A LIFTING ASSEMBLY

FIELD OF INVENTION The present invention relates to the lifting and moving of universal or I-beams.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Large I-beams such as those used for supporting a house or building are difficult to lift and maneuver. Currently, chains are positioned around each end of the I-beam for lifting by a crane or a hoist. The chains are positioned so that the I- beam is substantially level while being lifted. It is important that the chains balance the I-beam to prevent the I-beam from sliding during lifting and maneuvering. If one or both chains slide along the I-beam, the I-beam will become unbalanced and fall to the ground.

The use of chains to support I-beams in this manner is unsatisfactory as any sudden movement or contact with another object can easily unbalance the I-beam and cause it to fall from one or more of the supporting chains.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an alternate lifting assembly which overcomes at least in part one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect the present invention broadly resides in a lifting assembly for positioning about a flange of an I-beam including

a pair of complementary lifting arms, each of said arms has an elongate portion and a bracket portion, the elongate portion has an arm aperture adjacent a free end, the bracket portion has an abutment section and a support section, the support section extends laterally from the abutment section wherein the support section forms a substantially acute angle with the elongate portion; complementary positioning means on each arm enabling engagement of each arm when the arms are in an assembled position; and a connector member positionable through the arm apertures to connect the arms and provide a lifting point when the arms are in an assembled position, wherein in use the support section of the assembled complementary arms support the flanges of the I-beam.

The elongate portion preferably abuts the abutment portion at substantially 90 degrees with regards to a horizontal axis and forms a substantially acute angle with respect to a vertical axis.

The elongate portion is preferably spaced from the support section to allow the positioning of the I-beam flange.

In one embodiment the elongate portion is preferably reinforced around the arm aperture. More preferably, the reinforcement is located on the outer surface of the elongate portion when the arms are assembled.

The bracket portion is preferably substantially L-shaped.

The support section preferably has a gripping member on the surface of the support section proximal to the abutment portion. The gripping member preferably reduces movement of the supported I-beam flange on the support section. The gripping member is preferably a resiliently deformable pad of rubber or plastics material. Preferably the gripping pad is fixed to the support section.

The abutment section and elongate sections are preferably arranged to guide and position the support section about the I-beam flange.

Preferably there is a gap between the overhanging elongate portion and the support section to allow the positioning of the I-beam flange. More preferably the gap serves to capture the I-beam flange between the overhanging elongate portion and the support section and substantially limits the I-beam from slipping during tilting.

The positioning means is preferably located on the elongate portion of each arm. The positioning means preferably includes a positioning aperture or recess on one arm and a complementary positioning protrusion on the other arm. The engagement of the positioning means on complementary arms preferably provides a fixed point for the assembled lifting assembly.

In one embodiment the positioning protrusion is a pin that is located on an overlapping surface on the elongate portion of a first arm while the second arm has a positioning aperture or recess on an opposing elongate surface when the arms are assembled.

In another embodiment each of the arms has a positioning aperture that overlaps each other when the arms are in an assembled position. With this embodiment, there is preferably a pin or dowel member positionable within the overlapping positioning apertures.

The connector member is preferably a shackle. More preferably the connector member is a bow-shaped shackle. The threaded pin of the shackle preferably passes through the arm apertures to connect the arms and provides another fixed point and connection for lifting the arm assembly.

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In another aspect the invention broadly resides in a method of using the abovementioned lifting assembly as described above to lift an I-beam including positioning each complementary arm about the top flange of the I-beam so that the flange can be supported on the support section of each arm; fixing the complementary arms relative to each other by the positioning means; and connecting the connector member through the arm apertures to provide a second point of fixing and a lifting point for lifting the I-beam.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the present invention can be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of the lifting assembly;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the assembled lifting assembly of the first preferred embodiment;

Figure 3 is another diagrammatic view of the assembled lifting assembly of the first preferred embodiment;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the second preferred embodiment of the lifting assembly;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the assembled lifting assembly of the second preferred embodiment; and

Figure 6 is another diagrammatic view of the assembled lifting assembly of the second preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to Figures 1 to 3, there is shown a lifting assembly 10 with two lifting arms 11 ,12 that are connectable together by a shackle 13. Each of the lifting arms 11 ,12 has an elongate portion 14,15 and a bracket portion 16,17 respectively.

The elongate portion 14,15 is a plate joined to the bracket portion 16,17. Adjacent the free end of each of the elongate portions 14,15 is an arm aperture 18,19 respectively. The elongate portions 14,15 of each arm 11 ,12 abut the respective bracket portions 16,17 at an acute angle.

The bracket portions 16,17 are substantially L-shaped with an abutment section 21 ,22 and a support section 23,24 respectively. The support section 23,24 of each arm 11 ,12 extends laterally from the abutment section 21 ,22 in an arrangement where the support section 23,24 forms a substantially acute angle with the elongate portion 14,15.

The abutment section 21 ,22 abuts the elongate portion 14,15 at substantially 90 degrees with regards to the horizontal axis and a substantially acute angle with respect to a vertical axis. The elongate section 14,15 does not directly contact the support section 23,24 providing space for the positioning of the I-beam flange 25. The arrangement of the elongate portion 14,15 relative to the abutment section 21 ,22 and support section 23,24 assists in the positioning of the arms 11 ,12 about the I-beam flange 25.

The support section 23,24 extends substantially 90 degrees or less from the abutment section 21 ,22. The support sections 23,24 oppose each other when the arms 11 ,12 are assembled. Each support section 23,24 has a resiliently deformable rubber pad 26,27 adhered to the upper surface of the support section 23,24. The

rubber pad 26,27 reduces slippage of the I-beam flange 25 along the support section surface by providing a non-slip surface and deformability to restrict movement of the I-beam flange 25.

The support section 23,24 is spaced from the elongate portion 14,15 to provide a gap 20 for the positioning of the I-beam flanges 25 on the support section 23,24. The elongate portion 14,15 overhangs the support section 23,24 and captures the positioned I-beam flange 25 beneath the elongate base edge 29. The capture of the I-beam flange 25 between the elongate member 14,15 and the support section 23,24 limits slipping of the I-beam by friction locking.

The elongate portion 14 has an a positioning pin 31 projecting outwardly from a surface 32 overlapped by the elongate portion 15 when the arms 11 ,12 are assembled. The elongate portion 15 has a positioning aperture 33 which is engageable with the positioning pin 31 when the arms 11 ,12 are assembled. The engagement of the positioning pin 31 and positioning aperture 33 fixes the position of each lifting arm 11 ,12 relative to each other.

The shackle 13 has a pin 35 and a substantially bow-shaped portion 36. When the arms 11 ,12 are assembled, the pin 35 passes through the arm apertures 18,19 and connects to the bow-shaped portion eyelets. The bow-shaped portion 36 is attached by a latch lock hook to a chain or cable in order to lift the I-beam by a crane, hoist, bobcat or loader.

Figures 4 to 6 shows another embodiment of the lifting assembly 40. The lifting assembly 40 has similar features to the lifting assembly 10 described above. The lifting assembly 40 has complementary arms 41 ,42 each of which include an elongate portion 43,44 and bracket portion 45,46 respectively. The elongate portions 43,44 have an reinforcement section 47,48 around the arm aperture 49,50.

The reinforcement section 47,48 strengthens the area and prevents tearing of the arm aperture when the assembled arms are lifted.

In another embodiment of the lifting assembly, the abutment section is only a lip extending upwardly from the support section.

Using the first embodiment by way of example, the arms 11 ,12 are positioned about the top I-beam flange 25 so that the flange 25 rests on the rubber pads 26,27. The abutment section 21 ,22 guides arms 11 ,12 about the I-beam so that the flange 25 rests on the rubber pads 26,27. The arms 11 ,12 are positioned so that the flange 25 is positioned in gap 20. The positioning pin 31 is then positioned within the positioning aperture 33. The bow-shaped shackle 13 is fastened to the arm apertures 18,19. The assembled arms are fixed at two points being the positioning pin 31 and positioning aperture 33 and the arm apertures 18,19 with the shackle 13. Being fixed at two points prevents relative movement of the arms 11 ,12. The shackle 13 is then connected by a latch lock hook to a chain or cable to lift the I- beam by crane, hoist, bobcat or loader.

When in use the support portions 23,24 abut against the flange 25 of the I- beam. The rubber pads 26,27 provides resistance against slippage and movement of the I-beam.

The operation of the lifting assembly 40 is similar to the operation of the lifting assembly 10 described above.

ADVANTAGES

An advantage of the preferred embodiment of the lifting assembly includes having two substantially L-shaped bracket portions that can be positioned

about the top flange of the I-beam to lift the I-beam with substantially no slippage or movement of the lifting assembly along or off the I-beams.

VARIATIONS

It will of course be realised that while the foregoing has been given by way of illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is herein set forth.

Throughout the description and claims this specification the word "comprise" and variations of that word such as "comprises" and "comprising", are not intended to exclude other additives, components, integers or steps.