EP0183836A1

EP0183836A1 - Implement for facilitating lifting oil barrels or like, substantially cylindrical objects

Info

Publication number: EP0183836A1
Application number: EP19850903422
Authority: EP
Inventors: Runo Nord
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-06-18
Filing date: 1985-06-14
Publication date: 1986-06-11
Also published as: AU4541585A; WO1986000280A1; SE449215B; SE8403248D0; SE8403248L

Abstract

Un ustensile (6) pour faciliter le levage de barils de pétrole ou autres comporte deux bras mobiles réciproquement (7, 8) dont l'un comporte une première mâchoire de serrage (9) lorsque l'autre possède deux secondes mâchoires de serrage espacées ou éléments similaires à des mâchoires de serrage (10, 10'), la plus courte distance entre la première mâchoire de serrage (9) et une ligne imaginaire entre les deux autres mâchoires de serrage (10, 10') d'une part dépassant le rayon et d'autre part étant inférieure au diamètre du baril. La première mâchoire de serrage (9) est disposée sur un élément saillant angulairement (13) connecté de manière fixe à un premier bras (7) alors que les autres mâchoires de serrage (10, 10') sont reliées l'une à l'autre et connectées à un second bras commun (8) qui est relié de manière pivotante au premier bras par une articulation (14) située à une distanc substantielle du dispositif de couplage (12) et a une faible distance de l'élément saillant (13).A utensil (6) for facilitating the lifting of oil barrels or the like has two reciprocally movable arms (7, 8), one of which has a first clamping jaw (9) when the other has two second spaced clamping jaws or elements similar to clamping jaws (10, 10 '), the shortest distance between the first clamping jaw (9) and an imaginary line between the two other clamping jaws (10, 10') on the one hand exceeding the radius and on the other hand being less than the diameter of the barrel. The first clamping jaw (9) is arranged on an angular projecting element (13) fixedly connected to a first arm (7) while the other clamping jaws (10, 10 ') are connected to each other. other and connected to a second common arm (8) which is pivotally connected to the first arm by a joint (14) located at a substantial distance from the coupling device (12) and at a short distance from the projecting element (13 ).

Description

IMPLEMENT FOR FACILITATING LIFTING OIL BARRELS OR LIKE, SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL OBJECTS

Technical field of the invention

The present invention relates to an implement for lifting oil barrels or like, substantially cy¬ lindrical objects, comprising at least three clamping jaws or clamping jaw-like members which are applicable to the outer side of the barrel and one of which is pivotal relative to the other two jaws in order, upon application of a tractive force in a coupling means, to bring about concurrent clamping of the jaws against the barrel, the shortest distance between the first clamping jaw and an imaginary line between the other two clamping jaws on the one hand exceeding the radius and, on the other hand, being less than the diameter of the barrel.

State of the art

A lifting implement of the type generally described above is previously known from U.S. patent specification 3,915,488. This known implement is however intended only for lifting oil barrels which are standing and is not suited for lifting barrels which are lying. Thus, the three clamping jaws in the known implement are ar¬ ranged on three associated arms which are rigidly inter¬ connected at a central junction so as to form a Y-shaped yoke. Two clamping jaws or more exactly legs thereof are rigidly connected to two arms of the yoke while a third, pivotal clamping jaw or more exactly one leg thereof is articulated to the free end of the third arm. To ensure inward pivotal movement of the movable clamping jaw, there is provided, substantially central¬ ly on the associated leg and below the associated arm, an operating rod which extends through the lower part of a lifting link to the upper end of which a lifting hook can be applied. The lifting link is main¬ tained in place by means of angular guide rods which are fixed at the junction between the three arms of the yoke. From the lower part of the lifting link, the ope- rating rod projects a substantial distance and is termi¬ nated by a stop restricting the outward pivotal movement of the movable clamping jaw away from the centre of the lifting yoke. When the yoke is applied on the end wall of an oil barrel, the weight of the operating rod en- sures that the movable clamping jaw is swung out so that the three clamping jaws can concurrently engage about the edge hoops of one end wall of the oil barrel. When a lifting hook is thereafter applied to the lifting link with the application of a tractive force therein, the operating rod is caused to pivot from a lower to an upper position. During this pivotal movement of the operating rod, the movable clamping jaw will also be pivoted inwardly towards the barrel such that an arcuate part of the jaw is applied underneath the edge hoops at the barrel end wall.

Although the prior art construction admittedly causes the clamping jaws to approach each other when a pulling force is applied to the lifting link, this action is in practice most unreliable. Thus, said stop is located at a distance from the lifting link, which means that the movable clamping jaw can move in an outward direction away from the barrel if the operating rod is not clamped with an extremely great force between the underside of the yoke and the upper side of the lower part of the lifting link. If the oil barrel, as may very well occur in practical use, tends to dangle in the lifting line used, there is an apparent risk that the movable clamping jaw will lose its grip on the barrel, and if the barrel end hoop is not sufficiently thick, the barrel may escape from the lifting implement. Brief description of the inventive concept

The present invention has for its object to over¬ come the drawbacks indicated above and to provide a lifting implement which can lift oil barrels in an ex- tremely reliable manner, whether the barrels are stand¬ ing or lying. According to the invention, this is achiev¬ ed in that the first clamping jaw is provided on an elbow or angularly projecting member rigidly connected to a first arm, while the other clamping jaws are con- nected to each other and to a common second arm pivo- tally connected to the first arm by a joint which is located both at a distance from and between the coupling means and said elbow, preferably considerably closer to the elbow than to the coupling means, the application of said tractive force in the coupling means causing it to move away from said second arm and causing the first arm to pivot outwardly away from the second arm as at the same time the clamping jaws are moved closer to each other and to a barrel located between them.

Brief description of the accompanying drawing

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the implement according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the same implement applied to a lying oil barrel, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the implement and the barrel when in an upright position.

Detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

In the drawing, 1 designates an oil barrel which in a known manner comprises a cylindrical wall 2 and two opposite end walls 3 one of which has a draining hole 4 and a venting hole (not shown). Along the peripheries of the two barrel end walls there extend reinforcing hoops 5 which project a short distance from the circum¬ ferential surface of the cylindrical wall 2. The implement 6 according to the invention as il¬ lustrated in Fig. 1 comprises two mutually movable arms 7, 8 the first of which is provided with a first clamping jaw 9 while the other is associated with two other clamping jaws or clamping jaw-like members 10, 10'. In the illustrated embodiment, the members

10, 10' are in the form of hooks which can be clamped under the reinforcing hoops 5. As appears from Fig. 1, the two hooks 10, 10' are provided at the opposite ends of a cross-piece 11 to the central portion of which the arm 8 is rigidly connected.

At one end of the arm 7, there is provided a coupling means in the form of a shackle 12 in which a hook or other connecting means can be fastened.

At the opposite end, the arm 7 has an elbow or angu¬ larly projecting member 13 on which the first clamping jaw 9 is arranged. The two^' arms 7, 8 are interconnect¬ ed by means of a joint 14 which allows pivotal move- ment of the arms with respect to each other. This joint is located in the immediate vicinity of the free end of the arm 8 remote from the cross-piece

11, whereby the distance between the joint 14 and the shackle 12 located at the centre of the end wall of the barrel becomes substantial. In other words, there is obtained a lever of maximum length upon appli¬ cation of a tractive force in the shackle 12. Further, it should be noted that the distance between the free end of the arm 8 and the inner side of the projecting member 13 is relatively small (in actual practice, about 5-15 mm), whereby said end of the arm will serve as a stop for the projecting member 13 so as to restrict the pivotal movement thereof in order to obviate any deformation of the oil barrel when the clamping jaw 9 is applied against the cylindrical wall of the bar¬ rel. Between the arms 7 and 8, there is mounted a helical compression spring 15 which constantly tends to urge the arms away from each other.

Fig. 2 illustrates most clearly how the shortest distance between the clamping jaw 9 and the cross-piece 11 carrying the two hooks 10, 10', on the one hand exceeds the radius of the barrel 1 and, on the other hand, is less than the diameter of the barrel. This means that the hooks 10, 10', in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2, can be easily and conveniently applied against the barrel although it is lying.

Function of the implement according to the invention When the implement according to the invention is applied to a barrel, the two hooks 10, 10' are placed behind the reinforcing hoop 5 while the first clamping jaw 9 is also located behind the reinforcing hoop. In the next stage, a hook of e.g. a crane or a telpher is fastened in the shackle 12. When the hook is thereafter lifted, a tractive force is applied to the shackle 12, which by the arm 7 and the angular¬ ly projecting member 13 is converted into a clamping force of the jaw 9 which thus is clamped against the cylindrical wall of the barrel at the same time as the hooks 10, 10' are pressed into a solidly fixed position behind the reinforcing hoop 5. Upon continued lifting of the implement, the barrel 1 will be brought into the upright position shown in Fig. 3.

It goes without saying that the implement accord¬ ing to the invention can also be used for lifting a standing barrel up to a level above the surface on which it was resting, optionally while simultaneous¬ ly transporting the barrel from one place to another, as intimated in Fig. 3. When the implement is being applied to the barrel, the arm 7 is pressed inwards against the action of the spring 15 until the clamping jaw 9 is in place behind the hoop 5. When the arm 7 is thereafter re- leased, the spring will hold the clamping jaw pressed against the barrel with a slight pressure so that the implement is maintained in the position illustrated until a lifting hook is connected in the shackle 12. In other words, the provision of the spring 15 dispenses with the need to manually hold the implement in position until the hook has been applied.

Possible modifications of the invention

Naturally, the invention is not restricted only to the embodiment described above and illustrated in the drawing. Thus, it is conceivable, for example, to provide the first arm 7 with more than one clamp¬ ing jaw, if desired.

Claims

1. An implement for lifting oil barrels or like,

A- substantially cylindrical objects, comprising at least three clamping jaws or clamping jaw-like members (9, 10, 10') which are applicable to the outer side of the bar-

5 rel and of which a first jaw (9) is pivotal relative to the other two jaws (10, 10') in order, upon application of a tractive force in a coupling means (12), to bring about concurrent clamping of the jaws against the bar¬ rel, the shortest distance between the first clamping

10 jaw (9) and an imaginary line between the other two clamp¬ ing jaws (10, 10') on the one hand exceeding the radius and, on the other hand, being less than the diameter of the barrel (1) in order to allow application of said jaws along the peripheral edge of one end wall of the

15 barrel, whether the barrel is standing or lying, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the first clamping jaw (9) is provided on an elbow or angularly projecting member (13) rigidly connected to a first arm (7), while the other clamping jaws (10, 10') are connected to each

20 other and to a common second arm (8) pivotally connected to said first arm (7) by a joint (14) which is located both at a distance from and between said coupling means (12) and said elbow (13), preferably considerably closer to said elbow than to said coupling means, the applica-

25 tion of said tractive force in the coupling means (12) causing it to move away from the second arm (8) and causing said first arm to pivot outwardly away from said second arm as at the same time the clamping jaws are moved closer to each other and to a barrel located

30 between them.

2. Implement as claimed in claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that said joint (14) is located in the immediate vicinity of that end of the second arm (8) which is remote from said other clamping jaws (10, 10') so as to provide a lever of substantial length between said joint and said coupling means, and a small stroke for the first clamping jaw.

3. Implement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i z e d in that the projecting member (13) on the first arm (7) is located at a short distance from the free end of the second arm (8) , said end serving as a stop for the pivotal movement of the projecting member towards the barrel.

4. Implement as claimed in any one of the preced¬ ing claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said other two clamping jaws (10, 10') are attached at the opposite ends of a cross-piece (11) to the cen¬ tral portion of which the second arm (8) is rigidly connected.

5. Implement as claimed in any one of the preced¬ ing claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that there is provided between said two arms (7, 8) a compression spring (15) which constantly tends to urge the arms away from each other and, hence, to pivot said first clamping jaw (9) towards said other two clamping jaws (10, 10').