Patent ID: 8894282

Claim:
A method of lifting a lifting bag, wherein said lifting bag comprises a fabric, non-self supporting bag, said fabric bag having a closed bottom portion, a top portion—a bag sidewall extending between said bag top and bottom portions, and a single, closeable opening, said single closable opening positioned on said top portion, said bag top portion, said sidewall and said bottom portion defining an interior and an exterior, and a lifting strap sling, said lifting strap sling comprising a series of lifting straps, said lifting strap sling having a bottom extension, a sidewall extension and a top extension, said top extension of said lifting strap sling further comprising a first set of said lifting straps, each of said first set of lifting straps having a connector attachable to a lifting device above said bag top portion, said bottom extension of said lifting strap sling further comprising an intersecting pattern of a number of said series of lifting straps adjacent said bag closed bottom portion and supporting said bag on said closed bottom portion when said lifting bag is connected to a lifting device, said bottom portion of said lifting bag being further defined as that portion of said lifting bag, that materials first rest against when loaded into an empty lifting bag and said closed bottom portion being opposed to said bag top portion; said lifting bag further comprising a plurality of strap retention devices, a top subset of said strap retention devices coupled to said bag near said top portion of said bag, said first group of lifting straps being coupled to said top subset of said strap retention devices, each of said first group of lifting straps being substantially fixed in position horizontally to said bag exterior by a corresponding strap retention device, said lifting bag further having a series of fasteners, each of said fasteners removably coupling one of said first group of lifting straps to said lifting bag to substantially fix the vertical position of said coupled lifting strap to near said bag top portion when coupled, but said bag exterior, when said first group of fasteners does not couple said first group of lifting straps to said lifting bag, being movable with respect to said lifting straps so that exterior of said lifting bag can be moved down said coupled lifting straps until said top portion is positioned adjacent said bottom portion of said lifting bag, when said lifting bag is empty and supported by a lifting device; said method comprising the steps of coupling a lifting device to said connectors, and raising said lifting device sufficiently upwardly, whereby said lifting bag and said load is lifted and supported entirely by said series of coupled lifting straps, and whereby said coupling of said fabric bag to said lifting straps allows said sidewall portion of said fabric bag to be movable vertically relative to said lifting straps when the lifting bag is raised by the lifting device.