Lifting device

Lifting device (1) suitable for lifting a tube or pipeline (25) with respect to a supporting girder (26) with an H profile or I profile, whereby the lifting device (1) at least contains the following elements: —a supporting body (2); —gripping means (3) on the supporting body (2) that can grip over opposite side edges (30,32) of a free flange (30) of the girder (26), and with which the supporting body (2) can be suspended from this free flange (30) of the girder (26) with an H profile or I profile; and, —lifting means (4) provided on the supporting body (2) on either side of the gripping means (3), with which the tube or pipeline (25) can be lifted with respect to the supporting body (2).

RELATED APPLICATION DATA

This application is a National Stage Application under 35 U.S.C. 371 of co-pending PCT Application PCT/BE2011/000072, designating the United States and filed Dec. 28, 2011, titled “Lifting Device”, which claims the priority benefit of BE Patent Application No. 2011/0004, filed Jan. 6, 2011, titled “Lifting Device”, the priority benefit of each of which is claimed and the entire disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

The present invention relates to a lifting device.

More specifically the present invention relates to a lifting device that is suitable for lifting a tube or pipeline with respect to a supporting girder with an H profile or I profile.

Indeed it is known in industry, and more specifically in the chemical industry in particular, entire company sites are equipped with kilometers of pipelines for the supply and removal of liquid or gaseous products between parts of the site that may or may not be located far away from one another.

The pipelines are hereby affixed on a supporting construction whereby in most cases they rest on steel transverse girders with an H-shaped or I-shaped transverse section.

A big problem with such pipelines is that the pipeline expands and contracts as a result of temperature fluctuations, resulting in a change to the length of the pipeline.

Such temperature changes are in fact very frequent, for example as a result of weather conditions or the difference in temperature between night and day, or simply by a change of temperature of the liquid or gas in the pipeline.

The total change of length as a result of the temperature change increases with the length of the pipeline, which can for example easily rise to a change of length of the pipeline of 20 to 30 cm per day.

A consequence of this change of length of a pipeline is that at least certain sections of such a pipeline undergo a relative movement with respect to a fixed base or support.

Certain sections of the pipeline thus also undergo a movement with respect to the fixed steel supporting girders, or in other words the pipeline is supported by the contact of certain sections of the pipeline with the transverse girders, whereby different sections of the pipeline always fulfil this function during the expansion and contraction of the pipeline.

This phenomenon generally generates an enormous amount of friction, for example on account of the weight of the pipeline, or for example due to the sharp form of the support or the small contact area with the support.

According to an incorrect belief, which is very widely held, the friction between a pipe and a transverse beam can be reduced by reducing the contact area between the pipeline and the girders, for example by affixing narrow ribs or round bars to the girders.

In reality such facilities only make the situation worse and the risk of damage and similar to the tubes or pipeline only becomes greater as a result.

Consequently damage to pipelines and leaks in the pipelines due to wear, corrosion and/or erosion are thus problems that occur very frequently.

Hence, in certain companies there are teams that permanently inspect the pipelines, detect damage, measure the wall thickness of the pipelines with specialised equipment and do any necessary repairs.

During such an inspection or wall thickness measurement it is often necessary to lift the pipeline with respect to the support.

Also when a pipeline has to be repaired, the lifting of the pipeline can scarcely be ruled out.

Indeed, a part often has to be removed from the pipeline and replaced by another part.

In some cases, ‘pipe shoes’ are installed preventively at the location of the girders, in order to protect the pipeline during the movement over the support.

The fitting of such pipe shoes is again coupled with the lifting of the pipeline with respect to the supporting girder.

Many lifting devices for lifting a pipeline with respect to a supporting girder are already known, but they are far from efficient, and the use of them requires a lot of time, suitable personnel and is very expensive.

For example, such lifting devices consist of a gantry or hoist that is constructed over the pipeline and from which a chain block or pulley is suspended with which the pipeline is lifted.

A first big disadvantage of these known lifting devices is that they are rather problematic with regard to safety, for example because many components and factors affect the stability and strength of the gantry.

Another big disadvantage of such lifting devices is that depending on the situation, they have to be adapted according to the specific case each time, which generally can only be done after a strength calculation by specialised personnel.

The materials used for such arrangements are generally subject to strict quality conditions for safety reasons, such that they are often expensive.

Moreover, for the same reason they have to be subject to regular quality controls.

It is also clear that the assembly and dismantling of gantrys and hoists is a tough job that requires such a lot of time, with high costs as a result.

Of course other lifting devices of the motorised or automated type are known, whereby it is possible to lift pipelines, for example in the form of cranes, forklift trucks, forklifts and similar.

An advantage of these lifting devices is that no appreciable human muscle power is required to lift the pipeline.

However, a disadvantage of these lifting devices is that they are expensive and that they can often not be taken to difficult-to-access pipelines, for example due to the absence of roads for moving such a lifting device to the place concerned, or because the pipeline is too high or located between other pipelines, such that it is difficult to reach.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a solution to the aforementioned and any other disadvantages.

To this end the present invention concerns a lifting device suitable for lifting a tube or pipeline with respect to a supporting girder with an H profile or I profile, whereby the lifting device at least contains the following elements:a supporting body;gripping means on the supporting body that can grip over opposite side edges of a free flange of the girder, and with which the supporting body can be suspended from this free flange of the girder with an H profile or I profile; and,lifting means provided on the supporting body on either side of the gripping means with which the tube or pipeline can be lifted with respect to the supporting body.

An advantage of such a lifting device according to the invention is that it can be installed in no time at all on an underlying girder with an H profile or I profile of a pipeline, by making the gripping means grip over the free flanges of the girder.

An additional advantage is that the installation of the lifting device and the further lifting of the pipeline with the lifting means can be easily done by one person.

Hereby use is made of the underlying construction such that no extra gantrys and/or hoists are needed that are constructed around and above the pipeline.

As in principle the support has already been calculated for the load by the pipeline, the lifting device according to the invention can also be applied straightaway without a strength calculation first having to be done by specialised personnel.

Another advantage of a lifting device according to the invention is that it can be used much more safely than the known lifting devices.

The lifting device according to the invention shown inFIG. 1is intended for lifting a tube or pipeline with respect to a supporting girder with an H profile or I profile.

To this end the lifting device1is primarily constructed with a supporting body2whereby there are gripping means3centrally on the supporting body2and whereby lifting means4are also affixed to the supporting body2on either side of the gripping means3.

In this case, the supporting body2of the lifting device1is formed by a metal support beam2with an H profile or I profile, but this is not strictly necessary according to the invention and other embodiments in which the supporting body2takes on another form, such as a cylinder or similar for example, are not excluded from the invention.

As will be described hereinafter, the support beam2acts as a support for the lifting means4when lifting a tube or pipeline, hence the name.

In the embodiment discussed here the gripping means3are formed by a pair of hooks5and6oriented towards one another, whereby the distance D between these hooks5and6is adjustable.

In this case the hooks5and6are affixed to the outside7of one of the flanges8and9of the support beam2.

The clear height H between the hook ends and the outside7of the flange8is preferably somewhat greater, but not by too much, than the thickness of a flange of the girder with an H profile from which the device1has to be suspended.

Moreover the length L of these hook ends is preferably also somewhat greater than the half width of this girder.

A first hook5of the pair of hooks5and6is immovably affixed to the flange8of the support beam2, more or less at a distance L from the centre M of the support beam2.

This can be realised for example by welding the hook5onto the support beam2, but such a hook5can be just as well screwed onto the support beam2or secured with other means.

In this case, the other hook6is movably affixed to the support beam2.

To this end the girder has a guide10over which the base11of the movable hook6can slide.

In this case the aforementioned guide10is formed by the edges10of this flange8of the support beam2, but of course many other embodiments are possible.

Moreover the lifting device1has releasable locking means12, such that at least a movement of the movable hook6in a direction away from the other hook5can be prevented.

In the case ofFIG. 1discussed here, these releasable locking means12are formed by a spring-loaded tiltable pawl13that engages with a ratchet14.

When the pawl13is not operated by the user, a spring presses it into the ratchet14.

The toothing of the ratchet14is sawtooth shaped, whereby the backs of the sawtooth are inclined in the direction of the fixed hook5.

In this way, when the movable hook6is moved towards the fixed hook5, the pawl13can move without difficulty over this sawtoothed toothing of the ratchet14without the intervention of the user, while for a movement in the opposite direction the elastic force that pushes the pawl13into the ratchet14has to be removed by the user.

The lifting means4are formed by a pair of screw jacks4, whereby each screw jack4is affixed to an end of the support beam2.

In the example shown, the screw jacks4consist of a hollow, cylindrical screw jack base15that is immovably affixed to the support beam2, and which acts as a guide15for a jack rod16that is affixed in the screw jack base15and can move up and down.

In this case, at one end17, each jack rod16has a V-shaped head18, in order to easily support a tube to be lifted with the jack rod16.

The jack rods16are also provided with a screw thread19around which a nut20is affixed.

In this case these nuts20are provided with arms21in order to be able to easily turn them by hand.

When using the lifting device1, the jack rod16rests on the screw jack base15via the nut20.

By turning the nut20of a screw jack4, the jack rod16, depending on the turn direction, is moved in or out of the screw jack base15, so that the distance E between the head18of the jack rod16and the screw jack base15is adjustable.

In the example shown inFIG. 1, the jack rods16, at their end22opposite the end17, are equipped with an outward-springing locking pawl23similar to an umbrella button, which prevents a jack rod16being able to move out of the screw jack base15without the intervention of the user, and whereby the maximum allowed distance E between the screw jack base15and the head18when lifting a tube can also be set.

In the embodiment shown inFIG. 1the device also has an eye24at each end, and these eyes24can be used to attach a safety cable or similar.

It is clear that the embodiment of a lifting device,1according to the invention shown inFIG. 1is only one of the many possibilities, and that for example the supporting body2, the gripping means3, the lifting means4, the locking means12and so on, can be constructed entirely differently without departing from the scope of the invention.

For example it is not ruled out that both hooks5and6can be moved. It is also possible to provide gripping means3with gripping arms of an entirely different form, with which the lifting device1can be clamped over an H-shaped or I-shaped profile of a girder26, for example as a scissor-like or pincer-like mechanism and so on.

The locking means12can for example consist of screwing means with which the hooks5and6can be screwed securely in the desired positions.

The use of a lifting device1according to the invention is very simple and is shown hereinafter on the basis ofFIGS. 2 to 8inclusive for the case in which a pipeline is lifted with respect to its support for the purpose of repairing a damaged zone and/or affixing a pipe shoe in order to reduce the risk of wear or damage to the pipeline that can occur as a result of a movement of a part of the pipeline on its support.

FIG. 2schematically shows a side view of a pipeline25that is supported by a girder26with an H-shaped transverse section.

The contact between the pipeline25and the girder26is realised via a round bar27provided on the supporting flange28of the girder26, as is often the case in practice.

As a result of a change of length of the pipeline25due to temperature changes, a zone29of the pipeline25around the support is very sensitive to damage over time, or this sensitive zone29is already damaged.

Before starting to affix the lifting device1according to the invention to the supporting girder26of the pipeline25, nuts20of the screw jacks4are preferably turned up against the V-shaped jack heads18, so that the jack rods16can sink as deeply as possible into the screw jack bases15.

As shown inFIG. 3, a first step consists of affixing the lifting device1according to the invention to the girder26under the pipeline25, hooking the fixed hook of the lifting device1over a free side edge30of the flange31of the girder26, which is the furthest away from the pipeline.

In a horizontal arrangement of the pipeline25, the flange31is of course the bottom flange31of the girder26.

After that the other movable hook6of the lifting device1can be slid over the opposite free side edge32of the bottom flange31, preferably up to the flange connection33of the girder26, so that the hooks5and6firmly clamp into the girder26and the lifting device1is thus suspended from the bottom free flange31of the girder26.

The locking means12ensure that the movable hook6stays in place as long as the pawl13is not released.

This situation is shown inFIG. 4.

As illustrated on the basis ofFIG. 5, a safety belt34can be attached to the eyes24of the lifting device1, and after suspending the lifting device1from the girder26this safety belt34is preferably strapped over the girder26.

Such a safety belt34is intended to prevent the lifting device1detaching from the girder26and falling, if the lifting device1is neglected by an installer and the locking means12are released after a long time due to circumstances.

On the other hand such a safety belt34can also be constructed such that it can act as a sling for carrying the lifting device1according to the invention.

As shown inFIG. 6, after affixing the lifting device1to the girder26, the jack rods16can be screwed out of the screw jack bases15by turning the nuts20, in order to lift the pipeline25from the supporting girder26.

In this way the sensitive or damaged zone29comes free and this zone29can be inspected, for example by measuring the wall thickness of the pipeline25, and the zone29can also be repaired and/or painted or similar if need be.

After having performed a repair or otherwise, a pipe shoe35can be affixed over the zone29, as shown on the basis ofFIG. 7, with the aim of protecting the sensitive zone29against wear due to a change of length of the pipeline25.

Such a pipe shoe35is typically provided with a support plate36to support the pipeline25on the girder26, and this support plate36is more resistant to the friction resulting from a movement over the round bar27, for example on account of the fact that the load of the pipeline25is spread over a larger area by the support plate36, or because the material that the support plate36is made from is more suitable for this purpose.

This support plate36is secured to the pipeline25by means of securing brackets37.

After the pipeline25has been repaired and/or fitted with a pipe shoe35, the pipeline25can again be lowered by loosening the nuts20in the corresponding direction until the pipeline25again rests on the girder26and the lifting device1can be taken away from the girder26by releasing the pawl13of the locking means12.

The situation obtained is shown inFIG. 8.

It is clear that a lifting device1according to the invention can be used very efficiently and that it is easy to operate by one single person, as set out in the introduction.

By way of an example,FIG. 9shows another embodiment of a lifting device1according to the invention, that is also constructed as a hand-operated lifting device1, but whereby the screw jacks4are constructed as hydraulic jacks4.

Of course this changes nothing essential in the invention. This embodiment of a lifting device1according to the invention can enable larger loads to be lifted than the previous embodiment.

As an alternative the screw jacks4can also be provided with a pneumatic or electrical drive or similar.

FIG. 10shows another embodiment of a lifting device1according to the invention, whereby this time the two hooks5and6are affixed movably on the support beam2of the device1.

In this case the releasable locking means12to lock and then release the hooks5and6are also constructed somewhat differently.

More specifically the support beam2is equipped on the outside7of the flange8with a pair of ratchets14, whereby each hook5and6is affixed over one of these ratchets14.

The ratchets14are constructed with toothing of a circular profile, as shown in more detail inFIG. 11.

Moreover the hooks5and6are constructed from two flanks38that are connected together by means of two outermost connecting rods39and40and an intermediate connecting rod41.

The hook ends42themselves are also connected by a small support plate43whereby the hook ends42can rest on the flange31of a girder26during the use of the lifting device1.

The flanks38of the hooks5and6extend over the support beam2and the support beam2is affixed with sufficient play between the outermost connecting rod40and the intermediate connecting rod41.

The intermediate connecting rod41of each hook5and6, moreover, has a circular cross-section that matches the circular toothing of the ratchets14, such that each hook5and6can be hooked in this toothing.

For simplicity in this case only one ratchet14has been drawn per hook5or6, but in practice it can be better to affix a pair of ratchets14parallel to one another per hook5or6, or to construct such a ratchet14with a width that practically corresponds to the available width between the flanks38.

As a result of the play with which the support beam2is affixed between the connecting rods40and41, each hook5and6can be locked at any desired position to clamp into a flange31of a girder26. The locking or bolting of the hooks5and6in the ratchets14occurs automatically.

To this end the hooks5and6are constructed such that the intermediate connecting rod41extends between the flanks38to the side44of the hooks5and6opposite the hook ends42, while the two outermost connecting rods39and40extend between the flanks38more or less at the level of a vertical through the centre of the flanks38, at least insofar the lifting device1is placed in a horizontal position.

After moving the hooks5and6to the desired position over a side edge30and32of the flange31of a girder26, whereby the intermediate connecting rod41comes to rest at a certain position between the teeth of the ratchet14concerned, the lifting device1is released to allow it to hang from the girder26.

As a result the hooks5and6will automatically tilt (turn in the clockwise direction in the case ofFIG. 11), such that the support beam2of the lifting device1is automatically held against the girder26by a clamping action between the outermost connecting rod40and the hook ends42on the one hand, and between the outermost connecting rod40and the intermediate connecting rod41on the other.

An advantage of this embodiment of a device1according to the invention is that, irrespective of the width of the flange31of a girder26, the hooks5and6can always be positioned such that the girder26is clamped in the middle between the two lifting means4.

Moreover the suspension of the lifting device1over the girder26can be done very quickly and it is a very safe suspension method, as the clamping is automatic and does not depend on complicated mechanisms.

In this case, the eyes24for attaching a safety belt34or similar are constructed as eyes24in small plates45that are welded as an extra support between the bases15of the screw jacks4and the support beam2, such that a sturdier construction is obtained than with the previous embodiment.

FIGS. 12 and 13show another embodiment of a lifting device1according to the invention.

In this embodiment, the supporting body2is constructed from two longitudinal side plates46that are placed parallel to one another and which are kept at a distance F from one another by intermediate parts.

In this case these intermediate parts are formed on the one hand by spindle holders47fitted at the long ends of the side plates46, and on the other by a cylindrical intermediate part48in the middle of the side plates46.

The side plates46, the spindle holders47, and the centre part48are moreover connected together by means of bolts49and nuts50that are fitted through holes51in the spindle holders47and the side plates46.

The spindle holders47are also each provided with a cylindrical opening52, which, during the normal use of the lifting device1are oriented vertically, and whereby through these cylindrical openings52a spindle53is affixed, which moreover is completely analogously constructed as the jack rods16in the embodiment of a lifting device1according to the invention discussed above.

More specifically, each spindle53is equipped with an external screw thread19over which a nut20with arms21is screwed, and this nut20rests on the spindle holder47.

Moreover, the head18of each spindle53is V-shaped with the intention of being able to easily support a pipeline25.

In order to avoid a spindle53being able to move unintentionally out of the cylindrical opening52in the spindle holder47, in this case at the bottom of each spindle53there is a clip54on the end22opposite the head18.

The hooks5and6are constructed according to the same principle as in the embodiment ofFIGS. 10 and 11.

These hooks5and6also have two flanks38that are connected together by means of outermost connecting elements55and56, as well as by means of an intermediate connecting element57.

However, the hooks5and6are constructed somewhat differently to the foregoing embodiment, as in this case they are intended to be affixed between the side plates46of the supporting body2of the lifting device1.

Of course, to this end the flanks38are placed at a distance apart that is less than the distance F between the side plates46of the lifting device1.

Moreover, the connecting elements55,56and57are not constructed as simple rods, and these connecting elements55,56and57extend on either side by a certain length outside the flanks38of each hook5or6.

Each aforementioned connecting element55,56or57is provided with a bolt58that is affixed through holes in the flanks38, on which a nut59is affixed, whereby between the flanks38there is a bush or roller60over the bolt and on which a small roller or bush61is also affixed on either side at the sides of the flanks38located towards the outside.

In the example shown the outermost connecting elements55of each hook5or6are each fitted in the tip concerned of the hooks5and6oriented towards one another.

This ensures that the bush or roller60between the flanks38of these outermost connecting elements55in the tips of the hooks5and6have a sufficiently large diameter, such that the roller or bush60somewhat protrudes outside the outline of the flanks38of the hooks5and6.

The rollers or bushes60of the outermost connecting element55at the tips of the hooks5and6thus form a guide in order to facilitate hooking when hooking the lifting device1over a flange31of a girder26, as well as a sturdy support over which the lifting force that is needed to lift a pipeline25is distributed evenly.

Preferably the rollers or bushes60concerned are preferably manufactured from a hard material, such as stainless steel or similar for example.

The locking means12to lock the hooks5and6on the supporting body2of the lifting device1in this case are also constructed in the form of ratchets14.

To this end each side plate46is provided with a pair of toothings or serrations14on one of its edges.

Hereby the edges of the side plates46are constructed symmetrically with respect to a plane of symmetry parallel to the side plates46and located between the side plates46, as well as with respect to a plane perpendicular to the aforementioned plane of symmetry through the centre of each side plate46.

In this case each such toothing14consists of five semicircular notches in which small rollers or bushes61of the hooks5and6can rest.

The ends of the bolts58, as well as the nuts59of the connecting elements55,56and57form a widening of the connecting elements55,56and57with which the hooks hook over the edges of the side plates46, so that a hook5or6can move smoothly between the side plates46and over these edges of the side plates46, and a hook5or6can be hooked in a simple way in the ratchets14.

It is clear that this embodiment of a lifting device1according to the invention can be used completely analogously to the foregoing embodiment ofFIGS. 10 and 11.

A great advantage of a lifting device1according to this embodiment is however that it can have a very light construction, but with optimum strength in order to be able to withstand the forces that occur when lifting a pipeline25.

The fact that the spindle holders47are affixed between the side plates46for example and that they form the actual supporting body2, ensures a very strong but light construction.

FIG. 14schematically shows another possible variant of a lifting device1according to the invention, which is a simpler and lighter embodiment intended to lift lighter pipelines25.

In this embodiment the gripping means3are still formed by two hooks5and6, but the one hook5is immovably affixed on the supporting body2, while the position of the other hook6can vary over the length of the supporting body2.

The hook6is hereby affixed over a threaded rod62that extends along the length of the supporting body2.

This threaded rod62is rotatably affixed with respect to the supporting body2and a handle63is also hinged to one end64of the threaded rod62, so that a user can easily exert a sufficiently large torque to turn the threaded rod62and in this way can easily position the hook6on the supporting body2to grip a pipeline25.

The lifting means4of the lifting device1in this case are formed by just one spindle53, that is fitted at the other end65of the supporting body2opposite the handle63.

When the tubes or pipelines25are not too heavy, for example tubes with a diameter varying from around ¼ inch to 4 inches, it is indeed possible to lift tubes with the aid of only one spindle53.

It is clear that if the application concerns such lighter tubes, this last embodiment is then preferred.

In the example shown, the spindle53is constructed such that the spindle53can be adjusted between a position for use, and a position for storing the lifting device1.

To this end a spindle holder47of the spindle53is hinged to the supporting body2around a shaft66, whereby the shaft62is also affixed in a slot67of the spindle53, whereby the spindle53can also be moved back and forth to a certain extent with respect to the shaft66.

In this way the spindle holder47can be placed in a position for use, whereby the cylindrical opening52in the spindle holder47and the jack rod16that is affixed in it, extend transversely along the length of the supporting body.

On the other hand, the spindle holder47can also be tilted by a combination of a rectilinear movement in the slot67and a rotation around the shaft66to a position whereby the cylindrical opening52and the jack rod16extend along the length of the supporting body2and whereby the spindle holder47can be slid into the supporting body, so that a compact whole is obtained for the storage of the lifting device1.

In order to be able to handle the lifting device easily, it is also equipped with a handgrip68.

The present invention is by no means limited to the embodiments of a lifting device1according to the invention described as an example and shown in the drawings, but a lifting device1according to the invention can be realised in all kinds of variants, without departing from the scope of the invention.