to an open position to receive a member to be rotated therebetween, and pivotable to a closed position to encompass the member to be rotated; a sprocket level pivoted to said frame; sprockets carried by said arms and said sprocket lever; an endless chain positioned on said sprockets arranged to engage said member to be rotated when said arms are in the closed position; a latch lever pivoted to one of said arms and a latch dog affixed to the other said arm, the latch lever pivotal between a latched position in which it engages said latch dog to retain said arms in closed position and an unlatched position; a first actuating means responsive to signals for pivoting said first arm between the opened and closed positions; a second actuating means responsive to signals for pivoting said sprocket lever towards said arms and away from said arms; means responsive to the pivotation of said sprocket lever of pivoting said second arm between the closed position and the opened position; means responsive to one of said actuating means of pivoting said latching lever to the closed position whereby said arms are latched in the closed position, the pivotation of said sprocket lever away from said arms when the same are latched in the closed position serving to tighten said chain against said member to be rotated; and means of moving said chain over said sprockets to rotate said member.

Claim 2

An apparatus for rotating a member comprising: a frame; a first and second arm pivoted to said frame, said arms pivotable to an open position to receive a member to be rotated therebetween, and pivotable to a closed position to encompass the member to be rotated; a sprocket level pivoted to said frame; sprockets carried by said arms and said sprocket lever; an endless chain positioned on said sprockets arranged to engage said member to be rotated when said arms are in the closed position; a latch lever pivoted to one of said arms and a latch dog affixed to the other said arm, the latch lever pivotal between a latched position in which it engages said latch dog to retain said arms in closed position and an unlatched position; a first actuating means responsive to signals for pivoting said first arm between the opened and closed positions; a second actuating means responsive to signals for pivoting said sprocket lever towards said arms and away from said arms; means responsive to the pivotation of said sprocket lever of pivoting said second arm between the closed position and the opened position; means responsive to one of said actuating means of pivoting said latching lever to the closed position whereby said arms are latched in the closed position, the pivotation of said sprocket lever away from said arms when the same are latched in the closed position serving to tighten said chain against said member to be rotated; and means of moving said chain over said sprockets to rotate said member.

Claim 10

An apparatus for rotating a member, comprising: a frame; first and second arms pivoted to said frame, said arms pivotable to an open position to receive a member to be rotated therebetween, and pivotable to a closed position to encompass the member to be rotated; a sprocket lever pivoted to said frame; sprockets carried by said arms and said sprocket lever; an endless chain positioned on said sprockets arranged to engage said member to be rotated when said arms are in the closed position; a latch lever pivoted to said first arm and a latch dog affixed to said second arm, the latch lever pivotal between a first latched position in which it engages said latch dog to retain said arms in the closed position and a second unlatched position; a first cylinder having a reciprocal piston rod, the cylinder and piston rod being connected between said frame and said first arm, the first cylinder operable in one direction to pivot said first arm towards the closed position and in the second direction to pivot said first arm towards the opened position; a second cylinder having a reciprocal piston rod, the cylinder and piston rod being connected between said frame and said sprocket lever, the second cylinder operable in one direction to pivot the sprocket lever towards said second arm and operable in the other direction to pivot the sprocket lever away from said second arm; means operable by said first cylinder of pivoting said latch lever to the latched position when said first arm is pivoted to the closed position and of pivoting the latching lever to the unlatched position preparatory to pivoting said arms to the open position; means operable by said second cylinder of pivoting said sprocket lever to engage said second arm to pivot the same to the closed position and when said arms are in the closed position and latched, to pivot the latching lever away from said second arm to thereby apply tension to said endless chain to firmly contact said chain with the surface of said member to be rotated; and means of moving said chain over said sprockets to rotate said members.

Claim 11

An apparatus for rotating a member, comprising: a frame; first and second arms pivoted to said frame, said arms pivotable to an open position to receive a member to be rotated therebetween, and pivotable to a closed position to encompass the member to be rotated; a sprocket lever pivoted to said frame; sprockets carried by said arms and said sprocket lever; an endless chain positioned on said sprockets arranged to engage said member to be rotated when said arms are in the closed position; a latch lever pivoted to said first arm and a latch dog affixed to said second arm, the latch lever pivotal between a first latched position in which it engages said latch dog to retain said arms in the closed position and a second unlatched position; a first cylinder having a reciprocal piston rod, the cylinder and piston rod being connected between said frame and said first arm, the first cylinder operable in one direction to pivot said first arm towards the closed position and in the second direction to pivot said first arm towards the opened position; a second cylinder having a reciprocal piston rod, the cylinder and piston rod being connected between said frame and said sprocket lever, the second cylinder operable in one direction to pivot the sprocket lever towards said second arm and operable in the other direction to pivot the sprocket lever away from said second arm; means operable by said first cylinder of pivoting said latch lever to the latched position when said first arm is pivoted to the closed position and of pivoting the latching lever to the unlatched position preparatory to pivoting said arms to the open position; means operable by said second cylinder of pivoting said sprocket lever to engage said second arm to pivot the same to the closed position and when said arms are in the closed position and latched, to pivot the latching lever away from said second arm to thereby apply tension to said endless chain to firmly contact said chain with the surface of said member to be rotated; and means of moving said chain over said sprockets to rotate said members.

Claim 12

An apparatus for use in imparting rotary motion to an elongated, generally cylindrical member to be rotated, such as a length of pipe, comprising: a resilient member of generally tubular configuration having an interior diameter substantially equal to the exterior diameter of the member to be rotated, and a longitudinal slit therein whereby said deformable member may be spread apart to receive the member to be rotated, and including a plurality of spaced apart metallic elements received in said resilient member each having one end coincident with the interior diameter of said resilient member and the outer end coincident with the outer diameter of the resilient member.

Claim 13

An apparatus for use in imparting rotary motion to an elongated, generally cylindrical member to be rotated, such as a length of pipe, comprising: a resilient member of generally tubular configuration having an interior diameter substantially equal to the exterior diameter of the member to be rotated, and a longitudinal slit therein whereby said deformable member may be spread apart to receive the member to be rotated, and including a plurality of spaced apart metallic elements received in said resilient member each having one end coincident with the interior diameter of said resilient member and the outer end coincident with the outer diameter of the resilient member.