WO2017011860A1

WO2017011860A1 - Method of lifting panel with inserts

Info

Publication number: WO2017011860A1
Application number: PCT/AU2016/050628
Authority: WO
Inventors: Timothy Mark GRABHAM
Original assignee: Csr Building Products Limited
Priority date: 2015-07-17
Filing date: 2016-07-15
Publication date: 2017-01-26

Abstract

A method of lifting a lightweight building panel made from autoclaved aerated concrete in which the building panel provided with an integral lifting element, uses a lifting device capable of movement between a release configuration and a lifting configuration to cooperatively engage/disengage with the lifting element to lift an array of building panels in unison for installation in a building. The method includes attaching one or more lifting devices when in the release configuration to the lifting elements embedded in the panels and allowing the lifting devices to move to the lifting configuration for lifting the array of panels in stacked relationship to one another. The advantage of the cooperative engagement of the lifting elements and the lifting devices allows multiple panels to be lifted simultaneously and placed one at a time in sequence at the desired locations for installation in the building.

Description

METHOD OF LIFTING PANEL WITH INSERTS

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to methods of lifting and/or transporting building panels using lifting tools and devices for lifting and/or transporting building panels, and to the lifting devices used in the methods.

In one form, the present invention relates to methods of lifting and/or transporting lightweight building panels made from autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC), particularly methods of lifting and/or locating the panels onto the upper levels of a multi storied building, and to methods of lifting and/or transporting such lightweight AAC building panels.

In one form, the present invention relates to methods of lifting and/or transporting AAC panels having one or more integral lifting elements in which the lifting methods use lifting devices which cooperatively engage with the lifting elements provided in or on the panels to lift and transport the panels from one location to another location, particularly for use in lifting the panel into place at the upper levels of a building structure during construction.

In one form, the method of lifting and/or transporting the panels using lifting devices involves lifting and/or handling multiple lightweight building panels simultaneously for installation in multi-storied buildings, whilst allowing placement of individual panels or sets of panels separately at different respective locations.

The present invention finds particular application as a method of lifting and/or transporting and/or handling as a single group or unit, multiple lightweight AAC building panels using a lifting device in which each of the panels is provided with one or more lifting elements for cooperation with parts of the lifting device to enable the panels to be lifted and individually separately placed at individual different locations.

Although the methods will be described with reference to one or other embodiments thereof, and to one or other methods of transporting the panels using the lifting devices, it is to be noted that the scope of protection is not restricted to the described embodiment or embodiments but rather protection is more extensive so as to include other forms, arrangements and variations of the lifting device and its components, and of the lifting and/or transportation and/or handling methods other than specifically described.

BACKGROUND During construction of buildings, particularly multi-story buildings, there is a need to lift building panels used in the construction of the building from ground level to locations where the building panels are to be installed in the building, including lifting the panels to upper levels of the building well above ground level.

In the past, it has been necessary to lift a single panel only at any one time or a group of panels to an intermediate location and then each individual panel by panel to the final location so that the panel could be placed within a specified final location within the building as required. It was only after the panel had been installed at the desired final location that the lifting apparatus was free to return to ground level and another panel lifted into place for installation at the new desired final location, typically close to the previously lifted and installed panel.

However, lifting individual panels one at a time is time consuming and hence costly, adding to the overall cost of construction of the building. Accordingly, there is a need to reduce construction costs by being able to lift more than a single panel at a time in order to speed up construction time. However, previous attempts to lift more than a single panel at the same time in groups of panels have not been entirely successful for one reason or another due to difficulties in controlling movement of the group of panels or the movement of individual panels of the group, difficulties in connecting the panels to each other allowing for separate placement of the individual panels one at a time at the respective final locations as desired, and complying with the relevant provisions of the rules and regulations concerning lifting building panels at construction sites, including satisfying

Occupational Health and Safety requirements, particularly relating to lifting operations.

More particularly, previous attempts at lifting multiple panels simultaneously have not allowed separate placement of one panel at a time at different respective final locations for the individual panels depending upon where the panels are required for installation but rather all of the multiple panels required unloading at the same intermediate location due to the equipment and method used for lifting the panels.

Once the individual panels were unloaded as a group at the one intermediate location, the panels needed to be repositioned manually by workers stationed in close proximity to the multiple panels, such as for example, at an upper level of the building being constructed. Whilst the use of such equipment and methods saved some time in actually lifting the panels, extra time and workmen were required to manually reposition the panels once deposited at the intermediate location of the upper level so that overall there was little cost savings in the overall construction costs.

Other attempts at lifting multiple panels simultaneously included tethering individual panels to each other in sequence, so that a plurality of panels were interconnected by tethers, such as flexible tethers, including straps, chains or similar. While the use of such systems allowed the placement of single panels individually one at a time at different final locations by operators being able to disconnect the panels from each other in sequence as required, there were major safety concerns over lifting multiple panels in a more or less unrestrained interconnected series or sequence in which the individual panels were able to move substantially independently of one another, even when interconnected to each other since in adverse weather conditions, due to the panels being somewhat unrestrained, there could be unwanted movement of one or more of the panels, sometimes dangerously so, such as for example, unacceptably large relative movements of one panel with respect to another panel of the sequence of panels in windy conditions as the panels swayed from side to side while being lifted into place. In some circumstances, there was a sufficiently large range or amplitude of movement of the panels for the panels to strike or collide with each other, or with parts of the building undergoing construction, or with parts of the lifting apparatus, having the potential for damage and injury, since there was little or no control of movement of the respective panels, particularly the lower panels in the series or sequence when actually being lifted into place by the lifting apparatus.

Furthermore, in configurations where individual panels were flexibly tethered to one another, only two or three individual panels at most, could be lifted in the one lift owing to the overall distance occupied by the panels from the upper level to the lower level due to the required separation of the panels from each other, including the distance apart of the individual panels from each other, which made lifting more than, say, three panels simultaneously, unwieldy and/or dangerous because of the distance of the lowermost panel from the uppermost panel and from the lifting apparatus.

Therefore, there is a need for a lifting device which can be used to lift a group of panels simultaneously and to place individual panels one at a time at different desired final locations, and for methods of using the lifting device to transport the panels. It is to be noted that not all embodiments of the lifting device and/or of the

transportation and/or lifting methods or steps will overcome all deficiencies of current techniques for lifting building panels. One embodiment may overcome one deficiency, whereas another embodiment may overcome a different deficiency. Some embodiments may overcome two or more deficiencies. SUMMARY

According to one form of the present invention, there is provided a method of transporting at least a first and second building panel, the first building panel having a first lifting element for use in lifting the first panel and the second building panel simultaneously, the second building panel having a second lifting element for use in lifting the second building panel, the method comprising the steps of locating a lifting device including a base member and a moveable engaging element with respect to the first and second building panels when in stacked face-to-face abutting relationship with the second building panel located upon the first building panel so that the base member is aligned with the first and second lifting elements of the first and second panels respectively, the movable engaging element being movable between a lifting position in which the engaging element cooperatively engages the lifting element, and a release position in which the engaging element is disengaged from the lifting element, moving the engaging element to the lifting position to engage the first lifting element for lifting the first panel, moving the lifting device to transport the first and second panels in unison to a second location, releasing the engaging element from the lifting element to disengage the engaging element from the first lifting element allowing removal of the lifting device from the first panel, repositioning the lifting device to align the base member with the lifting element of the second building panel for facilitating engagement of the engaging element with the second lifting device, moving the engaging element to the lifting position, and moving the second building panel to a further location.

According to one form of the present invention, there is provided a method of transporting at least a first building panel, the first building panel having a first lifting element for use in lifting the first panel, the method comprising the steps of locating a lifting device including a base member and a moveable engaging element with respect to the at least first building panel so that the base member is aligned with the first lifting element of the first panel, the movable engaging element being movable between a lifting position in which the engaging element cooperatively engages the lifting element, and a release position in which the engaging element is disengaged from the lifting element, moving the engaging element to the lifting position to engage the first lifting element for lifting the first panel, moving the lifting device to transport the first panel.

According to one form of the present invention there is provided a lifting device for use in lifting a building panel, the building panel having a lifting element, the lifting device comprising a base member for locating the lifting device with respect to the panel, and an engaging element movable with respect to the base member between a lifting position in which the engaging element engages the lifting element to facilitate lifting of the panel in response to corresponding movement of the lifting device, and a release position in which the engaging element is disengaged from the lifting element for facilitating removal of the lifting device from the panel, wherein the base member has a first surface for contact with part of the lifting element to align the base member with respect to the lifting element to facilitate movement of the engaging element into the lifting position to engage the lifting element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In one form, the building panel is a lightweight building panel, typically in the form of a slab, block, or other generally rectangular prism or cuboid shape, such as a substantially cuboid building panel having two opposed faces, being an obverse face and a reverse face, two opposed longitudinal sides in spaced apart relationship to each other, one on either side of the panel, and two opposed transverse ends in spaced apart relationship to each other, one at either end of the panel, in which the length of the longitudinal sides is greater, preferably considerably greater, than the length of the transverse ends, wherein in forms of the panel all of the longitudinal ends and transverse sides extend substantially perpendicularly between the two opposed faces. However, shapes other than rectangular prisms are possible.

More typically, the building panel is a parallelepiped lightweight building panel. Even more typically, the building panel is a lightweight slab building panel, typically an autoclaved aerated concrete panel (AAC panel). Preferably, the lightweight building panel is an AAC panel supplied, manufactured and/or available from CSR Building Products Limited, under the name "Hebel®, including panels marketed under the following names, "Hebel® powerpanel", "Hebel® power floor", "Hebel® solid panel", "Hebel® power floor+", "Hebel® commercial floor", "Hebel® Smartslab", "Hebel® Powershield" or similar.

Forms of the panel are provided with smooth faces, edges, ends or sides. Forms of the panel are provided with cooperating complementary tongue and groove arrangements along the long sides or short sides or along both the long and short sides. In forms of the panel, the tongue of one panel is received in the groove of an adjacent panel.

Forms of the panel have surface decorations on the faces, including combinations of depressions and projections, or depressions and flat surfaces, such as by selective routing of the faces.

The rectangular building panels can be arranged to form a floor or a wall of a building, including a single storey building or a multi-story building requiring the panels to be lifted into place for installation on or in the building at upper floors during construction of the building. In one form, the panel is provided with one or more rebates, channels or grooves.

Typically, there are two rebates, channels or grooves, one on either side of the panel, typically, on each of the long sides, more typically on, at or towards the upper corner or edges of both long sides.

In one form, the building panel is provided with two rebates, preferably one rebate being located along one side or edge and another rebate being located along another side or edge, more preferably on opposed sides or edges, such as on the two longitudinal edges or along the two longitudinal corners of one face of the panel, more preferably the upper face in use of the panels.

In one form, the two opposed rebates have the same shape, profile, cross-section or similar, whereas in other forms, the opposed rebates have different shapes, profiles, cross-sections or similar. In one form, the rebate has two parts, an upper part and a lower part. Typically, the width of the upper part, closer to the top face of the panel is smaller than the width of the lower part which is closer to the bottom face of the panel. More typically, the upper and lower parts are angularly inclined to one another. Typically, the upper and lower parts are angularly inclined to each other at opposite directions to form a waistline immediate the two parts, typically at the junction of the two parts. More typically, the upper part is inclined at an angle of between about 100° and about 135° to the top face and the lower part is inclined at an angle between about 10° and 45° to a plane parallel to the upper face. However, parts or profiles of the rebate can have any suitable inclination.

In one form, the rebate has a generally semicircular or half round shape or profile when viewed in cross-section. Typically, this form of rebate is located in one longitudinal side closer to the obverse face of the panel i.e. the upper or outer face in use.

One form of the panel has a single lifting element whereas other forms of the panel have two or more lifting elements, typically multiple lifting elements. If there are two or more lifting elements, the elements are typically located in spaced apart relationship to one another. The spacing apart of the lifting elements has any convenient or suitable spacing typically from about 1 .5m to 2m apart from each other. More typically, the lifting elements are located at symmetrical locations within the panel, even more typically symmetrically about the midpoint or midplane of the panel, preferably about the transverse midplane of the panel located towards the transverse sides or ends of the panel. More typically, the lifting elements are in spaced apart substantially parallel relationship to each other.

In one form, the lifting elements of one building panel are located at the same location as the lifting elements of another building panel so that when both building panels are arranged in stacked relationship one upon the other, the lifting elements at the same location are aligned with each other to enable the two panels to be lifted

simultaneously using the lifting tool or device. Typically, the panels are manufactured with the location of the lifting elements being constant so that all of the panels can be lifted simultaneously using the same lifting tool or device by the lifting elements always being in alignment with each other for cooperative engagement with the lifting tool or device.

Forms of the lifting element include a single elongate lifting insert or similar which extends transversely from one side or edge of the panel to the opposite side or edge of the panel through the entire width of the panel. Other forms of the lifting element include two or more segments or sections which are placed, in effect, to combine to form the lifting element in which one segment is located at or towards one side of the panel, typically one of the longitudinal sides or edges of the panel, and the other segment is located at or towards the opposite longitudinal side or edge of the panel so that one segment extends from and is accessible at one side of the panel and the other segment extends from and is accessible at the other side of the panel. In one form, the two segments on either side of the panel are in alignment with each other, such as for example, being collinear, whereas in other forms, the two segments are off-set from each other by being spaced laterally from each other or being staggered longitudinally of each other. In forms of the panel, the inserts extend from alternating sides of the panel in staggered spaced apart relationship.

Forms of the lifting element extend outwardly from the respective longitudinal edge or side, typically so as to be accessible from outside the panel by being located in a void, typically an access void, or similar provided at the side or edge of the panel, such as for example, formed in the side or edge of the panel as the panel is being

manufactured. The second section of the same lifting element or the two segments of the lifting elements have exposed ends at the respective sides of the panel, typically located in access voids formed or molded in the sides or edges of the panels during manufacture of the panels. However, the access voids can be formed during or after manufacture of the panel.

One form of the lifting element is an insert located partially within the panel. Forms of the insert are metal rods, bars, channels, grooved sections, typically channel sections having a U-shaped profile, a C-shaped profile or the like including having a web section located between two spaced apart side walls or flanges extending from the web section at either side of the insert, typically extending substantially perpendicularly from the web section. The insert can have any suitable or convenient profile or cross- section including being symmetrical or asymmetrical about the centre line of the insert. In one form, the lifting element or insert has two end sections or two outer sections, or two exposed end sections, which sections are exposed at either end, and a central or inner or midsection which is located internally within the panel, such as for example, by being embedded within the panel. In other forms, such as the segment form, the insert has a single exposed outer end and a single inner end embedded within the panel.

In one form, the central section or portion, or inboard end or portion, is located within the body of the panel, typically embedded within the material from which the panel is made, such as embedded or enclosed within the AAC mixture from which the panel is made. The outer end or end portions or sections of the lifting elements are exposed by being located within the access voids to extend outwardly from the access voids in the sides of the panels.

In forms of the panels, the inserts or lifting elements are arranged in alignment with the access voids, which in one form are cut-outs, rebates, cavities, spaces, gaps, concavities, or similar.

Forms of the accessible ends of the exposed ends of the lifting element are provided with an engager for engaging a suitable lifting device, such as for example, a lifting bracket, a lifting arm, a lifting leg, a lifting tool, a lifting assembly having a fixed part and a movable part for selectively engaging the engager or the like. Forms of the engager which are selectively cooperatively engageable with the lifting device, include an end profile for facilitating engagement of the insert with the lifting device. One form of the end profile is tapered, bevelled, inclined, sloping or the like, particularly the distal ends of the walls of the insert. However, other forms of the end of the insert are straight or are not provided with an end profile. In one form, the engager is an aperture, opening, hole, bore, perforation, cavity, void, or similar. In one form, the engager is a projection including a pin, peg, boss, lug, spigot, rod, tube, stub, or the like. However, the engager can have any suitable shape, profile, type, configuration or the like for cooperative engagement with the tool, such as for example, a lug having a single aperture. In one form, the lifting device is a lifting tool, typically in the form of a bracket, a lifting arm, a lifting leg, a lifting tool, a lifting interconnector or the like.

One form of the lifting device has a first part and a second part in which the second part is movable with respect to the first part. In one form, the first part is held against the panel to locate the lifting device with respect to the panel. In one form, the movable part is mounted on the first part, preferably retained on the first part whilst allowing movement with respect to the first part. In one form, the first part is located against all of the panels being lifted to prevent lateral movement of one or more or all of the panels so as to maintain the panels in stacked relationship.

Typically, the lifting device is substantially elongate in which the first part is the body or main structural part of the bracket and is in the form of a rigid backbone member providing strength and rigidity for the lifting device. In one form, the body part is a main member, or support member or load transmitting member for facilitating lifting of the load of multiple panels using a suitable lifting apparatus such as a crane or hoist.

Forms of the lifting bracket are used to interconnect the stack of panels to a lifting apparatus or parts of the lifting apparatus, typically, to interconnect the lowermost panel of the stack of panels to the lifting apparatus, typically to the spreader bar or lifting links of a crane or hoist. Forms of the structural part of the bracket include a backing member in the form of a plate, rod, bar, tube, shaft or the like, typically in a planar form, such as a flat plate or flat bar or other flat section. Typically, the main part is a planar member in the form of a plate or flat bar or section having one or more locators for assisting in locating the device with respect to the collective sides of the panel. One form of the locator, is an opening, aperture, slot or similar void, cavity, groove or cut-out. Preferably, the locator is an elongate opening or aperture, more preferably a generally rectangular slot or the like. More typically the locator is the edge or edges of the rectangular slot or side edges of the plate.

Typically, the movable part is movably connected to the main part, such as flexibly mounted on the main part, pivotally movable with respect to the main part, axially movable or the like. In one form the movable part is axially movable with respect to the plate in response to manual manipulation of part of the movable part. One form of the movable part is an operating element, such as a lever, rod, handle, or other element capable of undergoing movement, including a sub-assembly or mechanism movable between a lifting position for engaging with the lifting element of the panel and a release position in which the operating element is released from the lifting element allowing removal of the lifting device from the panel.

In one form, the operating element is located within retainers fixedly mounted on the plate. One form of the retainers are sleeves, conduits, guides, bearing surfaces or the like. Typically, the sleeves are tubes, more typically elongate cylindrical tubes. Even more typically, there are two tubes, one located on either lateral side of the elongate plate to support and guide movement of the operating element, more typically on the outer sides of the rectangular slot.

In one form, the movable part is resiliently biased to the fixed part so as to adopt an at- rest position. In one form, the at-rest position is the operative position of the lifting device typically, the lifting position in which an operative part of the device is cooperatively engaged with the lifting element, typically the exposed end of the lifting element, and more preferably the aperture provided in the exposed end of the lifting insert or bar.

The lifting apparatus can have any suitable form or be of any suitable type. Forms of the lifting apparatus include a crane, hoist, lift, winch including a mobile crane, a fixed crane, a portable crane, a tower crane, a self-expanding crane, a crane having a telescopic boom, a self-erecting crane, a crane temporarily or permanently fixed to the building or support structure of the building, such as a wall or roof of the building, a travelling crane or the like.

Forms of the crane or hoist include lifting accessories and/or components, such as for example, a spreader bar, including a fixed length spreader bar, an adjustable length spreader bar, telescopic spreader bar, chains, shackles, bolts, turnbuckles, links, hooks and the like.

In one form, the lifting bracket is releasably connectable to the lifting apparatus by a lifting link, such as for example, a chain link or the like, typically having a hook or similar.

Forms of the methods of lifting and/or transporting and/or handling the panels include lifting a single stack of panels using multiple lifting devices, such as four separate devices, one such device located at or towards each corner of the stack of panels.

Forms of the stack have any number of panels, such as for example from about 2 panels to about 10 individual panels, preferably from about 3 to 8 individual panels, typically about 4, 5 or 6 individual panels, more typically stacked in face-to-face relationship one on top of the other. However, in some forms the panels are stacked in a horizontal array in which each panel rests upon one of its longitudinal edges and extends upwardly so that the faces of the panel extend vertically, with the vertically oriented faces of the panels in abutting relationship to one another to form the horizontal stack. When the individual panels are in the horizontal stack the ends of the inserts extend upwardly so that access to the ends of the inserts can be gained from above the horizontal stack of panels allowing the lifting tool to be connected to the exposed ends of the inserts for lifting of the horizontal stack of panels.

In one form a second set of lifting tools is attached to the exposed ends of the inserts extending from underneath the panels in the horizontal stack.

In one form, the stacked array is an essentially planar array formed by individual panels being located at the one level in abutting side-by-side relationship to each other with one longitudinal side of one panel abutting one longitudinal side of the next panel when the two panels are contiguous with each other in substantially the same plane. In this form, the panels are laid flat in the same orientation with respect to each other as the orientation of the panels when installed for forming the floor of the building so that all of the panels of the flat planar array can be lifted simultaneously for placement as a group to form part of the floor at an upper level of the building by all of the panels being deposited simultaneously at the required location to form the floor. Forms of the method include lifting a single stack of panels, either as a vertical stack, a horizontal stack, or a planar array with a first set of lifting devices, such as a set of four lifting brackets, or lifting two or more stacks of panels in interconnected relationship to each other in which the first stack of panels has a first set of lifting brackets and the second or subsequent stacks of panels each have a second set of brackets or further sets of brackets, respectively, depending upon the number of stacks being lifted simultaneously so that each stack has its own set of lifting brackets. Typically each set of brackets has four such brackets.

Forms of the methods have sets of brackets interconnected to one another so that the lower ends of the upper set of brackets are connected to the upper ends of the lower set of brackets to form four groups of brackets with each group having a pair of interconnected brackets being an upper bracket and a lower bracket at or towards each corner of the stack.

In one form each bracket of the one pair of brackets is flexibly interconnected to the other bracket of the pair, such as using a flexible link, linkage, coupling or the like, including a chain, chain link, or similar to allow relative independent movement of one stack with respect to the other stack to assist loading and/or unloading of the individual panels or stacks. Forms of the brackets have connectors for allowing interconnection of the brackets to each other. Typically, the connectors are apertures located at the ends of the brackets, more typically, at both ends of the bracket, such as at both ends of the plate forming the body of the bracket. However, forms of the bracket have a single connector, typically in the form of a single aperture only located at the upper end of the bracket.

Forms of the method include having flexible links between the two brackets forming the pair of brackets, such as a chain link or the like extending between the brackets. In one form the link is received through a lower connecting aperture of the upper bracket and the upper connecting aperture of the lower bracket to interconnect the pair of brackets.

In one form of the method, the bracket in the release configuration is manually attached to the exposed end of the insert by the lower end of the bracket being received in the clearance space between the inclined or tapered ends of the walls of the exposed end of the insert. Typically the bracket is oriented to be substantially parallel to the edge of the panel so as to enable the bracket to move substantially parallel to the edge of the panel to engage the aperture of the exposed end to secure the bracket to the panel.

It is to be noted that the dimensions of the access void in which the end of the insert extends into and is located, are such that there is sufficient clearance for lateral movement of the lifting tool to correctly engage with the ends of the inserts to accommodate slight misalignment of the positions of the ends of the inserts from one another, due to slight displacement of individual panels with respect to other panels within the stack of panels when the stack is being formed, either at the factory during manufacture or when assembling the stack at the building site.

In one form the bracket is provided with a locking arrangement to lock the bracket into the lifting configuration during lifting of the panels to prevent unwanted or unintended releasing of the bracket from the panels during the lifting operation, typically, to prevent unwanted movement of the operating element. In one form of the method when placing the individual panels at their respective required locations, the bracket is attached to the lowermost panel of the stack being lifted and placed so that as the panel is placed in abutting relationship with the last previously placed panel the bracket is located in the space formed between the pair of aligned access voids of the respective side-by-side panels which are arranged in opposed edge to edge relationship with each other to define a space or gap between the abutting panels to allow removal of the bracket from the insert between the two panels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Forms of the lifting device and methods of lifting and/or transporting panels having forms of lifting elements will now be described by way of example to illustrate embodiments of the lifting device and methods of use of the lifting devices with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the lifting device in an at-rest position in a lifting configuration shown in isolation.

Figure 2 is an enlarged view of circle A of Figure 1 showing the relationship between the operating handle of the lifting device and the base member in the at-rest lifting position.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of circle B of Figure 1 showing the operative end of the lifting device in more detail when in the at-rest lifting position.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of one form of the lifting device.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lifting device of Figure 1 in a release position. Figure 6 is an enlarged view of circle C of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view from the rear of the lifting device of Figure 1 in the lifting position.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a stack of four panels being lifted by four lifting devices connected to lifting elements provided on panels. Figure 9 is a perspective view of the lifting device of Figure 1 in a release position in contact with the side of a panel.

Figure 10 is an enlarged side elevation view of the operative end of the lifting device in the release position. Figure 1 1 is a perspective view of the lifting device of Figure 1 in a lifting position engaged with the panel.

Figure 12 is an enlarged side elevation view of the operative end of the lifting device in the lifting position engaged with the lifting element of the panel. Figure 13 is a perspective view of placement of the first lowermost panel.

Figure 14 is a perspective view of placement of the second lowermost panel.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of one form of a panel.

Figure 16 is an enlarged view of circled D of Figure 15 showing the exposed end of one form of a lifting device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

It is to be noted that the illustrated embodiment will be described with reference to the normal orientation of the panel being used as a flooring panel and the lifting apparatus lifting the panel to a height in the usual manner for clarity of expression and ease of understanding. The scope of protection is not restricted to this orientation. One embodiment of a building panel, in the form of a light weight flooring panel will now be described in detail. It is to be noted that the panel can have other forms, including other shapes, such as for example, in the shape of a trapezoidal prism. A lightweight flooring panel, generally denoted as 10 is typically made from a lightweight structural building material, such as autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) of the type made by CSR Building Products Limited and available under the name of Hebel®, including variations thereof.

Although the panel will be described by reference to a flooring panel, other forms of the panel can be used as wall panels, particularly as interior or exterior wall cladding in multi-storied buildings. With particular reference to Figures 15 and 16, one form of a panel will now be described. Panel 10 is of a solid generally rectangular prism shape, such as a general parallelepiped shape or similar having a top or obverse face 12, a bottom or reverse face 14, two longitudinal sides 16, 18 and two transverse ends 20, 22 generally arranged to extend perpendicularly to one another to form a generally rectangular prism shaped slab or similar shape having a length of typically up to about 6 meters, a width of typically up to about 600mm and a thickness of typically up to about 300mm or more. However, panel 10 can be made in any suitable length, width or thickness combination as required depending upon the type of use required and the construction method of the building using the panels, such as whether panel 10 is used as flooring with obverse face 12 facing upwards or as wall cladding with observe face 12 facing outwards.

A discontinuity in the form of a rebate, such as a groove or similar is provided along the upper side edge of panel 10 on both sides of panel 10. The discontinuity can take any suitable or convenient form. One preferred form of the rebate is a double profile (DP) groove, notch, or similar 24, extending lengthwise along one of the upper longitudinal side edges or corners of obverse face 12 in use of panel 10, as shown more particularly in Figures 15 and 16. In one form, groove 24 is formed from two surfaces angularly inclined to one another to form an angulated groove or groove of an angulated profile. It is to be noted that groove 24, 26 can take any suitable profile, including being of the same general shape or of different shapes.

One form of groove 24 will now be described.

The two inclined surfaces forming groove 24, are an upper surface 28 which is straight sided, or is an undercut surface extending from top face 12 inboard of panel 10 at an angle, in a generally downwards direction away from top face 12, and a lower surface 30 which extends from the inboard lower edge of upper surface 28 to side surface 16 at a downwardly directed angle, also in a direction away from top surface 12. In one form, the junction between upper surface 28 and lower surface 30 is a waist line. In one form, the angle of inclination of upper surface 28 can vary from about 100° to about 135 ° with respect to obverse face 12, and the angle of inclination of lower surface 30 with respect to a plane parallel to the plane of obverse face 12, can vary from about 10° to about 45°. The two parts of the rebate can have any inclination.

It is to be noted that groove 24 provides a longitudinal slot into which part of a ring anchor system can be located, such as for example, an elongate rod or bar to assist in securing panel 10 in place as part of the floor at one level in the multi-storied building.

Additionally, it is to be noted that groove 24 is shaped to receive elongate reinforcing bars, tie down bars or other fasteners therein to assist in fastening the flooring panels to the solid substrate of a floor to maintain the flooring panels in position after installation, such as for example, the reinforcing bars forming part of a "ring anchor system" which is anchored by steel cleats located external to the floor substrate or steel framework members, to resist upward movement of the panels from the floor when installed in the building, also to be described in more detail later in this specification.

Another form of the rebate, located on the opposite side of panel 10, but close to the edge of obverse face 12, is a rebate 26 of a generally semi-circular or part round profile. Rebates 24, 26 are shaped so as to cooperatively receive tie down rods or similar therein or therebetween to secure panel 10 within the building. Panel 10 is provided with one or other form of a lifting element. One form of the lifting element is an insert 40 in the form of a U-shaped channel section having a central web 41 located between two walls 43, extending substantially perpendicularly from the web, typically in walls 43 are the form of flanges.

In one form, insert 40 is a single elongate channel section extending from one long side of panel 10 to the other long side. Other forms of the insert acting as the lifting element are possible.

Insert 40 has two exposed ends 44, extending outwardly from respective long sides 16, 18 of panel 10 so as to be accessible from outside of panel 10. Each end 44, is provided with an engager, typically in the form of an aperture 50 for cooperative engagement with a suitable lifting device, particularly a lifting device having a movable engaging element, to lift panel 10 as will be described below.

Panel 10 is provided with a pair of spaced apart access voids 52 on either long side 16, 18. Voids 52 allow access to ends 44 of insert 40 and to apertures 50 for lifting panel 10 such as for example, for the ends of a suitable lifting device to engage with aperture 50. The engager can be of any suitable form, configuration, shape or type.

Aperture 50 is preferably circular. However, other forms are possible such as being a slot, or square, rectangular, oval or the like. In one form, the distal ends 44 of insert 40 are tapered or bevelled having inclined outer edges in the walls of the U-section forming the insert, such as shown in Figure 16. The inclined edges facilitate access to and from the engager by the lifting device when lifting and depositing panel 10, particularly access to and from aperture 50. In one form the end 44 of insert 40 is straight so that the ends of walls 43 are flush with the end of web 41 .

Insert 40 is generally elongate of a size sufficient to span from one long side 16 of panel 10 to the other long side 18 of panel 10. The actual size of insert 40 is determined by the width of panel 10 so that the length of insert 40 substantially corresponds with width of panel 10, and can range from less than about 150mm to more than 600mm.

Void 52 can have any suitable or convenient shape. Void 52 is formed using a former placed strategically within the mold in which a block is molded. Individual panels 10 are cut from the molded block.

Void 52 provides clearance to allow selective access to end 44 of insert 40 at the side of panel 10, particularly to aperture 50 to allow cooperative engagement with a suitable lifting device, typically in the form of a lifting tool, lifting arm, lifting bracket, or the like having a movable grip or similar in the form of a pin, peg or other projection for being received within aperture 50, to enable a group of individual panels in stacked relationship one above the other, such as shown more particularly in Figure 8, to be lifted simultaneously in a single lift and unloaded separately at different respective locations by the lifting tool moving to a disengaged position for disengaging the movable grip, pin, peg or similar, of the lifting tool from the insert, most notably aperture 50, of the lowermost panel of the stack of panels to allow the lifting tool to be removed from the panel and reconnected to the next lowermost panel in the stack of panels to move the panels to the respective new locations as will be described in more detail later.

Void 52 is of a size, shape and profile to provide sufficient clearance for the lifting tool to be located within void 52 for the lifting tool to cooperatively engage with end 44 of insert 40. In particular, the width or side to side dimension of void 52 is sufficient to accommodate misalignment of individual panels from each other within the stack of panels, so that ends 44 of inserts 40 are not all perfectly aligned with each other but rather are laterally displaced from each other owing to the individual panels not being perfectly aligned but rather being placed generally on top of each other in approximate alignment. Additionally, the lifting tool is provided with sufficient tolerances in the part of the lifting tool co-operating with ends 44 of inserts 42 which part collectively engages with all ends 44 of inserts 40 when panels 10 are in a stacked array, but slightly offset from each other, resulting in the inserts being slightly displaced laterally from each other, so as to be able to cooperatively engage with all inserts to lift the stacked array.

One form of a lifting device in the form of a releasable hoist bracket or releasable lifting bracket generally denoted as 60, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, particularly with reference to Figures 1 to 12.

Bracket 60 includes a base member in the form of an elongate plate 62 having a length greater than about or corresponding to the thickness or height of the stack of panels 10 to be lifted as a single unit or package using the lifting bracket. Typically, four panels as illustrated in the drawings are being lifted as a single stack. However, any number of individual panels can be lifted as required, as can the array of panels have any orientation or configuration, including being vertical, horizontal or planar.

The stack of four panels 10 are lifted simultaneously so that the length of plate 62 is greater than about four times the thickness of each panel being lifted so as to extend between all four panels. Plate 62 is provided with upper circular aperture 64 at or towards the upper distal end in use. Aperture 64 allows bracket 60 to be connected to a suitable lifting apparatus, such as the lifting tackle of the lifting apparatus, including hooks, chains, chain links and similar of a lifting crane or hoist as illustrated in Figure 8. Also, aperture 64 allows two or more separate lifting brackets 60 to be joined together in a line for use to lift a greater number of panels, typically a group of eight panels, in two groups of four panels each, in a single lift as required.

Thumb slot 66 is provided adjacent aperture 64 for receiving therethrough or therein the thumb of a workman when moving bracket 60 to a release position as will be described later. A hand hole 68, typically in the form of a square or rectangular aperture is provided adjacent thumb slot 66 to receive the fingers of the hand of a workman to move bracket 60 to the release position.

A locator in the form of a large generally elongate rectangular slot 70 is provided in the body of plate 62 extending from near to hand hole 68 to the other end of plate 62 which is the operative end of lifting device 60. Rectangular slot 70 is defined laterally between two portions or margins 72 or edge strips that are located on either side of plate 62 extending in the lengthwise direction of plate 62. Margins 72 define the sides of the rectangular slot. It is to be noted that the width of slot 70 provides sufficient clearance for misalignment of panels 10 from each other when in the array of panels to be lifted using lifting tool 60.

The length of rectangular slot 70 is approximately the distance between the upper edge or surface of insert 40 of the uppermost panel of the stack of panels being lifted as a single unit, and the lower edge or surface of the insert 40 of the lowermost panel in the stack of panels so that plate 62 can be received over all of exposed ends 44 of inserts 40 to abut directly against the respective long side edges of all panels 10 at one side of the stack of panels, such as by being received within access voids 52. It is to be noted that slot 72 is used to accurately locate bracket 60 against the sides of panels 10 in abutting contact with the exposed ends 44 of inserts 40 to correctly align bracket 60 in place to facilitate lifting of the stack of panels by the side edges of slot 70 engaging the side edges of the ends of the inserts.

A retainer in the form of an elongate sleeve in the form of a substantially cylindrical tube 74 having a circular cross-section is fixedly attached to each margin 72 of plate 62 to extend along the lengthwise extending axis of plate 62. A generally elongate U- shaped handle 75 having a central web portion 77 acting as a finger grip or similar, and two elongate arms 76 for transmitting movement which extend linearly from the web section is received within spaced apart tubes 74 in which one of the elongate arms 76 is received in one of tubes 74 and the other elongate arm 76 is received in the other tube 74. Handle 75 moves axially along the lengthwise extending axis of plate 62 between a lifting position, in which handle 75 is in a relatively lowered at-rest position as shown in Figures 1 and 2, and a release position in which handle 75 is moved generally upwardly against the bias being applied to handle 75 to retain holding handle 75 in the lifting position so as to adopt the release position as shown in Figures 5 and 6, to be described in more detail later, enabling separation of bracket 60 from panels 10.

Each free end 80 of each arm 76 is fixedly connected to one side of a transversely extending saddle or yoke 82 to interconnect the free ends 80 to each other to form part of handle 75. In one form, saddle 82 is a square or rectangular section rod or bar fixedly connected to free ends 80 by suitable fasteners or the like. Accordingly, when the grip 77 of handle 75 is moved, such as for example raised from the lifting position to the release position, handle 75 and saddle 82 move as a single unit.

One end, being the upper end of a lengthwise extending pin 86 is fixedly connected to saddle 82 by a suitable fastener. Pin 86 is in alignment with plate 62 and in the plane of elongate slot 70 to move axially within the plane of slot 70 between a retracted position corresponding to a release position and an extended position corresponding to a lifting position. Pin 86 is at rest in the lifting position.

A pair of retainers, in the form of an upper guide support 88 and a lower guide support 90, are fixedly connected to both margins 72 on either side of slot 70 at spaced apart locations in substantially parallel relationship to each other for guiding axial movement of pin 86 between the lifting and release positions. As both upper and lower guide supports 88, 90 are substantially identical, only one will be described in detail.

The guide supports 88, 90 are in the form of a centrally located transversely square section bar or solid flat rod 92 provided with a central bore 94 for receiving

therethrough pin 86 to guide axial movement of pin 86, and optionally to form a bearing surface for movement of pin 86. A pair of spaced apart substantially parallel outwardly extending arms 96, are provided at either end of bar 92 for fixedly attaching guide 90 to plate 62 at margins 72. Suitable fasteners in the form of screws, clips, rivets, dowels or the like fasten guide 90 to plate 62.

The lower edge in use of rectangular slot 70 is provided with a void in the form of a cutout, rebate, groove or similar. One form of the cut-out is a notch 98 being of a substantially rectilinear shape having a square or rectangular profile. However, the cut-out can have any desired or suitable shape. Pin 86 is provided with a tip 100 or similar, at the distal end thereof for being received in notch 98 when device 60 is in the lifting position as shown more particularly in Figures 1 and 3.

Aperture 102 is provided in the end of plate 62 at the operative end of device 60 to allow device 60 to be connected to other similar devices if required or to other parts of a lifting apparatus, such as the spreader bar of a crane or hoist. Pin 86 is resiliently biased to be received in notch 98 at rest. In one form, the bias is provided by a biasing member associated with pin 86 or saddle 82 or the remainder of handle 75. In one form, the biasing member is a spring, typically in the form of a helical compression spring 104. Pin 86 is received internally within spring 104 so that tip 100 of pin 86 is forced into contact with notch 98 so as to be received therein at rest.

In operation when device 60 is to be moved to the release position, the thumb of an operator is located in thumb hole 66 and the finger located within hand hole 68 so that handle 75 can be pulled upwards axially using grip 77, which in turn moves tip 100 out of notch 98 to move device 60 to the release position as shown more particularly in Figures 5, 6, 9 and 10. Use of device 60 in lifting and/or transporting panels 10 will now be described with particular reference to Figures 8 to 16.

A stack of panels 1 10, typically comprising four substantially identical individual panels 10 in face-to-face vertical stacked relationship one upon the other, is delivered to a building site for installation in a multi-storied building under construction. Each panel 10 has two inserts 40 having two exposed ends 44 extending into access voids 52. Each exposed end 44 has an engagement aperture 50. In use, tip 100 of pin 86 of device 60 is received in aperture 50 when lifting device 60 is in the lifting position for lifting the panels.

A suitable crane or hoist, including a free standing crane, a mobile crane, a hoist attached to the walls or support of the building under construction, or a tower crane, a self-expanding crane, or self-erecting crane, is brought into proximity to stack 1 10. The crane is provided with a spreader bar 1 14 having four chains 1 16 downwardly depending therefrom. Each chain 1 16 is provided with a chain link 1 18 allowing flexible connection of stack 1 10 to the crane. A lifting device in the form of bracket 60 is attached to the lower ends of each of chains 116 using upper attachment aperture 64 so as to allow bracket 60 to hang downwards from the distal end of chain 1 16.

With bracket 60 in the release position by moving handle 75 upwardly axially using grip 77, to withdraw tip 100 of pin 86 from notch 98, plate 62 of bracket 60 can be positioned to abut against the side walls of panels 10 in register with aligned voids 52 of the panels, against the respective inner central walls 54, allowing for any misalignment of panels 10 with respect to each other when in the stacked array. It is to be noted in this position that slot 70 and margins 72 act as guides to correctly align bracket 60 with respect to panels 10 to enable all ends 44 of inserts 40 to be located through slot 70 so that bracket 60 can be used to lift stack 1 10 by all of ends 44 of inserts 40 extending into slot 70 with end 44 of the lowermost panel extending into the space between lower guide support 90 and notch 98 so that aperture 50 is aligned with tip 100 of pin 86 so that handle 75 can be released to move pin 86 from a release position to a lifting position. When handle 75 is released by removing the hand from grip 70, handle 75 moves generally downwards under the influence of spring 104 towards the lifting position since tip 100 being aligned with aperture 50, allows pin 86 to move through aperture 50 to be received in notch 98 to securely engage with end 44 of insert 40 of the lowermost panel of the stack of panels to securely engage insert 40 since pin 86 is held captive in aperture 50 as shown more particularly in Figures 5, 1 1 and 12. Each of the four brackets 60 are positioned against the respective aligned access voids 52 on both sides of panel 10 to collectively engage with the respective apertures 50 of the lowermost panel.

The stacked array of panels 1 10 is lifted to an upper level of the building in accordance with the usual operation of the crane. When stack 1 10 is at the correct location for placement of the lowermost panel, the stack is lowered into position, such as for example between two joists or similar support beams of the floor structure of an upper level of a high rise building, to locate the lowermost panel in the correct position. Each of the lifting brackets 60 are released in turn from the ends 44 of the lowermost panel by pulling on handle 77 against the bias of spring 104 to withdraw tip 100 of pin 86 from aperture 50 so that bracket 60 is released from engagement with the panel allowing bracket 60 to be removed and relocated. It is to be noted that the tapered or inclined distal edges of the walls of exposed ends 44 of insert 40, if present, provide a clearance to allow movement of the end of bracket 60. However, void 52 is dimensioned so as to provide sufficient clearance in some forms of bracket 60 and insert 40.

Bracket 60 in the release position can then be repositioned so that tip 100 of pin 86 is aligned with aperture 50 of the next lowermost panel and handle 77 released so that tip 100 under the force of spring 104 moves into and through aperture 50 of the next lowermost panel to be received in notch 98 to resume the lifting position. When all four brackets 60 are attached to the next lowermost panel, the crane is operated to lift the stack of now three panels to the next location, which typically is adjacent the previously placed original lowermost panel so that the next panel can be located against the previously deposited panel. In this new position corresponding to where the now new lowermost panel is to be placed, the sequence of steps for releasing bracket 60 from the now lowermost panel (i.e. the original second lowermost panel) is repeated to allow removal of bracket 60 and placement of the new panel.

The overall sequence of steps as described above is repeated to lift and transport in turn the two remaining panels of the stack to their respective locations within the building so that both can be deposited at the correct respective locations.

After all four panels have been placed in their respective individual locations to form the floor at the upper level of the building, the crane is free for use to lift another stack of panels in the same manner as previously described.

An advantage of one form of the lifting device and of the method is that the lifting device can be used to remove a defective panel from an array of similar panels, such as to remove a defective panel from the flooring at a level within the building by using the lifting device to lift the panel from the floor using the lifting device which is able to be inserted between two panels in abutting side-by-side relationship to each other to engage with the engager of the insert and to be locked into place when the device is substantially vertical prior to raising the lifting device using a hoist, crane or similar.

The described arrangement has been advanced by explanation and many

modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which includes every novel feature and novel combination of features herein disclosed.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within the spirit and scope.

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

A method of transporting at least a first and second building panel in an array, the first building panel having a first lifting element for use in lifting the first panel and the second building panel simultaneously, and the second building panel having a second lifting element for use in lifting the second building panel, the method comprising the steps of locating a lifting device including a base member and a moveable engaging element with respect to the first and second building panels when in the array so that the base member is aligned with the first and second lifting elements of the first and second building panels respectively, the movable engaging element being movable between a lifting position in which the engaging element cooperatively engages the lifting element, and a release position in which the engaging element is disengaged from the lifting element, moving the engaging element to the lifting position to engage the first lifting element for lifting the first panel, moving the lifting device to transport the first and second panels in unison in the array to a second location, releasing the engaging element from the lifting element to disengage the engaging element from the first lifting element allowing removal of the lifting device from the first panel, repositioning the lifting device to align the base member with the lifting element of the second building panel for facilitating engagement of the engaging element with the second lifting element, moving the engaging element to the lifting position , and moving the second building panel to a further location .

A method of transporting at least a first building panel, the first building panel having a first lifting element for use in lifting the first panel, the method comprising the steps of locating a lifting device including a base member and a moveable engaging element with respect to the at least first building panel so that the base member is aligned with the first lifting element of the first panel, the movable engaging element being movable between a lifting position in which the engaging element cooperatively engages the lifting element of the first building panel, and a release position in which the engaging element is disengaged from the first lifting element of the first building panel, moving the engaging element to the lifting position to engage the first lifting element for lifting the first panel, and moving the lifting device to transport the first panel.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which there is a first set of lifting devices in which each device is located at different locations with respect to the array of panels wherein the first set of lifting devices act in unison to lift the array of panels.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim further comprising connecting a first set of lifting devices having connectors to a second set of lifting devices having connectors using the respective connectors of the first set of lifting devices and the second set of lifting devices to interconnect respective ones of the first set of lifting devices to respective ones of the second set of lifting devices wherein the connectors interconnect the two sets of lifting devices.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which the lifting device is a bracket, the method further comprising moving the bracket between a release configuration and a lifting configuration, manually attaching the bracket to the lifting element of the panel when the bracket is in the release configuration such that the bracket is oriented to be substantially parallel to the edge of the panel.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim comprising the step of placing individual panels at respective locations using the lifting device, including attaching the lifting device to the lowermost panel of the array of panels being lifted and placing the panel in abutting relationship with the last previously placed panel in which the lifting device is located in the space formed between the pair of aligned access voids of the respective side-by-the side panels when arranged in opposed edge to edge relationship with each other.

7. A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which the array of panels comprises from two to ten individual panels, preferably from three to eight individual panels, more preferably four to six individual panels. 8. A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which the lifting device includes a main part and an operating part which is axially movable with respect to the main part between a lifting configuration and a release configuration, wherein when the operating part is in the lifting configuration the operating part engages the engager of the lifting element to secure the building panel to the lifting device.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which the operating part includes an operating element in the form of a lever, rod, handle or other movable part or subassembly, wherein movement of the operating element to the release configuration by axial movement of the lever, rod or handle allows connection and disconnection of the lifting device from the lifting element and release of the lever, rod or handle allows the lifting device to return to the lifting configuration for use in lifting the array of panels.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which the array of panels includes from about two panels to about ten panels in stacked relationship to one another in which the panels are arranged in a vertical stacked array, a horizontal stacked array or a planar side by side stacked array.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which the main part of the lifting device in the form of a plate having an opening, is positioned to abut against a side wall of the panel in register with an access void provided along a side, edge or end of the panel, with the opening for guiding positioning of the plate to enable ends of the lifting device to be located through the opening so that the lifting device can engage collectively the ends of the lifting element for lifting the array of panels in unison.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim further comprising the step of removing a restraining force maintaining the plate in the release configuration to allow the lifting device to move under the influence of the resiliently biased means to adopt the lifting configuration.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim further comprising using a lifting apparatus to lift the array of building panels in unison, wherein the lifting apparatus includes a connector in the form of a spreader bar for collectively joining the lifting devices to the lifting apparatus to lift the array of building panels in stacked relationship. A method of transporting according to any preceding claim moving the operating element of the lifting device against the bias to move the lifting device to the release configuration for retaining the lifting device in the lifting configuration.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim, wherein when the operating element of the lifting device includes a pin and a notch, the method further comprising moving the operating element to the release configuration such that when the operating element is in the release position the tip of the pin is withdrawn from the notch to allow release of the lifting device from the lifting element of the panel.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which, when the array of panels is lifted to the further location, the array of panels is lowered into position such that the lowermost panel is located in the correct position, whereupon each of the lifting devices are moved to the release configuration to release the lowermost panel of the array by moving the engaging element against the bias to withdraw the tip of the pin from the aperture at the end of the lifting element allowing the lifting device to be separated from the lowermost panel.

17. A lifting device for use in lifting a building panel, the building panel having a lifting element, the lifting device comprising a base member for locating the lifting device with respect to the panel, and an engaging element movable with respect to the base member between a lifting position in which the engaging element engages the lifting element to facilitate lifting of the panel in response to corresponding movement of the lifting device, and a release position in which the engaging element is disengaged from the lifting element for facilitating removal of the lifting device from the panel, wherein the base member has a first surface for contact with part of the lifting element to align the base member with respect to the lifting element to facilitate movement of the engaging element into the lifting position to engage the lifting element.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which the building panel is a lightweight building panel made from autoclaved aerated concrete having opposed sides, edges, ends, faces, in which an end of the lifting element extends from at least one side, edge, end or face for cooperative engagement with an operative part in the form of an engagement of the lifting device.

A method of transporting according to any preceding claim in which the building panel is provided with a first cooperatively engaging element along a side, edge or end and a second cooperatively engaging element along a second side, edge or end, the first cooperatively engaging element being complementary to the second cooperatively engaging element, so that when two similar building panels are located in side by side relationship to each other the first and the second cooperatively engaging elements cooperate with one another to retain the two panels in place.

A method of transporting at least a first and second building panel substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.