BACKGROUND ART It is well known to the expert of the art that regulations exist for lifting apparatus of more than 200 kg capacity, requiring these apparatus to be subjected to an installation test and to periodic checks (by the Local Health Authority in the case of Italy).

It should also be noted that recent safety regulations limit manually handled loads to a maximum of 25 kg. There is therefore a considerable need in this field for a lifting apparatus for small loads (not exceeding 200 kg) which solves the problem of handling objects which even slightly exceed 25 kg, and which must be currently handled by two or more persons.

Currently, if pieces of low weight but exceeding 25 kg are to be loaded onto or unloaded from commercial vehicles, either a vehicle (such as a truck) is used whcih is already provided with a conventional lifting apparatus of capacity exceeding 200 kg and hence to be subjected to testing on installation and to those periodic checks obligatory for lifting apparatus of greater than 200 kg capacity by the body scheduled for this purpose (LHAs in

Italy) or a vehicle is used provided with a lifting apparatus of less than 200 kg capacity but which nevertheless changes the axle loading of the vehicle, which has to be permanently modified overall by bracing and frame stiffeners, so that a road test becomes necessary.

Moreover, these conventional apparatus are unsuitable for use in vans.

Apart from the aforestated loading and unloading requirements, it has been found that domestic D. I. Y. or hobby enthusiasts increasingly need to handle loads usually of less than 200 kg (for example wine demijohns) safely and without effort, often by one person alone.

An object of the present invention is therefore to obviate the aforestated drawbacks of known lifting apparatus.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lifting apparatus of the said type which can satisfy the same lifting requirements in different sectors (such as workshops, private garages, boats and D. I. Y. or hobby applications).

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The first stated object is attained by the lifting apparatus of the present invention, characterised by being composed of parts, each of weight not exceeding 25 kg, which can be assembled and disassembled by one person.

Each part can be formed from several elements.

Preferably the lifting apparatus is formed from at least six parts, namely:

A) a support and rotation device for the part B; B) a turret or column; C) a support and raising device for the part D; D) a telescopic arm; E) a winch; G) support means for bracing the part A on the vehicle or for its resting on the ground.

If all or part of the functions of the lifting apparatus are to be motorized (these functions not therefore being activated by simple manual operation, for example by acting with the hands on the telescopic arm D to rotate it), a seventh part F is provided consisting of a relative operating device.

Two or more of the aforelisted parts can be previously fitted together to form a unit, but which must not weight more than 25 kg. The various parts or units are then fitted together, when required, to form the lifting apparatus.

To attain the second aforestated object, at least one of the component parts of the lifting apparatus of the present invention is formed as several interchangeable variants in order to cover different requirements, however no part must weight more than 25 kg.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS The invention will be more apparent from the following description of some embodiments thereof. In this description reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lifting apparatus of the present

invention ; Figure 2 is a side elevation of three possible variants of the part A of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of two possible variants of the part B of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevation of four possible variants of the part C of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side elevation of four possible variants of the part D of Figure 1 ; Figure 6 is a side elevation of two possible variants of the part E of Figure 1; and Figure 7 is a side elevation of four possible variants of an accessory part not shown in Figure 1.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Examining Figure 1 it can be seen that the lifting apparatus, or small crane, represented therein, and designed to lift loads not exceeding 200 kg, comprises a part A forming the crane support and rotation device which besides carrying the part B (forming the so- called rotatable column or turret) enables this part to rotate in a horizontal plane.

The part B carries the parts D and C, being respectively the crane telescopic arm and the relative device for supporting and varying the inclination of this latter.

The control device, indicated by E, is used to wind or unwind the cable (not shown, but carried by the part D), on one end of which the load to be lifted is hung.

It should be noted that Figure 1 does not show two (F and G) of the aforesaid parts, namely the operating devices for the various crane functions and the support means for bracing the part A on the vehicle or for its resting on the ground. The part F is however shown in Figure 7 in four possible variants, whereas the part G is not shown, being obvious to an expert of the art once it has been decided whether the crane is to be fixed to the floor of a truck or boat (for example by means of a backing flange or bracket), or is to be provided with its own specific structure for its resting on the ground (for example via a movable support trolley).

Examining the various crane parts in greater detail, from Figure 2 it can be seen that the part A (which, as stated, forms the device which besides acting as the support base, also enables the column B to rotate about its axis) can for example be constructed in three variants, indicated respectively by A1 (also shown in Figure 1), A2 and A3, of which A1 is a conventional manual push rotation device with a friction stop brake, A2 a conventional worm-type rotation device with handle operation, and A3 a conventional worm- type rotation device with hydraulic operation. In all three versions, the device A presents conventionally an upperly open cylindrical cavity (not visible) into which the lower end of the column B is simply inserted. As can be seen in Figure 3, the column B can be constructed for example in two variants, indicated by B1 and B2, which differ only by being of different height.

From Figure 3 it can also be seen that both the columns B1 and B2 present an upper horizontal through hole 10 and a vertical

intermediate connector 12 fixed to the side of the relative column. The outer edge of the connector 12 presents a series of notches the function of which is evident observing Figures 1,4 and 5.

Figure 4 shows four possible variants of the support and raising device for the arm D (indicated by C in Figure 1), of which C1 (also shown in Figure 1) is a conventional adjustable support strut, C2 is a conventional hydraulic cylinder of closed circuit type with a locking valve, C3 is a conventional single-acting hydraulic cylinder, and C4 is a conventional double-acting hydraulic cylinder with a safety valve. In all four variants an eyelet (18, 20 respectively) is provided in each of the two ends to receive a relative peg or pin which enables (as will be apparent from Figure 1) one person to very easily and quickly fit the part C to the parts B (using one of the notches present in the connector 12) and D (using the through hole 16).

Figure 5 shows four possible variants of the part D, specifically a pack of telescopic box elements for manual extension by one withdrawal, indicated by D1 (this being also shown in Figure 1), a pack of telescopic box elements for manual extension by two withdrawals, indicated by D2, a pack of telescopic box elements for manual extension by a male-female thread system plus a manual mechanical extension, indicated by D3, and a pack of telescopic box elements for hydraulic extension plus a manual mechanical extension, indicated by D4. In all four variants two through holes, 14 and 16 respectively, are present to receive relative pegs or pins, which enable (as will be apparent from Figure 1) one

person to very easily and quickly fit the part D to the parts B and C.

The part E can also be constructed in two variants, of which one, indicated in Figure 6 by E1 (also represented in Figure 1) consists of a common handle-operated mechanical winch, whereas that indicated by E2 is formed of a conventional electric winch with safety brake.

As already stated, the part F is not shown in Figure 1, meaning that it either need not be provided or can have various locations.

In this respect, it can be applied to the part A or, if appropriate, to the floor of a truck or boat, or to the crane support trolley if provided. In the illustrated example, the control device F is constructed in four variants, of which that indicated by F1 is a conventional hand pump with operating handle, that indicated by F2 is a conventional electro-hydraulic mini- control unit with a rise/descent pushbutton pad, that indicated by F3 is a conventional electro-hydraulic mini-control unit with a three-function command distributor, and that indicated by F4 is a conventional electro-hydraulic mini-control unit with a three- function remote control pushbutton pad. It can be added that if the variants F3 or F4 are used, the parts A3, C4 and D4 can be used for the crane. If instead the variants F1 or F2 are used, only the part C3 can be used.

It should be noted that if the support and raising device is the variant C1, the part F is not necessary.

From the aforegoing, it is immediately apparent that the lifting apparatus of the present invention can cover the most varied

requirements in lifting loads not exceeding 200 kg, by simply combining the aforedescribed variants of its component parts. In this respect, with the illustrated and described variants of the various crane parts, 58 different versions thereof can be obtained, for use on small capacity vehicles, vans, boats, fixed sites or mechanical workshops, and also for domestic or D. I. Y. use.

As it does not exceed 200 kg capacity, the crane does not require testing by the LHA or by the Ministry of Transport, in that because of the ease with which it can be removed and broken down it can be considered to be equipment which does not permanently modify the axle loading of the vehicle to which it is applied.

On reading the aforegoing and from the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that the crane can be easily and quickly broken down into parts, which must however not exceed 25 kg in weight.

If appropriate, two or more parts can be preassembled to form a unit, provided the weight of this unit does not exceed 25 kg. In this manner the user has fewer parts to assemble in position. The parts C and D in particular can be preassembled.

The fact that the lifting apparatus of the invention can be assembled and disassembled very easily means that it can be sold as an assembly box with the option of numerous additional kits, so that even a private individual can purchase it directly in a shop or supermarket in the most suitable version and assemble it alone at home.

It should also be noted that a single lifting apparatus of the invention can serve two or more different locations by simply

providing just the base supports in the various locations and then mounting the lifting apparatus on the base of that location where it is required.

It is also important to note that the lifting apparatus of the present invention is composed of parts which have been known for a considerable time, the inventivity of the invention consisting in particular of having solved a problem involving a long felt but unsatisfied market requirement.