Object lifting and moving device

#The present invention relates to lifting and moving devices and, more particularly, to leverage-based devices facilitating the handling and movement of large and/or heavy objects.

#The prior art includes a wide variety of devices capable of lifting or otherwise moving an object. For example, dollies (i.e., platforms having rollers or casters) facilitate the movement of heavy objects. Forklifts employ hydraulics to lift and move large objects on pallets. Such lifting and moving devices, however, generally require the application of force independent of the gravitational force associated with the object. Accordingly, while the prior art lifting and moving devices fulfill their respective objectives, they do not disclose or suggest an object lifting and moving device that uses the subject object's own weight to facilitate the movement of the object.

#The present invention provides an apparatus facilitating the lifting and movement of objects. The present invention, in one embodiment, features a curved rim extending around a mounting plate to which an object or an object carrier can be attached. The object is mounted off-center relative to the central axis of the curved rim. According to the invention, a counter-balancing weight offsets the moment associated with the object to allow the moving device to roll along a surface, and thereby move the object, with application of a small amount of force. According to embodiments of the present invention, the curved rims include at least one section having an increased radius of curvature relative to other sections of the curved rim to promote rotation of the moving device.

#FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the moving device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a moving device featuring two curved rims.

#FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating certain operating principles of the present invention.

#A. Operating Principles and Use of Moving Device

#FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a moving device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment, moving device 8 includes curved rim 10, mounting plate section 12, and counter balance weight 18. As FIG. 1 shows, mounting plate section 12, in the embodiment shown, includes a cutout/cavity to accommodate object 22. In one embodiment, moving device 8 includes adjustable bars 24 that can be adjusted to force object 22 against opposing sides of the cutout/cavity to hold object 22 in place. Object 22 can be square, circular or any other shape; accordingly, the cavity can be contoured and/or adjustable to accommodate variations in the profile of object 22. In addition, a mounting cage attached to the mounting plates 12 and extending between rims 10 and containing object 22 can be used in place of cavities in the mounting plates 12 for objects not fitting within the predefined cavity.

#As discussed herein, counter-balancing weight 18 offsets the gravitational force of object 22. Specifically, as FIG. 3 shows, the moment about contact point CP provided by gravitational force 48 of object 22 is substantially offset by the moment provided by the gravitational force 44 of counter-balancing weight 18. This configuration allows a user to easily rotate moving device 8 in the counter-clockwise or clockwise direction to effect rotation and consequent movement of moving device 8. As FIG. 3 shows, in light of the longer moment arm associated with counter-balancing weight 18, counter-balancing weight 18 need not weigh as much as object 22. Once object 22 is counter-balanced, the user need only supply a small amount of downward force, for example, to rotate moving device 8 and thereby move object 22. In one embodiment, depending on the configuration of counter-balancing weight 18, once the center-point 40 of object 22 is rotated beyond the other side of the central axis 42 of moving device 8, the weight of object 22 (and, in one embodiment, the increased radius of curvature in quadrant Q2) causes moving device 8 to complete a single rotation. In addition, outer rim 10 may include hollow section 16 adapted to be filled with water, dirt, sand, lead pellets, and the like to provide additional counter-balancing force.