US3722170A

US3722170A - Method of hoisting and anchoring heavy structures in a building

Info

Publication number: US3722170A
Application number: US00106219A
Authority: US
Inventors: H Jones
Original assignee: Treadwell Corp
Current assignee: Treadwell Corp
Priority date: 1971-01-13
Filing date: 1971-01-13
Publication date: 1973-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 1990-03-27

Abstract

Method and apparatus for hoisting heavy elements is provided in which the supports for the element are hoisted along with the element itself. One or more beam assemblies are mounted on each of the supports above the element to be hoisted. Means for positioning each support with respect to the element are also provided so that the element and supports may be hoisted into place with concurrent alignment of the supports with respect to openings provided for the permanent mounting of the element.

Description

vJones United States Patent 1191 1111 3,722,170 1 51 Mar. 27, 1973 I :[75] Inventor:

1541' 1 METHOD OF HOISTING AND [52] US. Cl. ..52/745, 52/236, 248/59,

. 248l32 0,294/74 51 1111.01; .....E04g 21/00 [58] Field of Search ..'52/27, 29, 39, 741, 745, 122,

[ 56]- I References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,334,13 9- 11/1943 Wilson... ..2 48/320 2,871,544 2/1959 You'tz," ....52/74s- FOREIGN OR APPLICATIONS 11/1949 France ..248/58 11/1957 Austria.....

Primary Examiner-Henry C. Sutherland v I 1 v Attoi-rwy-l-Iarry C. Bierman, Jordan B; Bierman an Bierman & Bierman [57] ABSTRACT Method and apparatus for hoisting heavy elements is provided in which the supports for the element are hoisted along with the element itself. One or more beam assemblies are mounted on each of the supports above the element to be hoisted. Means for positioning each support with respect to the element are also 'provided so that the element and supports may be hoisted into place with concurrent alignment of the supports with respect to openings provided for the permanent mounting of the element.

4Claims,6DrawingF igures 9/1970 Germany ..1 ..294/67 AA INVENTOR. F I G, I, HERBERT FRANCIS JONES c Kl rm,

v PATENH'Bmznsrs SHEET 2 OF 3 FIG.3.

FIG. 2.

INVENTOR. HERBERT FRANCIS JONES BY fl/ M I 4 MM 'n rmew rr.

PATENTma-mz 71m SHEET 3 0r 3 III] HQ 0 my. lllii I IHHHM. v m l|JllE Mg] FIG.6.

INVENTOR.

HERBERT FRANCIS JONES heavy mechanical equipment, such as boilers, drums,-

air conditioning compressors and other service utilities. The size of many such buildings dictates the use of one or more equipment floors above ground level in order to adequately provide for service utilities to all tenants. Service utilities such as boiler components have today assumed massive proportions and weight and they are very difficult to hoist up and properly place'within the building superstructure.

Structural steel framing for large boiler installations is composed of many closely spaced heavy columns and girders and little space is left between girders for the hoisting of large equipment into place on the various equipment floors provided for in the building. For instance, many of today's boiler drums weigh as much as 275 tons, are generally over90 feet in length and over 6 feet in diameter. Installation of such large size drums hung from the framing high above ground is generally carried out by first inclining the drum and then hoisting the drum while keeping it in an inclined position to per- Where very large drums are to be hoisted into place, it is often necessary to incline the drum during hoisting to enable the huge drum to clear the building superstructure on the lower floors. In this case, the beam assembly is pivoted to permit the U-bolt supports to freely pivot into a vertical position regardless of the.

angle the drum makes with respect to the horizontal. To accomplish this, the center of gravity of each U-bolt is below the pivot point. Of course, the U-bolts must also be mounted on the drum so that the bottom of each U-bolt is free to remain in a vertical position remit superstructure passage clearance at lower floors until the drum has been hoisted into the desired position. A serires of U-bolt supports are then hoisted into place under the drum, and the U-bolt supports are then connected to the building supports provided in the superstructure for the drum. It should be readily obvious that the hoisting of the inclined drum is a delicate operation and that the difficulty of the operation is significantly increased by the need to maintain the drum suspended in place during the subsequent hoisting and aligning of the U-bolt supports necessary to affix the drum to the building superstructure. Most significantly, the separate hoisting of drum and U-bolts takes a very long time, generally a full day, during which constructionwork in the immediate are must cease in order to remove workmen from the area of danger.

In accordance with the present invention, the above difficulties are minimized and hoisting times reduced, often by a factor of 5 or 10. This is achieved by prepositioningthe U-bolt supports with respect to the weight ly good initial alignment of the U-bolt supports with respect to their mounting points in the superstructure is provided, thereby eliminating the need to hoist each U- bolt support separately from the ground into an aligned position inthe building superstructure.

gardless of the inclination of the drum.

Most drums have a number of openings for various connections located on the upper side thereof. For best results, some of these openings are used in conjunction with connection means mounted on the beam assembly which are adapted for insertion therein.

Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts;

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the manner in-which a heavy element may be hoisted while maintainingthe U- bolt in a vertical position while the drum is in an inclined position;

FIG. 2 is a side view in section of one of the U-bolt supports and the drum shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of the means for fixing the position of the U-bolt and a means for permitting the U-bolt to swing relative to the drum so as to remain vertical;

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a pipe clamp shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a detailed side view of an alternate embodiment of the pivot beam assembly similar to FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a detailed view showing the structure of the pivot means of FIG. 5.

The following description centers on the hoisting of a boiler drum. However, it is to be understood that the method and apparatus described herein can be used for hoisting any type of equipment. Referring now to FIG. 1, numeral 10 denotes a large boiler drum to be hoisted up to a conventional supporting girder floor 12 of the type used for equipment floors in large boiler stations. The boiler drum 10 is provided with lifting lugs 14 at each end thereof to which rope falls 16 are connected.'Conventional wire rope' falls 16 are used to hoist the boiler drum 10 into place underneath the supporting girders.

As shown in FIG. 1, boiler drum 10 is moved from a horizontal position on the ground into an inclinedposition for hoisting, shown by the phantom outline of the drum in its next lowermost position. The drum is maintained in the inclined position throughout hoisting to permit the boiler drum 10 to clear the building floor beams on the lower floors. Conventional practice is to hoist the inclined drum until it is adjacent to girders 12, then return the drum to a substantially horizontal position under the girders 12. The drum is maintained in its suspended position under girders 12 by rope falls 16.

while separate assemblies (not shown) are utilized to hoist each the U-bolts 20 into place under the drum 10. Openings 22 are provided in the girders 12 for the U- bolts 20 and each U-bolt must be separately hoistedand aligned with respect to the openings 22.

In accordance with the present invention the boiler drum 10 is first lifted into the first inclined position by the rope falls 16. Each U-bolt 20 is then positioned around the boiler drum 10. Beam assembly 24 is provided for positionally locating each of the U-bolts 20 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the boiler drum l and for mounting U-bolts 20 on the drum. The beam assembly 24 is mounted on each U-bolt 20 such that the center of gravity of the U-bolt liesbelow the beam assembly to provide for automatic maintenance of the U-bolt 20 in a vertical position even though the drum is inclined. In this manner, the U-bolts are in fact pre-aligned with respect to the openings 22 in the girders 12 and the combination of drum 10 and U-bolts 20 may be lifted concurrently into final position. By hoisting the drum into place in accordance with the instant invention, the time necessary for completing the operation of securing the drum to the supporting girders is materially reduced, along with the danger'of major accidents. It can also be readily appreciated that the savings in time afforded by the instant invention will significantly reduce the cost of placing a large boiler drum into an upper floor ofa building;

Referring now to FIG. 2, U-bolt 20 is conventional and is positioned around the drum 10 such that the drum is not in contact with the bottom portion 26 of the U-bolt 20. The drum is supported in the position shown by rope falls 16 (FIG. 1). Beam assembly 24 is comprised of a support member 28 which fits between the

legs

30, 32 of the U-bolt. A plurality of pipe clamps 34 are fixedly mounted on each end of the support member 28by conventional means such as bolts 36. The pipe clamps are adapted to engage the

legs

30, 32 of the U-bolt and tightening means such as conventional bolts 38 are provided at the ends ofthe pipe clamps to secure them to the U-bolt. In this manner, the support member 28 may be solidly affixed to the

legs

30, 32 of the U-bolt support.

Referring now to both FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, it will be seen that a pair of angle plates 40 are fixed to and depend from the bottom of the support member 28. Conventional means such as welding may be used to affix the angle plates to the support member 28. Each of the angle plates 40 is provided with an opening 42 in the depending leg 44. A pivot bar 46 is freely mounted in the openings 42 for reasons explained hereinafter.

Boiler drums of the type described herein havemany openings along their surface, such as pipe nipple 48. To positionally fix the support member 28 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the drum l0,'plug-52 is provided with an opening 50 in which pivot bar 46 is loosely mounted. Plug 52 is adapted to fit within the pipe nipple 48. Rope falls 16 maintain drum 10 in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the U-bolt 20 is in fact supported by the support member 28.

The support member 28 is positioned with respect to the U-bolt 20 such that the center of gravity of the U- bolt lies below the support member. Since the U-bolt 20 is connected to the drum 10 only through the pivot that a separate hoist line (not shown) can be fixed thereto to raise each U-bolt 20 through the openings 22 to be secured to girders 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, wherein an alternate embodiment of the beam assembly 24 is shown, 56 denotes a support member, 58 denotes a pivot bar and 60 denotes pipe clamp assembly. In this embodiment, support member 56 is preferably an I-beam 62 which has a plate 64 welded to the end of the I-beam. An opening 66 is provided in the plate 64 and pivot bar 58 is mounted in the opening and maintained thereon by conventional nut 70. Of course, the end of the pivot bar is threaded as shown to receive the nut. To provide room for the nut 70 a portion of the web of the I-beam is cut away at 68. Affixed to the other end of the pivot bar 58 by conventional means are pipe clamps '72 similar to the pipe clamp shown in FIG. 4. It can be readily appreciated that any pivoting motion now takes place about the two pivot bars 58 which are mounted coaxially with the support member 56 instead of about a pivot bar suspended below the supportmember, as described in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3. Whereas in the embodiment described in FIGS. 2 and 3 the support member did not rotate with respect to the U-bolt, in'the instant embodiment the support member 56 can rotate with respect to the U-bolt 20.

In the embodiment described in FIGS. 5 and 6, the provision of pivot bars in line with the support member eliminates the need for the angle plates 40 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this instance, a simple plug 74 may be mounted on the support 'member to engage pipe nipple 48 to orient U-bolt 20 with respect to the longitudinal axis of drum l0.

It is to be understood that any type of member other than the I-beam may be used as the support member and it is well within the scope of the art to determine those members which can provide the necessary structural strength to be used as a support member in the instant invention. In addition, the description of the embodiments of the invention has been directed to the provision of means for permitting the U -bolt to remain vertical during the hoisting of the inclined drum. It is to be understood that the instant invention is applicable to the lifting of horizontal drums as well. In hoisting horizontal drums (without inclination), the U-bolt 20 may be placed such that the bottom 26 of the U-bolt contacts the bottom of the drum 10. A support member will be positioned between the legs of the U-bolt as shown in FIG. 2, and means will be provided on the support member such as means 74 for engaging the pipe nipple to position the U-bolt with respect to the longitudinal axis of the drum. The horizontal drum may then be lifted into position under the supporting girders l2 conjointly with U-bolt 20, substantially as described above. It will be well within the scope of the art to make such modifications as will be required to carry out the hoisting of a horizontal drum in accordance with the instant invention.

While only a limited number of embodiments of the foregoing invention have been expressly described, it is nonetheless to be broadly construed and not to bev limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of conjointly hoisting a boiler drum, at least one U-bolt and a pivot beam assembly having a pivot axis into place in a building which has receiving means for said U-bolt comprising the steps of placing said boiler drum in said U-bolt such that the boiler drum is clear of the bottom of the U-bolt, pivotally mounting said pivot beam assembly on the legs of the U-bolt and above the said boiler drum the center of gravity of saidU-bolt being below the said pivot axis,

tilting said boiler drum with respect to the horizontal during hoisting to clear obstructions in said building whereby said U-bolt pivots about said pivot axis and remains substantially vertical.

2. The method specified in claim 1 further comprising the step of positioning said U-bolt on said boiler drum so that said U-bolt is aligned with said receiving means for said U-bolt located in said building.

, 3.- The method specified in claim 2 further comprising the step of guiding said U-bolts into said receiving means.

4. A method of hoisting an element into place in a building comprising:

surrounding at least the bottom and sides of said element with a support hanger for anchoring the element to the building after hoisting,

pivotally mounting the support hanger on said element, saidhanger being. suspended freely without any attachments to it, and such that the center of gravity of said hanger lies below the support

Claims

1. A method of conjointly hoisting a boiler drum, at least one U-bolt and a pivot beam assembly having a pivot axis into place in a building which has receiving means for said U-bolt comprising the steps of placing said boiler drum in said U-bolt such that the boiler drum is clear of the bottom of the U-bolt, pivotally mounting said pivot beam assembly on the legs of the Ubolt and above the said boiler drum, the center of gravity of said U-bolt being below the said pivot axis, tilting said boiler drum with respect to the horizontal during hoisting to clear obstructions in said building whereby said U-bolt pivots about said pivot axis and remains substantially vertical.

3. The method specified in claim 2 further comprising the step of guiding said U-bolts into said receiving means.

4. A method of hoisting an element into place in a building comprising: surrounding at least the bottom and sides of said element with a support hanger for anchoring the element to the building after hoisting, pivotally mounTing the support hanger on said element, said hanger being suspended freely without any attachments to it, and such that the center of gravity of said hanger lies below the support hanger pivot point, applying a hoisting force directly to said element such that said hanger and said element are raised cojointly, tilting said element during hoisting, retaining said support hanger in a substantially vertical position during hoisting regardless of the tilting of said element, leveling said element at the desired elevation in the building, and fastening said support hanger to said building at said elevation.