Tool for lifting open floor grating and the like

Abstract

A tool for lifting open floor gratings and the like provides a solid anchor point on top surface of floor grating to facilitate handling and hoisting the grating. The tool includes a body member having an upwardly biased shaft with a push member with an opening on its upper end and a butterfly hook at its bottom end. During operation, a user pushes down on the push member until it is completely inside the body so that the butterfly hook reaches under the grating. The user then gives a quarter turn to the body member so that the butterfly hook turns and thus becomes wider than the cell of the grating so that it can hook up with two bearing bars as the user releases the push member and the shaft springs back up and the opening gets out of the body. Once this is done, a shackle is installed through the opening, and a steel cable placed therein, ready for lifting and hoisting.

Claims

1. A tool for lifting a floor grating comprising: a body member having a top surface and a bottom surface; a first slot extending from the top surface to generally halfway into the body member, the first slot receiving a push member, wherein the push member has an opening at a top end of the push member, and wherein the push member extends integrally from an upper portion of a shaft, a second slot located at the bottom surface receiving a butterfly hook mechanically attached to a bottom portion of the shaft by way of mechanical fasteners; and a biasing member configured to upwardly bias the push member to an upper position; wherein the tool is configured to be positioned on the floor grating, wherein the push member is configured to be pushed with a downward force overcoming the upwardly bias such that the butterfly hook extends below the floor grating, wherein the tool is configured to be rotated a quarter turn such that the butterfly hook may not pass through any bearing bars of the floor grating, and wherein the push member is configured to have the downward force released such that the push member is forced back to the upper position such that the butterfly hook locks and hooks on the floor grating.

2. The tool of claim 1, further comprising a pair of cambered handle members attached to the body member for ease of transportation and installation.

3. The tool of claim 1, further comprising a shackle installed through the opening such that a steel cable may be hooked to the shackle for hoisting the floor grating.

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the body member is constructed to form a pyramid shape.

5. The tool of claim 4, wherein the top and bottom surfaces of the pyramid shape body member are parallel, flat surfaces.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the shaft allows for other butterfly hooks to be swapped by putting on or removing the mechanical fasteners and removing or installing the respective butterfly hook at the bottom portion of the shaft.

7. A method for lifting a floor grating comprising steps: (a) providing a tool, the tool comprising: a body member having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a slot extending from the top surface, the slot receiving a push member, wherein the push member has an opening at a top end of the push member, and wherein the push member is connected to a shaft, a butterfly hook at the bottom surface, wherein the shaft is connected to a top end of the butterfly hook, and a biasing member configured to upwardly bias the push member to an upper position; (b) placing the tool on the floor grating in a first position defined as the butterfly hook parallel to bearing bars of the floor grating; (c) applying a downward force to the push member overcoming the upwardly bias such that the butterfly hook extends below the floor grating and bearing bars; (d) rotating the tool a quarter turn such that the butterfly hook may not pass through the bearing bars of the floor grating; (e) releasing the downward force such that the push member is forced back to the upper positon such that the butterfly hook locks and hooks on the bearing bars of the floor grating; (f) installing a shackle through the opening; and, (g) placing a steel cable through the shackle such that the tool may be hoisted with the attached floor grating via the steel cable.

8. The method for lifting a floor grating of claim 7, further comprising a step wherein the steel cable and attached floor grating are lifted via a crane.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIGS. 1A-B are isometric views of a tool for lifting open floor gratings according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIGS. 2A-B are side cutaway views of a push member of the tool in the upper and lower position respectively according to an embodiment of the present invention;

(4) FIGS. 3A-B are top and side views of the tool on a floor grating according to an embodiment of the present invention; and,

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of the tool with a shackle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(6) The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein to specifically provide a tool for lifting open floor gratings and the like.

(7) FIGS. 1A-B are isometric views of a tool 10 for lifting open floor gratings 12 according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to FIGS. 1A-B, the tool is illustrated. In one embodiment, the tool comprises a body member 14 generally shaped as a pyramid having parallel bottom and top flat surfaces, the top flat surface having a first slot 21 configured to receive a push member 18 extending integrally from a shaft 16. The slot extends downwardly about halfway into the body member, and a second slot 23 is located at the bottom surface configured for receiving a butterfly hook 20 mechanically attached to a bottom portion of the shaft by way of mechanical fasteners 32. In one embodiment, the push member includes an opening 19 on its top end. The butterfly hook can be swapped so that different sizes and configurations of butterfly hooks can be swapped according to the configuration of the floor grating. In one embodiment, the push member is upwardly biased via biasing member 24, such as a coil. In one embodiment, a pair of cambered handle members 30 are provided for ease of transportation and installation.

(8) FIGS. 2A-B are side cutaway views of push member 18 of the tool in an upper and lower position respectively, according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring now to FIG. 2A, the push member is shown in the upper position with biasing member 24 forcing the top of the push member and opening 19 out the slot and above the body member of the tool. In operation, the tool is positioned on an open floor grating 12, lining butterfly hook 20 between two bearing bars 22 as illustrated.

(9) Referring now to FIG. 2B, the push member is forced downwardly, at a force exceeding the upwardly force of the biasing member such that the shaft and connecting butterfly hook extends under the floor grating as illustrated.

(10) Referring now to FIGS. 3A-B, the operator then rotates the tool a quarter turn such that the butterfly hook can no longer pass through the bearing bars (best seen in FIG. 3B).

(11) Referring now to FIG. 4, next, when the push member is released, the biasing member forces the push member back to its upper position such that the butterfly hook locks and hooks on the grating, completely enclosing the bearing bars. Once the bearing bars of the grating are hooked, a shackle 26 is installed through the opening. Finally, a steel cable (not shown) is hooked up with the shackle such that a crane may connect to the steel cable and hoist the tool and attached floor grating.

(12) Although the invention has been described in considerable detail in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features are disclosed as exemplary preferred forms of implementing the claimed invention. Stated otherwise, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Therefore, while exemplary illustrative embodiments of the invention have been described, numerous variations and alternative embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. Such variations and alternate embodiments are contemplated, and can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

(13) It should further be noted that throughout the entire disclosure, the labels such as left, right, front, back, top, bottom, forward, reverse, clockwise, counter clockwise, up, down, or other similar terms such as upper, lower, aft, fore, vertical, horizontal, oblique, proximal, distal, parallel, perpendicular, transverse, longitudinal, etc. have been used for convenience purposes only and are not intended to imply any particular fixed direction or orientation. Instead, they are used to reflect relative locations and/or directions/orientations between various portions of an object.

(14) In addition, reference to first, second, third, and etc. members throughout the disclosure (and in particular, claims) are not used to show a serial or numerical limitation but instead are used to distinguish or identify the various members of the group.