is flared from the region of the flange to the free end of the pin and thus takes the shape of a truncated cone the edge 158 of the hole 129 that receives the distal portion of the pin is beveled at an angle corresponding to the angle of flare of the distal portion to provide a reentrant surface that is engaged by the distal portion with tension on the elements of the lock portion when the protector is locked around a pipe the pin is firmly held in the female recess 129 against radial displacement therefrom the angle of the beveled parts may be from about 15 u00b0 to 25 u00b0 more or less to a radius of the protector that intersects the beveled parts to remove the protector pp 39 from the pipe p 39 2 a wedge is driven between the female lock plate 125 and the male lock plate 132 to force these lock plates apart after the pins 136 have been withdrawn from the holes 129 the protector is allowed to expand to its relaxed condition the ends of the protector are then manually separated and the protector is removed from around the pipe the pipe protector pp 39 as well as the previously described pipe protector pp can be easily removed from the pipe by but one workman who drives the wedge and then manually removes the protector from the pipe it is not necessary to have a second workman manipulate an installation tool to relieve the tension from the lock parts of the protector as is required with some heretofore.