CA2421475A1 - Manufactured house lifting and lowering device - Google Patents
Manufactured house lifting and lowering device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2421475A1 CA2421475A1 CA002421475A CA2421475A CA2421475A1 CA 2421475 A1 CA2421475 A1 CA 2421475A1 CA 002421475 A CA002421475 A CA 002421475A CA 2421475 A CA2421475 A CA 2421475A CA 2421475 A1 CA2421475 A1 CA 2421475A1
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- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- hydraulic
- manufactured house
- house
- hydraulic jacks
- positive displacement
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
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- 238000006073 displacement reaction Methods 0.000 claims description 51
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 description 20
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 description 8
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 230000006978 adaptation Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005484 gravity Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000009434 installation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000011900 installation process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000750 progressive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000000284 resting effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
- E02D—FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS; UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES
- E02D35/00—Straightening, lifting, or lowering of foundation structures or of constructions erected on foundations
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
- B60P—VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
- B60P1/00—Vehicles predominantly for transporting loads and modified to facilitate loading, consolidating the load, or unloading
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
- B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
- B62D53/00—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains
- B62D53/04—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains comprising a vehicle carrying an essential part of the other vehicle's load by having supporting means for the front or rear part of the other vehicle
- B62D53/06—Semi-trailers
- B62D53/067—Multi-purpose, convertible or extendable load surface semi-trailers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
- B66F—HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD
- B66F3/00—Devices, e.g. jacks, adapted for uninterrupted lifting of loads
- B66F3/46—Combinations of several jacks with means for interrelating lifting or lowering movements
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
- E04B1/343—Structures characterised by movable, separable, or collapsible parts, e.g. for transport
- E04B1/34336—Structures movable as a whole, e.g. mobile home structures
- E04B1/34352—Base structures or supporting means therefor
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B5/00—Floors; Floor construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted therefor
- E04B5/02—Load-carrying floor structures formed substantially of prefabricated units
- E04B5/10—Load-carrying floor structures formed substantially of prefabricated units with metal beams or girders, e.g. with steel lattice girders
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B5/00—Floors; Floor construction with regard to insulation; Connections specially adapted therefor
- E04B5/02—Load-carrying floor structures formed substantially of prefabricated units
- E04B5/14—Load-carrying floor structures formed substantially of prefabricated units with beams or girders laid in two directions
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04G—SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS
- E04G21/00—Preparing, conveying, or working-up building materials or building elements in situ; Other devices or measures for constructional work
- E04G21/14—Conveying or assembling building elements
- E04G21/16—Tools or apparatus
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04G—SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS
- E04G21/00—Preparing, conveying, or working-up building materials or building elements in situ; Other devices or measures for constructional work
- E04G21/14—Conveying or assembling building elements
- E04G21/16—Tools or apparatus
- E04G21/161—Handling units comprising at least considerable parts of two sides of a room or like enclosed space
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04G—SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS
- E04G21/00—Preparing, conveying, or working-up building materials or building elements in situ; Other devices or measures for constructional work
- E04G21/14—Conveying or assembling building elements
- E04G21/16—Tools or apparatus
- E04G21/163—Jacks specially adapted for working-up building elements
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04G—SCAFFOLDING; FORMS; SHUTTERING; BUILDING IMPLEMENTS OR AIDS, OR THEIR USE; HANDLING BUILDING MATERIALS ON THE SITE; REPAIRING, BREAKING-UP OR OTHER WORK ON EXISTING BUILDINGS
- E04G23/00—Working measures on existing buildings
- E04G23/06—Separating, lifting, removing of buildings; Making a new sub-structure
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
- E04B1/35—Extraordinary methods of construction, e.g. lift-slab, jack-block
- E04B2001/3577—Extraordinary methods of construction, e.g. lift-slab, jack-block prefabricating a building and moving it as a whole to the erection site
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04B—GENERAL BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONS; WALLS, e.g. PARTITIONS; ROOFS; FLOORS; CEILINGS; INSULATION OR OTHER PROTECTION OF BUILDINGS
- E04B1/00—Constructions in general; Structures which are not restricted either to walls, e.g. partitions, or floors or ceilings or roofs
- E04B1/35—Extraordinary methods of construction, e.g. lift-slab, jack-block
- E04B2001/3588—Extraordinary methods of construction, e.g. lift-slab, jack-block using special lifting or handling devices, e.g. gantries, overhead conveying rails
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04C—STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS
- E04C3/00—Structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting
- E04C3/02—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces
- E04C3/04—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal
- E04C2003/0404—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects
- E04C2003/0443—Joists; Girders, trusses, or trusslike structures, e.g. prefabricated; Lintels; Transoms; Braces of metal beams, girders, or joists characterised by cross-sectional aspects characterised by substantial shape of the cross-section
- E04C2003/0452—H- or I-shaped
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- Transportation (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Paleontology (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- Electrochemistry (AREA)
- Conveying And Assembling Of Building Elements In Situ (AREA)
Abstract
A device for raising and lowering a manufactured house supported by carrier beams and skate beams, utilizing hydraulic jacks positioned on the basement floor within the foundation upon which the manufactured house is to be placed. The hydraulic jacks are independently of one another extended to engage the carrier beams supporting the manufactured house, and then together and in unison with all of the hydraulic jacks used to lift the manufactured house, are further extended the same distance and at the same rate to raise the manufactured house, allowing for the removal of the skate beams, and thereafter allowing for the lowering of the manufactured house onto the foundation by retracting all of the hydraulic jacks, together and in unison, the same distance and at the same rate until the manufactured house rests on the foundation.
Description
MANUFACTURED HOUSE LIFTING AND LOWERING DEVICE
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for raising and lowering a structure, and particularly, a device for raising and lowering a building or manufactured house, and a process for raising and lowering a building or manufactured house.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the manufacturing of buildings, and particularly houses, it is well-known to manufacture a partially completed building or house within a factory ("manufactured house"), for subsequent relocation of the manufactured house by means of a truck trailer or transporter, to a subdivision or other location in which the manufactured house will be positioned and installed on top of a foundation.
United States Patent Number 5,402,618 (Biffis et al.) discloses one such manufacturing process, and the use of a mobile crane at the foundation site to remove the house from the truck trailer or transporter onto the foundation. The use of a mobile crane in the manner described in Biffis et al.
requires the mobile crane to be available for each move, and requires an elaborate lifting frame, cables, straps and attachment elements to secure the house during the lifting, placement and lowering processes. Furthermore, the process described in Biffis et al.
requires the use of a steel base member upon which the house is assembled to support the house so that the house will not flex or bend during movement.
United States Patent Number 4,187,659 (Blachura) also discloses the use of a mobile crane at the foundation site to remove a house from the truck trailer or transporter onto the foundation and the use of lifting rods which extend through the walls of the house to engage beams located beneath the house. The rods extend through the roof of the house, being attached to a rigid rectangular frame harness located above the house, from which cables or chains extend for lifting by the mobile crane.
These processes require the use of a variety of elaborate apparatuses for slinging and supporting the manufactured house during the move, and the use of a mobile crane on site during the move.
The use of a mobile crane has several disadvantages, namely, the expense of acquiring, operating and maintaining such equipment in the field, the need for expansive areas in which to place and operate such equipment during the installation process, and the requirement that the equipment be situated on stable ground sufficient to support the crane and its related equipment and outriggers, and the manufactured house.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a device for raising and lowering a manufactured house or other building in a precise manner, so that it can be precisely and easily positioned, without damage.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a device for lifting and lowering a building, including, at least three hydraulic jacks, means for releasably engaging each of the at least three hydraulic jacks to the building, at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps, each of which at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps being individually hydraulically linked to only one of the at least three hydraulic jacks, a means for actuating each of the at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps so that each of the at least three hydraulic jacks, and the building, may be raised or lowered at the same rate, by the same amount.
The advantage of the present invention is that it provides a means for lowering a manufactured house or other building onto a foundation without requiring a mobile crane or similar device.
Additionally it is compact, and permits in appropriate circumstances, the use of the basement floor of the manufactured house or building as the support for the manufactured house or building while it is being lowered onto the foundation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a view of eight positive displacement pumps, a positive displacement pump actuator, and eight hydraulic jacks in one embodiment of the device when in the unloaded position;
Figure 2 illustrates eight hydraulic jacks positioned on the basement floor within the house foundation for a manufactured house;
Figure 3 is a manufactured house positioned upon earner beams, and supported by skate beams, positioned above a house foundation;
Figure 4 is a view of three skate beams straddling the foundation which together with the eight hydraulic jacks of one embodiment of the present invention being in engagement with four carrier beams supporting the manufactured house;
Figure 5 is a view of the eight hydraulic jacks of one embodiment of the present invention in a fully raised position supporting the four carrier beams and the manufactured house;
Figure 6 is a view of the manufactured house positioned upon the foundation;
Figure 7 is a schematic diagram which depicts in schematic form one embodiment of the device of the present invention;
Figure 8 is an alternative embodiment of eight positive displacement pumps and a positive displacement pump actuator.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numerals, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 illustrates eight positive displacement pumps generally shown as 10 in Figure 1, a positive displacement pump actuator generally shown as 20 in Figure 1, and eight hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48, all in the lower unloaded position.
Referring to Figure 2, the eight hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 are shown positioned on the basement floor 60 of a foundation 100 for the manufactured house prior to the installation of the manufactured house 50 on the foundation 100. Each pair of hydraulic jacks is positioned to support a carrier beam, it being understood that these hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 may be pre-positioned prior to the arrival of the manufactured house 50, or may be positioned once the manufactured house 50 is positioned above the foundation 100, as described more fully herein. The base of each of the eight hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 is positioned stably and securely on the basement floor 60. The base of each of the hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 may rest directly upon the ground or basement floor 60, or if necessary, upon hydraulic jack load bearing plates (not shown) to distribute the weight to be loaded thereon.
Skate beam supports 70 are positioned on the basement floor 60, and on the ground outside of the foundation 100, to receive the load of the skates beams 72, 73 and 74, carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 and the manufactured house 50 as described more fully herein. Skates or rollers (not shown) may be used between the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 and skate beams 72, 73 and 74 to permit the movement of the manufactured house 50 relative to the foundation 100 prior to lowering the manufactured house onto the foundation 100.
Referring to Figure 3, in the preferred embodiment, two or three more generally horizontally oriented skate beams 72, 73 and 74 are positioned parallel to one another across the foundation 100, the skate beams 72, 73 and 74 being supported by skate beam supports 70 suitably positioned on the basement floor and under both ends of the skate beams 72, 73 and 74 which extend beyond and outside of the foundation 100 for additional support.
As illustrated in Figure 3, in the preferred embodiment, carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are located beneath the manufactured house 50, to support and carry the load of the manufactured house S0. In the preferred embodiment, the four carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are oriented generally parallel to one another, and in the preferred embodiment, the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are oriented generally perpendicular to the orientation of the joists of the manufactured house 50. In one embodiment, the foundation 100 is notched 105 to receive the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 when the manufactured house 50 is lowered onto the foundation 100 as more fully described herein.
In the preferred embodiment two hydraulic jacks are used for each earner beam, it being understood that more than two hydraulic jacks may be used if necessary to support the weight of the carrier beam and the weight of the manufactured house 50 supported thereby.
In the preferred embodiment, four carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 and eight hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 are used, it being understood that in some circumstances, as few as three hydraulic jacks may be used (ie. the hydraulic jacks being arranged in a triangular pattern, two hydraulic jacks supporting one carrier beam and one hydraulic jacks supporting a second carrier beam), or a large number of hydraulic jacks and carrier beams may be utilized, depending, amongst other things, on the total weight of the manufactured house 50, the weight distribution and center of gravity of the manufactured house 50, the loading capacity of the hydraulic jacks, the loading capacity of the earner beams, and the loading capacity of the basement floor 60.
In the preferred embodiment, the base of each of the hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 is securely positioned on the basement floor 60, (with or without hydraulic jack load bearing plates as necessary). In one embodiment, for added structural integrity, two or more of the hydraulic jacks may be connected together by structural links to minimize or eliminate any unstable horizontal or pivoting movement of the hydraulic jacks when loaded with a manufactured house S0.
Figure 3 illustrates the manufactured house S0, being supported by earner beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 and skate beams 72, 73 and 74 and positioned immediately above and in alignment with the top of the foundation 100, ready to be lowered onto the top of the foundation 100. At this time, the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are positioned, directly beneath the manufactured house 50, and are resting on and supported by generally horizontally oriented skate beams 72, 73 and 74.
The carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are in alignment with the notches 105 in the foundation 100, and spanning the joists of the manufactured house 50, receive the weight of and provide support to the manufactured house 50.
Presetting the Actuator to the Top Position for Lifting Refernng to Figure 7, in the preferred embodiment, prior to lifting the manufactured house 50 and carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 off of the skate beams 72, 73 and 74, the actuator piston 23 is set to an upper position generally shown as 22 in Figure 7 by filling each of the positive displacement pumps 10 with hydraulic fluid pumped by the main hydraulic pump 80 from the hydraulic fluid reservoir 90, the hydraulic fluid being pressurized sufficiently to fill each of the positive displacement pumps 10 and to move actuator piston 23 to an upper position 22. More specifically, with each of the valves in manifold 110, manifold 120, manifold 130, and the valve 140 closed, valve 140 is opened and valve I 11 is opened. Each of the valves of manifold 120 are then opened briefly to initially fill each of the positive displacement pumps 10 at a minimum of pressure, setting the actuator piston 23 to the upper position 22, the hydraulic fluid in the actuator returning to the reservoir 90 through the opened valve 140. Valve 140 and the valves of manifold 120 are then closed, maintaining the actuator in the upper position 22.
Loading the Carrier Beams With the actuator piston in the upper position 22, in the preferred embodiment, the first hydraulic jack piston 41 (positioned under the first carrier beam 32) is thereafter partially extended, independently of each of the other hydraulic jacks, receiving pressurized hydraulic fluid from the main hydraulic pump 80 (as described in more detail herein) until contact is made between the top of the first hydraulic jack 41 and the underside of the first carrier beam 32. In the preferred embodiment, the first hydraulic jack 41 is thereafter extended incrementally, and independently of the other hydraulic jacks until the first hydraulic jack 41 takes a portion of the load of the manufactured house 50 supported by that carrier beam 32 at that loading point.
The portion of the load taken by the first hydraulic jack 41 is within a specified range, the lower end of the range being the negligible load of mere contact between the hydraulic jack 41 and carrier beam 32, and the upper range being determined, on a building by building basis, by the structural and loading limits of the manufactured house 50 and carrier beam, and the amount of flex or distortion permissible without resulting in structural or other damage to the manufactured house 50, it being understood that the flexing and distortion must not extend beyond the structural limits of the manufactured house 50 or be such that it would result in any structural or other damage to the manufactured house 50.
Thereafter, the second hydraulic jack 42, independently of the other hydraulic jacks, is similarly brought into contact with, and in the case of the preferred embodiment, also loaded with a predetermined portion of the load at that loading point in the same manner as the first hydraulic jack 41. This process continues until each of the hydraulic jacks are individually either brought into contact with their respective carrier beams, or in the case of the preferred embodiment, also loaded to carry a predetermined load of the manufactured house at that loading point, in the same manner as the first hydraulic jack 41.
It is understood that throughout this initial phase, the raising of each of the hydraulic jacks occurs independently of one another, by way of, in one embodiment, a positive displacement pump hydraulically linked independently to each hydraulic jack, or in another embodiment the hydraulic jacks being hydraulically isolated from one another such that a single positive displacement pump raises or lowers any individual hydraulic jack without at the same time raising or lowering any of the other hydraulic jacks. When the initial phase is complete, each of the hydraulic jacks is in contact with, and in the preferred embodiment, carrying a pre-determined load of the manufactured house, as illustrated in Figure 4.
More specifically, in the preferred embodiment, referring to Figure 7, with the actuator piston 23 in the upper position 22, the pressurized hydraulic fluid from the main hydraulic pump 80 reaches a first manifold 110, having valves 111 and 112 therein. When valve 111 is opened, pressurized hydraulic fluid flows from the hydraulic pump 80 to reach a second manifold 120 containing valve 121, valve 122 and valve 123 which latter valve represents in the preferred embodiment both the third and also the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth valves in manifold 120, each of these valves being of like nature and function as valves 121 and 122.
When valve 111 of manifold 110 is opened and valve 121 of the second manifold 120 is also opened, this permits pressurized hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 80 to flow to valve 131 of the third manifold 130 and positive displacement pump 11. By controlling valve 121 or 131, the hydraulic jack 41 may be raised to come into contact with carrier beam 32, and in the preferred embodiment, extended incrementally until it takes up a predetermined load of the manufactured house 50 supported by that carrier beam at that loading point.
Valves 121 and 131 are then closed.
Similarly, when valve 111 of manifold 110 is opened and valve 122 of the second manifold 120 is also opened, this permits pressurized hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 80 to flow to valve 132 of the third manifold 130 and positive displacement pump 12. By controlling valve 122 or 132, the hydraulic jack 42 may be raised to come into contact with carrier beam 32, and in the preferred embodiment, extended incrementally until it takes up a predetermined load of the manufactured house 50 supported by that carrier beam at that loading point.
Valves 122 and 132 are then closed Similarly when valve 111 of manifold 110 is opened and valve 123 of the second manifold 120 is also opened, this permits pressurized hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 80 to flow to valve 133 of the third manifold 130 and positive displacement pump 13. By controlling valve 123 or 133, the hydraulic jack 43 may be raised to come into contact with carrier beam 34 (illustrated in Figure 4), and in the preferred embodiment, extended incrementally until it takes up a predetermined load of the manufactured house 50 supported by that carrier beam at that loading point. Valves 123 and 133 are then closed.
It is understood that valve 133 represents both the third, and the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth valves in manifold 130, each of the additional valves being of like nature and function as valves 131 and 132. Likewise it is understood that positive displacement pump 13 represents both the third, and the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth positive displacement pumps, each of the additional positive displacement pumps being of like nature and function as positive displacement pumps 11 and 12. It is also understood that hydraulic jack 43 represents both the third, and the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth hydraulic jacks, each of the additional hydraulic jacks being of like nature and function as hydraulic jacks 41 and 42, hydraulic jacks 43 and 44 supporting carrier beam 34, hydraulic jacks 45 and 46 supporting earner beam 36 and hydraulic jacks 47 and 48 supporting carrier beam 38.
S In the manner described above, the hydraulic line between each of the hydraulic jacks and its corresponding positive displacement pump has been filled with pressurized hydraulic fluid (each of corresponding the positive displacement pump chambers also being filled with pressurized hydraulic fluid), which pressure, in the case of the preferred embodiment, may be unique to each of these connecting hydraulic lines and positive displacement pumps, the pressure in each line (and its corresponding positive displacement pump) being determined in part by the hydraulic pressure required to raise the corresponding hydraulic jack to the point where it supports the predetermined load of the manufactured house 50 at its loading point.
Lifting the House Once each of the hydraulic jacks has been placed in contact with the earner beams, or in the case of the preferred embodiment, taken a predetermined portion of the load of the manufactured house at the loading point for that hydraulic jack, control over the raising and lowering of all of the hydraulic jacks, and the manufactured house, passes to the set of positive displacement pumps 10 linked by a master link 27 to a positive displacement pump actuator 20. In the preferred embodiment, all of the positive displacement pumps 10 are identical to one another in output volume, controls, and method of operation, each of the hydraulic jacks being individually hydraulically connected to its own positive displacement pump so that each of the hydraulic jacks extends or retracts at the same rate as the others.
It is understood that if each of the hydraulic jacks used to lift the manufactured house have identical piston diameters to one another, then if piston type positive displacement pumps are used, the piston diameters of each of the positive displacement pumps are also identical.
Similarly, if one or more of the hydraulic jacks used to lift the manufactured house has a relatively larger or smaller piston diameter than the others, then a correspondingly larger or smaller piston diameter is to be utilized in the corresponding positive displacement pump so that each of the pistons of the positive displacement pumps transfers that amount of hydraulic fluid to each of the hydraulic jacks as is required to precisely raise or lower all of the hydraulic jacks by an identical amount, and at an identical rate.
The positive displacement pump actuator controls 20 the output of all of the positive displacement pumps 10 in the set of positive displacement pumps so that when actuating the positive displacement pumps, each of the positive displacement pumps pumps precisely that quantity of hydraulic fluid to its corresponding hydraulic jack as is required to precisely extend or retract that hydraulic jack the same distance and at the same rate as each of the other hydraulic j acks.
To raise the manufactured house 50, the actuator 20 drives each of the positive displacement pumps 10 at the same rate forcing that volume of hydraulic fluid from each positive displacement pump into its corresponding hydraulic jack to raise each of the hydraulic jacks the same distance and at the same rate, it being understood that in doing so, the pressures in each of the hydraulic jacks, and their corresponding connecting hydraulic lines may be unique as described above.
When the manufactured house 50 has been raised the desired amount, the actuator 20 is maintained in a stationary position until such time as further vertical movement of the manufactured house 50 is required. Figure 5 illustrates the manufactured house in a raised position, the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are raised above the skate beams 72, 73 and 74, allowing for the removal of~the skate beams 72, 73 and 74 prior to the lowering of the manufactured house 50 onto the foundation 100.
These steps are achieved in the preferred embodiment through the following series of steps, having reference to Figure 7. With each of the valves in manifolds I 10, 120 and 130 and the valve 140 closed, the valves in manifold 130 are fully opened. Thereafter, in a controlled manner, valve 112 is opened which begins to fill the actuator cylinder 24 with pressurized hydraulic fluid from the reservoir 90 by way of the main hydraulic pump 80, driving the actuator piston 23 towards the lower position, generally shown as 25 in Figure 7, extending the actuator rod 26 and by means of the actuator cross-member 27, driving hydraulic fluid from each of the positive displacement pumps 10 into their corresponding hydraulic jacks to lift the manufactured house.
When the manufactured house 50 has been raised the desired amount, valve 112 is closed, maintaining the actuator 20, each of the positive displacement pumps 10, and each of the hydraulic jacks, in a fixed position.
With the manufactured house 50 raised, the skate beams 72, 73 and 74 are then removed, permitting the manufactured house 50 to be lowered directly onto the foundation 100.
Lowering the House To lower the manufactured house 50 onto the foundation 100, with the valves in manifold 130 opened and the valves in manifold 120 closed, the actuator piston 23 is permitted to return toward the upper position 22 by opening valve 140 in a controlled manner, thereby permitting the pressurized hydraulic fluid in the actuator cylinder 24 to be expelled from the actuator cylinder 24 into the reservoir 90 in a controlled manner, thereby allowing each of the positive displacement pumps 10 to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 4G, 47, and 48 as the actuator piston 23 is moved toward the upper position 22 of the actuator 20. The controlled movement of the pressurized hydraulic liquid from each of the hydraulic jacks allows for the controlled and simultaneous lowering of each of the hydraulic jacks at the same rate, permitting the manufactured house 50 to be lowered onto the foundation 100 in a controlled manner. In one embodiment, the carrier beams are lowered into the corresponding notches 105 in the foundation 100, and when the weight of the manufactured house has fully transferred to the foundation 100 and off of the carrier beams, the carrier beams are removed and the notches filled in a suitable manner.
It is to be noted that positive displacement pumps could take many forms including piston pumps, vane pumps, gear pumps, progressive cavity pumps, and any other pump which produces a precisely controllable output and input volume of hydraulic fluid. In the preferred embodiment, all of the positive displacement pumps are identical to one another in both output and input volume, controls, and method of operation.
It is also to be noted that the actuator 20 could take many different forms.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the actuator 20 includes an actuator hydraulic cylinder 24, an actuator piston 23 connected to an actuator rod 26 and an actuator cross-member 27 to form an inverted "T", the actuator cross-member 27 being securely attached to the actuator rod 26 in such a manner as to actuate each of the positive displacement pumps 10 at the same rate, by maintaining a constant angle between the actuator rod 26 and the actuator cross-member 27. It is to be understood that many forms of actuators are capable of performing these functions, including motors, screw jacks, chains, or rack and pinions, coupled to other linkages which could readily be provided, to actuate the positive displacement pumps in the manner described herein. In one embodiment shown in Figure 8, the positive displacement pumps 10 are arranged in a generally circular arrangement, centered around the axis of the actuator cylinder 24 and actuator rod 26, to reduce the tendency to twist or bend the actuator cross-member 27, actuator rod 26, and/or actuator piston 23.
It is also to be understood that this invention may be used to lift and lower buildings and houses onto other surfaces, such as, for example, a trailer or transporter, or factory floor with appropriate modifications to the process to accommodate those circumstances.
Numerous modifications, variations and adaptations may be made to the particular embodiments of the invention described herein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the claims.
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to a device for raising and lowering a structure, and particularly, a device for raising and lowering a building or manufactured house, and a process for raising and lowering a building or manufactured house.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the manufacturing of buildings, and particularly houses, it is well-known to manufacture a partially completed building or house within a factory ("manufactured house"), for subsequent relocation of the manufactured house by means of a truck trailer or transporter, to a subdivision or other location in which the manufactured house will be positioned and installed on top of a foundation.
United States Patent Number 5,402,618 (Biffis et al.) discloses one such manufacturing process, and the use of a mobile crane at the foundation site to remove the house from the truck trailer or transporter onto the foundation. The use of a mobile crane in the manner described in Biffis et al.
requires the mobile crane to be available for each move, and requires an elaborate lifting frame, cables, straps and attachment elements to secure the house during the lifting, placement and lowering processes. Furthermore, the process described in Biffis et al.
requires the use of a steel base member upon which the house is assembled to support the house so that the house will not flex or bend during movement.
United States Patent Number 4,187,659 (Blachura) also discloses the use of a mobile crane at the foundation site to remove a house from the truck trailer or transporter onto the foundation and the use of lifting rods which extend through the walls of the house to engage beams located beneath the house. The rods extend through the roof of the house, being attached to a rigid rectangular frame harness located above the house, from which cables or chains extend for lifting by the mobile crane.
These processes require the use of a variety of elaborate apparatuses for slinging and supporting the manufactured house during the move, and the use of a mobile crane on site during the move.
The use of a mobile crane has several disadvantages, namely, the expense of acquiring, operating and maintaining such equipment in the field, the need for expansive areas in which to place and operate such equipment during the installation process, and the requirement that the equipment be situated on stable ground sufficient to support the crane and its related equipment and outriggers, and the manufactured house.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a device for raising and lowering a manufactured house or other building in a precise manner, so that it can be precisely and easily positioned, without damage.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a device for lifting and lowering a building, including, at least three hydraulic jacks, means for releasably engaging each of the at least three hydraulic jacks to the building, at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps, each of which at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps being individually hydraulically linked to only one of the at least three hydraulic jacks, a means for actuating each of the at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps so that each of the at least three hydraulic jacks, and the building, may be raised or lowered at the same rate, by the same amount.
The advantage of the present invention is that it provides a means for lowering a manufactured house or other building onto a foundation without requiring a mobile crane or similar device.
Additionally it is compact, and permits in appropriate circumstances, the use of the basement floor of the manufactured house or building as the support for the manufactured house or building while it is being lowered onto the foundation.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a view of eight positive displacement pumps, a positive displacement pump actuator, and eight hydraulic jacks in one embodiment of the device when in the unloaded position;
Figure 2 illustrates eight hydraulic jacks positioned on the basement floor within the house foundation for a manufactured house;
Figure 3 is a manufactured house positioned upon earner beams, and supported by skate beams, positioned above a house foundation;
Figure 4 is a view of three skate beams straddling the foundation which together with the eight hydraulic jacks of one embodiment of the present invention being in engagement with four carrier beams supporting the manufactured house;
Figure 5 is a view of the eight hydraulic jacks of one embodiment of the present invention in a fully raised position supporting the four carrier beams and the manufactured house;
Figure 6 is a view of the manufactured house positioned upon the foundation;
Figure 7 is a schematic diagram which depicts in schematic form one embodiment of the device of the present invention;
Figure 8 is an alternative embodiment of eight positive displacement pumps and a positive displacement pump actuator.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numerals, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 illustrates eight positive displacement pumps generally shown as 10 in Figure 1, a positive displacement pump actuator generally shown as 20 in Figure 1, and eight hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48, all in the lower unloaded position.
Referring to Figure 2, the eight hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 are shown positioned on the basement floor 60 of a foundation 100 for the manufactured house prior to the installation of the manufactured house 50 on the foundation 100. Each pair of hydraulic jacks is positioned to support a carrier beam, it being understood that these hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 may be pre-positioned prior to the arrival of the manufactured house 50, or may be positioned once the manufactured house 50 is positioned above the foundation 100, as described more fully herein. The base of each of the eight hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 is positioned stably and securely on the basement floor 60. The base of each of the hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 may rest directly upon the ground or basement floor 60, or if necessary, upon hydraulic jack load bearing plates (not shown) to distribute the weight to be loaded thereon.
Skate beam supports 70 are positioned on the basement floor 60, and on the ground outside of the foundation 100, to receive the load of the skates beams 72, 73 and 74, carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 and the manufactured house 50 as described more fully herein. Skates or rollers (not shown) may be used between the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 and skate beams 72, 73 and 74 to permit the movement of the manufactured house 50 relative to the foundation 100 prior to lowering the manufactured house onto the foundation 100.
Referring to Figure 3, in the preferred embodiment, two or three more generally horizontally oriented skate beams 72, 73 and 74 are positioned parallel to one another across the foundation 100, the skate beams 72, 73 and 74 being supported by skate beam supports 70 suitably positioned on the basement floor and under both ends of the skate beams 72, 73 and 74 which extend beyond and outside of the foundation 100 for additional support.
As illustrated in Figure 3, in the preferred embodiment, carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are located beneath the manufactured house 50, to support and carry the load of the manufactured house S0. In the preferred embodiment, the four carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are oriented generally parallel to one another, and in the preferred embodiment, the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are oriented generally perpendicular to the orientation of the joists of the manufactured house 50. In one embodiment, the foundation 100 is notched 105 to receive the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 when the manufactured house 50 is lowered onto the foundation 100 as more fully described herein.
In the preferred embodiment two hydraulic jacks are used for each earner beam, it being understood that more than two hydraulic jacks may be used if necessary to support the weight of the carrier beam and the weight of the manufactured house 50 supported thereby.
In the preferred embodiment, four carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 and eight hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 are used, it being understood that in some circumstances, as few as three hydraulic jacks may be used (ie. the hydraulic jacks being arranged in a triangular pattern, two hydraulic jacks supporting one carrier beam and one hydraulic jacks supporting a second carrier beam), or a large number of hydraulic jacks and carrier beams may be utilized, depending, amongst other things, on the total weight of the manufactured house 50, the weight distribution and center of gravity of the manufactured house 50, the loading capacity of the hydraulic jacks, the loading capacity of the earner beams, and the loading capacity of the basement floor 60.
In the preferred embodiment, the base of each of the hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 is securely positioned on the basement floor 60, (with or without hydraulic jack load bearing plates as necessary). In one embodiment, for added structural integrity, two or more of the hydraulic jacks may be connected together by structural links to minimize or eliminate any unstable horizontal or pivoting movement of the hydraulic jacks when loaded with a manufactured house S0.
Figure 3 illustrates the manufactured house S0, being supported by earner beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 and skate beams 72, 73 and 74 and positioned immediately above and in alignment with the top of the foundation 100, ready to be lowered onto the top of the foundation 100. At this time, the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are positioned, directly beneath the manufactured house 50, and are resting on and supported by generally horizontally oriented skate beams 72, 73 and 74.
The carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are in alignment with the notches 105 in the foundation 100, and spanning the joists of the manufactured house 50, receive the weight of and provide support to the manufactured house 50.
Presetting the Actuator to the Top Position for Lifting Refernng to Figure 7, in the preferred embodiment, prior to lifting the manufactured house 50 and carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 off of the skate beams 72, 73 and 74, the actuator piston 23 is set to an upper position generally shown as 22 in Figure 7 by filling each of the positive displacement pumps 10 with hydraulic fluid pumped by the main hydraulic pump 80 from the hydraulic fluid reservoir 90, the hydraulic fluid being pressurized sufficiently to fill each of the positive displacement pumps 10 and to move actuator piston 23 to an upper position 22. More specifically, with each of the valves in manifold 110, manifold 120, manifold 130, and the valve 140 closed, valve 140 is opened and valve I 11 is opened. Each of the valves of manifold 120 are then opened briefly to initially fill each of the positive displacement pumps 10 at a minimum of pressure, setting the actuator piston 23 to the upper position 22, the hydraulic fluid in the actuator returning to the reservoir 90 through the opened valve 140. Valve 140 and the valves of manifold 120 are then closed, maintaining the actuator in the upper position 22.
Loading the Carrier Beams With the actuator piston in the upper position 22, in the preferred embodiment, the first hydraulic jack piston 41 (positioned under the first carrier beam 32) is thereafter partially extended, independently of each of the other hydraulic jacks, receiving pressurized hydraulic fluid from the main hydraulic pump 80 (as described in more detail herein) until contact is made between the top of the first hydraulic jack 41 and the underside of the first carrier beam 32. In the preferred embodiment, the first hydraulic jack 41 is thereafter extended incrementally, and independently of the other hydraulic jacks until the first hydraulic jack 41 takes a portion of the load of the manufactured house 50 supported by that carrier beam 32 at that loading point.
The portion of the load taken by the first hydraulic jack 41 is within a specified range, the lower end of the range being the negligible load of mere contact between the hydraulic jack 41 and carrier beam 32, and the upper range being determined, on a building by building basis, by the structural and loading limits of the manufactured house 50 and carrier beam, and the amount of flex or distortion permissible without resulting in structural or other damage to the manufactured house 50, it being understood that the flexing and distortion must not extend beyond the structural limits of the manufactured house 50 or be such that it would result in any structural or other damage to the manufactured house 50.
Thereafter, the second hydraulic jack 42, independently of the other hydraulic jacks, is similarly brought into contact with, and in the case of the preferred embodiment, also loaded with a predetermined portion of the load at that loading point in the same manner as the first hydraulic jack 41. This process continues until each of the hydraulic jacks are individually either brought into contact with their respective carrier beams, or in the case of the preferred embodiment, also loaded to carry a predetermined load of the manufactured house at that loading point, in the same manner as the first hydraulic jack 41.
It is understood that throughout this initial phase, the raising of each of the hydraulic jacks occurs independently of one another, by way of, in one embodiment, a positive displacement pump hydraulically linked independently to each hydraulic jack, or in another embodiment the hydraulic jacks being hydraulically isolated from one another such that a single positive displacement pump raises or lowers any individual hydraulic jack without at the same time raising or lowering any of the other hydraulic jacks. When the initial phase is complete, each of the hydraulic jacks is in contact with, and in the preferred embodiment, carrying a pre-determined load of the manufactured house, as illustrated in Figure 4.
More specifically, in the preferred embodiment, referring to Figure 7, with the actuator piston 23 in the upper position 22, the pressurized hydraulic fluid from the main hydraulic pump 80 reaches a first manifold 110, having valves 111 and 112 therein. When valve 111 is opened, pressurized hydraulic fluid flows from the hydraulic pump 80 to reach a second manifold 120 containing valve 121, valve 122 and valve 123 which latter valve represents in the preferred embodiment both the third and also the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth valves in manifold 120, each of these valves being of like nature and function as valves 121 and 122.
When valve 111 of manifold 110 is opened and valve 121 of the second manifold 120 is also opened, this permits pressurized hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 80 to flow to valve 131 of the third manifold 130 and positive displacement pump 11. By controlling valve 121 or 131, the hydraulic jack 41 may be raised to come into contact with carrier beam 32, and in the preferred embodiment, extended incrementally until it takes up a predetermined load of the manufactured house 50 supported by that carrier beam at that loading point.
Valves 121 and 131 are then closed.
Similarly, when valve 111 of manifold 110 is opened and valve 122 of the second manifold 120 is also opened, this permits pressurized hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 80 to flow to valve 132 of the third manifold 130 and positive displacement pump 12. By controlling valve 122 or 132, the hydraulic jack 42 may be raised to come into contact with carrier beam 32, and in the preferred embodiment, extended incrementally until it takes up a predetermined load of the manufactured house 50 supported by that carrier beam at that loading point.
Valves 122 and 132 are then closed Similarly when valve 111 of manifold 110 is opened and valve 123 of the second manifold 120 is also opened, this permits pressurized hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic pump 80 to flow to valve 133 of the third manifold 130 and positive displacement pump 13. By controlling valve 123 or 133, the hydraulic jack 43 may be raised to come into contact with carrier beam 34 (illustrated in Figure 4), and in the preferred embodiment, extended incrementally until it takes up a predetermined load of the manufactured house 50 supported by that carrier beam at that loading point. Valves 123 and 133 are then closed.
It is understood that valve 133 represents both the third, and the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth valves in manifold 130, each of the additional valves being of like nature and function as valves 131 and 132. Likewise it is understood that positive displacement pump 13 represents both the third, and the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth positive displacement pumps, each of the additional positive displacement pumps being of like nature and function as positive displacement pumps 11 and 12. It is also understood that hydraulic jack 43 represents both the third, and the fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth hydraulic jacks, each of the additional hydraulic jacks being of like nature and function as hydraulic jacks 41 and 42, hydraulic jacks 43 and 44 supporting carrier beam 34, hydraulic jacks 45 and 46 supporting earner beam 36 and hydraulic jacks 47 and 48 supporting carrier beam 38.
S In the manner described above, the hydraulic line between each of the hydraulic jacks and its corresponding positive displacement pump has been filled with pressurized hydraulic fluid (each of corresponding the positive displacement pump chambers also being filled with pressurized hydraulic fluid), which pressure, in the case of the preferred embodiment, may be unique to each of these connecting hydraulic lines and positive displacement pumps, the pressure in each line (and its corresponding positive displacement pump) being determined in part by the hydraulic pressure required to raise the corresponding hydraulic jack to the point where it supports the predetermined load of the manufactured house 50 at its loading point.
Lifting the House Once each of the hydraulic jacks has been placed in contact with the earner beams, or in the case of the preferred embodiment, taken a predetermined portion of the load of the manufactured house at the loading point for that hydraulic jack, control over the raising and lowering of all of the hydraulic jacks, and the manufactured house, passes to the set of positive displacement pumps 10 linked by a master link 27 to a positive displacement pump actuator 20. In the preferred embodiment, all of the positive displacement pumps 10 are identical to one another in output volume, controls, and method of operation, each of the hydraulic jacks being individually hydraulically connected to its own positive displacement pump so that each of the hydraulic jacks extends or retracts at the same rate as the others.
It is understood that if each of the hydraulic jacks used to lift the manufactured house have identical piston diameters to one another, then if piston type positive displacement pumps are used, the piston diameters of each of the positive displacement pumps are also identical.
Similarly, if one or more of the hydraulic jacks used to lift the manufactured house has a relatively larger or smaller piston diameter than the others, then a correspondingly larger or smaller piston diameter is to be utilized in the corresponding positive displacement pump so that each of the pistons of the positive displacement pumps transfers that amount of hydraulic fluid to each of the hydraulic jacks as is required to precisely raise or lower all of the hydraulic jacks by an identical amount, and at an identical rate.
The positive displacement pump actuator controls 20 the output of all of the positive displacement pumps 10 in the set of positive displacement pumps so that when actuating the positive displacement pumps, each of the positive displacement pumps pumps precisely that quantity of hydraulic fluid to its corresponding hydraulic jack as is required to precisely extend or retract that hydraulic jack the same distance and at the same rate as each of the other hydraulic j acks.
To raise the manufactured house 50, the actuator 20 drives each of the positive displacement pumps 10 at the same rate forcing that volume of hydraulic fluid from each positive displacement pump into its corresponding hydraulic jack to raise each of the hydraulic jacks the same distance and at the same rate, it being understood that in doing so, the pressures in each of the hydraulic jacks, and their corresponding connecting hydraulic lines may be unique as described above.
When the manufactured house 50 has been raised the desired amount, the actuator 20 is maintained in a stationary position until such time as further vertical movement of the manufactured house 50 is required. Figure 5 illustrates the manufactured house in a raised position, the carrier beams 32, 34, 36 and 38 are raised above the skate beams 72, 73 and 74, allowing for the removal of~the skate beams 72, 73 and 74 prior to the lowering of the manufactured house 50 onto the foundation 100.
These steps are achieved in the preferred embodiment through the following series of steps, having reference to Figure 7. With each of the valves in manifolds I 10, 120 and 130 and the valve 140 closed, the valves in manifold 130 are fully opened. Thereafter, in a controlled manner, valve 112 is opened which begins to fill the actuator cylinder 24 with pressurized hydraulic fluid from the reservoir 90 by way of the main hydraulic pump 80, driving the actuator piston 23 towards the lower position, generally shown as 25 in Figure 7, extending the actuator rod 26 and by means of the actuator cross-member 27, driving hydraulic fluid from each of the positive displacement pumps 10 into their corresponding hydraulic jacks to lift the manufactured house.
When the manufactured house 50 has been raised the desired amount, valve 112 is closed, maintaining the actuator 20, each of the positive displacement pumps 10, and each of the hydraulic jacks, in a fixed position.
With the manufactured house 50 raised, the skate beams 72, 73 and 74 are then removed, permitting the manufactured house 50 to be lowered directly onto the foundation 100.
Lowering the House To lower the manufactured house 50 onto the foundation 100, with the valves in manifold 130 opened and the valves in manifold 120 closed, the actuator piston 23 is permitted to return toward the upper position 22 by opening valve 140 in a controlled manner, thereby permitting the pressurized hydraulic fluid in the actuator cylinder 24 to be expelled from the actuator cylinder 24 into the reservoir 90 in a controlled manner, thereby allowing each of the positive displacement pumps 10 to receive pressurized hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic jacks 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 4G, 47, and 48 as the actuator piston 23 is moved toward the upper position 22 of the actuator 20. The controlled movement of the pressurized hydraulic liquid from each of the hydraulic jacks allows for the controlled and simultaneous lowering of each of the hydraulic jacks at the same rate, permitting the manufactured house 50 to be lowered onto the foundation 100 in a controlled manner. In one embodiment, the carrier beams are lowered into the corresponding notches 105 in the foundation 100, and when the weight of the manufactured house has fully transferred to the foundation 100 and off of the carrier beams, the carrier beams are removed and the notches filled in a suitable manner.
It is to be noted that positive displacement pumps could take many forms including piston pumps, vane pumps, gear pumps, progressive cavity pumps, and any other pump which produces a precisely controllable output and input volume of hydraulic fluid. In the preferred embodiment, all of the positive displacement pumps are identical to one another in both output and input volume, controls, and method of operation.
It is also to be noted that the actuator 20 could take many different forms.
In the embodiment shown in Figure 7, the actuator 20 includes an actuator hydraulic cylinder 24, an actuator piston 23 connected to an actuator rod 26 and an actuator cross-member 27 to form an inverted "T", the actuator cross-member 27 being securely attached to the actuator rod 26 in such a manner as to actuate each of the positive displacement pumps 10 at the same rate, by maintaining a constant angle between the actuator rod 26 and the actuator cross-member 27. It is to be understood that many forms of actuators are capable of performing these functions, including motors, screw jacks, chains, or rack and pinions, coupled to other linkages which could readily be provided, to actuate the positive displacement pumps in the manner described herein. In one embodiment shown in Figure 8, the positive displacement pumps 10 are arranged in a generally circular arrangement, centered around the axis of the actuator cylinder 24 and actuator rod 26, to reduce the tendency to twist or bend the actuator cross-member 27, actuator rod 26, and/or actuator piston 23.
It is also to be understood that this invention may be used to lift and lower buildings and houses onto other surfaces, such as, for example, a trailer or transporter, or factory floor with appropriate modifications to the process to accommodate those circumstances.
Numerous modifications, variations and adaptations may be made to the particular embodiments of the invention described herein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the claims.
Claims
THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
A device for lifting and lowering a building, comprising:
at least three hydraulic jacks;, b. means for releasably engaging each of the at least three hydraulic jacks to the building;
at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps, each of which at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps being individually hydraulically linked to only one of the at least three hydraulic jacks;
d. a means for actuating each of the at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps so that each of the at least three hydraulic jacks, and the building, may be raised or lowered at the same rate, by the same amount.
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
A device for lifting and lowering a building, comprising:
at least three hydraulic jacks;, b. means for releasably engaging each of the at least three hydraulic jacks to the building;
at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps, each of which at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps being individually hydraulically linked to only one of the at least three hydraulic jacks;
d. a means for actuating each of the at least three positive displacement hydraulic pumps so that each of the at least three hydraulic jacks, and the building, may be raised or lowered at the same rate, by the same amount.
Priority Applications (6)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002421475A CA2421475A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2003-03-11 | Manufactured house lifting and lowering device |
| CA002436767A CA2436767A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2003-08-08 | Carrier beam system for manufactured houses |
| CA002449159A CA2449159A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2003-11-12 | Skate, beam and transporter device and system for transferring and aligning manufactured houses |
| PCT/CA2004/000052 WO2004065712A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2004-01-20 | House lifting and lowering device |
| PCT/CA2004/000089 WO2004065697A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2004-01-22 | Carrier beam system for houses |
| PCT/CA2004/000091 WO2004065727A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2004-01-22 | Skate, beam and transporter device and system for transferring and aligning houses |
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA2,416,999 | 2003-01-23 | ||
| CA2,417,039 | 2003-01-23 | ||
| CA002416999A CA2416999A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2003-01-23 | Transporter for manufactured house |
| CA002417039A CA2417039A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2003-01-23 | Carrier beams for manufactured houses |
| CA002421475A CA2421475A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2003-03-11 | Manufactured house lifting and lowering device |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2421475A1 true CA2421475A1 (en) | 2004-07-23 |
Family
ID=32718341
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002421475A Abandoned CA2421475A1 (en) | 2003-01-23 | 2003-03-11 | Manufactured house lifting and lowering device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2421475A1 (en) |
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN100357555C (en) * | 2006-07-07 | 2007-12-26 | 山东建筑大学 | Controllable lifting underpinning tool |
| US7452173B2 (en) | 2006-05-09 | 2008-11-18 | Custom Quality Homes, L.L.C. | Building transport device |
| CN114960787A (en) * | 2022-05-31 | 2022-08-30 | 南京海骏绿建科技有限公司 | Construction device and method for leveling plant foundation |
-
2003
- 2003-03-11 CA CA002421475A patent/CA2421475A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US7452173B2 (en) | 2006-05-09 | 2008-11-18 | Custom Quality Homes, L.L.C. | Building transport device |
| CN100357555C (en) * | 2006-07-07 | 2007-12-26 | 山东建筑大学 | Controllable lifting underpinning tool |
| CN114960787A (en) * | 2022-05-31 | 2022-08-30 | 南京海骏绿建科技有限公司 | Construction device and method for leveling plant foundation |
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| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| FZDE | Dead |