US2825598A

US2825598A - Sling

Info

Publication number: US2825598A
Application number: US557063A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl L Nickolai
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-01-03
Filing date: 1956-01-03
Publication date: 1958-03-04
Anticipated expiration: 1975-03-04

Description

March 4,1958 c. L. NICKOLA] 2,825,598

SLING Filed Jan. 3, 1956 INVENTCR. Car] LNiCkOJQJ' an w a United States Patent SL NG Carl L. Nickolai, Tacoma, Wash. Application January 3, 1956, Serial No. 557,063 3 Claims. (Cl. 294-75) This invention relates to a sling of the class employed for lifting and moving heavy objects.

In lifting heavy objects such as rocks, stumps, cargo and the like, a problem is presented in that it often is difiicult to attach the lifting cables to the object. For example, in loading large rocks on railroad cars, attachment of the cables to the rocks is a difiicult and time consuming operation, particularly if the rock is partly buried in the ground. Accordingly it is the general object of this invention to provide a sling which may be attached readily to heavy objects of irregular contour and which thereafter may be used for moving the objects to a desired location, for example, to a car or other vehicle on which it is to be loaded.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sling which may be secured rapidly and easily to a heavy object for transporting the same to a desired location, and which thereafter may be released readily from the object.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a sling which may be used to carry heavy loads but which may be tripped safely from a remote station for releasing the load.

It is another object of this invention to provide a sling which may be used to carry heavy loads and which may be tripped either from the ground or from a hoisting mechanism.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of a sling which may be used to engage and hoist objects of irregular shape, provided the objects have on their exterior surfaces a margin or lip which may be engaged by the sling.

The manner in which the foregoing and other objects of this invention are accomplished will be apparent from the accompanying specification and claims considered together with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating the manner of applying the herein described sling to a load, and for lifting the load therewith;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the herein described sling in tripped position, releasing the load;

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation illustrating a preferred tripping means for use in connection with the herein described sling; and

Figs. 4 and 5 are views in side elevation illustrating the tripping means of Fig. 3 in locked and released positions, respectively.

Generally stated the sling of this invention comprises a plurality of substantially equal lengths of a strong flexible material, each of the lengths having an eye on its outer end. Each length is threaded through the eye of the adjacent length to form a closed loop adapted for placement over an object to be lifted. Attaching means are provided on the other ends of the lengths for attachment to a hoist. Trip means are included in one of the lengths for releasing it, whereupon it may slip through the eye through which it is threaded, enlarging the loop and releasing the object.

Considering the foregoing in greater detail and with particular reference to the drawings:

The sling of my invention is made of a plurality of

lengths

10, 12, 14, 16 of a strong flexible material such as rope, cable, or chain. Preferably these segments are of substantially equal length and are provided in pairs.

Attached to the ends of each of the segments are eyes, indicated at 18, 20, 22 and 24 respectively. Each of the segments is threaded through the eye at the end of the adjacent segment. Thus segment 12 is threaded through eye 18 of segment 10, segment 14 is threaded through eye 20 of segment 12, segment 16 is threaded through eye 22 on segment 14, and segment 10 is threaded through eye 24 on segment 16. In this manner there is formed a closed loop at the bottom of the sling which may be enlarged or restricted as required for placement over an object 30 to be lifted.

Attaching means are provided at the inner ends of segments 10-16 for attaching them toa hoist. Preferably, these ends are formed with loops which may be placed about

intermediate rings

32, 34, two of the loops being on each of the rings. These rings in turn are attached to a terminal or suspension ring 36, which is dimensioned to receive the hook of the hoist.

Trip means are provided for tripping the sling when the load has been carried to its destination, thereby releasing the load. In the illustrated form (Figs. 3-5) the trip means comprises a yoke 40 of sufficient dimensions to receive a trip ring 42 attached to the inner end of one of the segments, for example segment 16. Means such as the looped strap 44 are connected to the yoke for attaching it to intermediate ring 34.

A locking section 46 is pivotally attached to one arm of the yoke by means of pin 48. This section is sufficiently large to close off the yoke opening when trip ring 42 is contained therein.

Resilient means, such as spring 50, are mounted on the yoke in such a manner as to press against locking section 46, thereby resiliently urging the locking section to its closed position. Lever means such as lever 52 then may be connected to the locking section or to shaft 48 mounting the same, for opening the locking means against the pressure exerted by spring 50. It will be observed that when lever 52 is positioned as shown in Figs. 3-5, the trip may be operated from the ground. In the alternative, it may be connected on the opposite side from that shown, whereupon it may be operated from above the sling, as by the operator of the hoist.

Operation In operation, the sling is lowered over the object 30 to be lifted. Since segments Ill-16 are not under tension, the loop formed by the portions threaded through eyes 18-24 may be enlarged to the dotted outline position of Fig. 1 as required to slip over the object.

Upon lifting the sling, flexible segments 10-16 are placed under tension, thereby restricting the loop. As a consequence the loop will engage any projection, lip or irregularity present on the surface of the object, securing the object in the sling.

The object then may be lifted from the ground and transported to the selected location, for example, a car in which it is to be loaded. It may be lowered upon the car after which the trip is operated through lever 52. Actuation of this lever opens locking section 46 against the resiliency of spring 50. Trip ring 42 thereupon will slip from the trip, releasing segment 16 of the assembly. This in turn enlarges the loop formed by segments Ill-16 so that it may be slipped over the object and removed from it.

Accordingly it will be apparent that by the present invention I have provided a sling which is of simple construction but which may be used effectively in lifting and transporting large heavy objects of irregular contour which are difficult to lift by other means. The sling may be tripped from any desired station without hazard to the operator. After it has been tripped it may be removed readily from the object and reassembled for use in another lifting operation.

Having thus described my invention in preferred em bodiments, I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters patent:

1. A sling comprising a plurality of substantially equal lengths of strong flexible material, an eye on the outer end of each length, each length being threaded through the eye of the adjacent length whereby said lengths form a closed loop adapted for placement over an object to be lifted, attaching means on the other end of each length for attaching the same to a source of power, and trip means included in one of the lengths for separating the same, thereby enlarging the loop and releasing the lifted object.

2. The sling of claim 1 wherein a ring is attached to the inner end of one of the lengths and the trip means comprises a yoke having an opening dimensioned to receive the ring, a locking section pivotally attached to one arm of the yoke and adapted releasably to close said opening, resilient means bearing against the locking section for maintaining the same normally in said closing position, and lever means connected to the locking section for moving the latter against the tension of the resilient means to expose said yoke opening, thereby tripping the sling.

3. A sling comprising a plurality of pairs of substantially equal segments of strong flexible material, an eye on the outer end of each segment, each segment being threaded through the eye of the adjacent segment whereby said segments form a closed loop to be placed over an object to be lifted, a suspension ring, means for attaching the other ends of all but one of said segments to the suspension ring, a trip ring, means for attaching the other end of the remaining segment to the trip ring, a yoke having an opening dimensioned to receive the trip ring, means for connecting the yoke to the suspension ring, a locking section pivotally attached to one arm of the yoke and adapted releasably to close said opening, resilient means bearing against the locking section for maintaining the same normally in closed position, and lever means connected to the locking section for moving the latter against the tension of the resilient means to expose said yoke opening, thereby releasing the tripping ring and tripping the sling.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,436,727 Ruggles Nov. 28, 1922 2,476,734 Iellison July 19, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 154,367 Great Britain Dec. 2, 1920 108,409 Sweden Sept. 7, 1943