US Patent 7490871 Pipe clamp with button engagement hole

A pipe clamp for connecting two pipe ends together. The pipe clamp includes a clamp component in the form of an open band of metal extending from a first flange to a second flange. A sleeve is located within the band, and the pipe clamp includes a tightening mechanism for drawing the two flanges together to tighten the clamp. The clamp and sleeve components each have first and second openings that are aligned with the openings in the other component. These openings are sized to receive a button located on the outer surface of each of the pipe ends to thereby allow the clamp to be loosely attached to the pipe ends prior to tightening of the clamp.