# US 2016/0354875 A1 · Position adjustable grapple attachment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2016/0354875 A1 - Document ID: US20160354875A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/239,237 - Filed: 2016-08-17 - Published: 2016-12-08 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-17 - Assignees: Lavalley Industries, LLC - Applicants: Lavalley Industries, LLC - Inventors: Jason LAVALLEY; Daniel LARSON; Jesse KILDE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20160354875A1 ## CPC - B23K 37/0533: External pipe alignment clamps - B23K 31/027: {Making tubes by soldering or welding} - B23P 11/00: Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for (connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00) - B26D 3/16: Cutting rods or tubes transversely {(cutting tubes longitudinally B26D3/001)} - B26D 7/02: with clamping means {(B26D7/018 takes precedence)} - B66C 1/10: by mechanical means - B66C 1/427: {by hydraulic or pneumatic motors} - B23K 2101/06: Tubes - Y10T 29/49885: with coating before or during assembling - Y10T 29/49902: by manipulating aligning means - Y10T 29/49998: Work holding - Y10T 29/53983: Work-supported apparatus - Y10T 29/53991: Work gripper, anvil, or element - Y10T 83/0596: Cutting wall of hollow work - Y10T 83/7487: Means to clamp work - B23K: SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - B26D: CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING (for growing crops or plants A01D, A01G; for fodder or straw A01F; for bulk butter A01J; for dough A21C; slaughtering A22B; for tobacco, cigars or cigarettes A24; marking-out, perforating or making buttonholes A41H25/00; manufacturing footwear A43D; brushmaking A46D; surgery A61B; disintegrating, mincing or shredding in general B02C; cutting wire, making pins or nails B21F, B21G; of the kind used formetal B23; cutting by abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; hand-held cutting tools B26B; perforating, cutting-out, stamping-out or punching, or severing by means other than cutting B26F; for wood B27; for stone B28D; working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29; making boxes, cartons, envelopes or bags, of paper or similarly worked materials, e.g. metal foil, B31B; article or web delivery apparatus incorporating cutting or line-perforating devices B65H35/00; for leather or upholstery B68, C14B; for glass C03B; making matches C06F; for peat C10F; for sugar C13B45/00; for textile materials D06H; civil engineering, building, mining, see Section E; for light guides G02B6/25; cutting processed photographic material G03D15/04) - B66C: CRANES; LOAD-ENGAGING ELEMENTS OR DEVICES FOR CRANES, CAPSTANS, WINCHES, OR TACKLES ({specially adapted for lifting invalids A61G7/10;} rope, cable, or chain winding mechanisms, braking or detent devices therefor B66D; specially adapted for nuclear reactors G21) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract An attachment that is configured for attachment to an arm of a piece of construction equipment. The attachment includes a pair of grapple mechanisms mounted on a main beam. Each grapple mechanism includes opposing grab arms mounted to a grab arm housing. The grab arm housings of the grapple mechanisms are each individually adjustable separate from one another relative to the main beam in one or more directions generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the main beam. The attachment can fine adjust the positions of the pipe ends relative to one another until the ends align with each other, at which point the pipe ends can be welded or otherwise secured to each other while being held in position by the grapple mechanisms. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-19. (canceled) ### Claim 20 A pipe processing tool configured to perform a processing operation on one or more ends of first and second cylindrical pipes to be joined together, comprising: two generally half circular members configured to encircle the first pipe adjacent to the end thereof, each generally half circular member includes a first end and a second end; a support member; the first end of each generally half circular member is pivotally attached to the support member; a latch mechanism disposed at the second ends of the generally half circular members and configured to detachably latch the second ends together to clamp the two generally half circular members on to the first pipe; a plurality of radially inward facing, circumferentially spaced contact surfaces along an inner circumference of each of the two generally half circular members that are configured to contact an outer surface of the first pipe; and a pipe processing mechanism mounted on the generally half circular members, the pipe processing mechanism is configured to perform the processing operation on one or more ends of first and second cylindrical pipes. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The pipe processing tool of claim 20, wherein the pipe processing mechanism comprises a welding unit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The pipe processing tool of claim 20, wherein the two generally half circular members and the plurality of radially inward facing, circumferentially spaced contact surfaces clamp the end of the first pipe concentrically to the end of the second pipe. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The pipe processing tool of claim 20, further comprising a linear actuator connected to each of the generally half circular members to pivot the generally half circular members relative to the support member. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The pipe processing tool of claim 20, further comprising a mounting mechanism connected to the support member that is configured to mount the pipe processing tool to an arm of construction equipment. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The pipe processing tool of claim 24, wherein the mounting mechanism is configured to mount to a grapple attachment that is attachable to the arm of the construction equipment. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The pipe processing tool of claim 25, wherein the mounting mechanism is configured to mount to a side of a grapple mechanism of the grapple attachment.