An oval cover member is formed of high density polyethylene and sized to cover a pocket in which a lift member is secured to a pre-cast concrete structural member. The cover member can be secured to the lift member by a cable tie threaded through the opening of a first protrusion, back through a smaller opening in a second protrusion and pulled to draw the cover member tightly against the concrete structural member. The opposing protrusions form a valley therebetween for the positioning of the lift member. The size of the smaller opening in the second protrusion is too small for the passage of the head of the cable tie, enabling the cover member to be tightly secured to the lift member. A peripheral channel in the cover member can receive a gasket or adhesive that can seal the cover member against the surface of the concrete structural member.

A lifting tool assembly is disclosed, including a crossbar having a long axis spanning between first and second end portions. A first hook member is pivotably suspended from the first end portion and a second hook member is pivotably suspended from the second end portion. The end portions are symmetrically angled relative to the long axis and each hook member includes first and second finger structures.

A gripping apparatus is disclosed, including a rigid housing having a slot with an engagement axis, and a shaft extending parallel to the engagement axis. The apparatus further includes a tab member on a distal end of the shaft and a rotational actuator on a proximal end of the shaft. The rotational actuator is configured to rotate the shaft, causing the tab member to move between a hooked position and an unhooked position.

A device and method for lifting a hollow bodied block includes an elongated body having a top end and a bottom end with a handle attached to the top end. A first arm rigidly extends from the elongated body in a substantially perpendicular direction and is configured to engage an inner surface of the block. A second arm is pivotally attached to the bottom end of the elongated body in a substantially opposite direction to that of the first arm. Upon exerting a lifting force on the handle of the lifter, the second arm rotates relative to the elongated body, forming a desired angle with the first arm and creating an outward force sufficient to grip and lift the block.

A Building Element Lift Enhancer is described. The Building Element Lift Enhancer provides for the movement and precise placement of building elements such as blocks or sheet products by one worker. The Building Element Lift Enhancer senses the force applied by a user to the building element and converts that user applied force to mechanically assisted force from the Building Element Lift Enhancer, allowing the user to precisely move and handle large, heavy or bulky building elements by direct interaction with the building element.

A device and method for lifting a hollow bodied block includes an elongated body having a top end and a bottom end with a handle attached to the top end. A first arm rigidly extends from the elongated body in a substantially perpendicular direction and is configured to engage an inner surface of the block. A second arm is pivotally attached to the bottom end of the elongated body in a substantially opposite direction to that of the first arm. Upon exerting a lifting force on the handle of the lifter, the second arm rotates relative to the elongated body, forming a desired angle with the first arm and creating an outward force sufficient to grip and lift the block.

An oval cover member is formed of high density polyethylene and sized to cover a pocket in which a lift member is secured to a pre-cast concrete structural member. The cover member can be secured to the lift member by a cable tie threaded through the opening of a first protrusion, back through a smaller opening in a second protrusion and pulled to draw the cover member tightly against the concrete structural member. The opposing protrusions form a valley therebetween for the positioning of the lift member. The size of the smaller opening in the second protrusion is too small for the passage of the head of the cable tie, enabling the cover member to be tightly secured to the lift member. A peripheral channel in the cover member can receive a gasket or adhesive that can seal the cover member against the surface of the concrete structural member.

A lifting tool assembly is disclosed, including a crossbar having a long axis spanning between first and second end portions. A first hook member is pivotably suspended from the first end portion and a second hook member is pivotably suspended from the second end portion. The end portions are symmetrically angled relative to the long axis and each hook member includes first and second finger structures.

A gripping apparatus is disclosed, including a rigid housing having a slot with an engagement axis, and a shaft extending parallel to the engagement axis. The apparatus further includes a tab member on a distal end of the shaft and a rotational actuator on a proximal end of the shaft. The rotational actuator is configured to rotate the shaft, causing the tab member to move between a hooked position and an unhooked position.

An apparatus for extracting a paver stone, and the like from a preset position, including a pair of lifting plates having a body containing one or more lifting aid insertion openings at one end, and at an opposing end, a blade portion having substantially concave tabs with tab edges formed along a pair of slots terminating in one or more of stress relief openings between the body and the blade, wedging a first blade between the paver and a first adjacent paver and wedging a second blade at an opposing end of a paver and a second adjacent paver, substantially compressing the tabs storing spring energy in the blades, pushing the tab edges below the bottom plane of the paver, releasing the stored spring energy thereby substantially decompressing and re-forming the tabs such that the tab edges contact and engage the underside of the paver to be extracted.