Lid lifting handle tool for tight fitting heavy container lids

Abstract

A lifting handle tool including a pair of laterally extending support plate each having a major portion for extending over a top of the lid and a minor portion less than the major portion for overhanging the lid. A handle bar is carried between the support plates at the minor portion for overhanging the lid. A reinforcing bar is carried by the support plates at the major portion for resisting separation and torque of the support plates during lifting. A lifting plate is fixed between the support plates at the minor portion and protrudes vertically below the support plates for extending beneath a lip of the container lid. The lifting plate includes a lip receiving channel for engaging the lip so that applying an upward force to the handle bar causes the support plates to pivot and engage the lip in the lip receiving channel to raise the container lid.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60 / 703,046, filed Jul. 26, 2005.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1) Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a lifting tool for lifting container lids and more specifically, to a lifting handle tool removably attachable to a container lid for removing the lid from the containers where there is a tight fitting between the container lid and container body. [0004] 2) Description of Related Art [0005] In many industries, particularly the hazardous waste disposal industry, the containers used to carry waste materials have lids that have a “tight fit” onto the waste container. The “tight fit” is advantageous to prevent the environment inside the waste container from contaminating the surrounding environment and vice-versa. A lid having a “tight fit” can prevent undesirable materials, whether in gas, liquid or solid form, from entering or exiting t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention provides a removable attachable lifting handle tool for removing tight fitting heavy container lids with a downwardly extending lip overhanging the container. The tool comprises a first and second support plates with a reinforcing bar for resisting separation and torque of the support plates. A lifting plate is fixed to a bottom of the reinforcing bar for extending beneath the lid when mounted to the lid. The tool allows for easy lifting of the lid without bending or separating the support plates. The technical effects of the invention include improved efficiency and ease of use for lifting heavy container lids."

Problems solved by technology

However, when containers are fitted with such tight fitting lids, the removal of the lid can be difficult for a variety of reasons such as low tolerance between the lid and container, warping of the container so that the lid may not have an exact fit, weight and bulk of the lid hindering ease of removal or other such factors.

Further, the size of the lid and container can also hinder the easy of removal of the lid.

These circumstances can cause operators, when attempting to remove a lid, to smash fingers, hands and arms, as well as cause tears in cloths, and shifting of the container lid to an unsealed orientation, or other such problem.

Further, gaskets that are used to form a tight seal between the container body and lid are often damaged by tearing due to the difficulty in removing a tight fitting heavy lid.

Most containers have versions of welded lid handles which are welded on the top of the lid and are very hard to use because the operators have to extend over the lid to vertically lift the heavy lids.

This places a stressful moment on the operators' backs because they have to extend to where the lid handles are welded and leverage the heavy lids off of the container.

Additionally, due to the heavy weight and tight fit, operators can have difficulty in removing container lids without smashing fingers and hands.

None of these patents address the issues specific to removing the heavy tight fitting lids of hazardous waste containers.

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