Patent ID: 8157306

Claim:
A device for removing and installing ceiling panels, comprising: a base member having upper and lower sides and opposed ends; a support piece on the base member on the lower side thereof and disposed intermediate of the opposed ends of the base member; said support piece for supporting the base member in an overhead position for the purpose of either removing or installing ceiling panels therewith; a pair of elongated support arms each also having upper and lower sides and opposed ends; each of said elongated support arms mounted at a location intermediate of the opposed ends of each elongated support arms to respective opposed ends of the base member; said elongated support arms disposed substantially in parallel to each other and substantially transverse to the base member; a pair of fasteners, one for each of said elongated support arms, to secure the lower side of each of said elongated support arms to the upper side of the base member at the respective opposed ends of the base member; at least two piercing pieces mounted to the respective pair of elongated support arms engageable with a ceiling panel to assist in the removal thereof; a pair of retention hooks mounted from one of the opposed ends of the base member at opposed ends thereof and each of said respective elongated support arms and engageable with a ceiling panel to assist in the installation thereof; said retention hooks being pivotal between a use position, wherein each of the retention hooks is are engageable with a side of the ceiling panel, and a released position, wherein the retention hooks are disengaged from the ceiling panel; wherein the pair of elongated support arms has a use position, wherein the elongated support arms are disposed in parallel to each other and substantially transverse to the base member, and a nested position, wherein the elongated support arms are disposed in parallel with the base member, and further including an elastic strap that surrounds the elongated support arms and base member to hold the elongated support arms and base member together.