Patent ID: 7387463

Claim:
A lifting apparatus for lifting a manhole cover from a cover mounting ring installed in a generally planar surface, the cover mounting ring having an upper edge surrounding the outer edge of the manhole cover, comprising, a body to be placed on the generally planar surface adjacent to the cover mounting ring and manhole cover to be lifted, said body having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end, a first side and a second side, each of said sides having an upper edge and a lower edge, said first and second sides extending in spaced apart parallel relation between said first end and said second end parallel to said longitudinal axis; a ring engagement plate to be received on the upper edge of the cover mounting ring without extending over the manhole cover, said ring engagement plate extending outwardly from said second end of said body in perpendicular relation to said first and second sides, with said ring engagement plate disposed below said lower edges of said first and second sides; an elongate lever arm having a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end, said lever arm pivotally connected between said first and second ends between said first and second sides of said body with said longitudinal axis of said lever arm and said longitudinal axis of said body in the same plane, with said first end of said lever arm between the point at which said lever arm is pivotally connected and said first end of said body, with said second end of said lever arm between the point at which said lever arm is pivotally connected and said second end of said body; an elongate lifting arm having a longitudinal axis, a first end, and a second end, said lifting arm connected at said first end to said second end of said lever arm, such that the fulcrum at which said lever arm and said connected lifting arm rotates is at said pivotal connection of said lever arm to said body, with said longitudinal axis of said lifting arm and said longitudinal axis of said lever arm in the same plane, said lifting arm extending outwardly beyond said second end of said body and cantilevered from said body so as to extend partially over the manhole cover; manhole cover engaging means for forming a releaseable connection between a manhole cover and said lifting arm adjacent to said second end of said lifting arm; and actuator means connected between said body and said first end of said lever arm for rotating said lever arm about said pivotal connection between said lever arm and said sides of said body so as to raise said lifting arm relative to said body, thereby separating and lifting the manhole cover from the cover mounting ring upon activation of said actuator means.