The present invention relates to a lifting and transporting apparatus, intended to be used as an aid for manual transports of heavy and/or bulky objects.

When handling TV-sets, freezers and refrigerators, cookers, washing machines and other similar objects, to a large extent transport is performed as a manual carrying operation, and with restricted use of technical aids. Ergonomical problems thus caused are partly injuries caused by dropping the object on feet and legs, partly squeeze damage to hands and fingers. Furthermore, muscles in arms, legs and back are made subject to static loads during the carrying operation. Due to the shape/size of the load, and in certain cases restricted work space, the lifting and carrying operation is performed in strained body positions, which often result in back or muscle injuries. As an aid are in certain cases used lifting straps, transport trolleys, or combinations of lifting straps/transpirt trolleys. An example of such a previously known combination is disclosed in US, A, 3 493 153, related to a transport apparatus by which a person can be carried on the back of another person, and the transport apparatus can also be converted into a stretcher with wheels. A further example of such a combined apparatus is disclosed in US, A, 3 856 191, intended to be suspended by the back attached by shoulder and hip belt straps, also being arranged to be suspended by the hip belt strap only, having associated wheels in contact with the ground surface. However, these previously known transport devices are not adapted for transport of for example TV-sets or similar objects, and are therefore not utilized as aids for such transports.

The object of the present invention is to disclose a previously unknown type of a lifting and transporting apparatus, which meets existing requirements of safety and simplified transport, and which substantially completely removes the risks for injuries existing during manual transport of large/heavy objects. The lifting and transporting apparatus according to the present invention also facilitates adjustment to existing height when the transport commences, e.g. the height of the loading surface in a vehicle, and also adjustment to the height where

the object is intended to be located, e.g. the height of a supporting leg structure for a TV-set. Transport can normally be carried out by one person only, and with a minimum of effort. Furthermore, it is also possible to effect an extremely fast release of the transport device, and thus also the moved object, from the person performing the transport, an imperative condition when for instance a fall occurs in a staircase.

The transporting and lifting apparatus according to the present invention includes a support structure from which a load supporting member is arranged extending at a substantially perpendicular relationship, and with a pair of wheels arranged in a position adjacent to the lower end portion of the support structure, and is mainly characterised in that the support structure comprises of a first and a second support structure,- ⁾ - joined telescopically movably in relation to each other, and that the load supporting member is arranged to facilitate a displacement movement along the first and the second support structure, said first and lower support structure adjacent to the lower end portion being arranged with a supporting member, extending in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the longitudinal . direction of extension for the first support structure.

An example of an embodiment of a transporting and lifting appatus according to the present invention is more fully described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a transporting and lifting apparatus according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, located by a ground surface, arranged supporting a TV-set, moved from a vehicle;

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2, with the TV-set moved to a position adjacent to the ground surface-;

Fig. 4 is a view showing how the transporting and lifting apparatus is used as a transport trolley;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the transporting and lifting apparatus in a first stage used as a lifting apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a view corresponding to Fig. 5 showing a second stage prior to 5 the performing of transport;

Fig. 7 is a view showing an alternative method to use the transporting and lifting apparatus as a.lifting apparatus;

10 Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view, partly indicating an example of a locking device intended to facilitate locking of the lifting and transporting apparatus in any desired longitudinally extending position, partly also indicating an element intended for attachment of the load supporting member; and

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Fig. 9 is cross-sectional frag entory view, intended to disclose an example of a stretching device for wires used in the lifting and transporting apparatus to lift the lower portion of the lifting and transporting apparatus.

20

With reference to the example of an embodiment of a lifting and transporting apparatus according to the present invention as disclosed in the figures, same includes a load supporting plateshaped member 1, attached to a supporting frame structure, including two sections 2, 2 ^'

25 extending in an angular relationship to the load supporting member 1. Said sections 2, 2 ^' are arranged to move along a lower and first support structure, which is joined telescopically to a second and upper support structure. The first support structure includes two internally joined sections 3, 3 ^" extending in a parallel! relationship, having a

30 frameshaped support member 4 extending from the lower end portions in a substantially perpendicular relationship to the longitudinal direction of extension for the sections 3, 3 ^' , and with supporting members for a - \ wheel pair 5, 5 ^' arranged at the opposed side of the sections 3, 3 ^' . The peripheral portion of the wheels 5, 5 ^' is arranged to substantially

35 coincide with the plane defined by the lower plane of the frameshaped support member 4.

The second and upper support structure includes two internally joined

sections 6, 6 ^' extending in a parallel! relationship, having the upper and free end portions extending in an angular different relationship to the remaining direction of extension, and which form two handleshaped members 7, 7 ^' . At an upper member 8, joining the sections 6, 6 ^" , two shoulder supports 9, 9 ^" are arranged, preferably displacable in relation to the joining member 8, lockable in desired positions by means of o lock screw or similar locking means.

Furthermore, a manually operable winch or transmission device 10 is arranged adjacent to the upper portion of the first support structure, arranged attached to the sections 2, 2 ^' extending from the load supporting member 1 in such a fashion, that the load supporting member 1 can be displaced upwardly and downwardly respectively along the sections 3, 3 ^" , 6, 6 ^' when the winch or transmission device 10 is manually operated in alternative directions of rotation. In order to prevent the load supporting member 1 from being moved from existing position, the winch or transmission device does advantageously include a manually operable locking means, e.g. a locking means which may seize a cogwheel included in the winch or transmision device 10.

Furthermore, a manually operable lock device is also arranged adjacent to a lower end portion of the sections 6, 6 ^" included in the support structure, when influenced arranged to lock/release the first support structure in relation to the second support structure with regard to a telescopic displacement movement between the support structures. Such a lock device may comprise of two excentric locking means 11, arranged attached to a common shaft 12, and with a manually operable lever 13 extending from the shaft 12. A telescopic relative movement of the support structures, arranged to result in an extended total extension, is restricted by means of a suitable movement restricting means, whereby the two support structures can not be separated from a joined relationship to each other. This is accomplished in the shown embodiment by arranging the lower portions of the first support structure joined to running cords 14 or similar, extending to points adjacent to the lower portion of the second support structure, which when manually pulled move the first support structure in direction towards.the second support structure, when the first support structure is located in a position extending away from the second support structure, thereby reducing the

total extended length for the first and the second support structure.

With reference to Fig. 1, a supporting back rest 15 is also shown arranged between two joining members extending between the sections 6, 6 ^' in the upper support structure, and it is also shown that the sections 2, 2 ^' extending away from the load supporting member 1 are used as attachment points for two clamping straps 16, 16 ^' , one being arranged with a quick release lock at the free end portion. These clamping straps 16, 16 ^' are utilized to clamp down the object intended to be moved by the lifting and transporting apparatus.

When used, the lifting and transporting device is placed with the frameshaped support member 4 in contact with a floor or ground plane, whereby the sections 3, 3 ^' , 6, 6 ^' of the first and second support structure extend substantially vertically in direction upwards from said plane. When for example loading from a vehicle (Fig. 2), the load supporting member 1 is thereafter moved to a height corresponding to the load plane of the vehicle by influencing the winch or transmission device 10. Said device is connected to chains, straps, wires or similar 17, which are arranged to move within the sections 3, 3 ^' , 6, 6 ^" , and attached to supporting members 18 embraced by the sections 3, 3 ^' , 6, 6 ^' , which extend through slots 19, 19 ^' taken up in the sections 3, 3 ^' , 6, 6 ^' . As shown in Fig. 8, the load supporting member 1 may be detachably connected to the support members 18 within the sections 2, 2 ^' , but also other types of attachment can obviously be used. In the shown embodiment, chains are used as means to transfer the movement of the winch or transmission device 10 to the load supporting member 1, attached at one end portion against the supporting members 18. The part of the chains 17 that will be released during a lifting operation falls down into a chain storage means 20.

When the load supporting member 1 has been moved to a height corresponding to the load supporting surface of the vehicle, the winch or transmission device is locked by means of the previously mentioned locking means. The object 21 to be transported can thereafter easily be slided out from the vehicle and be located on the load supporting member 1, whereafter the object 21 preferably is locked in the position taken up by means of the clamping straps 16, 16 ^' .

Transport from this initial position can thereafter be carried out in a number of ways, adapted to actual road of transport. During longer movements along a relatively level road of transport, the l fting and transporting apparatus can be used as a conventional transport trolley, in which case the winch or transmission device 10 first is influenced in order to locate the load supporting member 1 immediately adjacent to the frameshaped support member 4 (Figs. 3 and 4).

However, during transport in direction up/down staircases or similar, it is often advantageous to perform the transport in a different fashion, and with the l fting or transporting apparatus located by the back of the person performing the transport. From the position shown in Fig. 3, an extension of the total height for the lifting and transporting apparatus is caused by the person performing the transport placing his shoulders under the shoulder supports 9, 9 ^' , and simultaneously releasing the locking means 11 by influencing the lever 13. When the person performing the transport by means of shoulder pressure has lifted the second support structure to a suitable height, the first and the ^" second support structure are located in the position shown in Fig. 5.

As a successive step, the person performing the transport grips the running cords 14, having free end portions attached to gripping means 22, and by a pulling movement the lower support structure is lifted and- telescopically joined to the upper support structure, whereafter the lever 13 is influenced again, thereby influencing the locking means 11 and locking the first and the second support structure together. This operation is more fully shown in Fig. 6.

In order to prevent the running cords 14 from hanging down during transport, thus causing a risk for the person performing the transport to be restricted or injured, the running cords 14 are arranged to pass through an annular member 23, attached to a spring 24 extending within a protective tubular member 25 (Fig. 9). The running cords 14 are hereby - retracted to a position surrounded by the tubular member 25 as soon as the person performing the transport releases the gripping means 22.

When the transfer has been completed, the lever 13 is influenced again to release the locking means 11, whereby the first and lower support

structure is moved down to a contact position against the ground surface, whereafter the lever 13 again is influenced in order to lock together the first and the second support structure. The person performing the transport can thereafter move away from the lifting and transporting apparatus, which, due to the support against the ground surface from the support member 4, remains safely in the position taken up. As a subsequent action, the load supporting member 1 is moved to a position adjacent to the supporting member 4, whereafter the lever 13 can be influenced in order to release the locking between the first and the second support structure, whereafter same are slided together. It should be noted, that the load imposed by the object 21 supported by the load supporting member 1 does not cause any downwardly directed force, and that only the weight of the upper and second support structure should be moved in direction downwards. The corresponding condition applies with regard to an extension of the lifting and transporting apparatus in direction upwards, when same is performed with the object 21 located in the position shown in Fig. 3, provided that the winch or transmission device 10 is not locked.

From the final position described above (Fig. 3), it. is obviously also possible to raise the load supporting member to desired height, e.g. in order to facilitate adjustment to the height of a supporting leg structure for a transported TV-set. When a transported object should be unloaded at an extremely high height, it is obviously also possible to arrange the lifting and transporting apparatus having maximum extension, and with the load supporting member 1 in its uppermost position.

The lifting and transporting apparatus may also be moved by two persons, carrying same in a fashion similar to a stretcher, as shown in Fig. 7.

It is obvious from the above examples of use, that the lifting and transporting apparatus has substantial advantages, particularly when transporting heavy and/or bulky objects, and when such transports are carried out by one person only. Since same is carried without any restricting carrying straps, the carrying person can also easily release himself from same, e.g. when falling in a staircase. Also from ergonomical point of view, there are substantial advantages in relation to previously known transport devices, since previously necessary

lifting operations are substantially avoided, and since transfer either can be carried out with the apparatus used as a conventional transport trolley, or either carried on the back, with the load distributed over back as well as shoulders.

As an advantageous modification of the shown and described embodiment should also be mentioned the possibility to arrange the load supporting member 1 pivotable between a substantially perpendicular position in relation to the sections 3, 3 ^' , 6, 6 ^' , and a position in which the load supporting, member 1 is arranged extending in a substantially parallel! relationship adjacent to the sections 3, 3 ^' , 6, 6 ^' . Hereby can the load supporting member 1 be arranged in the position adjacent to the sections 3, 3 ^' , 6, 6 ^' when the lifting and transporting apparatus is not being used, e.g. when transported in a vehicle, and the space occupied by the lifting and transporting apparatus is thereby reduced considerably.

It should also be emphasized, that the shown and described embodiment only is intended to serve as an example of an embodiment within the scope of the inventive thought, and that several modifications obviously can be made within the scope of the inventive thought and the following claims. The shape ^' of the supporting members can thus be varied in order to adjust to existing transport needs, utilized lock members and lock means can be replaced by other known types, and the method to accompl sh displacement of the Toad supporting member 1 can also be varied, e.g. by ropes, wires, straps, chains or racks used to transfer a movement.