Abstract:
A spreader bar includes an elongated bar member having end portions that support a flexible lifting member that is supported below the bar. The flexible lifting member is preferably comprised of a plurality of link sections that are pinned together, load carrying links depending from the flexible member, preferably at pinned connections that join the additional links.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable 
     REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX” 
     Not applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to lifting apparatus and accessories, and more particularly to an improved spreader bar lifting apparatus for use with cranes and other lifting devices that use slings. Even more particularly the present invention relates to an improved spreader bar arrangement that includes a main beam or bar that supports a flexible member preferably comprised of a plurality of links or sections, and wherein the links or sections have connectors that enable connections to be made between the links and a load to be lifted or load lines (eg. slings). 
     2. General Background of the Invention 
     Spreader bars are commonly used in industry for lifting large objects with a single hook that is attached to the crown block and lift cables of a crane. A lifting hook is commonly provided with a pair of slings that depend from the crane hook at angles in a bridle fashion, each of the slings connecting to an end portion of the spreader bar. Parallel, depending lift lines are then suspended from the end portions of the spreader bar downwardly to the load that is to be lifted. 
     One of the problems with spreader bars is that of sizing the spreader bar to meet a particular load. Loads typically differ in size and in configuration. Some devices have been patented that enable the overall length of the bar to be changed by changing the center section to which a pair of end caps attach. An example of such as a spreader bar that has been patented can be seen in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,397,493, and entitled “Spreader Bar Assembly”. Other spreader bar patents include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,538,849 and 5,863,085, each incorporated herein by reference. 
     In some situations, a user has a pair of cranes or like lifting devices such as for example a ship having two cranes positioned at opposite ends of an opening in the hull above a hold or other cargo area. This presents a problem to the ship operator when very heavy loads of differing configurations are to be lifted out of the cargo area. Sometimes the position of the load in the cargo area requires that a crane be positioned at such an angle of inclination that the lifting capacity of the boom is at its lowest portion of its range. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an improved spreader bar apparatus that includes a pair of bar sections. The present invention provides an improved spreader bar apparatus that includes a bar or beam member having first and second end portions. Each of the end portions provides a lifting portion that can be attached to a lifting device such as a crane. A flexible member is supported by each of the bar members at the lifting portions, the flexible member preferably extending in a curved fashion below the bar and in between the two bar ends. 
     The flexible member provides attachments at spaced apart intervals along the flexible member, each of the attachments being a location that can support a lifting line, sling or the like. 
     The flexible member is preferably comprised of a plurality of links connected together end to end. 
     The flexible member can be comprised of a plurality of links that are pinned together. 
     The flexible member can be comprised of a plurality of plate members, each plate member being an elongated structure having end portions, wherein one end portion of one plate member is connected to an end portion of another plate member, preferably using a pinned connection. At that pinned connection, a third plate member can be positioned to extend downwardly from the pinned connection and assume a generally vertical position. This third plate member functions as a load carrying member to which a depending lift line, sling or the like can be attached (for example, using shackles). 
     The plurality of plate members thus includes a first plurality of laterally extending plate members and a second plurality of vertically extending plate members. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes two separate lifting cranes positioned at spaced apart locations, each of the lifting cranes supporting a separate end of the bar. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description, read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a front, elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a top, plan view of the preferred embodiment of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention taken along lines  2 — 2  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention taken along lines  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a partial, perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention shown during use; 
     FIG. 6 is another front, elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention shown during use; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial, exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating a connection be ween the spreader bar and a load using lifting slings and shackles. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1,  2 ,  5  and  6  show the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, designated generally by the numeral  10 . Spreader bar apparatus  10  is comprised generally of an elongated bar  11  having end portions  12 ,  13  and center portion  14 . 
     Ends  15 ,  16  are fitted to the bar  11  for example, using welding. 
     The bar  11  can be an elongated, cylindrically shaped member, such as a section of pipe. The bar  11  can be hollow or solid. The ends  15 ,  16  are connected, preferably by welding, to the end portions  12 ,  13  of bar  11 . End  15  is welded to bar  11  at end portion  12 . End  16  is welded to bar  11  at end portion  13 . If removable connections between bar  11  and end  15 ,  16  are desired, the ends  15 ,  16  can be constructed to be removable and not welded such as those shown in the Jon Khachaturian patent 4,397,493, incorporated herein by reference. 
     The combination of bar  11  and its ends  15 ,  16 , support an elongated flexible member  17  that can be comprised of a plurality of links  18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  22 ,  23 ,  25 . In FIGS. 1,  3 ,  4 , and  7 , the flexible member  17  is shown comprised of a plurality of links connected together and preferably using a pinned connection at adjacent links such as the pinned connection  33  shown in the drawings. Each pinned connection  33  can be comprised of pin  26  having threaded portion  27 , washer  28  and nut  29  as shown in FIG.  4 . 
     In FIG. 4, outside links  18  form attachments to inside links  19  and lifting link  20 . The outside plate line  18  and inside plate link  19  are laterally extending as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. The lifting link  20  is generally vertically extended (or nearly vertically extended) as shown by FIGS. 1 and 4. Each of the links  18 ,  19 ,  22 ,  23  and  25  have a pair of openings  21 . These openings  21  are at the end portions of each of the links  18 ,  19 ,  22 ,  23 ,  25  as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. Link  20  has an upper  35  opening  21  and a lower opening  24 . Large, horizontally extended links  22  define center links for the flexible member  17  as shown in Figure  1 . At this center position, there are preferably two large horizontal links  22  as shown in FIG.  3 . 
     Each bar end  15 ,  16  has a pinned connection  33  as shown in FIG. 7 that forms an attachment between an end  15  or  16  and diagonally extending links  23 . In FIG. 7, each end  15  or  16  is comprised preferably of a pair of spaced apart plates  30 ,  31  each being welded to end portion  12  or  13  of bar  11 . Alternatively, the plates  30 ,  31  can be welded to the cylindrically shaped socket portion of a removable end cap that fits each end portion  12 ,  13  of bar  11 . Stiffener plates  32  can be provided as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7 for forming an attachment between each of the plates  30  and  31  and bar  11 . 
     The stiffeners  32  can be welded to the respective plates  30  or  31  and also are welded to the end portion  12  or  13  of bar  11 . An additional link  34  forms a part of the connection that is pinned using pin connection  33  at each end  15  or  16 . As shown in FIG. 7, this additional link is a vertically extending lifting link  34  having an opening  35  that aligns with the openings  36  in diagonally positioned links  23  or  25  and the openings  37 ,  38  in plates  30 ,  31  respectively of end  15 . The lifting link  34  also has an opening  39  that enables a connection to be formed with a lifting member or connecting member such as shackle  40 , shackle pin  41  and lifting sling (vertical or inclined)  42 . 
     Shackles  40  can also be used to form an attachment between one of the lifting links  20  that depends from links  18 ,  19  of flexible member  17  as shown in FIG.  8 . Slings  42  can then be connected between the shackle  40  that is attached to a link  20  and shackles  43  attached to load  44 . 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a completed rigging wherein spreader bar  10  forms an interface between the load  44  to be lifted and a lifting device (or devices) such as cranes  45 ,  46 . Each of the cranes  45 ,  46  provides a lifting line  47  and a hook  48  for engaging and supporting slings  42 . 
     In FIG. 5, the load  44  has been “centered”, being connected to flexible member  17  with slings  42  that are at equal distances from large, horizontal center link  22 . In FIG. 6, an offset loading arrangement is illustrated. In FIG. 6, the slings  42  are connected to links  20  that are to the right of the center, large horizontal link  22 . Such a situation might occur depending upon the load  44  to be lifted, the initial position of the load  44  (such as its location in the hold of a ship) or the position of equipment that is near or surrounding the load  44  to be lifted. 
     
       
         
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 PARTS LIST 
               
             
          
           
               
                 Part Number 
                 Description 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 10 
                 spreader bar apparatus 
               
               
                 11 
                 bar 
               
               
                 12 
                 end portion 
               
               
                 13 
                 end portion 
               
               
                 14 
                 center portion 
               
               
                 15 
                 end 
               
               
                 16 
                 end 
               
               
                 17 
                 flexible member 
               
               
                 18 
                 outside plate link 
               
               
                 19 
                 inside plate link 
               
               
                 20 
                 lifting link 
               
               
                 21 
                 opening 
               
               
                 22 
                 large horizontal link 
               
               
                 23 
                 diagonally positioned link 
               
               
                 24 
                 opening 
               
               
                 25 
                 diagonally positioned link 
               
               
                 26 
                 pin 
               
               
                 27 
                 threaded portion 
               
               
                 28 
                 washer 
               
               
                 29 
                 nut 
               
               
                 30 
                 plate 
               
               
                 31 
                 plate 
               
               
                 32 
                 stiffener plate 
               
               
                 33 
                 pinned connection 
               
               
                 34 
                 lifting link 
               
               
                 35 
                 opening 
               
               
                 36 
                 opening 
               
               
                 37 
                 opening 
               
               
                 38 
                 opening 
               
               
                 39 
                 opening 
               
               
                 40 
                 shackle 
               
               
                 41 
                 shackle pin 
               
               
                 42 
                 sling 
               
               
                 43 
                 shackle 
               
               
                 44 
                 load 
               
               
                 45 
                 crane 
               
               
                 46 
                 crane 
               
               
                 47 
                 lifting line 
               
               
                 48 
                 crane hook 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.