Assembly for lifting or supporting a load, and members and connectors for use in same
OwnerJohn Rene Spronkeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Provided herein is an assembly for carrying or supporting a load. The assembly comprises a plurality of members connectable in an assembled arrangement for carrying or supporting the load. Each member comprises a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end has a pair of connecting members comprising two lugs that each has defined therein two holes. The lugs are configured for alignment with a corresponding pair of lugs formed on another member in the assembly. Fasteners extend through the holes formed in the lugs when the holes are aligned. Further provided are members for use in the assembly and connector elements for attaching two or more members in the assembly.
Claims29
An assembly for use with a spreader bar arrangement, a crane, or as part of a frame for a building structure, comprising:
- a plurality of members connectable in an assembled arrangement for supporting, carrying or distributing a load;
- each member comprising two ends, each end having two connecting members, each connecting member consisting essentially of two lugs, each lug having a hole therethrough;
- a first pair of the lugs of the connecting members are located at opposing edges of the end of the member and a second pair of the lugs of the connecting members are vertically spaced from the first pair with each lug in the second pair being horizontally offset from the respective opposing edge of the end of the member, the first and second pair of lugs are each symmetrically arranged about a centerline of the end of the member;
- and the first pair of lugs and the second pair of lugs are spaced at a different distance from the centerline of the end of the member;
- which pair of connecting members are configured for interconnection when inverted 180 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the pair of connecting members with a corresponding pair of identically arranged connecting members formed on another member in said assembly for connection thereto;
- and
- fasteners that each comprise a shaft that extend through the holes formed in said lugs when the holes in the lugs of each pair of connecting members are aligned with the holes in the lugs of the corresponding pair of connecting members on the other member.
A member for an assembly for use with a spreader bar arrangement, a crane, or as part of a building structure, said assembly comprising a plurality of members connectable in an assembled arrangement for supporting, carrying or distributing a load,
- the member comprising:
- a first end and a second end, at least one of the first end and the second end, defined as a mounting end, has a pair of connecting members, each connecting member consisting essentially of two lugs, each lug having a hole therethrough;
- a first pair of the lugs of the connecting members are located at opposing edges of the mounting end of the member and a second pair of the lugs of the connecting members are vertically spaced from the first pair with each lug in the second pair being horizontally offset from the respective opposing edge of the mounting end of the member, the first and second pair of lugs are each symmetrically arranged about a centerline of the mounting end of the member;
- and the first pair of lugs and the second pair of lugs are spaced at a different distance from the centerline of the end of the member;
- which pair of connecting members are configured for interconnection when inverted 180 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the pair of connecting members with a corresponding pair of identically arranged connecting members formed on another member in said assembly for connection thereto by fasteners.
A connector element for connecting two or more members in an assembly for use with a spreader bar arrangement, a crane, or as part of a building structure for supporting, carrying or distributing a load, the connector element comprising:
- a central element having at least two mounting surfaces for fixing at least two pairs of connecting members, each connecting member consisting essentially of two lugs that have two respective holes therethrough;
- a first pair of the lugs of the connecting members are located at opposing edges of each of the mounting surfaces of the central element and a second pair of the lugs of the connecting members are vertically spaced from the first pair with each lug in the second pair being horizontally offset from the respective opposing edges of each of the mounting surfaces of the central element, the first and second pair of lugs are each symmetrically arranged about a centerline of the mounting surfaces of the central element;
- and the first pair of lugs and the second pair of lugs are spaced at a different distance from the centerline of the end of the member;
- and
- which pair of connecting members are configured for interconnection when inverted 180 degrees about a longitudinal axis of the pair of connecting members with a corresponding pair of identically arranged connecting members formed on another member in said assembly for connection thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.