Angle Iron Concrete Slab Lifting Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The removal of concrete sidewalks, driveways, slabs, and other concrete constructions is a labor-intensive process that requires extensive manual labor and heavy equipment to break up and haul away the concrete.
Innovation Solution
A concrete removal device comprising an angle iron with slots for forklift forks and channels for reinforcing the structure, allowing a forklift to lift and remove entire concrete slabs without breaking them into smaller pieces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional methods using jackhammers and heavy equipment are used to break up concrete, then the concrete can be removed, but the process requires extensive labor and heavy equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The device segments the concrete slab removal process into two simple steps: (1) inserting forklift forks under the slab through slots in the angle iron, and (2) lifting the entire slab as a single unit. This segmentation eliminates the need for breaking concrete into pieces using jackhammers and heavy equipment, directly resolving the contradiction by simplifying equipment while maintaining high productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The angle iron device acts as an intermediary between the forklift and the concrete slab. It provides a mechanical interface (slots and channels) that allows the forklift to directly engage and lift the slab without requiring breaking equipment. This intermediary structure enables simple forklift operation to achieve concrete removal, resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity.
2Productivity
If concrete is broken into smaller pieces for removal, then it can be loaded into dump trucks, but extensive labor is required for breaking and loading
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary action by providing pre-positioned slots and channels in the angle iron that guide the forklift forks directly to the correct insertion points under the concrete slab. This preliminary structural preparation eliminates the need for manual breaking and loading operations, as the entire slab can be lifted and moved in one action, directly resolving the contradiction between removal efficiency and labor requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The angle iron device with its slots and channels serves multiple functions: it guides forklift fork insertion, distributes lifting forces across the slab, and enables direct slab extraction. This multi-functionality allows a single simple device to replace multiple operations (breaking, loading, hauling), resolving the contradiction by improving efficiency while reducing labor.
3Device complexity
If entire concrete slabs are lifted without breaking, then labor and equipment requirements are reduced, but the lifting device must support the full weight and span of the slab
Solution Approach 1:
The angle iron device concentrates its structural strength locally at critical points: the vertical wall with slots for fork insertion, the horizontal wall with channels for fork passage, and the gussets at junction points. This local quality approach allows the device to handle full slab weights without requiring complex structures throughout, resolving the contradiction by maintaining equipment simplicity while achieving sufficient lifting capacity through strategic reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses composite construction combining angle iron sections with welded gussets to create a structure that is both simple and strong. The angle iron provides the basic geometric framework with slots and channels, while the gussets add localized strength at stress concentration points. This composite approach enables the device to lift entire slabs without breaking them, resolving the contradiction between equipment simplicity and lifting capacity.
Data Source
AI summary
The concrete removal device and system which can be used for fast, efficient removal of concrete sidewalks, driveways, slabs and other concrete constructions. A concrete removal device and system includes an operator capable of drilling a concrete slab to set an anchor bolt and driving a forklift equipped with a concrete removal device to elevate a concrete slab to deposit it in a dump truck or dumpster for hauling away from the removal site.