A davit arm holder 30,50 for a davit arm 11-18 for suspending lines 4 from elevated heights by mounting the davit arm 11-18 on a structural substrate 1. The davit arm holder 30,50 comprises a base 50 formed from one or more planar layers 52 of sheet material adapted to lie parallel to the plane of a surface of the substrate 1, and an attachment 30 adapted to be fixedly attached to the base 50 and to provide a connection 32 to engage a davit arm 11-18. The base 50 includes an outer layer 52 and at least one inner mount 60. The outer layer 52 has a plurality of first engagement portions 70 that are radially spaced from a centre point 54 of the base 50. The at least one inner mount 60 is integrally formed with the outer layer 52, is fixedly securable to the substrate 1 and is adapted to space an inside surface 68 of the outer layer 52 from the substrate 1 to form a gap 66 under the outer layer 52. The base 50 is adapted to have a low-profile when anchored to the substrate 1. The attachment 30 is adapted to be releasably engaged to the base 50 by a plurality of second engagement portions 40 adapted to engage the corresponding plurality of first engagement portions 70 by rotation of the attachment 30 about an axis 56 perpendicular to the plane of the substrate 1.

A line guidance device (40) is provided for use with a confined space entry/retrieval hoist and fall protection anchorage system (10) and includes a line guide (46) that guides a line from an extend/retract line device (22) past another extend/retract line device (20) with both devices (20, 22) mounted on a backside (24) of a mast (12) of the system (10).

A pipe lifting apparatus and method related thereto are provided, wherein the pipe has a base with outriggers, a vertically extending beam having a pulley at its upper end and a cable attached to a winch and extending over the pulley. The pulley and winch are oriented so that the cable extends naturally in line with a vertex between two of the outriggers such that, when a pipe in a vertical sleeve is attached to the distal end and is lifted by the cable, the pipe passes adjacent to the vertex. The apparatus is configured to raise pipes from a vertical pipe sleeve used in floating roofs of above-ground storage tanks. The apparatus can be used to raise and lower pipes and to move them around the upper surface of the floating roof of the tanks.

The invention provides a bearing. In particular, the invention provides a bearing for allowing a column of a davit to be rotatably mounted on a substantially upright shaft. The bearing has a body shaped to correspond to an internal profile of the column. The body has a first bore for receiving a component on which the bearing bears and a first pair of parallel, spaced second bores, narrower than the first bore, which extend across the first bore in a direction perpendicular to an axis of the first bore and are configured to receive retaining pins which engage with a groove in the component received in the first bore. A single bearing can be used to rotatably couple the davit to the shaft, or king post, with a plurality of different-spaced bores to account for different diameters of shaft. This improvement allows the davit to be manufactured easily and erected easily by users.

A hoist mechanism for loading an object onto a vehicle is disclosed. The vehicle may include an affixed roof rack having at least two transverse bars. The hoist mechanism includes: a horizontal bar and a vertical lift mechanism. The horizontal bar is affixable to a transverse bar, is hollow, and has an open end. The vertical lift mechanism is removably mate-able with the horizontal bar and includes: a vertical mast; a boom joined to the upper end; an insert bar fits into the open end, located away from the boom, and is releasably affixed in the horizontal bar; and a lift wire with a grapnel at a distal end, the lift wire running between the end of the boom and down the vertical mast. Wherein after the horizontal bar and insert bar are is affixed to the vehicle, the object is attached to the grapnel and hoisted onto the vehicle.

Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to davits for raising, lowering, and transporting loads. In general, davits described herein are portable and are capable of attaching to various mounting locations. The portable davit 100 includes a base mount 102 and an intermediate mount 104 for mounting the portable davit 100 to a mounting location. The base mount 102 and the intermediate mount 104 are couplable to a mast 106 for supporting the portable davit 100 when generally carrying a load L. The portable davit 100 also includes a jib 108 hingedly coupled to the mast 106 through a coupling 118. The jib 108 is configured to rotate about the coupling 118 such that the jib 108 is positionable at a lifting angle 120.

A tool for installing and removing an interbox connector into and from a corner fitting of a cargo container positioned on a rail car. The tool includes support structure configured to releasably engage the opening in the upper locking cone of the connector whereby the connector can be delivered to or removed from the corner fitting without the need for the operator to climb onto the rail car.

The invention provides a davit with a number of useful features. A jib of the davit can be made with an overload indicator, which provides a straightforward, visible mechanism to ascertain whether the davit is fit for use following an overload condition. The jib can be made collapsible with telescoping sections, at least one of the sections having a plurality of flats to allow easy connection with other components of the davit, such as the lifting head. A single bearing can be used to rotatably couple the davit to the shaft, or king post, with a plurality of different-spaced bores to account for different diameters of shaft. Either or both of these improvements allow the davit to be manufactured easily and erected easily by users.

A portable derrick system for use in hoisting and lowering loads at a plurality of job sites, comprising, in combination: a boom subassembly, a boom head subassembly, a mast support subassembly, a mast head subassembly, a load-carrying line, a winch capable of cooperating with said line, power means for driving the winch, means for pivoting the boom assembly, means for controlling said pivoting means, the foregoing elements of the invention capable of being transported by humans to elevated positions such as, without limitation, rooftops and terraces, and wherein the aforementioned are capable of repeated assembly and disassembly at a plurality of job sites and serving to facilitate the elimination of the need for a street-level crane.

A line guidance device (40) is provided for use with a confined space entry/retrieval hoist and fall protection anchorage system (10) and includes a line guide (46) that guides a line from an extend/retract line device (22) past another extend/retract line device (20) with both devices (20, 22) mounted on a backside (24) of a mast (12) of the system (10).