Pipe heating apparatus

Abstract

It is common practice to apply a shrink sleeve to a weld joint in a pipeline. The success of such application depends upon the ability to transport equipment from joint to joint and the adaptability of the heating apparatus to a variety of pipe sizes. A relatively simple apparatus for meeting the above defined requirements includes a skeletal frame carried by rollers for movably supporting the apparatus on a pipe to be heated, a clamp on the frame for releasably engaging the pipe to stabilize the apparatus, and heaters pivotally mounted on the frame for rotation between a closed position around the pipe and an open position permitting movement of the apparatus to another joint. By making the height of the frame variable, the apparatus can be adapted to pipes of different diameters.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.