Safety pipe handler

Pipe handling apparatus for suspension from a crane comprising:

• a) a horizontal spreader bar having a remotely controlled winch mounted thereon, said winch including a pair of cable drums, and first and second cables disposed on said drums;
• b) a first pulley arm extending from a first end of said spreader bar having a first pulley attached thereto, and a second pulley bar extending from a second end of said spreader bar having a second pulley attached thereto;
• c) a pair of lifting arms, a first of said lifting arms pivotally suspended from said first end of said spreader bar, and a second of said lifting arms pivotally suspended from said second end of said spreader bar;
• d) a first bracket attached along said first lifting arm and extending outwardly therefrom, and a second bracket attached along said second lifting arm and extending outwardly therefrom, wherein said first cable is passed over said first pulley and attached to a distal end of said first bracket, and said second cable is passed over said second pulley and attached to a distal end of said second bracket;
• and
• e) a first lifting shoe pivotally attached to a distal end of said first lifting arm, and a second lifting shoe pivotally attached to a distal end of said second lifting arm;
• f) whereby operation of said winch in a first direction causes said first and second cables to swing said lifting arms outwardly, and operation of said winch in a second direction causes said first and second cables to close said lifting arms to thereby engage ends of the pipe to be supported by said first and second lifting shoes.

A method of safely lifting, moving, and depositing a pipe comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a horizontally disposed spreader bar;
• b) providing a double-drum winch, the winch having a cable on each drum thereof, on the spreader bar;
• b) suspending the spreader bar from a crane;
• c) hingedly attaching a proximal end of one of a pair of lift arm tubes to each end of the spreader bar, each tube having a lifting shoe at a distal end thereof,
• d) attaching a drum cable toward the distal end of each lift arm tube;
• e) operating the winch to swing the lift arm tubes sufficiently outward and over a pipe to be lifted thereby controlling the lift arm tubes to cause the lifting shoes to engage the respective ends of the pipe to be lifted;
• and
• g) lifting the spreader arm and the pipe with the crane, moving the pipe to a desired location, and depositing the pipe.