AU2001100055A4 - Transport lifting device - Google Patents

Description

P700/Oil Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT Invention tide: Transport lifting device The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: dxbm M01 1086440801 000000 Transport lifting device Field of the invention The invention relates to a transport lifting device More particularly to a transport lifting device for pallets which can be used in combination with cranes or forklifts.

Background of the invention Whilst the following discussion concerns a transport lifting device for lifting bricks, it is to be understood that the same principles apply to a transport lifting device for lifting any material which is capable of being mounted on a pallet.

Traditionally, construction sites are areas of constant change. What begins as a vacant, uneven block of land becomes transformed into a new residential or commercial structure.

Bricks are an integral part of the construction of many buildings. Bricks are often stacked by arranging the individual bricks in a criss-cross manner to form a discrete parcels of bricks. The discrete parcels are usually placed on sturdy wooden pallets or other movable platforms to facilitate the transportation of the entire stack from one location to another by a lifting device.

The pallets or other movable platforms are constructed with two spaced channels or similar o raised sections under which a lifting implement can pass through to support the pallet as it is transported. However, when the pallet rests on uneven ground, it is particularly difficult 0•0oo and hazardous for the pallet to be lifted.

Previously, one common practice was to take a length of chain from a crane or other lifting mechanism connecting ring, wrap it around the loaded pallet and pass it back to the chain connecting ring so that the loaded pallet is cradled. This practice unfortunately is hazardous. Bricks may topple off the pallet and injure workers. Another prior approach i 25 was to use slings. However, slings suffered from similar problems. As a result, these previous work practices have resulted in a number of accidents involving personal injury and death as well as damage to equipment and loss of production.

In response to such building site accidents, regulations, standards, and codes of practice have been introduced specifying requirements for design, manufacture, and use of material lifting apparatus. These codes have made the movement of pallets by use of chains a questionable practice. This in turn has lead to the development of a rectangular brick cage This structure has an open bottom and includes two pairs of complimentary stirrups extending downward from respective opposite sides of the cage. In operation, the cage is lowered over a stack of bricks mounted on a pallet, until the pairs of stirrups line up with the corresponding channels or raised sections on the pallets. An engaging pin is placed through the stirrups and channel thereby positively locating the pallet within the cage. The cage can then be lifted by the crane and located into another position.

This brick cage was designed to safely pick up pallets of bricks or any other building materials or equipment (via a crane) on level ground, i.e. level concrete floor, flat tray truck, roadways etc, where the cage can be located. If the ground is not even and the pallet is placed on a different level in comparison to the cage, the lifting pins are unable to be placed through the cage and therefore cannot be secured to the pallet. Unfortunately, the majority of building sites are uneven blocks of land making it difficult to use the existing brick cage.

It is known to lay gravel on a designated area to make a level area for these pallets.

However, once the loaded pallets are placed on this gravel it subsides unevenly. This again makes access to the pallet by the brick cage impractical.

*Furthermore, it is impractical, time consuming and costly to place gravel, or level the ground by the use of mechanical means such as rollers.

This poses significant difficulties for a builder when faced with a situation where a brick cage cannot be used because the loaded pallets are placed on uneven ground. The builder is required to abide by the strict safety guidelines that are in place and hence any other means of moving heavy pallets are dangerous and not in accordance with these safety oguidelines, i.e. by way of either slings and/or chains.

Understandably, for economic reasons builders want their bricks and materials moved as 25 soon as possible. Usually, the builder has either purchased or paid for the hire of a brick cage, the hire of a crane, the crane operator, and employed a number of workers. If the crane is unable to move the materials or bricks due to the fact that the ground is uneven then the builder may resort to other methods of moving the pallets and resort to the previous unsafe method.

Object of the invention It is an object of the present invention to ameliorate the limitations of such current transport lifting devices.

Summary of the invention According to one preferred form of the invention, a transport lifting device for transporting a pallet is provided comprising: a cage having sides defining an opening to receive the pallet; and at least one pair of spaced adjustable stirrups extending downward from each of a pair of opposite sides of the cage to receive a connector for connecting the pallet to the cage.

In an further preferred embodiment of the invention, the transport lifting device includes the connector.

In operation, the transport lifting device can be placed over the pallet, and the stirrups :adjusted according to the contours of the surrounding ground so as to maintain a clear line *0o 15 of connection between the pallet and the stirrups. This minimizes the tilt of the cage relative to the horizontal which makes the cage connection to the lifting machine (eg crane) more stable and safe. Swaying of the load is therefore also inhibited. As the attached cage 6.4 is lifted the lowest orientated part of the pallet is lifted first. Then as the pallet levels the i full lifting force of the lifting machine can be applied.

Preferably the stirrups are self adjusting. This may be achieved by use of telescoping arms which move relative to one another. One particularly desirable arrangement of stirrup is substantially U shaped with the upright arms locatable in complementary channels located in the cage.

Preferably, safety guards are located over the adjustable stirrups to prevent a person's hands or other body parts being injured by the sliding of the stirrups.

Preferably, the connector is a support pin(s) which may be inserted through each stirrup on one side of the cage, extend through or underneath the pallet and pass through the stirrup on the opposite side of the cage.

Preferably, the pin has at least one collar located on the pin member to releasably secure the pin member to the lifting cage.

In another preferred form of the invention, the support pin further comprises a handle to assist the insertion and removal of the pin within a pallet or other transportable platform.

Preferably, the handle is rotatable. Preferably, the handle is also able to hook over the top of a rail on the lifting cage during storage and is securable to the rail via a latch mounted on the rail. Typically, the latch is spring loaded, comprising a laterally moveable pin to secure the handle against the rail.

In another preferred form of the invention, the pin member is elongated. Typically, the support pin will be of sufficient length to be used with pallets known to the construction industry.

In another preferred form of the invention, the pin member has a non-circular crosssection. In one embodiment, the pin member is polygonal in cross-section. Preferably, the member is a parallelogram wherein on one end the upper face slopes towards the base of the pin member forming a cap plate to facilitate storage of the support pin when not in use.

In another form of the invention, the pin is substantially rectangular in cross-section. Other S• "15 cross-sectional shapes are envisaged within the scope of the invention.

••ol• Preferably the support pin is formed from metal.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the collar comprises a pair of *:ooi continuous collars defining a distance therebetween which approximate the thickness of that part of the base of the lifting cage destined to engage the pin. In another embodiment, 20 the collars may be non-continuous around the pin member. Typically, they would be arranged on the bottom face of the pin member in contact with the base of the lifting cage.

:In another embodiment of the invention, the collar(s) are located at each end of the pin member.

Preferably the upright sides of the cage are a mesh material.

Description of the drawings The invention will now be further explained and illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is perspective view of the transport lifting device; Figure 2 is a side view of the transport lifting device of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a further side view of the transport lifting device of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a sectional view along AA of Figure 2; Figure 5 is an exploded view of section BB of Figure 2; Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the stirrup of Figure Figure 7 is a perspective operational view of the transport lifting device on uneven ground.

Figure 8 shows a side view and plan view of a support pin.

Figure 9 is a perspective operational view of a support pin in connection with the lifting cage.

Figure 10 is a operational view of the handle in connection with the lifting cage during storage of the pin.

The transport lifting device has been designed to lift full pallets of bricks, or other materials, on building sites efficiently and safely. It has been designed to suit not only level ground surfaces but especially rough ground surfaces.

Referring to the drawings, the transport lifting device 1 is depicted having two pairs of se: mutually opposed upright sides 2. Two pairs of stirrups 3 are located on directly opposite ••os• 15 upright sides 2 to define a passage way through which a support pin 4 may be inserted to ses:. span the distance between each pair of stirrups 3. As clearly shown in Figure 5, the stirrups 3 are U shaped with the upright arms 5 locatable in respective complementary channels 6 positioned on opposite upright sides of the transport lifting device 1. The cross e member 7 of the stirrups 3 provides the surface against which pin 4 urges when the device 1 is lifted. The stirrups 6 are secured to the transport lifting device 1 by a strut 8. As shown in Figure 3, a safety guard 9 is provided above the stirrups 3 to prevent access to o•upper part of the stirrups 3 when they are retracted.

In use, the transport lifting device is mounted to a crane (not shown) by chains 10 attached to the transport lifting device 1 by a series of four attachment points 11 located on the corner between adjacent upright sides 2. When the transport lifting device 1 is suspended the stirrups 3 drop automatically by the force gravity to form larger openings.

As shown in Figure 7, when the transport lifting device 1 is lowered on an uneven surface, part of the transport lifting device will take the majority of the weight of the entire transport lifting device. The stirrups 3 at this point of initial contact form a clear line of passage into the pallet 12 to enable the support pin 4 to be inserted. Without some form of adjustment, the remaining stirrups 3 would not be able to line up with the raised portion of the pallet 12. As a result, the support pin 4 could not be inserted through the far stirrup to support the remaining part of the pallet 12. However, since the stirrups 3 are independently adjustable, each stirrup 3 is able to extend towards the uneven ground surface thereby increasing the area of the stirrup 3. The increased area allows the support pin 4 to extend through the far stirrup 3 to support the pallet ready for transport as described above.

Accordingly, it is possible to engage and disengage a pallet on uneven or even ground with improved safety and efficiency.

Figures 8 and 9 depicts particular form of the support pin. In particular, a support pin 21 is depicted having one end 22 and the opposing end 23 being sloped downwards from the top face to the base of the support pin 21. A pair of collars 24 are located near end 22 of the pin. An L-shaped handle 25 is located on the support pin 1 between collars 24 and side 22 of the support pin 1. The collars 24 are placed sufficiently apart on the support pin 21 to S s15 allow the stirrup 6 of the lifting cage 27 to fit between them and abut both collars 24.

In use, a lifting cage 27 is first placed over a pallet of bricks. Support pins 21 are inserted through the stirrups of the lifting cage 27 and channel of the pallet such that each support pin is situated between the stirrups on opposing sides of the lifting cage. The supporting I pins are then lowered to connect with the base of the stirrup of the lifting cage 27 in se i* 20 contact with the ground so that the pair of collars 24 located on support pin 21 straddle both sides of the base of one of the stirrups of the lifting cage 27. When the pallet and lifting cage 27 are raised, the collars 24 of the support pin 21 abut the base of the stirrup such that during lifting, the support pin 21 is held firmly in place and is prevented from moving laterally. Similarly when the lifting cage is lowered to the ground, the association 25 of the support pin 21 with the stirrup of the lifting cage 27 prevents the support pin 21 from being dislodged and therefore potentially causing injury.

Referring to Figure 10, during storage of the support pin when not in use, the pin is designed to be secured to the lifting cage 27. The pin sits diagonally across one side 28 of the lifting cage 27 such that the sloping face 23 of the support pin fits into a location means 29 in the bottom corner of the lifting cage 27 and the rotating handle 25 hooks over the top rail 30 located on the opposite corner of the lifting cage 27. The handle 25 is secured to the lifting cage 27 by a spring loaded latch 31 mounted to the top rail of lifting cage 27.

The latch pin 32 is able to move laterally to slide over the top of the handle 25 of support pin 21.

The word 'comprising' and forms of the word 'comprising' as used in this description does not limit the invention claimed to exclude any variants or additions.

Modifications and improvements to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

s* eo s eo

Claims (3)

1. A transport lifting device for transporting a pallet comprising: a cage having sides defining an opening to receive the pallet; and a pair of spaced adjustable stirrups extending downward from each of a pair of opposite sides of the cage to receive a connector/support pin for connecting the pallet to the cage.

2. The transport lifting device of claim 1 wherein the stirrups are self adjusting.

3. A connector/support pin for use with the transport lifting device of either claim 1 or 2 comprising: a pin member for insertion within the pallet; and at least one collar located on the pin member to releasably secure the pin member to the lifting cage. SPENINSULA RIGGERS SCAFFOLDERS PTY LTD 12 February, 2001 0 S *6 U S