Patent ID: 8544909

Claim:
A manual lifting device comprising: a first arm, having a downward projection from a distal end thereof, said downward projection extending generally vertically when in use; a second arm, pivotally connected to said first arm at respective proximal ends of said arms by at least one hinge, said second arm also having a downward projection from a distal end thereof, said downward projection extending generally vertically when in use; a handle assembly mounted on one of said arms, having a handle extending generally over the center of gravity of the device; and releasable means for preventing said arms from pivoting away from a position where an object is engaged for lifting, once so engaged, wherein said releasable means comprises a pin through a hole in a free end of said handle assembly, said pin having a bottom end which drops down against the arm to which the handle assembly is not attached once said arm is in a position engaging an object to be lifted, said pin and said hole being shaped such that said pin is angled in said hole such that said pin must be lifted by the user to move said arm to disengage said object; or said releasable means comprises a locking arm slideable through slots in said handle assembly, a distal end of the locking arm having a cam portion which engages the arm to which the handle assembly is not attached once said arm is in a position engaging an object to be lifted, such that said locking arm must be disengaged by the user to move said arm to disengage said object; whereby positioning said device such that said downward projections loosely contact edges of an object to be lifted, and then lifting said handle, causes said arms to pivot downwardly relative to each other, thereby causing said downward projections to displace inwardly to grasp said object.