Device for the simultaneous positioning of two elements

Abstract

 A device for the simultaneous positioning aO_Jacent to each other at cavity distance of two relatively large elements of hardened material, such as sand-lime brick, is provided. This device comprises a top frame which can be connected to a hoisting mechanism and two gripping units. These gripping units are fixed together via adjustable beams only, said adjustable beams are adjustably interconnected. The gripping units are also connected with the top frame and can each grip an element, and each comprising two brackets which pivot about said beam. One end of the brackets engages an opening in the element, while the other end is connected in such a way via an auxiliary girder to the top frame that during the application of a hoisting force on the top of frame the brackets pivot relative to each other with their one ends inwardly essentially at right angles to the direction of hoisting. So those ends of the brackets are tightly clamped in the openings of the elements, while the gripping units are adjustable relative to each other essentially at right angles to the direction of hoisting.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device for the simultaneous positioning -adjacent to each other at cavity distance of two relatively large elements of hardened material, such as sand-lime brick, comprising a top frame which can be connected to a hoisting mechanism and two gripping units which are connected with the top frame and can each grip an element, and each comprising two brackets which pivot about a beam, one end of said brackets engaging with an opening in the element, while the other end is connected in such a way via an auxiliary girder to the top frame that during the application of a hoisting force on the top frame the brackets pivot relative to each other with their one ends inwardly essentially at right angles to the direction of hoisting, in order to clamp those ends of the brackets tightly in the openings of the elements, while the gripping units are adjustable relative to each other essentially at right angles to the direction of hoisting.

[0002] Such a device is generally known in the state of the art and the means for holding the gripping units at a particular set distance consist of three telescopic members. Fitted on each of the brackets near the hinge point is a telescopic member, while the third member is disposed between the auxiliary girders. In this way a very rigid device is obtained. Since in practice the openings in the elements are not always at exactly the same point or they chip, it does happen that one element is gripped while the other element is not yet clamped. The above-mentioned rigidity means that the gripping unit which is inserted in the not yet gripped element will not move any further because the other gripping unit cannot be moved any further. As a result, an element is not taken up, or it falls prematurely from the gripping unit. Another disadvantage of this design is that it is expensive to produce, and there is also the danger that when the telescopic members are being adjusted one of these members will jam owing to the fact that the telescopic members do not move to the same extent.

[0003] The object of the invention is to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages.

[0004] This object is achieved according to the invention in a device of the type described above in that gripping units are fixed solely via the beams, which are adjustably interconnected.

[0005] Owing to the fact that the gripping units are fixed solely via the adjustable beams, one obtains a construction which is sufficiently flexible in the direction of movement of the units to permit it to take dimensional variations in the elements. Yet the fixing of the gripping units relative to each other is sufficient to ensure uniform accurate positioning of the elements at a distance from each other, while with a suitable design there is no question of the gripping units bending towards each other. The device according to the invention is cheaper to produce than that according to the state of the art, while at the same time the above-mentioned jamming is avoided, because the whole unit, consisting of clamping jaws and adjustment device, is subject to relatively small forces and the adjusting points are at a shorter distance from each other than those in the device according to the state of the art.

[0006] According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the beams are connected together at two points, which provides a simple and adequate attachment between them. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, means are provided to fix the position of the beams relative to the hoisting mechanism. In this way it is possible to take the device in the inward-moved (non-clamping) position into the openings of the elements as well as to detach the device from the elements. Without the above-mentioned means, it would not be possible to position the device in the element or detach it from it during attachment to the hoisting mechanism because the brackets tend to clamp the element.

[0007] Another advantageous embodiment comprises the following: a telescopic member which is provided with means to hamper telescoping and which can be linked at one hand with the hoisting mechanism and on the other hand is connected with a support which, extending parallel to the beams, is disposed between them and is provided with pins which fit into matching openings in the beams, in order to make the beams shiftable in relation to each other.

[0008] This provides in a simple structural design for making the beams shift in relation to each other and also gives a means for fixing the position of the beams relative to the hoisting mechanism.

[0009] In one embodiment the telescoping-hampering means comprise a pin which is disposed on the part of the telescopic member which moves with the support and a lever which is disposed so as to pivot on the part of the telescopic member which is to be linked to the hoisting mechanism, said lever being provided with a recess receiving the pin, a spring to drive it into engagement with the pin and other operating elements driving the lever. This gives a simple design together with considerable ease of operation.

[0010] The invention will be described below on the basis of an example of an embodiment with reference to the attached drawings, in which a device according to the state of the art is also illustrated. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the device according to the state of the art;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the device according to the state of the art;

Fig. 3 is a side view of an example of an embodiment of the device according to the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the device according to Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a front view of the device according to Figs. 3 and 4.

[0011] Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a device according to the state of the art, comprising a top frame 1 to which is attached a crane hook 2, by means of which the device can be moved up and down with a well-known hoisting mechanism, and two gripping units 3. These two gripping units each serve to grip an element 13 by means of in each case two brackets 4 whose one end 5 falls into openings of the element 13, while the other end 6 is connected via arm 7 with an auxiliary girder 8. Brackets 4 can pivot about hinge point 10 in order thus to be clamped in the openings in element 13. The two gripping units 3 are connected to each other by means of three adjusting devices 12 whose gripping point on the connection units is indicated by reference figure 11 in Fig. 1. The brackets are connected to each other via the hinge points 10 by beam 14. If the crane hook 2 is moved upwards, the lever connection consisting of auxiliary girder 8, arm 7 and bracket 4 will clamp the end 5 of bracket 4 in element 13. The adjusting devices 12 are settable to permit adjustment of the distance between the elements for the cavity wall to be formed depending on what is wanted as regards the width of the cavity and the width of the elements. Since three adjusting elements 12 are provided, and two of them are attached directly to the brackets 4, one obtains a very rigid design which means that if the openings in two adjacent elements in which the brackets must engage are not at exactly the same distance, one of the two elements 13 will not be gripped adequately or at all.

[0012] Figs. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate the device according to the present invention with the same reference figures as those in Fig. 1 being used for corresponding parts. The device described there also comprises a top frame 1 which is connected to a hoisting mechanism by means of a crane hook 2, and to which two gripping units 3 are attached. The gripping units 3 consist of two brackets 4 whose ends 5 grip an element 13 during the inward pivoting thereof about hinge point 4 and other ends 6 which via arms 7 are connected to auxiliary girder 9, with two auxiliary girders 8 being connected via arms 9 to top frame 1. The places where the adjusting devices 12 for holding the gripping units 3 at the correct distance are disposed differ from those according to the state of the art. It can be seen from the figures that only two adjusting devices are provided and they do not directly engage with brackets 4, but with beam 14. As can be seen particularly from Fig. 4, these adjusting devices consist of a support from which project on either side pins 23 which go into boxes (not shown) disposed at points 11 and are thus connected in a manner not shown in such a way that an adjustable device is obtained. It can be seen from Figs. 4 and 5 that the support 15 is gripped by a telescopic member 16, consisting of a top part 17 and a bottom part 18. The bottom part 18 is connected directly to support 15, while the top part 17 is connected to the crane hook. Disposed on the bottom part 18 is a pin 19 which can engage with a recess 21 of a lever 20, which rotates about hinge point 24 and is driven by a spring 22 with the recess against the pin. In this way it is possible to fix the position of support 15 and thus of the brackets 4 relative to top frame 1, which means that when an upward force is applied to crane hook 2 the brackets 4 will no longer have the tendency to pivot inwards with the end 5. In this way the device can be placed in openings in element 13 and removed from them. Since only two adjusting devices 12 are needed and they do not directly grip the brackets 4, one obtains a simpler and more flexible design, which means that costs are saved and any dimensional variations between the two elements to be gripped simultaneously can be coped with, without the risk of the elements falling out of the gripping units during the hoisting up operation. There is also a considerable reduction in the risk of one of the adjusting devices 12 becoming jammed through tilting during the adjustment of the distance between the gripping units.

Claims

1. A device for the simultaneous positioning adjacent to each other at cavity distance of two relatively large elements of hardened material, such as sand-lime brick, comprising a top frame which can be connected to a hoisting mechanism and two gripping units which are connected with the top frame and can each grip an element, and each comprising two brackets which pivot about a beam, one end of said brackets engaging with an opening in the element, while the other end is connected in such a way via an auxiliary girder to the top frame that during the application of a hoisting force on the top frame the brackets pivot relative to each other with their one ends inwardly essentially at right angles to the direction of hoisting, in order to clamp those ends of the brackets tightly in the openings of the elements, while the gripping units are adjustable relative to each other essentially at right angles to the direction of hoisting characterised in that the gripping units are fixed together solely via the adjustable beams, which are adjustably interconnected.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that the beams are connected together at two points.

3. Device according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that means are provided to fix the position of the beams relative to the hoisting mechanism.

4. Device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the means comprise a telescopic member which is provided with means to hamper telescoping and which can be linked on the one hand with the hoisting element and on the other hand is connected with a support which, extending parallel to the beams, is disposed between them and is provided with pins which fit into matching openings in the beams, in order to make the beams shift in relation to each other.

5. Device according to Claim 4, characterised in that the means to hamper telescoping comprise a pin which is disposed on the part of the telescopic member which moves with the support and a lever which pivots on the part of the telescopic member which is linked to the hoisting mechanism, said lever being provided with a recess receiving the pin, a spring to drive it into engagement with the pin and other operating elements driving the lever.

Drawing