Patent ID: 8544923

Claim:
A lifting assembly for lifting an object using a lifting device, said object having upper and lower ends each with a flange having spaced-apart holes therein, the lifting assembly comprising: first and second upper lifting brackets, each including a flange attachment piece and an upright piece, said flange attachment piece having a top surface and a bottom surface and at least-two spaced-apart through holes, each of said spaced-apart through holes defined by cylindrical side walls, at least one of the spaced-apart through holes being an adjustable hole assembly having a cylindrical insert positioned entirely therein such that said cylindrical insert extends from the top surface to the bottom surface of the flange attachment piece, for aligning with at least one hole of said plurality of corresponding spaced-apart holes on the flange of the upper end of the object, and said upright piece having an opening formed therein for receiving a loop that engages a lifting hook of the lifting device, said adjustable hole assembly being adjustable such that the distance between the at least two spaced-apart through holes may be adjusted such that the first and second upper lifting brackets may be used to lift objects having spaced-apart holes of varying distances; at least one lower lifting bracket including a first portion and a second portion, said first portion having at least two spaced-apart through holes formed therein, at least one of the spaced-apart through holes being an adjustable hole assembly for aligning with at least one hole of said plurality of spaced-apart holes on the flange of the lower end of the object, and said second portion fixedly attached to the first portion, said lower lifting bracket being adapted to receive a loop for engaging a lifting hook of a lifting device, said least one adjustable hole assembly being adjustable such that the distance between the at least two spaced-apart through holes may be adjusted such that the at least one lower lifting bracket may be used to lift objects having spaced-apart holes of varying distances.