AU725211B2

AU725211B2 - A safety lifting connection system

Info

Publication number: AU725211B2
Application number: AU44426/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bradley John Drummond; Warren John Harvey; Kenneth James Priest; Kevin Charles Walker
Original assignee: WACO INTERNAT GROUP Ltd
Current assignee: Ausco Modular Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1996-11-15
Filing date: 1997-11-07
Publication date: 2000-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 2017-11-07
Also published as: AU4442697A

Description

A l 1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant(s): jAMFE-

HMITEB

I I A MiMr r C-r r- A r-I I LJCAC-40 GroLA L V 4 o-.

Address for Service: CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 240 Queen Street, Brisbane, QId. 4000, Australia.

r Invention Title: A SAFETY LIFTING

SYSTEM

CONNECTION

Details of Associated Provisional Applications: Nos. P03637- 15.11.96 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 THIS INVENTION relates to a safety lifting connection system. In particular, the invention concerns a lifting connection system to allow a building module or modular building to be lifted by a crane.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to its use for lifting modular buildings.

It should be appreciated that the system of the invention may be employed for other purposes such as for lifting precast concrete components, walls and other articles.

Building modules or modular buildings are used in a variety of situations and need to be lifted into position. Such buildings have typically been provided with fittings at locations on an upper part of the module to which lifting equipment of a crane may be secured. These 15 fittings have consisted of eye bolts projecting from an upper part of the building. Such eye bolts were unsightly and were prone to damage if left in place for extended periods before or after the module was lifted into its final position. Unless the eye bolt was screwed into position to the desired depth, there was a possibility that the bolt could become dislodged during a lifting operation.

In addition, it due care was not exercised in installing the eye bolts in the first instance, the thread on the bolt or the member which receives the bolt could become damaged.

25 As an alternative to screwing threaded eye bolts or other threaded lifting connector into a suitably threaded part connected to the building module, connector plates were sometimes bolted to sides of the building module into posts or lifting locations on the building module. This operation was tedious and unless the bolts were securely positioned, secure lifting was not possible.

In the past, building modules were sometimes lifted by simply wrapping a cable or similar device around the module. This usually caused damage to the module and was not a particularly safe way to lift the module.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety lifting connection system which at least minimises the disadvantages referred to above.

According to one aspect, the invention provides a safety lifting connection system employing one or more connectors including an anchor, a lifting member and a locking member carried by the lifting member, the lifting member having an attachment portion receivable by the anchor and movable between a first position in which it is received by the anchor and a second position locked relative to the anchor, the locking member having at least one locking projection and being in a release position when the lifting member is in its first position and movable by the lifting member into a locking position with the locking projection received by the anchor when the lifting member is moved to the second position whereby the lifting is prevented from returning to its first position by the 15 locking member.

The system, as mentioned includes at least one connector. Where a modular building is being lifted four or more such connectors may be used.

As mentioned, the lifting member has an attachment portion receivable by the anchor. The attachment portion may comprise a lifting head located at one end of the lifting member. Preferably, the lifting head consists of a planar wedge shaped head. The wedge shaped head preferably has chamfered free corners.

The lifting member may have a body with the lifting head at one end and an attachment location spaced from the one end. The attachment location may have an aperture.

Preferably, a shaft extends between the body and the lifting head.

The anchor receives the lifting head.

Preferably, the anchor has an opening for receiving the lifting head. The opening may be formed in a plate. The opening comprise a slot. Preferably, the slot has an enlarged central portion.

The locking member is carried by the lifting member. Where the lifting member has a shaft intermediate its ends, the locking member may locate about the shaft.

The locking member has at least one locking projection.

The locking projection is received by the anchor and prevents the lifting member from moving from its locking position. Preferably, the locking projection extends into the slot provided in the anchor. Preferably, the locking member includes two spaced locking projections.

The locking member preferably engages with at least one side of the lifting member. The locking member may engage opposed sides of the lifting member.

Preferably, the locking member has upstanding projections between which the lifting member may be received. The upstanding members may comprise pins.

SA particular preferred embodiment of the Se invention will now be described with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a modular building provided with a safety lifting connection system according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a connector of a system of an embodiment of the invention; Figure 3 shows the connector of Figure 2 in its first position; Figure 4 shows the connector of Figure 2 in its second position; and 25 Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of part of the connector shown in Figures 2 to 4.

Figure 1 shows a building module 10 with a plurality of building columns 11 located at corners of the module. The upper ends of the columns 11 each have a connector 12. A lifting frame 13 has corners which may be coupled to respective ones of the connectors 12 and the frame in turn is attached to a crane (not shown).

Figure 5 shows a lifting member 20 having a body 21 from which extends a downwardly directed shaft 22. The shaft forms an intermediate part of the lifting member and terminates in a lifting head 24. Locking member 23 locates about the shaft 22 and is able to move freely along and rotate about the shaft.

Lifting member 20 has an attachment location provided by an aperture 25 to which lifting frame 13 may be secured.

Locking member 23 includes a ring 26 through which the shaft 22 extends. Member 23 has a pair of diametrically disposed and downwardly directed pins 27, 28.

A pair of upwardly extending pins 29, 30 project from the ring 26. Pins 29 and 30 straddle the body 21.

The lifting head 24 is wedge shaped and has chamfered leading corners 31 and 32.

Anchor 40 is shown in Figure 2 and consists of a plate 41 extending over a free end of the column 11. The plate has a slot 42 with a central enlargement 43 for receiving the shaft 22. The remainder of the slot 42 is of a size and shape for receiving the head 24.

The lifting member 20 may be locked relative to the anchor 40 in the following manner. With the lifting member 20 in the orientation shown in Figure 2, the head 24 extends along the slot 42 and the head 24 may be inserted through the slot 42 and into the column 11 until the position shown in Figure 3 is reached.

This movement of the head 24 through the slot 42 causes free ends of pins 27 and 28 to abut the plate 41 and the collar 26 moves upwardly along the shaft 22 until the 25 position shown in Figure 3 is reached. The pins 29 and straddle body 21 and when the body 21 is turned through approximately 900 along an axis extending longitudinally of the body, the locking member 23 is caused to rotate through approximately 900 until pins 27 and 28 reach the slot 42.

When pins 27 and 28 reach the slot, the member 23 moves downwardly on the shaft 22 and the pins 27 and 28 project into the slot. The position of Figure 4 is then achieved.

The member 23 now prevents rotation of member 20 and the head 24 now extends across the slot 42 and since the head is no longer able to be withdrawn from the anchor 40 the lifting member is now locked relative to the column and may now be used to elevate the structure or object of which the column 11 is a part.

To release the lifting member 20 from the column 11 the locking member 23 must be manually lifted to move the pins 27 and 28 clear of the slot and the lifting member 20 may then be rotated until the position shown in Figure 3 is achieved. Following this, the lifting member 20 is then moved clear of the anchor The system of the invention provides for a simple and repeatable connection to be made with an object to be lifted and may easily be removed from the object when it is no longer required.

Claims

1. A safety lifting connection system employing one or more connectors including an anchor, a lifting member and a locking member carried by the lifting member, the lifting member having an attachment portion receivable by the anchor and movable between a first position in which it is received by the anchor and a second position locked relative to the anchor, the locking member having at least one locking projection and being in a release position when the lifting member is in its first position and movable by the lifting member into a locking position with the locking projection received by the anchor when the lifting member is moved to the second position whereby the lifting member is prevented from returning to its first position by the locking member.

2. The system of Claim 1, wherein the attachment portion comprises a lifting head located at one :end of the lifting member.

3. The system of Claim 2 wherein the head is a planar wedge shaped head. •oo•

4. The system of any one of Claims 1 3 wherein the lifting member comprises a body with the lifting head adjacent one end of the body and an attachment location spaced from the said end of the body, the attachment location having an aperture.

5. The system of Claim 4 where a shaft extends between the body and the lifting head.

6. The system of any one of Claims 2 5 wherein the anchor has an opening which receives the lifting head.

7. The system of any one of the preceding claims wherein the locking member is carried by the Slifting head. U

8. A system substantially as hereinbefore described Ol with reference to the drawings. 8

9. A novel system as described and claimed. DATED this 7 th day of November 1997 Liae.0 Inied-AiAional 4omp L; .i JM46S IJAPRDIf fESEAReH Pr:. -LIMITED By their Patent Attorneys CULLEN CO.