Background Art It is common to interconnect members, such as pipeline sections, together by way of flanges which are provided on the ends of the members and which are adapted to be bolted together. Typically, each flange is provided with one or more bolt holes for receiving connecting bolts. When flanges are to be connected together, they are positioned in face to face engagement with corresponding bolt holes in the flanges registering with each other to receive the connecting bolts.

In certain situations, it can be difficult to align the flanges such that corresponding bolt holes register with each other.

The present invention seeks to provide a flange alignment tool which facilitates alignment of two flanges which are to be bolted together such that the bolt holes therein are brought into registration with each other.

Disclosure of the Invention The present invention provides a flange alignment tool comprises a shank having at least two shank sections, each shank section being aligned with adjacent shank sections at their periphery to define a straight edge extending longitudinally along the shank, the shank sections being of different dimensions in a direction transverse to said edge, and rotation means provided at one end of the shank to permit selective rotation of the shank about a longitudinal axis thereof.

The flange aligning tool facilitates the alignment of the bolt holes of two flanges so that the flanges may be easily secured together. The flange aligning tool will also

assist in aligning any other item, such as a spacer plate, which may be required to be located between the two flanges.

Preferably, each shank section is of circular cross section. In such a case, the differing transverse dimensions of the shank sections are provided by different diameters of the circular shank sections.

Preferably, a transition region is provided between adjacent shank sections.

The rotation means may comprise a head formation adapted to be engaged by a tool for rotating the shank. The head formation may be of hexagonal configuration so as to be readily engagable by a tool such as a spanner.

The end section of the shank opposite the rotation means may taper inwardly to facilitate insertion of the shank into flange bolt holes.

Each shank section may be larger in diameter than the adjacent shank section closer to the end section.

Preferably, a projecting portion is provided between the rotation means and the shank section adjacent the rotation means to prevent the alignment tool passing completely through the flange bolt holes.

In use, two flange aligning tools are typically used, with each flange aligning tool manoeuvred into two corresponding holes in flanges which are to be aligned. The flange aligning tools are then rotated. Because the shank sections of each tool are aligned at their periphery with a edge extending longitudinally along the shank, rotation of the shank draws the two holes in which the shank is received into registration with each other. This then allows other corresponding holes in the two flanges to move into registration so that bolts can be inserted into those other holes. Each flange aligning tool can then be removed and replaced by a further bolt, so completing the process of bolting the flanges together.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of one specific embodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a flange aligning tool according to the embodiment; Figure 2 is a plan view of the flange aligning tool ; Figure 3 is an end view of the flange aligning tool ; Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the flange aligning tool about to be inserted into two corresponding holes in flanges which are to be brought into alignment; and Figure 5 is a perspective view similar to Figure 4 illustrating the flange aligning tool in position in the two corresponding holes, with a bolt being shown in readiness to be inserted into another pair of corresponding holes in the flanges.

Best Mode (s) for Carrying Out the Invention The embodiment shown in the drawings is directed to a flange alignment tool 10 for aligning two flanges 11, 12 such that bolt holes 13 in one flange are brought into registration with corresponding bolt holes 13 in the other flange to receive bolt assemblies 15 for bolting the flanges together. The bolt assemblies 15 comprise a bolt 17 and a nut 19.

In this embodiment, the flanges 11,12 are provided at the ends of pipe sections 21 such that the pipe sections are connected one to another by way of the flanges.

The flange aligning tool 10 comprises a shank 23 having a tapered end section 25 at one end thereof and a head 27 provided at the other end thereof. The head 27

is configured as a block formation having side faces 29 engagable by a tool such as a spanner, not shown, to allow the shank 23 to be rotated about its length.

The shank 23 includes a plurality of shank sections 30, there being four such shank sections in this embodiment identified by reference numerals 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d. Each shank section 30 is larger in diameter than the adjacent shank section 30 closer to the tapered end section 25. In this embodiment the diameter of shank section 30d is smaller than 30c, which is smaller than 30b which is smaller than 30a.

The shank sections 30 are aligned at their periphery to define a staright edge extending longitudinally along the shank 23, and identified by reference numeral 35 in Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings. A transition region 37 is provided between adjacent shank sections 30.

The flange aligning tool of this embodiment is provided with the four shank sections 30a, 30b, 30c and 30d in order to accommodate flanges with bolt holes 13 of various diameters. In any particular application, only two adjacent shank sections 30 would be used.

The flange aligning tool is also comprises a projecting portion 38 provided between the head 27 and the shank section 30a so as to prevent the alignment tool passing completely through the flange bolt holes 13.

In use, two flange alignment tools 13 are typically used (although only one such tool is shown in Figures 4 and 5). When the flanges 11,12 are to be aligned, it is necessary to move the flanges into abutting relationship with the holes 13, which are to be moved into registration with each other, in approximate alignment so as to permit insertion of each flange alignment tool 10 into two corresponding holes.

The one tool 10 is then inserted and the other tool 10 is inserted into another set of two corresponding holes.

Each flange alignment tool 13 is introduced into its respective set of two holes with end section 25 thereof entering first. When each flange alignment tool 10 is

in position in the respective set of two holes 13, one shank section 30 is accommodated within one of the holes and an adjacent shank section 30 is accommodated in the other hole. This can be seen in Figure 5 of the drawings where it is evident that shank section 30b is accommodated within the hole 13a within flange 12. Although it cannot be seen from the drawing, shank section 30a is accommodated within the corresponding hole 13 in flange 11. With each flange aligning tool 10 so positioned in the two holes 13, it is then rotated by way of a tool such as a spanner engaged with the head 27.

Rotation of the shank 23 causes the two holes 13 to move into registration with each other. This occurs because of the alignment of the shank sections 30 at the periphery thereof; that is, because of the straight edge 35.

The action of aligning the two holes in which the flange aligning tool 10 is accommodated serves to bring other holes 13 in the flanges 11,12 into alignment so as to permit insertion of bolt assemblies 15 into those other holes.

Once one, or several, of the other bolt assemblies 15 have been inserted into position, each flange alignment tool 10 can be rotated (typically about one quarter of a turn) to free it from frictional engagement within the aligned holes 13. The flange aligning tool 10 can then be removed and replaced by a bolt assembly 15 so as to complete bolting of the flanges 11,12 together.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the present invention provides a simple yet highly effective tool for aligning flanges which are to be bolted together.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the scope of the embodiment described. In particular, it should be appreciated that it is only necessary to have two shank sections 30 on the shank 23. The present embodiment is provided with more than two such shank sections in order to extend the range of bolt hole diameters with which it can be used. In fact, it is envisaged that flange aligning tools according to the embodiment would be provided in a set, with the flange aligning tools within the set being of various sizes to accommodate at wide range of bolt hole diameters.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise"or variations such as"comprises"or"comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.