Rotatable die holder

A jaw assembly for a tong to make up and break out a pipe section comprising:

• a jaw element for transferring torque from said tong to said pipe section;
• means for moving said jaw element into and out of gripping engagement with said pipe section;
• and,
• at least one die holder rotatably mounted to said jaw element and having a generally cylindrically shaped rear portion rotatably retained within a correspondingly shaped recess in said jaw element, and a front portion having a channel and a die insert receivable in said channel for engaging said pipe section, said at least one die holder being adapted to rotate about a first axis oriented generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said pipe section when said die insert engages said pipe section, said rotation of said at least one die holder about said first axis allowing the at least one die holder to align itself with the pipe section upon engagement of said pipe section with said die insert and providing an independent camming action against said pipe section to at least radially maintain the grip of said die insert on said pipe section during said transfer of torque;
• and
• a means for retaining said at least one die holder within said recess in the jaw element comprising a dowel element removably retained in said jaw element and protruding into said recess for engaging a circumferential groove extending about said rear portion of the at least one die holder.

A jaw assembly for a tong to make up and break out a pipe section comprising:

• a jaw element for transferring torque from said tong to said pipe section;
• means for moving said jaw element into and out of gripping engagement with said pipe section;
• and,
• at least one die holder carrying a die element, said at least one die holder being rotatably mounted to said jaw element and adapted to rotate about a first axis oriented generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of said pipe section when said die element engages said pipe section, said rotation of said at least one die holder about said first axis allowing the at least one die holder to align itself with the pipe section upon engagement of said pipe section with said die element and providing an independent camming action against said pipe section to at least radially maintain the grip of said die element on said pipe section during said transfer of torque;
• wherein a pipe contacting surface of said die element is generally planar for maintaining uniform contact with said pipe section during said camming action and throughout said make up and break out.

A hydraulically operated tong for use in making up and breaking out a threaded connection of axially extending pipe sections comprising:

• a tong body for receiving said threaded connection therein;
• at least one jaw carried by said tong body;
• said tong body having a first gripping arrangement for radially moving said at least one jaw into gripping engagement with said threaded connection to transfer a torque thereto during said making up and breaking out;
• and,
• a plurality of die holders carried by said at least one jaw, each die holder having a single, generally planar pipe engaging die and each die holder being rotatably mounted to said at least one jaw for rotation about a first axis to align said pipe engaging die generally tangentially with said treaded connection upon engagement therewith and to provide a second radial gripping action against said threaded connection independent of said first gripping arrangement for maintaining grip on said threaded connection during said making up and breaking out.