Pipe alignment apparatus

A pipe alignment apparatus, comprising:

• a pair of supports adapted for mounting in parallel spaced relation in a substantially horizontal orientation, each of the supports having a first end, a second end, a horizontally oriented first track positioned on each of the supports and a second track positioned on each of the supports immediately adjacent to and in parallel spaced relation to the first track;
• a first plate adapted to slide along the first track, the first plate having a first pipe engaging channel oriented in a first direction toward the first end of the supports;
• means for selectively moving the first plate back and forth along the first track;
• a second plate adapted to slide along the second track, the second plate having a second pipe engaging channel oriented in a second direction toward the second end of the supports;
• means for selectively moving the second plate back and forth along the second track;
• the first pipe engaging channel having converging sidewalls that commence at a peripheral edge of the first plate and converge inwardly and the second pipe engaging channel having converging sidewalls that commence at a peripheral edge of the second plate and converge inwardly, such that as the first plate and the second plate slide past each other the converging sidewalls of the first pipe engaging channel and the converging sidewalls of the second pipe engaging channel guide a pipe extending between the first plate and the second plate into a central position.