Tool for joining and separating plastic pipe joints

A tool for joining or separating plastic pipe sections comprising:

• an open, generally planar frame bounded by perimeter defining members including a rectilinear member;
• a pair of clamp members attached to and slidable toward and away from each other on the rectilinear frame member, each of the clamp members having means to releasable secure pipe sections thereto outside of the frame perimeter but in axial alignment with each other and parallel to the rectilinear frame member;
• and a toggle linkage, the toggle linkage including a pair of toggle bars pivotally connected at corresponding ends to respective ones of the clamp members and at their other corresponding ends to opposite ends of a toggle block, the toggle bars and block being disposed within the frame perimeter and all of said pivotal connections providing for movement of the toggle bars and block in the plane of the frame, the toggle block having an internally threaded bore between said pivotal connections thereto whose axis is normal to the rectilinear frame member and intersects the same between the clamp members, and an externally threaded crankshaft rotatably carried in the frame and located against axial movement relative thereto, the shaft threadedly engaging the toggle block bore.