Lifting harness

• US 6,729,511 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2002
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Thomas E. Dent III
• Inventors: Dent, Thomas E. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Sue A.
• Application Number:
  US10/102,103
• Publication Number:
  US 20020148866A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 294/74, 294/152, 294/157, 182/3, 224/157, 224/258, 224/259, 224/268, 224/260, 224/262
• US Class Current: 224/259
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/146 Pack-carrying harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/04 Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of two straps passing over the two shoulders
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/14 Carrying-straps; Pack-carrying harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 7/12 Load carriers, e.g. hooks, slings, harness, gloves, modified for load carrying

Abstract

A shoulder harness is made of straps forming a figure eight having a criss-cross strap configuration across a worker'"'"'s back. Two adjustable sized loops are formed which hang under the worker'"'"'s arms. A hook is threaded into each loop. A wide tension buckle is mounted from the hooks via carabiners, thereby centering the tension buckle in front of the worker. A web lift strap about six inches wide is threaded into the tension buckle. A second worker threads the opposite end of the lift strap into his tension buckle. The lift strap is placed under a load and carried by the two workers over rough surfaces that dolly wheels couldn'"'"'t handle. Alternate embodiments include a central ring to join three or more workers'"'"' straps together, a hip carry mode which joins the two loops at a hip, and a two-strap mode for carrying loose objects.

Claims

1. A lifting harness comprising:

a continuous strap configured into a figure eight to form a left and a right support loop around a user'"'"'s torso;

said continuous strap having a first and a second end, each end threaded through a buckle, thereby enabling an adjustment of each loop'"'"'s size;

a hook connected to each loop; and

a tension buckle and central lift strap mounted between the hooks, thereby enabling the central lift strap to be connected to a second user to use the central lift strap to lift and carry objects.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a pad sewn under the continuous strap, the pad shaped to cover the user'"'"'s shoulders, upper back and left and right chest segments, said left and right chest segments joined by a strap and adjustment buckle.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a left and a right carabiner connecting the hook to the tension buckle.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the central lift strap has a width in excess of four inches.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a left and a right carabiner connecting the hook to the tension buckle.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising three or more lifting harnesses each having a central lift strap attached to a common lift ring, thereby enabling several users to lift an object via the lift ring.

7. A lifting harness comprising:

a left and a right strap loop each depending from a shoulder harness for a human worker;

a hook attached to each loop;

a central tension buckle supported between the hooks; and

a load strap threaded from the central tension buckle and connected to a second human worker'"'"'s central tension buckle, thereby enabling the two workers to lift and carry a load.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising a carabiner connecting the central tension buckle to the hook.

9. A lifting harness comprising:

a continuous strap configured into a figure eight to form a left and a right support loop around a user'"'"'s torso;

a hook connected to each loop;

a first mode of configuration having a clip connecting the hooks together for a hip carry operation;

a second mode of configuration having a left and a right clip support a central tension buckle having a lift strap; and

a third mode of configuration having said hooks each support a lift strap.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first mode of configuration further comprises said clip supporting an L-shaped hook.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first mode of configuration further comprises said clip supporting a strap(s) configured to carry a large flat object.