A support for a mitre joint uses two wedging mechanisms disposed at a characteristic angle. Each wedging mechanism is arranged to locate inside a hollow rail, such as within an extruded hollow beam. The wedging mechanism can be operated from outside the joint in order to clamp the mechanism in position. The mechanism has a self centering capability to assist in accurately locating the rails relative to each other.

A gripping device for a panel of a section of a fuselage of an aircraft, the panel including a skin and having an arcuate shape about a longitudinal axis X. The gripping device includes two gripping subsystems arranged at a distance from one another parallel to the longitudinal axis X, and each gripping subsystem includes a central element fastened to the panel, and two lateral elements fastened on either side of the central element by fasteners, and each lateral element includes pressurizers which come against the skin to apply a tension thereto in the opening direction of the arcuate shape. Such a gripping device makes it possible to ensure the shape of the panel when it is transported and until it is fastened to other panels in order to produce the section of the fuselage.

The pipe support stand is an attachment for a tripod chain vise. The pipe support stand attaches to two of the three legs of the tripod chain vise and provides a work support leg that runs under the work piece at an oblique angle to the ground and to the work piece. The front end of the work support leg may rise towards the work piece and the work piece may slide onto one of two brackets on the front end of the work support leg such that the device provides support to the end of the work piece that is about to be cut off. Alternatively, the work support leg may slide towards the rear such that the rear end of the work support leg contacts the ground and provides additionally stability for the tripod chain vise.

A clamping device includes first and second clamping components and at least one elastic component. The first clamping component includes a first clamping portion and two first pivot portions connected to the first clamping portion. The second clamping component includes a second clamping portion and two second pivot portions connected to the second clamping portion. The second pivot portions are pivotally connected to the first pivot portions respectively, such that the first and second clamping components are capable of rotating relative to each other to present a first state and a second state. The elastic component is connected to the first clamping component and the second clamping component. When the first and second clamping components are in the second state, the elastic component provides an elastic force for the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion to be restored to the first state to clamp an object.

A gripper for gripping a tube for punching may include a first arm having a lower portion and an upper portion disposed outwardly from an upper surface of the lower portion. The upper portion extends to opposite first and second side surfaces and opposite third and fourth side surfaces, where opposite edges of the first and second side surfaces each meet an edge of one of the opposite third and fourth side surfaces. The second side surface includes a groove extending from the second side surface towards the first side surface and along a length of the second side surface. The groove is configured to receive at least a portion of a tube when a second arm like the first arm is disposed adjacent to and aligned with the first arm.

A method of manufacturing a cylindrical cargo container includes: providing a plurality of rigid panels together formable into a cylindrical shell; forming a first semi-cylindrical shell from a first set of the panels; forming a second semi-cylindrical shell from a second set of the panels; forming the cylindrical shell from the first semi-cylindrical shell and the second semi-cylindrical shell; forming a collar conformably encircling the cylindrical shell; constricting the collar to compress joints formed at abutting edges of pairs of adjacent panels; rolling the cylindrical shell and collar to bring respective joints of pairs of panels to a lower position, and welding an inside seam of the joint when at the lower position; removing the collar from the cylindrical shell; and rolling the cylindrical shell to bring respective joints of pairs of panels to an upper position, and welding an outside of the joint when at the upper position.

A pinning tool is for pinning a tubular structure by pressing a pin through a sidewall of the tubular structure. The pinning tool comprises: a tool body configured for receiving the tubular structure; an actuator mounted on the tool body, the actuator being provided with a piston rod, wherein the actuator is configured for displacing the piston rod in a translational movement; a pin adaptor releasably coupled to the piston rod of the actuator and being configured for receiving and releasably holding the pin to be pressed through and remain in the sidewall of the tubular structure, and a reaction member for fixing a relative position between the tool body and the tubular structure during pinning, wherein the translational movement of the piston rod causes displacement of the pin adaptor, thereby pressing, in operational use, the pin through the sidewall of the tubular structure.

Apparatus for gripping a tubular member where the apparatus includes a die and a die holder, and where at least one of the die or the die holder, on its portion facing the other, has at least two axially formed ridges that complementary fit in valleys in the other of the die or the die holder. The ridges have a larger bottom width than top width. The centre lines of the die ridges are substantially parallel at a distance, and the die, when unengaged, is radially movable between abutment of the die ridges to the die holder and abutment of the die to at least one stop member of the die holder.

A pipe mounting device includes an elongate part and a mounting head attached to a first end of the elongate part. The mounting head is sized and configured for positioning within a pipe end. The pipe mounting device is movable via the elongate part between a first position in which the mounting head is passable through an inner diameter of the pipe end along a length, and a second position in which the mounting head lockingly engages with the inner diameter of the pipe end and is usable to secure a position of the pipe end below a subfloor.

A material handling device for use in manipulating a tubular substrate includes a C-clamp, which in turn comprises a movable jaw that is pivotally coupled to a fixed jaw. A handle is coupled to and extends from an outer surface of the fixed jaw. An actuator is coupled to the fixed jaw. The actuator is operationally coupled to the movable jaw so that the actuator is positioned firstly to pivot the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw to position the C-clamp in an open configuration, and, secondly, to pivot the movable jaw relative to the fixed jaw to position the C-clamp in a closed configuration. In the open configuration, the C-clamp is configured to insert a tubular substrate. In the closed configuration, the C-clamp couples to the tubular substrate, positioning a user to grasp the handle to manipulate the tubular substrate.