Abstract:
A compression apparatus for gripping and carrying objects having walls is provided. The apparatus comprises the two U-shaped brackets, one U-shaped having a handle and an upper and a lower rounded bars at the bottom of the bracket and the other U-shaped bracket having a handle and a single rounded bar. When the apparatus handle portion comes together, the single rounded bar fits at least partially between the upper and lower rounded bars. During compressive use an object&#39;s walls would be squeezed and gripped between the upper and lower rounded bars and the single rounded bar.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a compression apparatus to aid in the gripping of walled objects. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Lifting and carrying heavy objects, especially bags, can be difficult. It can often be complicated to secure an effective gripping position. Frequently, when one seeks effectively to grab and handle a bag for manual lifting and transporting, the bag walls rip. Thus, a lifter and carrier of bags must concentrate on grabbing, handling, lifting and carrying a heavy bag or object as opposed to transporting the walled object or bag. There are not effective tools to accommodate the lifting of walled bags and objects. The tools that do exist may pierce or tear the walls of the objects. Thus, there is a long felt need for to provide a means to grip walled objects with uniformity in order to maintain the integrity of the walled object. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of various embodiments of the present invention to provide hingedly connected compressive barred brackets, which enable a user to squeeze two handles together at the upper portion of the invention and simultaneously compress the walls of a bag or other object via the lower portion of the invention. 
     Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention comprises a compression apparatus comprising a first U-shaped bracket, a second U-shaped bracket and at least one attachment pin that hingedly that connects the first U-shaped bracket and the second U-shaped bracket, the first U-shaped bracket comprising a handle having two ends, two opposing lever arms disposed at both ends of said handle, each of said opposing lever arms comprising an upper portion, a middle portion, a lower portion, a first curvature disposed between the upper portion and the middle portion, a second curvature disposed between the middle portion and the lower portion, and an upper rounded bar and a lower rounded bar attached to the lower portions of said lever arms, the second U-shaped bracket comprising a handle, two opposing lever arms disposed at either end of said handle, each of said opposing lever arms comprising an upper portion, a middle portion, a lower portion, a first curvature disposed between the upper portion and the middle portion, a second curvature disposed between the middle portion and the lower portion, and one rounded bar attached to the lower portions of said lever arms, each of the middle portions of the lever arms of the first U- and the second U-shaped bracket has a pin hole and the at least one attachment pin pierces the pin holes in the middle portions of the lever arms of the first U-shaped bracket and second U-shaped bracket. 
     In another embodiment of the instant invention, the invention comprises a compression apparatus comprising a first U-shaped bracket, a second U-shaped bracket and at least one attachment pin that hingedly that connects the first U-shaped bracket and the second U-shaped bracket, the first U-shaped bracket comprising a handle having two ends, two opposing lever arms disposed at both ends of said handle, each of said opposing lever arms comprising an upper portion, a middle portion, a lower portion, a first curvature disposed between the upper portion and the middle portion, a second curvature disposed between the middle portion and the lower portion, and an upper rounded bar and a lower rounded bar attached to the lower portions of said lever arms, the second U-shaped bracket comprising a handle having two ends, two opposing lever arms disposed at either end of said handle, each of said opposing lever arms comprising an upper portion, a middle portion, a lower portion, a first curvature disposed between the upper portion and the middle portion, a second curvature disposed between the middle portion and the lower portion, and one rounded bar attached to the lower portions of said lever arms, each of the middle portions of the lever arms of the first U-shaped bracket and the second U-shaped bracket has a pin hole and the at least one attachment pin pierces the pin holes in the middle portions of the lever arms of the first U-shaped bracket and second U-shaped bracket. 
     Benefits and advantages of the present invention include, but are not limited to, providing a means to compress a grip around an object having walls in order to more easily lift the object. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view one embodiment of the instant invention comprising a first U-shaped bracket having two bars at the bottom of its lever arms and a second U-shaped bracket having one rounded bar at the bottom of its lever arms. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side perspective view of one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the two U-shaped brackets are secured by two attachment pins and the invention is non-compressed. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side planar view of one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the two U-shaped brackets are secured by two attachment pins and the invention is non-compressed. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side planar view of one embodiment of the instant invention wherein the two U-shaped brackets are secured by two attachment pins and the invention is compressed. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a front planar view of one embodiment of the instant invention. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a side planar view of one embodiment of the instant invention wherein apparatus lever arms are separated and an object is placed between the lower lever arms prior to compression. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a side planar view of one embodiment of the instant invention wherein apparatus lever arms are brought together and the object placed between the lower lever arms is compressed and able to be lifted with the instant invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference characters refer to the same or similar elements in all figures. 
     At the top left portion of  FIG. 1 , there is a portion of one embodiment of the compression apparatus comprising a first U-shaped bracket  100  having a handle  110  and two lever arms  120  on opposing sides of the handle  110 . Also depicted along the mid section  122  of the lever arms are pin holes  310  and attachment pins  300 . Further, there are two curvatures  125  and  126  in the U-shaped bracket, with the pin holes  310  between the first curvature  125 , a roughly 135 degree curve, and the second curvature  126 , a roughly 45 degree curve. The first curvature  125  separates the middle portion  122  from the upper portion  121  of the lever arm  120 . The second curvature  126  separates the middle portion  122  from the lower portion  123  of the of the lever arm  120 . The pin holes  310  are disposed in the middle portions  122  of the lever arms and adapted to receive the attachment pins  300 . An upper rounded bar  150  is attached to the bottom portion  123  and disposed above the bottom rounded bar  160 , which is also attached to the bottom portion  123  of the lever arms  120 . 
     At the bottom right portion of  FIG. 1 , there is a portion of one embodiment of the compression apparatus comprising a first U-shaped bracket  200  having a handle  210  and two lever arms  220  on opposing sides of the handle  210 . Also depicted along the mid section  222  of the lever arms are pin holes  310  and attachment pins  300 . Further, there are two curvatures  225  and  226  in the U-shaped bracket, with the pin holes  310  between the first curvature  225 , a roughly 135 degree curve, and the second curvature  226 , a roughly 45 degree curve. The first curvature  225  separates the middle portion  222  from the upper portion  221  of the lever arm  220 . The second curvature  226  separates the middle portion  222  from the lower portion  223  of the of the lever arm  220 . The pin holes  310  are disposed in the middle portions  222  of the lever arms and made to receive the attachment pins  300 . A single rounded bar  270  is attached to the bottom portion  223 . 
       FIG. 2  is one embodiment of the compression apparatus invention, which shows the first U-shaped bracket  120  attached to the second U-shaped bracket  220  attached via attachment pins  300 . The welds  155  attach the upper rounded rod  150  to the bottom portion  123  of the lever arm  120 . Similar welds  155  are attach the lower rounded rod  160  to the bottom portion  123  of the lever arm  120 . 
       FIG. 3  is one embodiment of the compression apparatus invention, which shows the first U-shaped bracket  120  attached to the second U-shaped bracket  220  attached via attachment pins  300 . The welds  155  attach the upper rounded rod  150  to the bottom portion  123  of the lever arm  120 . Similar welds  155  attach the lower rounded rod  160  to the bottom portion  123  of the lever arm  120  of the first U-shaped bracket  100 . Again, similar welds  155  attach rounded bar  270  to one of the bottom portion  223  of the one of the lever arms  220  of the second U-shaped bracket  200 . The embodiment of the invention shown in  FIG. 3  demonstrates the compression apparatus in an open or non-compressed position. The lever arms  120  and  220  are attached via attachment pins  300 , which form the fulcrum or pivot point of the lever arms. 
       FIG. 4  depicts one embodiment of the instant invention in the closed position wherein the handles covered by grips  211  and  111  have been brought close in close proximity to each other. Corresponding to the handles and upper portions of the lever arms being in close proximity to each other, the lower portions  123  and  223  of the lever arms come closer to each other. In the closed position and without walls of an object being between the lower portions  123  and  223  of the lever arms, the upper rounded rod  150  and lower rounded rod  160 , which are separated, come into contact with the single rounded bar  270 . 
     The upper portions  121  of the lever arms of the first U-shaped bracket are parallel to the lower portion  123  of the first U-shaped bracket. Also, in the closed position the upper portions  121  of the first U-shaped bracket are co-linear with the lower portions  223  of the second U-shaped bracket. Similarly, the upper portions  221  of the lever arms of the second U-shaped bracket are parallel to the lower portion  223  of the second U-shaped bracket. Also, in the closed position the upper portions  221  of the second U-shaped bracket are co-linear with the lower portions  123  of the first U-shaped bracket. 
       FIG. 4  also depicts the rounded bars in a configuration wherein each rounded bars is parallel to the other rounded bars. Additionally, as depicted in  FIG. 4 , the rounded bars are perpendicular to the lever arms. 
       FIG. 5  depicts a planar side view of one embodiment of the instant invention in the closed position. The single rounded rod  270  of the second U-shaped bracket partially fits between the upper rounded rod  150  and the lower rounded rod  160  of the first U-shaped bracket. The attachment pins  300  connect the first U-shaped bracket  100  and the second U-shaped bracket  200  and form a pivot point for the lever arms of the U-shaped brackets. 
       FIG. 6  depicts the compression apparatus in an open position with a bag object  400  having walls  401  and  402  disposed between the upper rounded rod  150  and lower rounded rod  160  of the first U-shaped bracket  100  and the single rounded rod  270  of the second U-shaped bracket  200 . As the handles of the U-shaped brackets are bought in close proximity to each other during a closing manipulation, the lower portions close in around the walls  401  and  402  of the object  400 . 
       FIG. 7  depicts the compression apparatus gripping the object  400  by the upper portions of its walls  401  and  402 . The rounded bars provide a smoother surface to grip and reduce tearing of the walls of the object by allowing for more points of contact. A user closes the compression apparatus by squeezing the grips  111  and  211  covering the handles at the upper portion of one embodiment of the instant invention and is thereby able to grip the walled object and carry it having the weight of the object more even dispersed over the walls of the object. The gripping occurs via the single rounded bar pushing in opposition to the upper and lower rounded bars, gripping the walled object in a vice-like manner. The resultant weight distribution allows the used to pick up bags having plastic and paper walls and weighing up to 100+ pounds with one hand grasping the handle portions of the instant invention. 
     It is believed that the apparatus of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, geometry, construction, and arrangement of the components without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention and without sacrificing its material advantages. The forms described are merely exemplary and explanatory embodiments thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.