US3273731A

US3273731A - Device for lifting and transporting roof decking

Info

Publication number: US3273731A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1966-09-20
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-20

Description

P 20, 1966 c. P. BRAHM ETAL 3,273,731

DEVICE FOR LIFTING AND TRANSPORTING ROOF DECKING Filed March 10, 1964 2 heets-Shee 1 Ema/ m Sept. 20, 1966 c. P. BRAHM ETAL 3,273,731

DEVICE FOR LIFTING AND TRANSPORTING ROOF DECKING Filed March 10, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,273,731 DEVICE FOR LIFTING AND TRANSPORTING ROOF DECKING Clarence P. Brahm, 5000 N. 132 St., and Alfred K. Jensen, 5001 N. 132 St., both of Butler, Wis. Filed Mar. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 350,745 Claims. (Cl. 214-390) This invention pertains to a lifting and transporting device and more particularly to a device for lifting stacks of roof decking and moving them about on a building roof tI'LISSi In building construction, after the building superstructure including the roof trusses have been erected, the roof decking is usually assembled to the surface of the trusses or the roof beams. ing lengths and twenty foot sections would not be unusual. An average width is about eighteen inches. The individual dec k sections span two or more parallel beams depending on the length of the decking. To facilitate application of the decking, stacks are placed on the roof beams by means of cranes at difierent strategic locations about the building. Each of these stacks of decking Weighs approximately one thousand pounds.

The workmen or roofers must then position the individual deck sections on the beams. Because of the size and weight of each deck section, it .is usually only possi-ble for a team, which consists of two men, to carry one deck section from the stack at a time. The first deck section is laid adjacent to the stack and each successive section is laid progressively further from the stack so the roofers can walk on the decking as it is laid. The stacks themselves are too heavy to be moved and, therefore, the workmen must retrace their steps back to the stack each time a new deck section is laid. This not only is time consuming said, therefore, more expensive, but is tiresome for the workmen.

With the device of this invention, it is not necessary for the workmen to retract their steps or to carry the deck sections any appreciable distance. -It is, therefore, a general object of this invention to provide a device which can be easily passed beneath the deck stacks and which will lift and transport the stacks along the building beams.

Another object of the subject invention is to provide a device of the hereinbefore described type with wheels which permit the workmen to roll the deck stacks along the roof beams.

Another object of the subject invention is to provide a device of the hereinbefore described type which is portable and can be installed and used by one person.

These and other objects of the subject invention will become more fully apparent as the following description is read in light of the attached drawings, wherein:

'FIG. 1 is a side view of one wheel assembly of the device on a roof truss with the supporting portion of the device exending beneath a stack of decking;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the device with one wheel assenrbiy in the load supporting position and the other wheel assembly in a load raising position;

FIG. 3 is a top view of two devices of the subject invention shown in operative position; and

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of one of the wheel assemblies of the device of the subject invention.

Referring to the drawings, the building includes a plurality of spaced parallel roof trusses 6 which may be constructed in any conventional manner and which include a flat surface or beam 7 to which the roof decking is attached. The trusses are spaced apart as shown in FIG. 3. The spacing between adjacent trusses is dependent on the load which the trusses must support. As previously explained, the decking is placed at strategic locations Roof decking comes in vary- 3,273,731 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 on the trusses by a crane in the form of bundles or stacks generally designated 8.

The device of the subject invention is composed of two substantially identical wheel assemblies generally designated 9 and '11. Since both wheel assemblies 9 and 11 are substantialy identical, similar reference characters will be used to identify identical elements in each and only the different characteristics will be pointed out as they apply to each individual wheel assembly. Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 4, a wheel 12 may be provided with annular flanges or disks 13 at each side thereof. These flanges are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the truss beam 7 and are of a slightly larger diameter than the diameter of the wheel.

The wheel '12 is rotatably connected to a wheel carriage generally designated 14. The carriage may be constructed in any conventional manner and is herein shown as including a pair of spaced

plates

16 and 17 rigidly connected together in any conventional manner such as by

welding straps

18 and 19 to each plate. The axle- 21 of the wheel -12 may be connected to the carriage 14 in any conventional manner and it is not important whether the wheel revolves relative to the axle or whether the axle revolves relative to the plates "16 and 17. As herein shown for purposes of illustration, the axle 21 is pivotally contained in aligned bores provided in the

plates

16 and 17 and is :rigid with the wheel 12.

A load support member generally designated 22 is pivotally connected to the wheel carriage 14. The load support 22 may be constructed in any conventional manner and is herein shown as including a pair of spaced

plates

23 and 24 disposed on the outer sides of the

plates

16 and 17 of the wheel carriage 14. The

plates

23 and 24 of the load support may be joined together in any conventional manner such as by an angle section 26 welded to each

plate

23 and 24. A pivot rod 27 which passes through both

plates

23 and 24 of the load support 22 and also through the

plates

16 and 17 of the wheel carriage 14 permits relative rotational movement of the load support relative to the wheel carriage. This rod 2 1 may be held against axial movement in any conventional manner such as by providing a cotter pin 28 on the outer side of each

plate

23 and 24.

A load support rod 29 is provided for connection to the load support 22 in any conventional manner. The rod 29 may be releasably connected to the support 22 or as shown herein for purposes of illustration may be rigidly connected thereto as by welding. As herein shown for purposes of illustration, a separate support rod 29 may be connected to each plate 23 and 2 4 at the free ends thereof remotely spaced from the pivot rod 27. This load support rod may be of any conventional form of sufficient strength to support the load required and is herein shown as including a longtiudinally X tending roller 31. The roller 31 may be connected to the rod 29 in any conventional manner and is herein shown as having :a bore therethrough of a diameter to permit insertion of

shaft collars

32 and 33. The shaft collars have set

screws

34 and 36 therein which hold the collars against movement relative to the rod 29. The collars hold the roller 31 against axial movement and bushing

portions

37 and 38 on the collars provide a bearing upon which the rollers are permitted to revolve.

In operation, the wheel assembly 9 is rolled upto a stack of decking until it reaches the position shown in FIG. 1. In this position the wheel carriage 14 is pivoted forward about the wheel axle 21 and the load support member 22 is pivoted downward about the pivot rod 27. The other w'heel assembly 1 1 is positioned on the opposite side of the deck stack 8 as shown in FIG. 2. The length or the distance of the ends of the

load support plates

23 and 24 from the pivot rod 27 is such that the support rod 29 will pass beneath the stack of decking when the rod 29 is disposed in a horizontal position. In such a position the free end of the rod 29 is inserted in a socket 39 provided in the remote end of the load support plate on the wheel assembly '11.

The rod 29 may be moved to a horizontal position in any conventional manner and to facilitate such placement a pry bar 4 1 may be provided. As shown in FIG. 1, the bar 41 may be provided with a hook or channel section 42 at its forward end. The hook fits under the forward portion of the angle section 26 connecting the

plates

23 and 24 of the load support 22. A fulcrum may also be provided on the pry bar 41 and this may be in the form of a projection 43 spaced from the hook 42. When positioned as shown in FIG. 1, the projection 43 contacts a portion of the wheel carriage 14. Although any portion of the support member 14 may be used as a bearing surface for the projection 43, for convenience of operation an angle section 44 may be rigidly connected to the strap 18 such as by welding. When the pry bar is in the posi tion as shown in FIG. 1, the workman pushes down on the remote end of the bar 41 and thereby lifts the support bar 29 up to a horizontal position by pivoting the load support 22 about the pivot rod 27.

So as to permit operation of the subject device by one workman a chain or any type of tie down device 46 may be provided at the free end of the pry bar 41. When the support bar 29 is in the horizontal or desired position the chain 46 is hooked about the beam 7 to thereby hold the support bar in the desired position. The workman then moves to the other side of the deck stack and inserts the free end of the support bar 29 into the socket 39 of the other wheel assembly 11. At this point the support bar 29 is positioned beneath the deck stack and is supported and held in this position by the two wheel assemblies 9 and 11.

With reference to FIG. 2, the workman then positions a pry bar such as 47 between the pivot rod 27 of the load support member 22 and a surface of a wheel carriage 14. Any surface of the wheel carriage 1 4 will suflice and to this end a rod 48 is rigidly connected to the upper surface of the strap 19 and the pry bar 47 bears on this rod. By pushing down on the free end of the pry bar 47 as shown in the left-hand wheel carriage 1'1 in FIG. 2, the wheel 12 is caused to roll forward and the pivot rod 27 is raised upward. This causes the support rod 29 to be lifted upward which in turn raises a portion of the stack of decking 8. A stop 49 is provided to hold the wheel carriage '14 from movement relative to the load support 22 beyond a predetermined position. This stop is so positioned that it is contacted after the pivot rod 27 passes beyond or over center with relation to the wheel axle 21. This position is shown by the righthand Wheel assembly 9 in FIG. 2. It can be seen that because of the relative positions of the pivot rod 27 and the axle 21, and the coaction of the load support 22 with the stop 49, a relatively stable condition exists between the wheel carriage and the load support.

When both wheel assemblies have been revolved to the position shown in the righthand side of FIG. 2, the decking stack is lifted free of the beam '7 and the Workman can freely move the deck stacks along the roof truss 6. To facilitate movement of the wheel assemblies, a push rod 51 may be provided. The push rod may be connected to the device in any conventional manner .and is herein shown as inserted in a bracket 52 connected to the wheel assembly 11.

Although it is not intended to limit the invention to a pair of deck rollers, itmay be desirable in order to stabilize an extremely long load, to provide two spaced deck rollers as is shown in FIG. 3. Each deck roller would be identical in construction to that described above and may be connected together in any conventional manner. To this end a pipe section 53 may be connected to the remote ends of the Wheel carriage 14 in any conventional manner such as by welding. An elongated pipe 54 is then passed through each pipe section so as to insure that both deck rollers travel at the same speed and maintain substantially the same relative position.

' Although only one embodiment of the subject invention has been herein shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art after readingthis description that other modifications are possible and it is intended that all much modifications as come within a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims be covered.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A device in combination with spaced roof trusses for lifting and transporting roof decking resting on the spaced roof trusses comprising: a carriage; means sup porting said carriage and contacting the surface of the roof trusses and capable of movement along said roof trusses; load engaging means connected to said carriage for selective movement relative thereto above and below the contact point between said support means and said truss surface, said load engaging means adapted for engagement with the underside of said decking, and means for selective movement of said load engaging means relative to said carriage to raise the decking from the surface of said trusses for movement therealong.

2. A device in combination with spaced roof trusses for lifting and transporting roof decking resting on the spaced roof trusses comprising: a pair of carriages, means rotatably supporting the carriages for movement along the surface of the roof trusses; a load support pivotally connected to each of said carriages at a pivot point spaced from the connection of said carriage to said means, each of said carriages and said load supports being relatively rotatable to first positions so as to cause said load supports to depend below said roof decking; load engaging means connected to said load supports for selective lift ing engagement with said roof decking, each of said carriages being pivotal about said connection to said means to a second position to cause said pivot points to moveupward whereby said load engaging means lifts said roof decking from said trusses; and stop means selectively engageable with said carriages and said load supports to hold same against relative movement when said roof decking has been lifted from said trusses.

3. The device set forth in claim 2 wherein said support means are wheel means.

4. The device set forth in claim 3 wherein said wheel means support said carriages in line with the axis of said wheels.

5. The device set forth in claim 4 wherein each of said carriages and said load support are members and said stop means is connected to one of said members and engageable with the other of said members when said pivot point has rotated over the center of said axis after said decking has been lifted from said trusses.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,5 02,309 3/ 1-950 Byrd 280-43111 X 2,922,534 1/ 1960 Vodraska et al 214- 2,969,989 1/ 1961 Struthers -280-43.11 3,145,863 8/1964 'Dunaski 214390 3,189,363 6/ 1965 Pierrat 280-35 GiERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

ALBERT I. MAKAY, Examiner.

Claims

1. A DEVICE IN COMBINATION WITH SPACED ROOF TRUSSES FOR LIFTING AND TRANSPORTING ROOF DECKING RESTING ON THE SPACED ROOF TRUSSES COMPRISING: A CARRIAGE; MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CARRIAGE AND CONTACTING THE SURFACE OF THE ROOF TRUSSES AND CAPABLE OF MOVEMENT ALONG SAID ROOF TRUSSES; LOAD ENGAGING MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CARRIAGE FOR SELECTIVE MOVEMENT RELATIVE THERETO ABOVE AND BELOW THE CONTACT POINT BETWEEN SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND SAID TRUSS SURFACE, SAID LOAD ENGAGING MEANS ADAPTED FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID DECKING, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID LOAD ENGAGING MEANS RELATIVE TO SAID CARRIAGE TO RAISE THE DECKING FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID TRUSSES FOR MOVEMENT THEREALONG.