Sling assembly for lifting sheet material

In a sling assembly for lifting a pack of sheets wherein the sling assembly is of the type having a pair of slings secured in spaced relationship on lifting means, the improvement comprising:

• each of the slings, comprising:
• a first sling section having a first end and a second end, the first end of said first sling section secured to the lifting means;
• a second sling section having a first end and a second end, the first end of said second sling section secured to the lifting means;
• means for securing the second end of each sling section together;
• and
• a half bridle comprising:
• a first strap section having a first and second end, the first end having a U shaped configuration;
• a second strap section having a first and a second end, the first end of said second strap section secured to one of the sling sections;
• and
• means for securing the second ends of the first and second strap sections together and for adjusting the length of the half bridle.

A protective shoe for a sling assembly, comprising:

• an elongated flexible member having opposed major surfaces, and opposed sidewalls;
• ;
• and
• a plurality of grooves formed in said member, said grooves extending through a one of the major surfaces and through at least one of the sidewalls;
• and
• at least one insert insertable through the at least one sidewall into at least one of the grooves to provide said member with a predetermined shape.

A method of lifting at least one sheet having a pair of opposed major surfaces, the at least one sheet supported in a generally vertical position, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first sling and a second sling, each sling having first and second sling sections and an end of half bridle secured to a one of the sling sections;
• positioning the first sling sections of the first and second slings around a major surface of the at least one sheet in spaced relation to one another and the second sling sections of the first and second slings in spaced relation to one another on the other major surface of the at least one sheet;
• securing ends of the first and second sling sections of the first and second slings together to form a pair of slings in spaced relation to one another about the at least one sheet;
• and
• mounting the half bridle on adjacent side of the at least one sheet with the half bridle terminating short of adjacent sling section.