Pipe line expansion plugs and tools

Claim 1

An expandable pipe line plug and tool comprising a flexible stopper plug normally capable of insertion axially into a pipe to be sealed and expansible into sealing engagement with said pipe line, said plug having a pair of spaced bodies movable on a threaded bolt, a deformable sleeve between said bodies being radially expansible on axial pressure by said bodies, stop means on one end of said threaded bolt bearing on one of said bodies, a head on the other end of said threaded bolt having a circular portion and a landed portion within the diameter of the circular portion, said landed portion facing the stop means and shielded from access by the circular portion, nut means threaded on said bolt bearing on the other of said bodies, a removable tool for moving said threaded bolt in said nut, said tool having an outer hollow member having a nut engaging socket at one end adapted to engage the nut of the stopper plug, and an inner member extending axially of the hollow member, gripping means on one end of the inner member within the hollow member movable from an open position adapted to pass around the circular bolt head of the stopper plug to a closed position around said circular bolt head and engaging the landed head portion, and shoe means on the outer hollow member actuating said gripping means from open position to closed position on relative axial movement of the inner member relative to the outer and handle means on each of the inner and outer members whereby they may be rotated relatively to one another to thread the nut of the stopper plug along the threaded bolt thereof to expand and contract the deformable sleeve.