Back to results
US 12,258,250 B2Granted
Multi-armed lifting accessory
AssigneeRockford Rigging, Inc.
InventorJohn Morris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory is disclosed herein which is compact and transportable in various deployments. The Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory is advantageous and useful as it has hingedly connected loading and support arms attached to a main lifter body. The supporting arms are spring loaded allowing the Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory to stably engage with irregular shaped objects such as barge lid or a skid steer loader and allows for flexible engagement and balanced lifting operations.
Claims16
Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory for use in lifting operations of irregular shaped or balanced loads comprising:
- a) a lifter body having an upper end configured with a recess for engagement with a working end of a lifting device;
- b) a first loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the first loading arm attached to the lifter body, a second section having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first section is connected to the first end of the second section of the first loading arm via a first pivot joint;
- c) a first support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the first support arm attached to the first section of the first loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the first loading arm;
- d) a second loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the second loading arm attached to the lifter body, a second section having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first section is connected to the first end of the second section of the second loading arm via a first pivot joint;
- e) a second support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the second support arm attached to the first section of the second loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the second loading arm;
- f) a third loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the third loading arm attached to the lifter body, a second section having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first section is connected to the first end of the second section of the third loading arm via a first pivot joint;
- g) a third support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the third support arm attached to the first section of the third loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the third loading arm;
- h) a fourth loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the fourth loading arm attached to the lifter body, a second section having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first section is connected to the second section of the fourth loading arm via a first pivot joint;
- i) a fourth support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fourth support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the third support arm attached to the first section of the fourth loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the fourth loading arm wherein the first, second, third and fourth support arms are configured with a spring tube to enhance the Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory capacity to flex in response to a shift in the load during a lifting operation.
6 more elements
A method for use in lifting operations of irregular shaped or balanced loads comprising:
- a) determining a position of irregular shaped or balanced loads;
- b) engaging the irregular shaped or balanced loads with a Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory, wherein the Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory further comprises:
- i. a lifter body having an upper end configured as a recess with a clevis pin for engagement with the working end of a lifting device;
- ii. a first loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the first loading arm attached to the lifter body, the second end of the first section of the first loading arm attached to the irregular shaped or balanced loads;
- iii. a first support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the first support arm attached to the first section of the first loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the first loading arm;
- iv. a second loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the second loading arm attached to the lifter body, the second end of the first section of the second loading arm attached to the irregular shaped or balanced loads;
- v. a second support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the second support arm attached to the first section of the second loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the second loading arm;
- vi. a third loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the third loading arm attached to the lifter body, the second end of the first section of the third loading arm attached to the irregular shaped or balanced loads;
- vii. a third support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the third support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the third support arm attached to the first section of the third loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the third loading arm;
- viii. a fourth loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the fourth loading arm attached to the lifter body, the second end of the first section of the fourth loading arm attached to the irregular shaped or balanced loads;
- ix. a fourth support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the fourth support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the third support arm attached to the first section of the fourth loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the fourth loading arm;
- c) engaging the working end with a lifting device to secure the Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory to the lifting device;
- d) transferring the irregular shaped or balanced loads from a first position to a second position;
- e) disengaging the working end to release the lifting device from the Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory.
11 more elements
A Multi-Armed Lifting Accessory for use in lifting operations of irregular shaped or balanced loads comprising:
- a) a lifter body having an upper end configured as a recess with a clevis pin for engagement with the working end of a lifting device;
- b) a first loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the first loading arm attached to the lifter body, a second section having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first section is connected to the first end of the second section of the first loading arm via a first pivot joint;
- c) a first support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the first support arm attached to the first section of the first loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the first loading arm;
- d) a second loading arm having a first section having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first section of the second loading arm attached to the lifter body, a second section having a first end and a second end, the second end of the first section is connected to the first end of the second section of the second loading arm via a first pivot joint;
- and,
- e) a second support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the second support arm connected to the lifter body proximate the upper end, the second end of the second support arm attached to the first section of the second loading arm between the first end and the second end of the first section of the second loading arm.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.