Pipe centering device

Abstract

A mechanism for mounting a generally circular, hollow pipe 54 coaxial with a machine tool has a central shaft 10 with a dome-shaped head 12. A number of fingers 20 are equi-angularly spaced about the shaft 10 and pivoted at one end on the head 12. The fingers 20 in effect form a segmented cone. A collar is slidably mounted on the shaft and is coupled to the fingers by respective connecting members such that sliding movement of the collar towards and away from the head pivots the fingers radially of the shaft. In use, the open end of the pipe is located over the mechanism and the position of the collar adjusted to expand the fingers 20 to grip the inner wall of the pipe and hold the pipe firmly coaxial with the shaft 10. The end of the latter remote from the head 12 is secured to a machine tool axis to enable accurate machining of the pipe 54 by suitable tools which are mounted for movement about the machine tool axis.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.