Squeezing clamp hammer union torque tool

A method for tightening or loosening a wing nut having a plurality of lugs of a hammer union connection between first and second joints of pipe comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a fluid powered hammer union torque wrench including:
• (1) a body and a frictionally squeezing clamp rotationally connected to the body, the frictionally squeezing clamp having an opening with squeezing and relaxed states;
• (2) a lug socket connected to the body;
• (3) a single fluid cylinder and rod operatively connecting the frictionally squeezing clamp to the body, the cylinder and rod having extension and retraction states;
• (4) the extension and retraction of the single rod relative to the single fluid cylinder respectively causing the frictionally squeezing clamp to enter the squeezing and contracting states,
• (b) placing the frictionally squeezing clamp around the first joint of pipe, attaching the lug socket to one of the lugs of the wing nut, and powering the single fluid cylinder;
• (c) wherein during rod extension:
• (1) the rod extension causing the frictionally squeezing clamp to enter into the squeezing state wherein the opening is reduced from a first size to a second size, the second size being smaller than the first size, the squeezing creating frictional forces between the frictionally squeezing clamp and the first joint of pipe such that relative rotation between the frictionally squeezing clamp and the first joint of pipe is substantially prevented,
• (2) the single rod extension also causing relative rotation between the wing nut and the first joint of pipe;
• and
• (d) after step “c”, retraction of
• the single rod causing the frictionally squeezing clamp to enter into a relaxed state wherein the opening is increased from the second size to the first size, the increase in size reducing frictional forces between the frictionally squeezing clamp and the first joint of pipe to less than the frictional force required to rotate the wing nut relative to the first joint of pipe, thereby allowing relative rotation between the frictionally squeezing clamp and the first joint of pipe while the wing nut remains substantially rotationally static relative to the first joint of pipe,
• and causing relative rotation between the lug socket and the clamp;
• and
• (e) repeating steps “c” and “d” until the hammer union connection is selectively tightened or loosened.