Pipe handling apparatus for pipe laying barges

Pipe lifter conveyor apparatus, comprising, in combination, a generally horizontally disposed elongate pipe lift beam having an upwardly facing pipe seat means at each end thereof adapted to support a pipe disposed thereon transversely of said pipe lift beam, said pipe lift beam having a pivotal connection adjacent each end thereof, a pair of first drive cylinder means each pivotally connected to one of said pivotal connections of said pipe lift beam at its upper end and each being stationarily pivotally supported beneath said pipe lift beam at its lower end, generally horizontally disposed second drive cylinder means disposed generally parallel to said pipe lift beam and having a pivotal connection to said pipe lift beam at one of its ends and having its other end stationarily pivotally supported, said first drive cylinder means being adapted to independently move said ends of said pipe lift beam in pivotal directions of said first drive cylinder means, said second drive cylinder means being adapted to move said pipe lift beam longitudinally, said first and second drive cylinder means being adapted to cooperatingly move said pipe lift beam to selectively move either one of said pipe seat means between a common central position and extended positions at its end of the apparatus, whereby a pipe may be selectively moved by said apparatus between any of said extended positions at either end of said apparatus and said common central position.