GB2468672A

GB2468672A - Axle lifting lever

Info

Publication number: GB2468672A
Application number: GB0904568A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Weston; Robert Horne
Original assignee: UNITSPARK Ltd
Current assignee: UNITSPARK Ltd
Priority date: 2009-03-17
Filing date: 2009-03-17
Publication date: 2010-09-22
Also published as: GB0904568D0

Abstract

Lifting apparatus, for lifting an axle 17 in a confined region 11, comprises a generally stiff beam 3 extending along a first axis, a lifting saddle 5 between the ends of the beam 3, an extendable member 9 generally at one end of the beam and a fulcrum 7 generally at the other end of the beam, wherein the beam is thin along a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis, such that the beam can fit inside the confined region. The extendable member 9 may extend along a third axis, perpendicular to the first and second axes. The distance between the lifting saddle 5 and the fulcrum 7 may be less than the distance between the lifting saddle 5 and the extendable member 9. The beam 3 may be 10mm thick along the second axis. The apparatus may be used in replacing bearings on an axle of a heavy roller in a sewerage system.

Description

I

LIFTING APPARATUS

This invention relates to a lifting apparatus. More specifically, the invention relates to a lifting apparatus that can be used in a confined region.

In sewerage systems, there are heavy rollers used for maintenance. These rollers have an axle extending out of either end into a housing comprising the bearings. These bearings support the weight of the axle, however, they occasionally need to be replaced.

To replace the bearings, the axle needs to be temporarily supported by an external lifting *....* apparatus. * S. * * S

* .. Conventional lifting apparatuses use either a pulley system or a hydraulic ram to support the *.

S

axle. However, these apparatuses tend to be large, which makes it difficult to install in the S...

small gaps external to the roller and housing assembly. Furthermore, the systems use slings to support the rollers, so there is a health and safety issue if one of the slings should fail, or, if the roller slides out of the sling.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a lifting apparatus, for lifting an axle in a confined region, comprising a generally stiff beam extending along a first axis, a lifting saddle between the ends of the beam, an extendable member generally at one end of the beam and a fulcrum generally at the other end of the beam, wherein the beam is thin along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis, such that the -beam can fit inside the confined region.

The lifting apparatus is therefore provided inside the confined region, that is the region between the rotter and the housing Therefore, the invention exploits the confined region that the larger, conventional lifting apparatuses are unable to exploit. This has the advantage of being easier to instalL It also has the advantage that the apparatus does not need to be dissembled after use.

Furthermore, the conventional lifting apparatuses require the roller and housing assembly be cornptetey dismantled for access to the bearings given their size and difficulty of installation.

PreferablY the beam dimensions in the first axis and a third axis, the third axis being S...

perpendicular to both the first axis and the second axis, are optimized such that the beam has a high resistance to torsion, buckling and bending. This is 5antageOUS as the beam

S

will be subject to a large load when supporting the axle. a...

Preferably, the beam is constructed out of material with a large Young's modulUS This, again, optimizes the beam's resistance to torsion, buckling and bending.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for lifting an axle in a confined region, the confined region being confined on at least a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being on opposite sides of the confined region, the axle extending along an axle axis from the first side to the second side, the method comprising providing a lifting apparatus between the first side and the second side, the lifting apparatus comprising a generally stiff beam eending along a first axis, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the axle axis, a lifting saddle between the ends of the beam, an extendable member generally at one end of the beam and a fulcrum generally at the other end of the beam; rotatably attaching the lifting apparatus at the fulcrum to either the first side or the second side; extending the extendable member to rotate the lifting apparatus about the fulcrum, such that the lifting saddle comes into weight-bearing contact with the axle.

This has an advantage over the conventional lifting apparatuses in that the lifting apparatus only needs to lift the axle a small distance before the bearings no longer support the axle.

The axle remains largely in the same position as the weight is supported by the lifting apparatus.

s.. Preferably, the beam is thin along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the *55* first axis. This is advantageous as it allows the lifting apparatus to fit into the confined region * which exists between the roller and housing assembly. I.. 5S**

Preferably, the beam dimensions in the first axis and a third axis, the third axis being perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, are optimized such that the beam has a high resistance to torsion, buckling and bending. This is advantageous as the beam will be subject to a large load when supporting the axle.

Preferably, the beam is constructed out of material with a large Young's modulus. This, again, optimizes the beam's resistance to torsion, buckling and bending.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the lifting apparatus; Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the confined region and the axle; Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the lifting apparatus installed in the confined region; Figure 4 illustrates a method of using the lifting apparatus to support the axle; and Figure 4 illustrates an optional embodiment of the lifting apparatus.

Figure 1 illustrates the first embodiment of the invention. A lifting apparatus 1 is provided which consists of a beam 3. The beam 3, extending along a first axis, has at one end a fulcrum 7 and at the opposite end an exteridable member 9. There is provided a lifting saddle 5 between the two ends, on the upper side of the beam 3. The beam is designed to *..*.* withstand heavy loads applied to this upper side without experiencing torsion, buckling and/or bending. S..

The dimension of the beam 3 extending along the first axis will hereinafter be described as S...

the width of the beam 3.

The reader will understand that a second axis, perpendicular to the first axis, extends from one larger face to the other larger face. The dimension of the beam 3 extending along the second axis will hereinafter be described as the depth of the beam 3.

A third axis can be described as extending from the face including the lifting saddle 5 to the opposing face. This axis is perpendicular to both the first and the second axes, and is hereinafter described as the length of the beam 3.

An example of buckling is hereinafter described. When a column, that is an object that is longer than it is wide or deep, is subject to high compressive stresses, the object can experience structural failure. This structural failure causes the column to deform, such that the column no longer extends linearly along its original axis.

To reduce the likelihood of buckling, the stiffness of the column must be increased. The stiffness of the column is defined as the product of the cross-sectional area of the load-bearing face and the Young's modulus of the column's material, divided by the length of the column. Therefore to increase the stiffness of the column, the column must increase its cross-sectional area (that is its depth and width) and reduce its length. The column must *** also have a large Young's modulus. S... S. ** * . .

* .:. An example of bending is hereinafter described. When a column is wider than it is tong or deep, is subject to a force perpendicular to the axis on which it extends, then the beam is S...

likely to bend. This bending produces internal forces inside the beam, which is undesirable to its structural integrity.

To reduce the likelihood of bending, the column needs to increase its length (that is, extend further along the same direction as the applied force), and reduce its width.

Furthermore, torsion could occur in the column should it be subject to an applied torque. To reduce the likelihood of torsion, the column needs to reduce its width.

Thus, to provide a beam 3, as in Figure 1, which is resistant to torsion, buckling and bending when a force is applied to the face including the lifting saddle 5, the dimensions of the beam 3 need to be carefully chosen.

The lifting apparatus I is suitable for lifting an axle 17 in a confined region 11. The confined region 11 is illustrated in Figure 2. The confined region 11, for illustrative purposes, is a 6-face cuboid. The confined region II is confined on two opposing faces 13, 15. That is, the faces 13, 15 both comprise walls or other impenetrable objects. The other faces are not necessarily confined. To fit inside this confined region 11, the beam 3 of the lifting apparatus *:::J:0 I must be thin. In other words, the depth of the beam 3 is less than the distance between *....* the two opposing face 13, 15 of the confined region. This reduces the cross-sectional area * *** of the top face of the beam 3, and is therefore a limiting factor on the stiffness of the beam 3.

* The axle 17 extends between the opposing faces 13, 15 along an axle axis. The axle axis is the same axis as the second axis described above. The axle 17 is constructed of a heavy **.* material. The skilled reader will understand that the axle 17 could be any motive shaft.

In Figure 3, the lifting apparatus I is provided on a face 13 of the confined region 11. The skilled reader will understand that the lifting apparatus I can be provided on either face. The beam 3 is attached to the face 13 at the fulcrum 7, at one end of the beam 3. The lifting saddle 5 is provided underneath the axle 17. The extendable member 9 is situated on the beam 3 at the opposite end to the fulcrum 7.

To fit inside the confined region 11, the width of the beam 3 must be less than that of the face 13. This, also, reduces the cross-sectional area and therefore is a limiting factor on the stiffness of the beam 3.

The beam 3 extends along the third axis. The beam has a maximumlength defined as the length between the axle 17 and the bottom edge of the face 13. The reader will understand that this is not the optimal length of the beam 3. In order to increase the stiffness, the length of the beam 3 needs to be as short as possible.

However, if the beam 3 is bearing the weight of the axle 17, the beam 3 will be subject to bending. As described above, in order to reduce the likelihood of bending, the length of the beam 3 must be increased. *:::1

Therefore, the skilled reader will understand that there is an optimal length for the beam 3 e.

which maximises the resistance to torsion, buckling and bending. S.

In order to increase the stiffness, it is desirable to construct the beam 3 out of a material with S..

a large Young's modulus, such as steel.

The method suitable for lifting an axle in a confined region is hereinafter described, with reference to Figure 4. The beam 3 is provided within the confined region 11 and is rotatably attached at the fulcrum 7 to one face 13 of the confined region 11. The lifting saddle 5 is provided underneath the axle 17. The extending member 9 is provided at the opposite end of the beam 3to the fulcrum 7.

The extending member 9 is a threaded bolt. The face 13 is provided with a member (not shown), such that the member is in registry with the threaded nut. As the extending member 9 is extended, the extending member 9 exerts a force on the member. This force acts as a moment, causing the beam 3 to rotate about the fulcrum 7.

Through this rotation, the lifting saddle 5 contacts the axle 17 and bears the weight of the axle 17.

By a reversal of the above steps, that is, by contracting the extending member 9, the beam 3 rotates in the opposite direction and the axle 17 is no longer supported by the beam 3.

The skilled reader will understand that a threaded bolt is not the only extendable member *...., that can perform the above function. For example, a hydraulic ram could be used. *.S. S. * * .

* In an optional embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the beam 3,has a greater length at one *SS * end of the beam 3 than at the other end. This produces a triangular beam 3. The beam 3 *.** therefore has one end that has a greater resistance to buckling and less resistance to bending, and another end that has a greater resistance to bending and less resistance to buckling. The extendable member 9 and the fulcrum 7 can be provided at either end of the beam 3 in this embodiment.

The skilled reader will understand that a plurality of beam 3 shapes can be used, as long as the dimensions of the beam 3 are optimized such that the beam 3 has a high resistance to torsion, buckling and bending and fits within the available space.

Claims

CLAIMS1 Lifting apparatus, for lifting an axle in a confined region, comprising a generally stiff beam extending along a first axis, a lifting saddle between the ends of the beam, an extendable member generally at one end of the beam and a fulcrum generally at the other end of the beam, wherein the beam is thin along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis, such that the beam can fit inside the confined region.
2. Lifting apparatus as described in Claim 1, wherein the beam dimensions in the first axis and a third axis, the third axis being perpendicular to both the first axis * and the second axis, are optimized such that the beam. has a high resistance to S..torsion, buckling and/or bending. *
3. Lifting apparatus as described in any preceding claim, wherein the beam is 10mm thick in the second axis.
4. Lifting apparatus as described in any preceding claim, wherein the beam is constructed out of material with a large Young's modulus.
5, Lifting apparatus as described in any preceding claim, wherein the extendable member extends along the third axis.
6. Lifting apparatus as described in any preceding claim, wherein the distance between the lifting saddle and the fulcrum is less than the distance between the lifting saddle and the extendable member.
7. A method for lifting an axle in a confined region, the confined region being confined on at least a first side and a second side, the first side and the second side being on opposite sides of the confined region, the axle extending along an axle axis from the first side to the second side, the method comprising providing a lifting apparatus between the first side and the second side, the lifting apparatus comprising a generally stiff beam extending along a first axis, wherein the first axis is perpendicular to the axle axis, a lifting saddle between the ends of the beam, an extendable member generally * at one end of the beam and a fulcrum generally at the other end of the S.. beam; S...rotatably attaching the lifting apparatus at the fulcrum to either the first side or the second side; extending the extendable member to rotate the lifting apparatus about the fulcrum, such that the lifting saddle comes into weight-bearing contact with the axle.
8. A method as described in Claim 8, wherein the beam is thin along a second axis, the second axis being perpendicular to the first axis.
9. A method as described in any of Claims 8-9, wherein the beam is 10mm thick in the second axis.
10. A method as described in any of Claims 8-10, wherein the beam dimensions in the first axis and a third axis, the third axis being perpendicular to the first axis and the second axis, are optimized such that the beam has a high resistance to torsion, buckling and/or bending.
II. A method as described in any of Claims 8-11, wherein the beam is constructed out of material with a large Young's modulus.
12. A method as described in any of Claims 8-12, wherein the extendable member s..., extends along the third axis. * * . .

* .
13. A method as described in any of Claims 8-13, wherein the distance between the *5* lifting saddle and the fulcrum is less than the distance between the lifting saddle 5..and the exteridable member.
14. A lifting apparatus and method substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in any combination of the accompanying drawings.