Center lifting device

A center lifting device for lifting and transferring rolls of material, such as papers rolls and the like having a hollow opening formed therein, comprising inner and outer parts arranged with said inner part located within said outer part and being movable inside the outer part over a limited distance in relation to each other, said outer part being adapted to be fitted partly into the hollow opening in the material roll to be lifted, said inner part having an upper end including means for attaching the inner part to be a lifting device, said outer part having a lower end including expandable and contractable means for selective gripping and releasing engagement with said hollow opening in response to relative movement of the parts and an upper end including means for selectively preventing said inner part from rising in relation to said outer part;

• a driving member, means for resiliently mounting said driving member on the upper end of said outer part for axial movement between upper and lower positions with respect to said upper end of the outer part and including means cooperating with said preventing means for releasing the preventing means when the driving member is forced downwards to permit said inner part to rise with respect to said outer part;
• and releasable locking means for retaining said driving member at its lower position adjacent the upper end of the outer part and cooperating with said inner part to release the lock means from the driving member when the inner part moves upwards in relation to the outer part at the initial stage of a lift.