Aligning tool for assembling steel girders
United States Patent Hoskins [76] lnventor: Kenneth A. Hoskins, Rt. No. l.  
 Goodview, Va. 24095 [22] Filed: Nov. 6, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 413,344  
 [52] US. Cl. 29/271 [51] Int. Cl B25b 27/00 [58] Field of Search 29/271, 272, 280, 283; 269/48.1, 234; 279/60, 1 F, l L, 2  
 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 976,325 11/1910 Whccler et a1 29/282 UX 993,829 5/1911 Horrocks et a1. 279/2 1,448,528 3/1923 Elliott 29/272 [451 Apr. 22, 1975 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Assistant E.\&#39;aminerHarold P. Smith, Jr.  
 [57] ABSTRACT A tool for aligning holes in the flanges and angles of steel girders to be assembled to each other providing a detachably fixed device in lieu of drift pins&#34; and the like used for such purposes wherein unnecessary time and effort is required to remove them after the girders are bolted in place, the present invention providing an expansible bolt-like&#34; device having tapered jaws which can be inserted into the matching bolt holes. aligning them properly so that the remaining matching holes can be properly bolted together, and thereafter the tool or device can readily be removed without undue force.  
 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures ALIGNING TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING STEEL GIRDERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In constructing steel structures and the like. particularly buildings having extensive steel framework. numerous beams and columns are bolted together. or riveted. via multi-holed flanges and angles prefabricated into the members of the framework. It is customary to hoist the heavy members into position and temporarily hold them together with drift pins. or the like. until the permanent bolts, or rivets. in the remaining matching holes are in place. thereafter bolting the remaining holes after withdrawing the drift pins. In many instances. however. these pins become bound and have to be removed by cutting torch.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In recognition of this difficulty the present invention provides an expansible type of drift pin wherein holes in structural pieces can be aligned quickly and efficiently. bolted and thereafter the temporary aligning devices are removed without difficulty or delay merely by the functioning of the expansible pin construction of the aligning tool.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is an exploded view in perspective of the aligning tool of the invention.  
  FIG. 2 illustrates how the tool shown in FIG. 1 is applied between the flange of a column and the angle of a beam to be connected thereto.  
 DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to FIG. 1 a threaded collar d having extending bifurcated sections u and U has jaw members a and A. respectively. connected at the pivotsfand F, the members a and A normally being urged together by a split spring C. The member a has a tapered tip 11 pivoted in the extremity of a at .v. and the member A has a tapered tip B pivoted in the extremity of A at X.  
  A cylinder 11 having a threaded endj is provided with a piston rod r having a threaded end s. the end of the cylinderj being connected into the collar d via threads g and the threaded end s being connected to the threads q in a wedge I which is extendable through the collar d between the members a and A to force them apart. thereby expanding the ends b and B. The&#39;cylinder h is coupled hydraulically via a line hs to a pump hd having an operating handle p. The cylinder I1 is equipped with a double diaphram pc permitting the piston rod r to be reciprocated.  
  In operation the aligning tool is inserted into a bolt hole (See also FIG. 2) common to the flange of a column k and a beam in as shown in FIG. 2 thereby aligning the other bolt holes adjacent to the hole y after the beam is hoisted up to the columnar position required. Thereafter the other holes are bolted. The aligning tool is inserted into the hole y until the jaws a and A guided by the tips b and B fill the hole so that any misalignment of the holes y is corrected as the jaws a and A are openedby the wedge t under control of the piston rod r when the pump lid is operated by its handle p to force the wedge t through the collar d. The adjacent holes (then aligned) are bolted and the pump lid is released thereby reversing the piston pc and pulling the rod r to withdraw the wedge I from the collar d and allowing the jaws to come together under the urging of the spring C. The aligning hole is then bolted being held in place by the other bolts already in place.  
 What is claimed is:  
  l. A tool for aligning matching holes in the assembly of steel girders and the like comprising a collar having bifurcated extensions on opposite sides thereof. a pair ofjaw members, each pivoted at one end in one of said extensions. the opposite end of each said member having a tapered portion pivoted thereto, said tapered portions together being insertable into bolt holes or the like of girders to be assembled by bolting or riveting for alignment thereof. a resilient split ring surrounding said members normally urging them together. a wedge extendable through said collar coacting with and between said members to force said tapered portions apart. a hydraulic cylinder attached to said collar, and a piston therein connected to said wedge for opening said jaw members.  
  2. The invention of claim I wherein said piston is arranged to operate reversibly in said cylinder to open and close said jaw members.