Method for adjustably suspending a structure

• US 10,640,993 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2017
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul Kristen Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Paul Kristen Incorporated
• Inventors: Apostolopoulos, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Katherine W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mekhaeil, Shiref M
• Application Number:
  US15/727,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20180030744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E01D 19/106 Movable inspection or maintenance platforms, e.g. travelling scaffolding or vehicles specially designed to provide access to the undersides of bridges lifting devices for movable platforms on vehicles in general B66F11/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 3/30 suspended by flexible supporting elements, e.g. cables
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 7/04 Flexible elements, with or without brackets, e.g. ropes, cables, chains in general F16G , means for fastening cables or ropes to one another or to other objects F16G11/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 7/20 for ends of members only, e.g. for connecting members in end-to-end relation

Abstract

A method utilizing an assembly of a sling detachably attached to an adjustment device for suspending one structure relative to another structure. The adjustment device comprises a pair of elongate spaced apart plates which are attached to each other and to a hook, for attachment to one of the structures, at the first end portion. Each plate has a plurality of pairs of longitudinally spaced aligned holes for receiving a pin for connecting one end of a sling to the adjustment device at a selected incremental one of the plurality of pairs of holes. The other end of the sling is connected to the other structure to adjust the distance over which the one structure is suspended relative to the other structure. To allow greater adjustability, two or more of the adjustment devices are joined end-to-end.

Claims

1. A method for adjustably suspending one structure relative to an other structure, the method comprising:

connecting an eye portion on one end of a sling, which comprises a cable, to a selected position along a length of an elongate member;

connecting an other end of the sling to the one structure;

connecting an end portion of the elongate member to the other structure;

selecting the elongate member to comprise a pair of elongate plates which have end portions respectively which are attached to each other, wherein the elongate plates have projecting portions which project cantileverly from the attached end portions and parallel to each other and which are spaced to allow the eye portion of the sling to be passed sideways between the spaced projecting portions;

wherein the step of connecting the eye portion of the sling to the selected position along the length of the elongate member comprises passing the eye portion between the pair of spaced projecting portions; and

inserting a pin through a selected pair of a plurality of pairs of aligned holes spaced over lengths respectively of the projecting portions respectively and through the eye portion of the sling.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of connecting the end portion of the elongate member to the other structure comprises connecting a C-shaped hook, attached to the end portion of the elongate member, to the other structure.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising selecting the pin to be a scaffold pin which includes a locking part which utilizes gravity for retaining the pin in the holes.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the elongate member is a first of the elongate member and wherein the step of connecting the end portion of the elongate member to the other structure includes connecting one end portion of a second of the elongate member end-to-end to the end portion of the first elongate member and connecting an other end portion of the second elongate member to the other structure.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the step of connecting the other end portion of the second elongate member to the other structure comprises connecting a C-shaped hook, attached to the other end portion of the second elongate member, to the other structure.

6. A method for adjustably suspending one structure relative to an other structure, the method comprising:

providing an elongate member which has a pair of elongate plates which have end portions respectively wherein the end portions are attached and which have elongate projecting portions which project cantileverly from the attached end portions respectively and are parallel to each other, wherein the projecting portions are spaced to allow passing of an eye portion of a sling sideways between the projecting portions, and wherein each of the projecting portions has a plurality of holes which are spaced longitudinally of the elongate member such that at least some of the holes in one of the spaced projecting portions are aligned with at least some of the holes in the other of the spaced projecting portions;

passing an eye portion on one end of a sling, which comprises a cable, between the spaced projecting portions;

inserting a pin in the eye portion and in a pair of the aligned holes corresponding to a selected position along a length of the elongate member;

connecting an other end of the sling to the one structure; and

connecting the attached end portions of the elongate plates to the other structure.

7. The method according to claim 6 wherein the step of connecting the attached end portions of the elongate plates to the other structure comprises connecting a C-shaped hook, attached to the attached end portions of the elongate plates, to the other structure.

8. The method according to claim 6 further comprising selecting the pin to be a scaffold pin which includes a locking part which utilizes gravity for retaining the pin in the holes.

9. The method according to claim 6 wherein the elongate member is a first elongate member, the step of connecting the end portion of the elongate member to the other structure includes connecting one end portion of a second elongate member end-to-end to the end portion of the first elongate member and connecting an other end portion of the second elongate member to the other structure.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the step of connecting an other end portion of the second elongate member to the other structure comprises connecting a C-shaped hook, attached to the other end portion of the second elongate member, to the other structure.

11. A method for adjustably suspending one structure relative to an other structure, the method comprising:

providing an elongate member which has a pair of spaced plates each comprising in a sequence longitudinally of each of the spaced plates an end portion, a transition portion integrally connected to the end portion at an end of the transition portion, and an elongate portion integrally connected to an other end of the transition portion, and the end portions are attached to each other, and wherein there is a first spacing between the elongate portions and a second spacing between the end portions, and the second spacing is less than the first spacing, and wherein each of the elongate portions of the spaced plates has a plurality of holes which are spaced longitudinally of the elongate member such that at least some of the holes in one of the elongate portions are aligned with at least some of the holes in the other of the elongate portions;

passing an eye portion on one end of a sling between the elongate portions of the spaced plates;

inserting a pin in the eye portion and in a pair of the aligned holes corresponding to a selected position along a length of the elongate member;

connecting an other end of the sling to the one structure; and

connecting the end portions of the spaced plates of the elongate member to the other structure.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of connecting the end portions of the spaced plates to the other structure comprises connecting a hook, attached between the end portions, to the other structure.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the step of connecting the end portions of the spaced plates of the elongate member to the other structure comprises the sub-steps of:

providing an other of the elongate member;

inserting the end portions of the spaced plates of the elongate member between the elongate portions of the spaced plates respectively of the other elongate member in an end-to-end relationship;

inserting a pin in a pair of aligned apertures in the end portions respectively of the spaced plates of the elongate member and in one of the pairs of the aligned holes in the elongate portions of the spaced plates of the other elongate member thereby attaching the elongate member to the other elongate member; and

connecting the end portions of the spaced plates respectively of the other elongate member to the other structure.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein the step of connecting the end portions of the spaced plates respectively of the other elongate member to the other structure comprises connecting a hook, attached between the end portions of the spaced plates respectively of the other elongate member, to the other structure.