Patent ID: 7665944

Claim:
A method for lifting, stacking or otherwise manipulating a length of pipe comprising the steps of: (a) providing a longitudinally oriented base frame; (b) providing a movable carriage supported on said base frame; (c) providing a longitudinally oriented pipe trough for supporting a length of pipe, said pipe trough spanning between first and second lifting arm assemblies, each of said lifting arm assemblies having first and second ends, said first ends of said lifting arm assemblies being pivotally mounted to said carriage, said second end of said lifting arm assemblies being pivotally mounted to said pipe trough; (d) providing means to telescopically extend the length of at least one of said lifting arm assemblies independent from said other lifting arm assembly, wherein said means is a hydraulic ram; (e) providing a length of pipe; (f) placing said length of pipe on said pipe trough of said pipe lifting structure whereby said length of pipe is supported on side pipe trough in a longitudinal position with respect to said longitudinally oriented base frame; (g) raising said pipe trough by raising said second end of said first lifting arm assembly and thereby raising said second end of said second lifting arm assembly while keeping said first lifting arm assembly substantially parallel to said second lifting arm assembly; (h) telescopically extending the length of at least one of said lifting arm assemblies without extending the length of said other lifting arm assembly; (i) removing said length of pipe from said pipe trough, wherein said step of removing said length of pipe from said pipe trough includes providing a means for pivoting said pipe through transversely with respect to said base frame, wherein said step of providing means for pivoting said pipe trough transversely with respect to said base frame includes providing at least one extendable and retractable hydraulic ram mounted to said pipe trough and extending and retracting said hydraulic ram whereby said pipe trough is pivoted so as to remove said length of pipe from said pipe trough and pivoting said trough transversely with respect to said base frame whereby said length of pipe is removed from said pipe trough; (j) moving said carriage along said base frame, wherein said step of moving said carriage along said base frame includes providing at least one extendable and retractable hydraulic ram mounted to said carriage and to said base frame and extending and retracting said hydraulic ram whereby said carriage is moved along said longitudinal frame; (k) providing at least one hydraulic ram mounted to said carriage and at least one of said lifting arm assemblies for pivotally raising and lowering said first and second lifting arm assemblies and thereby said pipe trough.