GB1145534A - Torque grip lifting clamp - Google Patents

Abstract

1,145,534. Lifting devices. J. C. RENFROE & SONS Inc. 20 June, 1966 [23 July, 1965], No.27452/66. Heading B8H. A lifting clamp comprises an inverted U- shaped body 12 providing a slot 13 to receive an article 14 to be lifted and a shackle member 37 pivotally connected to the body to apply a torque gripping action on the article (Fig. 5, not shown) when the shackle member is lifted by means not shown. The body 12 mounts a pair of opposed jaws 21, 22 on opposite sides of the slot 13, the jaw 22 is adjustable relative to the slot by way of a screw thread 27 and is fixed by a clamp 35 prior to lifting. The shackle member pivots in a vertical plane containing the axis of the jaws about an axis horizontally offset from the slot and on a level with the axis of the jaws. The jaws 21, 22 are rotatable in their mountings and one 22 is adjustable by means of screw 27 to grip the article prior to lifting. The shackle member mounts a lifting connection 42 slidable vertically and rotatable relative thereto in a bush 41, which bush abuts a stop 48 on the body 12 when the lifting connection is directly above the slot 13. The lower end of the lifting connection 42 has a head 44 engageable with a pivotable lever 51 whereby on setting down an article the head 44 slides past the lever 51 which then engages the shoulder behind the head to lock the lifting connection vertically above the slot 13 so that on raising the clamp no torque gripping action occurs between the jaws 21, 22 and the clamp may be removed from the article. When an article is to be lifted the lifting connection is lowered and the lever 51 manually withheld from engagement with the head 44 whilst the lifting connection is raised. In an alternative embodiment, Figs. 7, 8 (not shown), the pivot point of the shackle on the body is below the level of the axis of the jaws.