Heavy lifting device

Abstract

To provide a heavy object lifting device whose shape can be changed in various ways according to the size and shape of a heavy object and execution conditions.SOLUTION: There is provided a heavy object lifting device 1 comprising a mounting section 2 on which a predetermined heavy object is mounted, and a lifting mechanism 3 that moves the mounting section 2 in the vertical direction. The mounting section 2 is configured by combining a plurality of element members 10 each having a rectangular end plate 11. The lifting mechanism 3 includes a vertical jack 20 and a connecting member 30 that connects the vertical jack 20 to the element member 10. The connecting member 30 is a prismatic member having a rectangular connecting plate 32 that connects corresponding sides of two polygonal surfaces 31. The end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32 are standardized, and rectangular recesses 11a, 32a and bolt insertion holes 11b, 32b having substantially the same shape and size are provided on the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32. Finger insertion holes 10a and 30a are provided on the element member 10 and the prismatic member 30 for inserting fingers into the back side of the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32 to enable bolt tightening.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a heavy object lifting device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, various techniques have been proposed for supporting and lifting large structures (heavy objects) such as bridge girders. For example, a pair of jacks having a lifting mechanism composed of a pantograph mechanism or the like and a lifting piece attached to the lifting mechanism are prepared, and these pair of jacks are arranged below the heavy object in a state of being connected by a connecting member, and a heavy object lifting device that supports and lifts the heavy object with these pair of jacks has been proposed (see Patent Document 1). In such a device, the distance between the jacks can be changed by providing a plurality of sets of pin insertion holes in the connecting member that connects the jacks to each other, and it is said that it is possible to easily cope even if the dimensions and shapes of the heavy objects are different.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, the dimensions and shapes of the heavy objects to be supported vary widely, and even for the same heavy object, there are cases where existing devices cannot be used depending on the construction conditions. Therefore, it is clear that it is impossible to cope at an actual construction site only by changing the distance between the jacks as in the conventional device described in Patent Document 1. For this reason, every time the dimensions or shape of the heavy object are changed or the construction conditions are changed, it is necessary to modify or newly manufacture the device, but there is a problem that this requires a lot of time and money costs.

[0005] This invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and aims to provide a heavy object lifting device whose shape can be changed in various ways according to the dimensions, shape, and construction conditions of the heavy object. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To achieve the above objective, the first heavy object lifting device according to the present invention comprises a mounting section for placing a predetermined heavy object, and a lifting mechanism for moving the mounting section vertically. The mounting section is constructed by combining a plurality of element members having rectangular end plates, and the surfaces of the end plates are standardized to have a common shape and size even when the types of element members are different. The lifting mechanism comprises a vertical jack and a connecting member for connecting the vertical jack to the element member of the mounting section. The connecting member has two polygonal faces arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined distance, and is provided to connect the corresponding sides of the two polygonal faces. The prismatic member has a rectangular connecting plate, and the surface of the connecting plate is standardized to have a common shape and size even when the type of prismatic member is different, the shape and size of the surface of the end plate and the connecting plate are set to be substantially the same, a rectangular recess of substantially the same shape and size is provided at the approximate center of the surface of the end plate and the connecting plate, the end plate and the connecting plate are provided with bolt insertion holes for inserting bolts to connect the end plate and the connecting plate, and the element member and the prismatic member are provided with finger insertion holes on the back side of the end plate and the connecting plate to allow tightening of bolts by inserting fingers. As the prismatic member, a hexagonal prismatic member with three connecting plates, an octagonal prismatic member with four connecting plates, etc. can be used. Multiple bolt insertion holes can be provided at predetermined intervals along two sides of each of the end plate and the connecting plate.

[0007] By adopting this configuration, a rectangular plate for alignment is fitted into rectangular recesses provided on the surface of the end plate of the element member of the mounting section and the connecting plate of the connecting member (rectangular columnar member) of the lifting mechanism, and the two plates are brought into close contact. Bolts are then inserted through bolt insertion holes provided on both plates, and fingers are inserted through finger insertion holes to the back of the end plate or connecting plate to tighten the bolts, thereby connecting the mounting section and the lifting mechanism and constructing a heavy object lifting device. In this case, since rectangular recesses of approximately the same shape and size are provided at approximately the center of the surface of the end plate of the element member and the connecting plate of the connecting member, the end plate and the connecting plate can be aligned in the vertical and horizontal directions. Furthermore, even when the types of element members are different, the surface of the end plates is standardized to have a common shape and size, and even when the types of connecting members (prismatic members) are different, the surface of the connecting plates is standardized to have a common shape and size. Moreover, since the shape and size of the surface of the end plates and connecting plates are set to be approximately the same, it is possible to connect multiple types of element members with multiple types of connecting members, connect multiple types of element members with each other, and connect multiple types of connecting members with each other. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a heavy-duty lifting device whose shape can be changed in various ways according to the dimensions and shape of the heavy object and the construction conditions.

[0008] In the first heavy lifting device according to the present invention, a jack insertion hole for inserting a vertical jack can be provided in the polygonal surface of a prismatic member. In this case, a load support mechanism can be provided, which includes a screw rod, an electric nut for moving the screw rod in a direction parallel to the extension and retraction direction of the rod of the vertical jack, and a mounting member for attaching the screw rod and the electric nut to a position adjacent to the vertical jack. Here, the load support mechanism can be configured to support at least a portion of the load acting on the vertical jack by operating the electric nut when the rod of the vertical jack is extended to a predetermined length to move the lower end of the screw rod to the same height as the lower end of the rod of the vertical jack.

[0009] By adopting this configuration, when the rod of the vertical jack is extended to a predetermined length, the electric nut of the load support mechanism is activated to move the lower end of the screw rod to the same height as the lower end of the vertical jack rod, thereby supporting at least a portion of the load acting on the vertical jack. Consequently, it becomes possible to temporarily release the force required to extend the rod of the vertical jack (for example, a hydraulic force).

[0010] The second heavy lifting device according to the present invention comprises a mounting section for placing a predetermined heavy object, and a lifting mechanism for moving the mounting section vertically. The mounting section is constructed by combining a plurality of element members having rectangular end plates, and the surface of the end plates is standardized to have a common shape and size even when the type of element member is different. The lifting mechanism comprises a vertical jack and a connecting member for connecting the vertical jack to the element member of the mounting section. The connecting member is a housing-shaped jack cover having a first housing section attached to the cylinder of the vertical jack and covering the cylinder, and a second housing section attached to the rod of the vertical jack and covering the rod. The second housing section moves in conjunction with the extension and retraction of the rod. The jack cover is configured to slide relative to one housing section, and a rectangular connecting plate is attached to the surface of the first housing section. The surface of the connecting plate is standardized to have a common shape and size even when different types of jack covers are used. The shape and size of the surfaces of the end plate and the connecting plate are set to be approximately the same. Rectangular recesses of approximately the same shape and size are provided approximately in the center of the surfaces of the end plate and the connecting plate. The end plate and the connecting plate are provided with bolt insertion holes for inserting bolts to connect the end plate and the connecting plate. The element members and the jack cover are provided with finger insertion holes on the back side of the end plate and the connecting plate to allow for tightening of bolts by inserting fingers. Multiple bolt insertion holes can be provided at predetermined intervals along two sides of each of the end plate and the connecting plate.

[0011] By adopting this configuration, a rectangular plate for alignment is fitted into rectangular recesses provided on the surface of the end plate of the element member of the mounting section and the connecting plate of the connecting member (jack cover) of the lifting mechanism, and the two plates are brought into close contact. Bolts are then inserted through bolt insertion holes provided on both plates, and fingers are inserted through finger insertion holes to tighten the bolts on the back side of the end plate or connecting plate, thereby connecting the mounting section and the lifting mechanism and constructing a heavy object lifting device. In this case, since rectangular recesses of approximately the same shape and size are provided at approximately the center of the surface of the end plate of the element member and the connecting plate of the connecting member, the end plate and the connecting plate can be aligned in the vertical and horizontal directions. Furthermore, even when the types of elemental members are different, the surface of the end plate is standardized to have a common shape and size, and even when the types of connecting members (jack covers) are different, the surface of the connecting plate is standardized to have a common shape and size. Moreover, since the shape and size of the surface of the end plate and connecting plate are set to be approximately the same, it is possible to connect multiple types of elemental members with multiple types of connecting members, connect multiple types of elemental members with each other, and connect multiple types of connecting members with each other. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a heavy-duty lifting device whose shape can be changed in various ways according to the dimensions and shape of the heavy object and the construction conditions.

[0012] In the second heavy lifting device according to the present invention, the jack cover may further have a locking mechanism that prevents relative movement of the second housing portion with respect to the first housing portion when the rod is extended to a predetermined length.

[0013] By adopting this configuration, the locking mechanism of the jack cover prevents relative movement of the second housing unit relative to the first housing unit when the rod is extended to a predetermined length (e.g., maximum length). In other words, since the second housing unit is fixed to the first housing unit, the positional relationship between the rod attached to the second housing unit and the cylinder attached to the first housing unit can be maintained while the rod is extended to a predetermined length. Therefore, it becomes possible to temporarily release the force required to extend the rod (e.g., hydraulic force). [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a lifting device for heavy objects that can change its shape in various ways according to the dimensions, shape, and operating conditions of the heavy objects.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a lifting device for heavy objects according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a perspective view showing the component members constituting the mounting table of the lifting device for heavy objects shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] It is a perspective view showing a vertical jack constituting the lifting mechanism of the lifting device for heavy objects shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 4] It is a perspective view showing a prismatic member constituting the lifting mechanism of the lifting device for heavy objects shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 5] It is a perspective view showing a threaded rod and an electric nut constituting the load support mechanism of the lifting device for heavy objects shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 6] It is a perspective view showing the configuration of a modified example of the lifting device for heavy objects according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] It is a perspective view showing the configuration of another modified example of the lifting device for heavy objects according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a perspective view showing the configuration of another modified example of the lifting device for heavy objects according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a perspective view showing a modified example of the lifting mechanism of the lifting device for heavy objects shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] It is a perspective view showing the overall configuration of a lifting device for heavy objects according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] It is a perspective view showing the state in which the locking mechanism of the lifting device for heavy objects shown in FIG. 10 is operated. [Figure 12] It is a perspective view showing the state in which the locking mechanism of the lifting device for heavy objects shown in FIG. 10 is released and the vertical jack of the lifting mechanism is shortened to the maximum extent. [Figure 13]This is for explaining the structure of the jack cover of the heavy object lifting device shown in FIG. 10, and is an explanatory diagram showing the state where the vertical jack is extended to the maximum extent. [Figure 14] This is for explaining the structure of the jack cover of the heavy object lifting device shown in FIG. 10, and is an explanatory diagram showing the state where the vertical jack is shortened to the maximum extent. [Figure 15] This is an enlarged perspective view showing the state where the lock mechanism of the heavy object lifting device shown in FIG. 10 is released. [Figure 16] This is an enlarged perspective view showing the state where the lock mechanism of the heavy object lifting device shown in FIG. 10 is actuated. [Figure 17] This is a front view showing the structure of a modified example of the heavy object lifting device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] This is a top view of the heavy object lifting device shown in FIG. 17 (a view omitting the uppermost mounting table). [Figure 19] This is a front view showing the state where the vertical jack of the heavy object lifting device shown in FIG. 17 is extended. [Figure 20] This is a side view of the heavy object lifting device shown in FIG. 19.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0016] Hereinafter, each embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the following embodiments are merely preferred application examples, and the scope of application of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0017] <First Embodiment> First, the heavy object lifting device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. As shown in FIG. 1, the heavy object lifting device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a mounting portion 2 for mounting a predetermined heavy object (for example, a large structure such as a bridge girder), a lifting mechanism 3 for moving the mounting portion 2 in the vertical direction, a load support mechanism 4, a control pump 5, etc., and functions to support and lift the heavy object from below.

[0018] The mounting section 2 is constructed by combining multiple element members 10 and serves the function of supporting a predetermined weight on it. The planar shape of the mounting section 2 can be set in various ways to correspond to the dimensions and shape of the predetermined weight and the construction conditions. For example, a rectangular mounting section 2 in plan view, as shown in Figures 1 and 7, or a square mounting section 2 in plan view, as shown in Figure 6, can be adopted.

[0019] The element members 10 constituting the mounting section 2 are made of materials (for example, metal materials) that have high rigidity so that the mounting section 2 can perform its function. The dimensions and shapes of the element members 10 can be set in various ways so that they can be combined to form mounting sections 2 of various planar shapes. For example, multiple types of H-shaped steel (steel material with an H-shaped cross-section) with different lengths, as shown in Figure 2, can be used as element members 10. The upper surface of the element members 10 when forming the mounting section 2 is preferably a flat surface as shown in Figure 1, taking into consideration the stability when heavy objects are placed on it. Note that the element members 10 are not limited to H-shaped steel; for example, hollow or solid steel material with a rectangular (square-shaped) cross-section may be used as element members 10.

[0020] A rectangular end plate 11 is attached to the end of the element member 10. The end plate 11 is connected to the connecting plate 32 (described later) of the prismatic member 30 of the lifting mechanism 3, which will be described later, and also functions to be connected to other end plates 11. The surface of the end plate 11 is standardized to have a common shape and size even when the type of element member 10 is different. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, an end plate 11 that is rectangular when viewed from the end side of the element member 10 is used. The end plate 11 attached to the element member 10 is preferably arranged to extend along the vertical direction when the mounting section 2 is constructed (i.e., perpendicular to the virtual mounting surface on which heavy objects are placed) in order to facilitate connection to the prismatic member 30 and other end plates 11.

[0021] As shown in Figure 2, a rectangular recess 11a is provided approximately in the center of the surface of the end plate 11. The shape and size of this end plate side rectangular recess 11a are set to be approximately the same as the shape and size of the connecting plate side rectangular recess 32a, which will be described later. Furthermore, the position of the end plate side rectangular recess 11a is set to coincide with the position of the connecting plate side rectangular recess 32a when the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32 are stacked on top of each other. When the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32 are stacked, a roughly rectangular parallelepiped-shaped gap is formed between the end plate side rectangular recess 11a and the connecting plate side rectangular recess 32a. A rectangular plate, which will be described later, will be fitted into this gap.

[0022] The end plate 11 is provided with bolt insertion holes 11b through which bolts for connecting the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32 are inserted. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, when the mounting portion 2 is constructed, a plurality of bolt insertion holes 11b are provided at predetermined intervals along each of the two sides that extend vertically.

[0023] The element member 10 is provided with a finger insertion hole 10a on the back side of the end plate 11 to allow fingers to be inserted and bolted. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the upper flange 10F of the element member 10, which is an H-shaped steel beam U and lower flange 10F D The area enclosed by the central web 10W, the rib 10R, and the end plate 11 functions as a finger insertion hole 10a, allowing the user to insert their fingers into this area to tighten the bolts.

[0024] The lifting mechanism 3 comprises a vertical jack 20 and a rectangular columnar member 30, and functions to move (raise and lower) the mounting section 2 in the vertical direction. The mounting position of the lifting mechanism 3 can be set in various ways to correspond to the dimensions, shape, and construction conditions of the predetermined heavy object. For example, as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the lifting mechanism 3 can be attached to each of the four corners of the mounting section 2, or as shown in Figure 8, a lifting mechanism 3 formed in a ring shape with multiple vertical jacks 20 can be attached to both ends of the mounting section 2.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the vertical jack 20 has a cylinder 21 and a rod 22, and functions to raise and lower heavy objects via the mounting section 2 by the extension and retraction of the rod 22 due to the hydraulic pressure supplied to the cylinder 21 from the control pump 5. As shown in Figure 1, the vertical jack 20 is inserted through the jack insertion hole 31a (described later) of the prismatic member 30, and a portion of the cylinder 21 is fixed inside the prismatic member 30.

[0026] The prismatic member 30 corresponds to the connecting member in the present invention and functions to connect the vertical jack 20 to the element member 10 of the mounting section 2. The prismatic member 30 is made of a material (for example, a metal material) that has high rigidity so as to be able to perform its function, and as shown in Figure 4, it has two polygonal faces 31 arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined distance apart, and a rectangular connecting plate 32 provided to connect the corresponding sides of the two polygonal faces 31.

[0027] The dimensions and shapes of the prismatic members 30 can be set in various ways so that they can be combined to form mounting sections 2 of various planar shapes. For example, as shown in Figure 4(A), an octagonal prismatic member 30A (close to a cube shape) having an octagonal polygonal face 31 and four connecting plates 32 can be used, as shown in Figure 4(B), a hexagonal prismatic member 30B having a hexagonal polygonal face 31 and three connecting plates 32 can be used, as shown in Figure 4(C), an octagonal prismatic member 30C (close to a slender rectangular parallelepiped shape) having an elongated octagonal polygonal face 31 and four connecting plates 32 can be used.

[0028] Two polygonal surfaces 31 of the prismatic member 30 are provided with jack insertion holes 31a for inserting a vertical jack 20, and these two jack insertion holes 31a are in communication with each other. As a result, as shown in Figure 1, the vertical jack 20 is inserted through the jack insertion holes 31a of the prismatic member 30, and a part of the cylinder 21 of the vertical jack 20 is fixed to the prismatic member 30. In addition, as shown in Figure 4(C), if a prismatic member 30C having a relatively long polygonal surface 31 is used, multiple jack insertion holes 31a can be provided along the length of this long polygonal surface 31.

[0029] The connecting plate 32 is a rectangular plate provided to connect corresponding sides of the two polygonal faces 31. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, a rectangular connecting plate 32 is used. The surface of the connecting plate 32 is standardized to have a common shape and size even when the type of prismatic member 30 is different. Furthermore, the shape and size of the surface of the connecting plate 32 are set to be approximately the same as the shape and size of the surface of the end plate 11 of the element member 10. Note that, as shown in Figure 4(C), if a prismatic member 30C having a relatively long polygonal face 31 is used, a single large connecting plate can be used, which is constructed by joining multiple (for example, three) connecting plates 32 of standardized shape and size to correspond to the long side of the long polygonal face 31.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, a rectangular recess 32a is provided on the surface of the connecting plate 32 at approximately the center. The shape and size of this rectangular recess 32a are set to be approximately the same as the shape and size of the rectangular recess 11a on the end plate side, as previously described. Furthermore, the position of the rectangular recess 32a on the connecting plate side is set to coincide with the position of the rectangular recess 11a on the end plate side when the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32 are stacked on top of each other. When the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32 are stacked, a roughly rectangular prism-shaped gap is formed between the rectangular recess 11a on the end plate side and the rectangular recess 32a on the connecting plate side, and as previously described, a rectangular plate, which will be described later, is fitted into this gap.

[0031] The connecting plate 32 is provided with bolt insertion holes 32b through which bolts for connecting the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32 are inserted. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, multiple bolt insertion holes 32b are provided at predetermined intervals along each of the two sides that extend vertically when connected to the mounting section 2.

[0032] The rectangular prism-shaped member 30 is provided with a finger insertion hole 30a on the back side of the connecting plate 32, which allows for tightening of bolts by inserting fingers. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 4, a gap is formed between the connecting plates 32 of the rectangular prism-shaped member 30, and this gap functions as the finger insertion hole 30a. The user can insert their fingers into this gap (finger insertion hole 30a) and tighten the bolts.

[0033] The load support mechanism 4 performs the function of supporting at least a portion of the load acting on the vertical jack 20 when the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 is extended to a predetermined length, thereby making it possible to temporarily release the hydraulic force required for the extension of the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20. As shown in Figure 5, the load support mechanism 4 includes a screw rod 40, an electric nut 41, and a mounting member 50.

[0034] The length of the screw rod 40 of the load support mechanism 4 can be appropriately set to correspond to the length of the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20. The electric nut 41 is controlled by a control unit (not shown) to move the screw rod 40 in a direction parallel to the extension and retraction direction of the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20. The mounting member 50 is a member for mounting the screw rod 40 and the electric nut 41 at a position adjacent to the vertical jack 20.

[0035] In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, a mounting member 50 having a similar configuration to the prismatic member 30 (an octagonal prismatic member 30A that is close to a cube) that constitutes the lifting mechanism 3 is employed. The mounting member 50, like the prismatic member 30A, has two polygonal faces 51 and a rectangular connecting plate 52, and the two polygonal faces 51 are provided with rod insertion holes 51a through which the screw rod 40 is movably inserted. As shown in Figure 1, the mounting member 50 is connected to the connecting plate 32 of the prismatic member 30 of the lifting mechanism 3 via the connecting plate 52. At this time, a pair of electric nuts 41 are attached to the top and bottom of the mounting member 50, and the operation of the electric nuts 41 causes the screw rod 40 to move in the vertical direction (a direction parallel to the extension and retraction direction of the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20).

[0036] The load support mechanism 4 configured in this way can support at least a portion of the load acting on the vertical jack 20 by operating the electric nut 41 when the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 is extended to a predetermined length, thereby moving the lower end of the screw rod 40 to the same height as the lower end of the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20. This allows the hydraulic force required to extend the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 to be temporarily released.

[0037] The control pump 5 is a pump that provides hydraulic pressure to the vertical jacks 20 of each lifting mechanism 3 via piping (not shown). In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, a pump stay 60 is attached to the element member 10 that constitutes the mounting base 2, and the control pump 5 is mounted on this pump stay 60.

[0038] In the heavy lifting device 1 according to the embodiment described above, the mounting section 2 and the lifting mechanism 3 can be connected and the device configured by fitting a rectangular plate for alignment into the rectangular recesses 11a and 32a provided on the surfaces of the end plate 11 of the element member 10 of the mounting section 2 and the connecting plate 32 of the prismatic member (connecting member) 30 of the lifting mechanism 3, respectively, and then inserting bolts through the bolt insertion holes 11b and 32b provided on the plates 11 and 32, and then inserting fingers through the finger insertion holes 10a and 30a to the back side of the end plate 11 or the connecting plate 32 to tighten the bolts. Furthermore, even when the types of element members 10 are different, the surface of the end plate 11 is standardized to have a common shape and size, and even when the types of prismatic members 30 are different, the surface of the connecting plate 11 is standardized to have a common shape and size, and in addition, the surface shapes and sizes of the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 32 are set to be substantially the same. Therefore, it is possible to connect multiple types of element members 10 and multiple types of prismatic members 30, connect multiple types of element members 10 to each other, and connect multiple types of prismatic members 30 to each other. Accordingly, the heavy object lifting device 1 according to this embodiment can have its shape changed in various ways according to the dimensions and shape of the heavy object and the construction conditions.

[0039] For example, as shown in Figure 1, a mounting section 2 having a rectangular shape in plan view can be formed by combining element members 10 of two different lengths, and prismatic members 30 (octagonal prismatic members 30A that are close to cubes) of the lifting mechanism 3 can be connected to the four corners to form an elongated rectangular unit consisting of the mounting section 2 and the lifting mechanism 3. Mounting members 50 of the load support mechanism 4 can be attached to both ends of the rectangular unit in the longitudinal direction to form an overall elongated rectangular heavy object lifting device 1.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 6, a mounting section 2 exhibiting a square shape in plan view can be formed by combining element members 10 of the same length, and prismatic members 30 (octagonal prismatic members 30A that are close to cubes) of the lifting mechanism 3 can be connected to the four corners to form a square-shaped unit consisting of the mounting section 2 and the lifting mechanism 3. By attaching prismatic members 30 (octagonal prismatic members 30A that are close to cubes) of another lifting mechanism 3 to the prismatic members 30 at the four corners of this square-shaped unit, a heavy object lifting device 1 that is square overall can be constructed. By providing the lifting mechanism 3 in two stages in this way, the lifting range of a predetermined heavy object can be expanded. In other words, first, the outer lifting mechanism 3 can be used to raise and lower the mounting section 2, and then the inner lifting mechanism 3 can be used to raise and lower another mounting section 2 (not shown) attached to the upper end of the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 of the inner lifting mechanism 3. By placing a predetermined weight on the other mounting section 2 (not shown) attached to the uppermost position, it becomes possible to lift the weight to a higher position.

[0041] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7, similar to the heavy-duty lifting device 1 in Figure 1, a mounting section 2 exhibiting a rectangular shape in plan view is formed by combining element members 10 of two different lengths, and prismatic members 30 (octagonal prismatic members 30A that are close to cubes) of the lifting mechanism 3 are connected to its four corners to form an elongated rectangular unit consisting of the mounting section 2 and the lifting mechanism 3. Prismatic members 30 (octagonal prismatic members 30A that are close to cubes) of another lifting mechanism 3 are attached to the prismatic members 30 at the four corners of this rectangular unit, and mounting members 50 of the load support mechanism 4 are attached to the prismatic members 30 of the other lifting mechanism 3, thereby forming an overall elongated rectangular heavy-duty lifting device 1. In this case as well, since the lifting mechanism 3 is provided in two stages, similar to the heavy-duty lifting device 1 shown in Figure 6, the lifting range of a predetermined heavy object can be expanded.

[0042] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8, it is also possible to form two sets of annular lifting mechanisms 3 by combining multiple types of prismatic members 30 (i.e., an octagonal prismatic member 30A that is close to a cube as shown in Figure 4(A), a hexagonal prismatic member 30B as shown in Figure 4(B), and an octagonal member 30C that is close to a long rectangular parallelepiped as shown in Figure 4(C)). These two sets of lifting mechanisms 3 are then connected to both ends in the longitudinal direction of two element members 10 of the same length that are arranged parallel to each other to form a unit consisting of a mounting section 2 and a lifting mechanism 3. Note that although Figure 8 shows an example in which a vertical jack 20 is attached only to one type of prismatic member 30 (the octagonal prismatic member 30A), it is also possible to attach vertical jacks 20 to each of the multiple types of prismatic members 30. Furthermore, while Figure 8 shows an example in which a ring-shaped lifting mechanism 3 is constructed by combining three types of prismatic members 30, as shown in Figure 9, the ring-shaped lifting mechanism 3 may also be constructed by combining two types of prismatic members 30 (an octagonal prismatic member 30A and a hexagonal prismatic member 30B).

[0043] Furthermore, in the heavy lifting device 1 according to the embodiment described above, when the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 is extended to a predetermined length, the electric nut 41 of the load support mechanism 4 is activated to move the lower end of the screw rod 40 to the same height as the lower end of the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20, thereby supporting at least a portion of the load acting on the vertical jack 20. Therefore, it is possible to temporarily release the force (hydraulic force) required to extend the rod 20 of the vertical jack 20.

[0044] <Second Embodiment> Next, a heavy-duty lifting device 1A according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 10 to 20. The heavy-duty lifting device 1A according to this embodiment is a modified version of the heavy-duty lifting device 1 according to the first embodiment in which the connecting member configuration has been changed, and the other configurations are substantially the same as those of the first embodiment. For this reason, the explanation will focus on the different configurations, and the same reference numerals as in the first embodiment will be used for common configurations, and detailed explanations will be omitted.

[0045] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the heavy object lifting device 1A according to this embodiment includes a mounting section 2 on which a predetermined heavy object (for example, a large structure such as a bridge girder) is placed, a lifting mechanism 3A for moving the mounting section 2 vertically, and functions to support and lift the heavy object from below. The mounting section 2 and its components in this embodiment are substantially the same as those in the first embodiment (element member 10 (including finger insertion hole 10a) and end plate 11 (including end plate side rectangular recess 11a and bolt insertion hole 11b)), so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0046] As shown in Figures 10 to 12, the lifting mechanism 3A in this embodiment includes a vertical jack 20 and a jack cover (connecting member) 70. The vertical jack 20 (and the cylinder 21 and rod 22 that constitute it) is substantially the same as the vertical jack 20 (and the cylinder 21 and rod 22 that constitute it) in the first embodiment, so a detailed explanation will be omitted.

[0047] The jack cover 70 corresponds to the connecting member in the present invention and functions to connect the vertical jack 20 to the element member 10 of the mounting section 2. As shown in Figures 10 to 14, the jack cover 70 is a housing-shaped member having a first housing section 71 that covers the cylinder 21 of the vertical jack 20 and a second housing section 72 that covers the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20, and is made of a rigid material such as metal.

[0048] The first housing portion 71 and the second housing portion 72 of the jack cover 70 are both constructed as hollow tubular bodies with a substantially square cross-section, as shown in Figure 13. As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the inner surface of the upper end of the first housing portion 71 is attached to the upper end of the cylinder 21 of the vertical jack 20, and the inner surface of the lower end of the second housing portion 72 is attached to the lower end of the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20. The second housing portion 72 is configured to slide relative to the first housing portion 71 as the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 extends and retracts.

[0049] Furthermore, a rectangular connecting plate 73 is attached to the surface of the first housing portion 71 of the jack cover 70. The connecting plate 73 is substantially the same as the connecting plate 32 in the first embodiment and is rectangular in shape. The surface of the connecting plate 73 is standardized to have a common shape and size even when the type of jack cover 70 is different. In addition, the shape and size of the surface of the connecting plate 73 are set to be substantially the same as the shape and size of the surface of the end plate 11 of the element member 10.

[0050] As shown in Figures 15 and 16, a rectangular recess 73a is provided on the surface of the connecting plate 73 at approximately the center. The shape and size of this rectangular recess 73a are set to be approximately the same as the shape and size of the rectangular recess 11a on the end plate side, as described above. Furthermore, the position of the rectangular recess 73a on the connecting plate side is set to coincide with the position of the rectangular recess 11a on the end plate side when the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 73 are stacked on top of each other. When the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 73 are stacked, a roughly rectangular prism-shaped gap is formed between the rectangular recess 11a on the end plate side and the rectangular recess 73a on the connecting plate side, and a rectangular plate, which will be described later, is fitted into this gap, as in the first embodiment.

[0051] The connecting plate 73 is provided with bolt insertion holes 73b through which bolts for connecting the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 73 are inserted. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, a plurality of bolt insertion holes 73b are provided at predetermined intervals along each of the two sides that extend vertically when connected to the mounting section 2.

[0052] The jack cover 70 is provided with a finger insertion hole 70a on the back side of the connecting plate 73, which allows the user to insert their fingers and tighten the bolts. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, a gap is formed between the first housing portion 71 of the jack cover 70 and the connecting plate 73, and this gap functions as the finger insertion hole 70a. The user can insert their fingers into this gap (finger insertion hole 70a) and tighten the bolts.

[0053] Furthermore, the jack cover 70 has a locking mechanism 80 that prevents relative movement of the second housing portion 72 with respect to the first housing portion 71 when the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 is extended to a predetermined length. As shown in Figures 13, 15, and 16, the locking mechanism 80 has a locking portion 81 provided on the first housing portion 71 and protrusions 82 provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction on the surface of the second housing portion 72. As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the locking portion 81 is rotatably attached to the lower end side of the first housing portion 71 via a hinge portion 83, and is driven by a drive unit 84 to rotate toward the second housing portion 72, and as shown in Figure 13, it fits below one of the protrusions 82 of the second housing portion 72. In this way, the locking portion 81 of the locking mechanism 80 fits below the protrusions 82, thereby preventing relative movement of the second housing portion 72 with respect to the first housing portion 71. The drive unit 84 can be driven and controlled by a control signal sent from a control unit (not shown).

[0054] In the heavy lifting device 1A according to the embodiment described above, the mounting section 2 and the lifting mechanism 3A can be connected and the device configured by fitting a rectangular plate for alignment into the rectangular recesses 11a and 73a provided on the surfaces of the end plate 11 of the element member 10 of the mounting section 2 and the connecting plate 73 of the jack cover (connecting member) 70 of the lifting mechanism 3A, respectively, and then bringing the two plates 11 and 73 into close contact with each other, inserting bolts through the bolt insertion holes 11b and 73b provided on the two plates 11 and 73, and then inserting fingers through the finger insertion holes 10a and 70a to the back side of the end plate 11 or the connecting plate 73 to tighten the bolts. At this time, since rectangular recesses 11a and 73a, which are set to be approximately the same shape and size, are provided at approximately the center position of the surfaces of the end plate 11 of the element member 10 and the connecting plate 73 of the jack cover 70, it is possible to align the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 73 in the vertical and horizontal directions. Furthermore, even when the types of element members 10 are different, the surface of the end plate 11 is standardized to have a common shape and size, and even when the types of jack covers 70 are different, the surface of the connecting plate 73 is standardized to have a common shape and size. Moreover, since the shapes and sizes of the surfaces of the end plate 11 and the connecting plate 73 are set to be substantially the same, it is possible to connect multiple types of element members 10 and multiple types of jack covers 70, connect multiple types of element members 10 to each other, and connect multiple types of jack covers 70 to each other. Accordingly, the heavy object lifting device 1A according to this embodiment can have its shape changed in various ways according to the dimensions and shape of the heavy object and the construction conditions.

[0055] For example, as shown in Figures 10 to 12, four element members 10 of the same length can be combined to form a grid-like mounting section 2, and the jack covers 70 of the lifting mechanism 3A can be connected to the four corners to constitute a heavy object lifting device 1A.

[0056] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 17 to 20, a mounting section 2 exhibiting a rectangular shape in plan view can be formed by combining element members 10 of two different lengths, and jack covers 70 of the lifting mechanism 3A can be connected to its four corners to form a unit consisting of the mounting section 2 and the lifting mechanism 3A. A heavy object lifting device 1A can then be constructed by attaching jack covers 70 of another lifting mechanism 3A to the jack covers 70 of the four corners of this unit. By providing the lifting mechanism 3A in two stages in this way, the lifting range of a predetermined heavy object can be expanded. That is, as shown in Figures 19 and 20, first the mounting section 2 can be raised and lowered using the outer lifting mechanism 3A, and then another mounting section 2A attached to the upper end of the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 of the inner lifting mechanism 3A can be raised and lowered using the inner lifting mechanism 3A. Therefore, by placing a predetermined heavy object on the uppermost mounting section 2A, it becomes possible to lift the heavy object to a higher position.

[0057] In addition, while a predetermined weight can be placed on the uppermost mounting section 2A, a control pump 5 similar to that in the first embodiment can also be placed on the lower mounting section 2, as shown in Figures 17 to 19.

[0058] Furthermore, in the heavy lifting device 1A according to the embodiment described above, the locking mechanism 80 of the jack cover 70 prevents the relative movement of the second housing portion 72 with respect to the first housing portion 71 when the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 is extended to a predetermined length (e.g., maximum length). That is, since the second housing portion 72 is fixed to the first housing portion 71, the positional relationship between the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 attached to the second housing portion 72 and the cylinder 21 of the vertical jack 20 attached to the first housing portion 71 can be maintained while the rod 22 is extended to a predetermined length. Therefore, it is possible to temporarily release the force required to extend the rod 22 of the vertical jack 20 (e.g., hydraulic force).

[0059] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and any modifications made to these embodiments by those skilled in the art are also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as they retain the features of the present invention. In other words, the elements of the embodiments and their arrangement, materials, conditions, shapes, sizes, etc., are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, the elements of each embodiment can be combined to the extent that it is technically possible, and any combination thereof is also included within the scope of the present invention, as long as it retains the features of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0060] 1.1A...Heavy-duty lifting device 2.2A… Mounting section 3.3A…Lifting mechanism 4...Load support mechanism 10...Element Members 10a…Finger insertion hole 11...End plate 11a... Rectangular recess on the end plate side 11b... Bolt insertion hole 20…Vertical jack 21... Cylinder 22... Rod 30…Rectangular prism-shaped member (connecting member) 30A・30C…Octagonal prism-shaped member 30B...Hexagonal prism-shaped member 31…Polygonal surface 31a... Jack insertion hole 32…Connecting plate 32a... Rectangular recess on the connecting plate side 32b... Bolt insertion hole 40... Screw rod 41... Electric Nut 50…Mounting parts 70... Jack cover (connecting component) 70a... Finger insertion hole 71...First enclosure section 72...Second enclosure section 73…Connecting plate 73a... Rectangular recess on the connecting plate side 73b... Bolt insertion hole 80... Locking mechanism

Claims

1. A heavy object lifting device comprising a mounting section for placing a predetermined heavy object, and a lifting mechanism for moving the mounting section vertically, The mounting section is constructed by combining multiple element members having rectangular end plates. The surface of the end plate is standardized to have a common shape and size even when the type of element member is different. The lifting mechanism comprises a vertical jack and a connecting member for connecting the vertical jack to the element member of the mounting section described above. The connecting member is a prismatic member having two polygonal faces arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined distance apart, and a rectangular connecting plate provided to connect corresponding sides of the two polygonal faces. The surface of the connecting plate is standardized to have a common shape and size even when the type of the rectangular prismatic member is different. The surface shapes and sizes of the end plate and the connecting plate are set to be substantially the same. A rectangular recess, which is set to be approximately the same in shape and size, is provided at approximately the center position of the surface of the end plate and the connecting plate. The end plate and the connecting plate are provided with bolt insertion holes through which bolts for connecting the end plate and the connecting plate are inserted. A heavy lifting device wherein the element member and the prismatic member are provided with finger insertion holes on the back side of the end plate and the connecting plate, allowing fingers to be inserted and bolts to be tightened.

2. The heavy object lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the polygonal surface of the prismatic member is provided with a jack insertion hole for inserting the vertical jack.

3. The load support mechanism comprises a screw rod, an electric nut for moving the screw rod in a direction parallel to the extension and retraction direction of the rod of the vertical jack, and a mounting member for attaching the screw rod and the electric nut to a position adjacent to the vertical jack. The heavy lifting device according to claim 2, wherein the load support mechanism is configured to support at least a portion of the load acting on the vertical jack by operating the electric nut when the rod of the vertical jack is extended to a predetermined length, thereby moving the lower end of the screw rod to the same height as the lower end of the rod.

4. The heavy object lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the prismatic member includes a hexagonal prismatic member having three connecting plates.

5. The heavy object lifting device according to claim 1, wherein the prismatic member includes an octagonal prismatic member having four connecting plates.

6. The heavy lifting device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of bolt insertion holes are provided at predetermined intervals along two sides of each of the end plate and the connecting plate.

7. A heavy object lifting device comprising a mounting section for placing a predetermined heavy object, and a lifting mechanism for moving the mounting section vertically, The mounting section is constructed by combining multiple element members having rectangular end plates. The surface of the end plate is standardized to have a common shape and size even when the type of element member is different. The lifting mechanism comprises a vertical jack and a connecting member for connecting the vertical jack to the element member of the mounting section described above. The connecting member is a housing-shaped jack cover having a first housing portion attached to the cylinder of the vertical jack and covering the cylinder, and a second housing portion attached to the rod of the vertical jack and covering the rod, wherein the second housing portion is configured to slide relative to the first housing portion as the rod extends and retracts, and a rectangular connecting plate is attached to the surface of the first housing portion. The surface of the connecting plate is standardized to have a common shape and size even when the type of jack cover is different. The surface shapes and sizes of the end plate and the connecting plate are set to be substantially the same. A rectangular recess, which is set to be approximately the same in shape and size, is provided at approximately the center position of the surface of the end plate and the connecting plate. The end plate and the connecting plate are provided with bolt insertion holes through which bolts for connecting the end plate and the connecting plate are inserted. A heavy lifting device wherein the element member and the jack cover are provided with finger insertion holes on the back side of the end plate and the connecting plate, allowing for tightening of bolts by inserting fingers.

8. The heavy lifting device according to claim 7, wherein the jack cover further has a locking mechanism that prevents relative movement of the second housing portion with respect to the first housing portion when the rod is extended to a predetermined length.

9. The heavy object lifting device according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of bolt insertion holes are provided at predetermined intervals along two sides of each of the end plate and the connecting plate.

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