Abstract:
A carrying device for large panels, such as drywall, plywood and the like. The carrying device includes a rigid one-piece panel receiving bracket with a dual flexible strap and adjustable handle extending therefrom. The panel is received on a platform portion of the bracket which has multiple impact surfaces for positioning, engaging and releasing the bracket from the panel so positioned thereon and a panel positioning strap handle attachment extending therefrom.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field 
       [0001]    This invention is related to carrying devices that aid in the physical engagement or lifting and transporting dimensionally large unyieldly objects such as material panels. 
       2. Description of Prior Art 
       [0002]    Prior art devices of this type have been developed to allow for lifting and moving large objects by hand, see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,113,160, 6,102,462, Design Patents D317,703, D423,309. 
         [0003]    In U.S. Pat. No. 4,113,160 a sheet sling can be seen having a pair of identical elongated material engagement elements adjustably secured to one another for selective reversal edge engagement of a sheet to be transported. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,462 illustrates a mattress and sheet material carrying apparatus having a main strap with a pair of dependent load support strap members extending therefrom allowing two individuals to group oppositely disposed strap ends and lift the material load between them. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 8,251,421 claims a panel carrier having a flexible shape with an attached rigid handle secured to a contoured U-shaped panel receiving platform. 
         [0006]    U.S. Design Patent D317,703 discloses an ornamental design for a drywall carrier having a rigid handle with an eccentric extending shaft and a spade like end defining a material engagement lip there along. 
         [0007]    U.S. Design Patent D423,309 claims an ornamental design for a handle for carrying wall board having a flexible cord and attached grip with a material engagement element attached to its oppositely disposed end. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    A handle enabled carrying device having a panel receiving end element and a flexible lifting strap with an adjustable handle thereon. A panel engagement body member has a panel receiving platform with oppositely disposed impact positioning portion and vertically spaced, oppositely disposed extending impact engagement release elements to assist in removing the device from engagement with the panel. A centralized apertured lifting tab is formed in a vertically offset orientation on the body member to accommodate panel positioning and from which the flexible lifting strap extends with the handle which is adjustable on the strap to afford angular inclination lifting capabilities. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the carrier engagement portion of the primary panel carrier of the device. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevational view thereof on lines  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the panel carrier in use engaged for illustration purposes by a user&#39;s hand representation. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is an end elevational view of the primary form of the panel carrier in solid lines with an engaged material sheet positioned within shown in broken lines for illustration. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a top elevational view of the primary panel carrier of the invention with the material sheet engaged therein shown in broken cut-away lines. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternate form of the material carrier of the invention with repositioned spaced strap engagement apertured tabs and a central impact release tab there between. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a front elevational view thereof with strap representation shown in broken lines. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Referring to  FIG. 3  of the drawings, a panel carrying device  10  can be seen having a cylindrical handle  11  with a hand engagement central portion  11 A and oppositely disposed open ends  11 B and  11 C. 
         [0017]    A flexible strap  12  extends through the handle engagement portion  11 A having oppositely disposed ends  12 A and  12 B secured centrally to a panel engagement lifting bracket  13  of the panel carrying device  10  as will be described in detail hereinafter. 
         [0018]    The flexible strap  12  can be of any suitable material configuration that has significant strength to accommodate a wide variety of lifting applications. 
         [0019]    The panel carrying device has a primary one piece panel engagement and lift bracket  13  formed of a general angle iron configuration main body member  14  with an elongated material receiving platform portion  15  extending at right angles from a corresponding upstanding portion  16  as best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2  of the drawings. 
         [0020]    A pair of spaced oppositely disposed parallel impact release tabs  17  and  18  are formed inwardly from their respective ends of the upstanding portion  16  in opposing orientation to the material receiving platform portion  15 . 
         [0021]    The release tabs  17  and  18  are formed by cutting and bending respective end portions towards one another at right angles to form the pair of spaced parallel impact release tabs  17  and  18 . A lifting strap aperture attachment tab  19  is formed in the upstanding portion  16  midway between the hereinbefore described impact release tabs  17  and  18 . The attachment tab  19  is formed by a pair of parallel longitudinally spaced cuts at  20  in a longitudinal edge  21  of the upstanding portion  16  allowing for bending angular deflection thereof to define the tab  19  outwardly in opposed relation to the release tabs  17  and  18 . 
         [0022]    An opening at  22  is formed in the attachment tab  19  through which respective ends  12 A and  12 B of the flexible lift strap  12  extend and are secured, in this example, by tying as best seen in  FIG. 3  of the drawings. The attachment tab  19  is formed, as noted, by bending a portion of the upstanding body member portion  16  outwardly from its vertical plane towards material receiving platform  15 . It will be evident, therefore, that angular inclination of the attachment tab  19  will effectively adjust to a vertical panel orientation during engagement as seen in  FIG. 4  of the drawings that is conducive to lifting a panel P so engaged due to the geometry of the handgrips and its offset point of attachment by the strap  12 . 
         [0023]    Referring now to  FIGS. 3 and 4  of the drawings, the panel carrying device  10  of the invention can be seen positioned for and in use under the bottom edge of a panel P to be lifted and transported by imparting manual lifting force to the handle  11  shown by force arrows F. 
         [0024]    Typically the user (not shown) would use their foot, for example, to engage the impact portion of the upstanding portion  16  for positioning the platform  15  under the panel P. A leading edge  15 A of the platform portion  15  is tapered so as to assist in the insertion under the panel P in this application. 
         [0025]    Once engaged, the hereinbefore described flexible strap  12  and the attached handle  11  allows for a secure and proper extended grip for lifting the angled shaped main body member  14  of the panel carrying device  10  and the panel positioned thereon. 
         [0026]    Once the panel P is positioned at its destination it can be easily released from the receiving platform  15  by tapping either one or both of the hereinbefore described impact and release tabs  17  and  18  sequentially dislodging the carrying device  10  of the invention out from under the panel P as described. 
         [0027]    The preferred embodiment of the panel carrier  10  is constructed preferably of an integral piece of metal such as steel or aluminum for durability and strength given its use requirements and ease of angle and tab formation. 
         [0028]    It will be evident, therefore, that given the universal nature of the receiving platform portion  15 , it will be easily adapted to other engaging and lifting venues having engagement surface edges such as appliances, not shown, providing a safe, simple, portable and self-contained material engagement and lifting aid with an adjustable handle configuration to afford an effective grip and maneuvering of large material such as panels and the like. 
         [0029]    Referring now to  FIGS. 6 and 7  of the drawings, an alternate form of the invention  30  can be seen with a modified lifting bracket body  31 . In this form of the invention a material receiving platform  32  extends at right angle to a corresponding upstanding bracket portion  33  as in the primary form of the invention. 
         [0030]    A pair of longitudinally spaced apertured lift attachment tabs  34  and  35  are formed by cutting and outwardly bending respective end portions of the upstanding bracket portion  33 . The alternate lift tabs  34  and  35  are foreshortened and apertured for receiving the free ends of a corresponding flexible strap and handle assembly representation  36  illustrated by broken lines in  FIG. 7  of the drawings. 
         [0031]    An alternate tap and release tab  37  is formed centrally in the upstanding bracket portion  33  between and is bent outwardly similar to the lift tabs  33  and  34 , but in opposition relation thereto. The tap and release tab  37  is defined by cutting and bending, as in the hereinbefore described left tabs  33  and  34 . 
         [0032]    It will be evident that tap release tab  37  performs the function as the hereinbefore described multiple release tabs  17  and  18  in the primary form of the invention allowing the user, not shown, to physically tap or impact there against to unseat the receiving platform  32  from engagement under the lifting material after lifting, positioning and transporting has occurred. 
         [0033]    The advantages of the alternate material carrier of the invention as described are that of the lift tabs  34  and  35  being spaced in relation to one another on the lifting bracket body member  31  by providing two independent spaced stabilizing attachment points for the flexible strap ends and handle assembly  36 . 
         [0034]    Such an orientation may be of increased value when engaging a variety of material to lift, but not limited only to sheet material, but other bulky items, as hereinbefore noted. 
         [0035]    It will thus be seen that a unique and novel panel carrying device has been illustrated and described and it will be evident to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention.