GB2024304A

GB2024304A - Beam clamp

Info

Publication number: GB2024304A
Application number: GB7915867A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
Priority date: 1978-06-09
Filing date: 1979-05-08
Publication date: 1980-01-09
Also published as: GB2024304B

Abstract

A beam clamp is provided with auxiliary means, preferably a gin wheel, for raising a chain hoist for suspension from an overhead beam. A preferred clamp comprises hooked members 1 and 4 pivotally and slidably interconnected which can clasp an I-beam 9 and can be secured in a clasped position by passing a stud or shackle through superimposed eyes 8(6). A gin wheel 7 can be used to raise a chain hoist. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Beam clamp This invention relates to beam clamps for suspending chain hoists from overhead beams.

Known types of beam clamps, commonly referred to as girder clips, include devices comprising a pair of hooked members which can be bolted together while enclasping a beam or girder; scissor-action clamps in which two hooked members are pivotally interconnected and which grip the beam or some part of the beam, for example, the tension flange of an I-beam, under the weight of the suspended load; and other similar devices in the form of carriages or trolleys which can be moved along the beam. In suspending a chain hoist or other tackle from an overhead beam using a beam clamp of these types, it is common practice to raise the chain hoist or other tackle into a position from where it can be hooked into an eye in the clamp or into a shackle attached to the clamp by means of a rope cast across the beam.

This operation is extremely strenuous, however, because of the frictional drag of the rope on the beam and moreover causes rapid wear of the rope.

The present invention facilitates the raising of the chain hoist into position.

According to the present invention we provide a beam clamp carrying auxiliary means for raising a chain hoist into a position wherefrom said chain hoist can be fastened to said clamp.

The beam clamp may be any type of known beam clamp as hereinbefore exemplified but in particular is a scissor action beam clamp.

When the beam clamp of the invention is of the scissor-action type, it is desirable to be able to secure the clamp in its enclasped position round the beam to prevent it becoming dislodged from the beam during the operation of raising the chain hoist into position. Thus in one embodiment of the invention the scissor-action beam clamp comprises two pivotally interconnected opposing hooked members which in one position are capable of co-operating to clasp a beam or part of a beam, particularly the tension flange of an I-beam, and in another position may be unclasped from the said beam or part of a beam, wherein there is provided means for securing the clamp in the clasped position.

Conveniently both hooked members may be provided with eyes which, in the clasped position, are superimposed so that a stud or shackle may be passed through the eyes thereby securing the two hooked members in the clasped position. In a preferred embodiment the superimposed eyes in the clasped position are located on the other side of the point of pivotal interconnection of the hooked members from the enclasped beam. This has the advantage that a shackle used to secure the hooked members in the clasped position can at the same time serve as the point of attachment of the chain hoist. It is further preferred that the area of pivotal interconnection of one hooked member merges with its eye to form a generally dog-leg shaped aperture so that the hooked members are pivotable and also slidable relatively to each other, thus facilitating the positioning of the clamp in relation to the beam.

The auxiliary means may be any suitable lifting device and conveniently may be a simple gin wheel or pulley.

When the auxiliary means is a gin wheel it is preferred that the gin wheel is mounted with its axis normal to the plane of pivotal movement of the hooked members. Thus in operation, when the chain hoist is being raised into position by means of a rope passing over the gin wheel, lateral movement of the clamp is obviated. Optionally, integral wings or flanges may be located on the hooked members so that when the clamp is enclasping for example, the tension flange of an I-beam, the wings or flanges of the clamp are contiguous with the outer face of the I-beam tension flange thereby imparting lateral staability to the beam clamp.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa side elevation of a beam clamp in the clasped position shown in relation to a section of part of an I-beam; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the beam clamp in its unclasped position; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the beam clamp in its unclasped position.

In the drawings, a beam clamp, shown in Figure 1 enclasping an I-beam 9, comprises a hooked member 1 formed from two steel sections 1 (a) and 1 (b) (vide Figure 3), one section being a mirror image of the other, fixed in spaced apart, superimposed relationship by rivets 2 and 3, and a solid steel, hooked member 4 pivotally and slidably interconnected with the hooked member 1 by a bolt 5 passing through an eye 6 of the hooked member 4 and interposed in part between the two sections 1 (a) and 1(b). A freely rotatable nylon gin wheel 7 carrying a rope 10 is mounted between the two sections 1 (a) and 1 (b) which also carry integral wings 11 and an eye 8.

In operation, the hooked members 1 and 4 are pivotable and slidable relatively to each other in a plane normal to the axis of the interconnecting bolt 5, their relative movement being determined by the extent of movement of the bolt 5 within the confines of the eye 6. Thus the beam clamp is positioned round the lower cross member of an I-beam, from an unclasped position as shown in Figure 2 to a clasped position as shown in Figure 1. A shackle is passed through the superimposed eyes 6 and 8 to secure the beam clamp in the clasped position and a chain hoist raised by means of the rope 10 passing round the gin wheel 7. Once in the raised position, the chain hoist is hooked to the shackle.

1. A beam clamp carrying auxiliary means for raising a chain hoist into a position wherefrom said chain hoist can be fastened to said clamp.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Beam clamp This invention relates to beam clamps for suspending chain hoists from overhead beams. Known types of beam clamps, commonly referred to as girder clips, include devices comprising a pair of hooked members which can be bolted together while enclasping a beam or girder; scissor-action clamps in which two hooked members are pivotally interconnected and which grip the beam or some part of the beam, for example, the tension flange of an I-beam, under the weight of the suspended load; and other similar devices in the form of carriages or trolleys which can be moved along the beam. In suspending a chain hoist or other tackle from an overhead beam using a beam clamp of these types, it is common practice to raise the chain hoist or other tackle into a position from where it can be hooked into an eye in the clamp or into a shackle attached to the clamp by means of a rope cast across the beam. This operation is extremely strenuous, however, because of the frictional drag of the rope on the beam and moreover causes rapid wear of the rope. The present invention facilitates the raising of the chain hoist into position. According to the present invention we provide a beam clamp carrying auxiliary means for raising a chain hoist into a position wherefrom said chain hoist can be fastened to said clamp. The beam clamp may be any type of known beam clamp as hereinbefore exemplified but in particular is a scissor action beam clamp. When the beam clamp of the invention is of the scissor-action type, it is desirable to be able to secure the clamp in its enclasped position round the beam to prevent it becoming dislodged from the beam during the operation of raising the chain hoist into position. Thus in one embodiment of the invention the scissor-action beam clamp comprises two pivotally interconnected opposing hooked members which in one position are capable of co-operating to clasp a beam or part of a beam, particularly the tension flange of an I-beam, and in another position may be unclasped from the said beam or part of a beam, wherein there is provided means for securing the clamp in the clasped position. Conveniently both hooked members may be provided with eyes which, in the clasped position, are superimposed so that a stud or shackle may be passed through the eyes thereby securing the two hooked members in the clasped position. In a preferred embodiment the superimposed eyes in the clasped position are located on the other side of the point of pivotal interconnection of the hooked members from the enclasped beam. This has the advantage that a shackle used to secure the hooked members in the clasped position can at the same time serve as the point of attachment of the chain hoist. It is further preferred that the area of pivotal interconnection of one hooked member merges with its eye to form a generally dog-leg shaped aperture so that the hooked members are pivotable and also slidable relatively to each other, thus facilitating the positioning of the clamp in relation to the beam. The auxiliary means may be any suitable lifting device and conveniently may be a simple gin wheel or pulley. When the auxiliary means is a gin wheel it is preferred that the gin wheel is mounted with its axis normal to the plane of pivotal movement of the hooked members. Thus in operation, when the chain hoist is being raised into position by means of a rope passing over the gin wheel, lateral movement of the clamp is obviated. Optionally, integral wings or flanges may be located on the hooked members so that when the clamp is enclasping for example, the tension flange of an I-beam, the wings or flanges of the clamp are contiguous with the outer face of the I-beam tension flange thereby imparting lateral staability to the beam clamp. A preferred embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure lisa side elevation of a beam clamp in the clasped position shown in relation to a section of part of an I-beam; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the beam clamp in its unclasped position; and Figure 3 is a plan view of the beam clamp in its unclasped position. In the drawings, a beam clamp, shown in Figure 1 enclasping an I-beam 9, comprises a hooked member 1 formed from two steel sections 1 (a) and 1 (b) (vide Figure 3), one section being a mirror image of the other, fixed in spaced apart, superimposed relationship by rivets 2 and 3, and a solid steel, hooked member 4 pivotally and slidably interconnected with the hooked member 1 by a bolt 5 passing through an eye 6 of the hooked member 4 and interposed in part between the two sections 1 (a) and 1(b). A freely rotatable nylon gin wheel 7 carrying a rope 10 is mounted between the two sections 1 (a) and 1 (b) which also carry integral wings 11 and an eye 8. In operation, the hooked members 1 and 4 are pivotable and slidable relatively to each other in a plane normal to the axis of the interconnecting bolt 5, their relative movement being determined by the extent of movement of the bolt 5 within the confines of the eye 6. Thus the beam clamp is positioned round the lower cross member of an I-beam, from an unclasped position as shown in Figure 2 to a clasped position as shown in Figure 1. A shackle is passed through the superimposed eyes 6 and 8 to secure the beam clamp in the clasped position and a chain hoist raised by means of the rope 10 passing round the gin wheel 7. Once in the raised position, the chain hoist is hooked to the shackle. CLAIMS

2. A beam clamp as claimed in claim 1 compris ing two pivotally interconnected opposing hooked members which in one position are capable of cooperating to clasp a beam or part of a beam and in another position may be unclasped from the said beam or part of a beam, wherein there is provided means for securing the clamp in the clasped position.

3. A beam clamp as claimed in claim 2 in which both hooked members are provided with eyes which, in the clasped position, are superimposed so that a stud or shackle may be passed through the eyes thereby securing the two hooked members in the clasped position.

4. A beam clamp as claimed in claim 3 in which the superimposed eyes in the clasped position are located on the other side of the point of pivotal interconnection of the hooked members from the enclasped beam.

5. A beam clamp as claimed in claim 4 in which the area of pivotal interconnection of one hooked member merges with its eye to form a generally dog-leg shaped aperture so that the hooked members are pivotable and also slidable relatively to each other.

6. A beam clamp as claimed in any one of claims 2to 5 in which the auxiliary means is a gin wheel.

7. A beam clamp as claimed in claim 6 in which the gin wheel is mounted with its axis normal to the plane of pivotal movement of the hooked members.

8. A beam clamp as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7 in which integral wings or flanges are located on the hooked members so that when the clamp is enclasping for example, the tension flange of an Ibeam, the wings or flanges of the clamp are contiguouts with the outer face of the I-beam tension flange thereby imparting lateral stability to the beam clamp.

9. A beam clamp as claimed in claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.