GB2288355A

GB2288355A - Carrying device

Info

Publication number: GB2288355A
Application number: GB9406819A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Roy Couldridge
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1994-04-06
Filing date: 1994-04-06
Publication date: 1995-10-18
Also published as: GB9406819D0

Abstract

A carrying device particularly for lifting and carrying a row of bricks comprises a pair of downwardly extending gripping arms 17, 18 connected by a generally horizontally extending elongate member 12 formed in two parts 13, 14. One of the arms 17 is pivotally connected to the elongate member 12 to pivot about a horizontal axis 21 normal to the elongate member and spaced inwardly of the gripping arm. A handle 22 is rigidly connected to this pivotted gripping arm and extends from this arm above the elongate member so that its hand gripping end 23 is substantially above the centre of the device. The length of the connecting arm 12 is adjustable by means of holes 16 and belts 15. A stirrup member 24 extends above the other end of the connecting member 12 and is connected to the other gripping arm 18 and has a sliding fit over the connecting member 12 adjacent its centre. <IMAGE>

Description

CARRYING DEVICE This invention relates to a device for carrying objects particularly a plurality of bricks. Conventionally bricks are carried in a hod and must be loaded into the hod so that they are supported from underneath and then later unloaded from the hod.

An object of the present invention is to provide a carrier which can be placed adjacent a row of bricks so that it will engage the bricks and grip them when lifted, with the weight of the bricks assisting the gripping action.

Accordingly the present invention provides a carrying device comprising a pair of downwardly extending gripping arms, connected by a generally horizontally extending elongate connecting member, a first of the arms being pivotally connected to the elongate member to pivot about a horizontal axis normal to the elongate member, and preferably spaced inwardly of the gripping arm, and a handle rigidly connected to the first arm and extending from the first arm above the elongate member preferably towards the centre of the device.

Preferably the handle extends just past the centre of the device so that a hand gripping the handle will be substantially over the centre of the device.

In use the device is lowered over a row of bricks until the two gripping arms are outside the outer ones of the row of bricks. The handle is then lifted causing the first gripping arm and handle to pivot relative to the elongate connecting member so that the bricks are firmly gripped between the arms. Further lifting then lifts the bricks and the weight of bricks enhances the gripping action. When the device is lowered so that the bricks are supported on another surface and the handle released the gripping arms immediately release from the bricks. No loading or unloading is therefore required.

Preferably the elongate connecting member is formed in two parts which can be adjusted relative to one another to adjust the length of the connecting member.

Preferably the second gripping arm is connected to one end of a stirrup member which extends above the connecting member to a position adjacent the centre of the connecting member where it defines an aperture through which the two parts of the connecting member extend as a sliding fit.

One embodiment of brick carrier will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a side view of the carrier, and Figure 2 is a bottom view with the handle partly cut away.

The carrier device comprises a substantially horizontal connecting member 12 formed from two lengths 13, 14 of flat bar material connected together, for example by a bolt and nut as indicated at 15. Each of the lengths 13 and 14 is formed with a plurality of holes 16 for use in making such connection, so that the length of the connecting member 12 is adjustable. Each of the lengths 13, 14 may for example be between 30 and 40 cms long, in this case 37 cms, with the distance between the gripping arms in the range 40 to 65 cms.

At opposite ends of the connecting member 12 first and second gripping arms 17, 18 extend downwardly.

Each arm is for example formed of plate material 0.32 cms thick and 13.3 cms high. The first arm 17 is welded adjacent the top of its inner surface to a horizontally extending bar 20, corresponding to the bar 14 and substantially aligned with bar 14 and pivotally connected thereto so that the arm 17 can pivot relative to the connecting member about a substantially horizontal axis 21 extending normal to the horizontal axis of the connecting member. The pivot may for example be formed by a nylon nut and bolt. In this example the pivot axis 21 is spaced from the inner surface of the gripping arm 17 by a distance of 3.7 cms. Preferably this distance is in the range 2.5 to 4.5 cms.

The gripping arm 18 is welded directly to the other end of the connecting member 12 so as to extend slightly lower than the arm 17. Both of arms 17 and 18 have tapered lower edges for easy insertion between adjacent bricks. The arm 18 is slightly wider than the arm 17.

A tubular handle 22 has a downwardly extending end welded to the outer surface of the arm 17 from which it bends through 82" and extends inwardly towards the centre of the carrier above the connecting member 12. The gripping end 23 of the handle extends slightly beyond the centre of the carrier so that a hand gripping this end will be above the approximate centre of the carrier. In this example the handle extends upwardly from its end towards the centre at an angle of 8 . This angle is preferably in the range 5 to 10 .

A stirrup member 24 has one end welded to the outer surface of the arm 18 and then extends substantially horizontally above the part 14 so that its other end is approximately central of the device. The other end 25 is bent into a loop so as to define an aperture through which the abutting parts 13 and 14 extend as a sliding fit.

While the device has been described as suitable for picking up a single row of bricks, for example eight side-by-side bricks, the width of the gripping arms could be increased so that it could pick up two parallel rows of bricks, or there could be two side-by-side connecting members each with two gripping arms, one gripping arm of each side-by-side arrangement being connected to a common handle.

Claims

1. A carrying device comprising a pair of downwardly extending gripping arms, connected by a generally horizontally extending elongate connecting member, a first of the arms being pivotally connected to the elongate member to pivot about a horizontal axis normal to the elongate member and spaced inwardly of the gripping arm, and a handle rigidly connected to the first arm and extending from the first arm above the elongate member towards the centre of the device.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the handle extends just past the centre of the device so that a hand gripping the handle will be substantially over the centre of the device.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which the connecting member is formed in two parts which can be adjusted relative to one another to adjust the distance between the gripping arms.

4. A device according to any of claims 1 to 3 including a stirrup member extending above the connecting member and connected at one end to the second of the gripping arms and at the other end, adjacent the centre of the connecting member being in engagement with the connecting member.

5. A device according to claim 4 in which one end of the stirrup member is formed into a loop defining an aperture in which the connecting member parts are a sliding fit.

6. A device according to any of claims 1 to 5 in which the gripping arms are separated by a distance in the range 40 to 65 cms.

7. A device according to any of claims 1 to 6 in which the handle extends upwardly from the one gripping arm towards the centre of the device.

8. A device according to claim 7 in which the handle extends upwardly at an angle of 5 to 10 to the horizontal.

9. A device according to any of claims 1 to 8 in which the pivot axis is spaced inwardly from the inner arm by a distance in the range 2.5 to 4.5 cms.

10. A carrier device substantially as described herein with reference to or as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of lifting and carrying bricks substantially as described herein.