U.S. patent number 3,791,094 [Application Number 05/297,996] was granted by the patent office on 1974-02-12 for method and apparatus for mounting building panels.
Invention is credited to Joseph R. Shannon, Jr..
United States Patent |
3,791,094 |
Shannon, Jr. |
February 12, 1974 |
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING BUILDING PANELS
Abstract
A method and apparatus for mounting building panels, wherein a
plurality of building panels may be raised alongside a building
structure and then separately mounted on the structure to form a
wall thereof, which method and apparatus requires a reduced number
of men and a much safer operation.
Inventors: |
Shannon, Jr.; Joseph R.
(Houston, TX) |
Family
ID: |
23148554 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/297,996 |
Filed: |
October 16, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/747.1;
52/749.1; 52/745.1; 414/11 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04G
21/16 (20130101); E04G 21/167 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04G
21/16 (20060101); E04g 021/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/745,235,741,746,747,748,122,126 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Murtagh; John E.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Pravel, Wilson & Matthews
Claims
I claim:
1. A method of mounting building panels on a building structure,
comprising the steps of:
positioning a plurality of building panels in a panel carrier at
substantially ground level;
hoisting the building panels in the panel carrier to an elevation
above ground level and approximately at the elevation for mounting
the panels on the building structure;
thereafter separately transferring each of said panels from said
panel carrier to a position on the building structure at which the
panel is to be mounted;
thereafter fastening said panel to the building structure; and
repeating said steps of transferring and fastening for each of said
panels until all of said panels in said panel carrier have been
mounted on the building structure.
2. The method set forth in claim 1, including the step of:
moving said panel carrier horizontally while elevated above ground
level to reposition said panel carrier to facilitate the mounting
of subsequent panels on the building structure from the
carrier.
3. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein said separate transfer
of each of said panels in the carrier includes:
lifting each of said panels to a raised position off the platform
of said carrier;
supporting each panel in said raised position; and moving each
panel in a direction towards the building structure while
supporting same in a raised position.
4. The method set forth in claim 1, wherein: said panels are
stacked substantially vertically on the outer portion of the panel
carrier prior to being transferred therefrom for mounting on the
building structure.
5. The method set forth in claim 1, including: raising the panel
carrier by means which is located at the ground level and is
unsupported by the building structure.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The field of this invention is methods and apparatus for mounting
building panels.
Building panels, particularly corrugated asbestos cement sheets or
panels, are relatively heavy and cumbersome to handle and install
on a building framework or other structure. When making a large
commercial or industrial building it is usually necessary to lift
such panels off the ground level and install them at second, third
or even higher tiers to form the complete walls. Heretofore,
conventional scaffolding suspended by ropes from the building
structure has been employed, the panels were left on the ground and
manually lifted one at a time by a rope and a well wheel pulley
mounted on the building. The pulley had to be moved frequently and
a man was required at that point. Also, for lifting each panel from
the ground to the scaffolding, two men were required on the ground
as well as two men on the scaffolding. Because each panel was
raised on the outside of the scaffolding, the scaffolding had to be
left open to receive each panel, so that there was no safety rail
to keep the men on the scaffolding from falling, and of course, as
the scaffolding was raised to higher elevations for the upper tiers
of panels, the danger to the men on the scaffolding increased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates a new and improved method and
apparatus for mounting building panels which reduces the manpower
required and improves the efficiency and safety of operation. A
plurality of panels are raised alongside a building structure to an
elevation at which the panels are to be mounted, and then the
panels are transferred and mounted separately to form a wall of the
building. The apparatus for elevating and transferring the panels
is supported and moved independently of the building and safety
rails are provided for the workmen.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in section illustrating the method
and apparatus of this invention, with the apparatus supported at an
elevation for the mounting of panels on a building structure;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1, with certain
portions omitted for illustration;
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, but illustrating the apparatus
with one of the panels in position for mounting on the building
structure; and
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the substantially complete mounting
of one of the panels on the building structure.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings, the letter A designates generally the apparatus of
this invention which is adapted to be elevated and moved
horizontally with a conventional mobile hoisting device, a portion
of which is illustrated and is designated with the letter M. As
will be explained in detail, the apparatus A is adapted to lift a
plurality of building panels to an elevation alongside a framework
or building structure B for the mounting of such panels P
separately by a man C who is also raised with the apparatus A.
Considering the apparatus A more in detail, such apparatus includes
a platform F for receiving the man C and the panels P thereon. The
platform F may be made in a suitable manner so long as it has
adequate strength for hoisting same with the mobile hoisting
mechanism M and for supporting the load thereon.
As illustrated in the drawings, the platform F includes
longitudinally extending channel members 10 and end channel members
11, all of which are welded together or otherwise secured to form a
rectangular base for a platform grill 12 made of expanded metal,
screen or other suitable supporting material. The grill 12 is
welded or otherwise secured to the rectangular base provided by the
longitudinal platform members 10 and end members 11.
A pair of hollow tubes 14, each of which is preferably rectangular
in shape and is provided with a rectangular shaped internal opening
14a, are welded or are otherwise secured to the longitudinal
platform members 10 and they are spaced apart a distance equal to
the spacing of the fork lift fingers 15 or similar lifting members
which are a part of the hoisting and moving mechanism M. The
fingers 15 are adapted to be inserted and removed from the open
ends of the openings 14a as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.
Such fingers 15 are illustrated as attached to a supporting plate
17 and operating arms 18, a portion of which is illustrated, which
extend to a vehicle of known construction which has wheels for
rolling movement on the ground and which have several power means
for moving the vehicle on the ground and for also raising and
lowering the plate 17 with the fingers 15 to thereby raise and
lower the apparatus A with respect to building structure B and the
ground level therebelow, as will be more evident hereinafter.
To lock each of the fingers 15 in each of the finger-receiving
tubes 14, a plurality of locking bolts 20 are mounted, each with a
nut 21 that is welded or otherwise secured to the side of the tube
14 so that the bolts 20 can be threaded through each nut therewith
and a suitable opening in the wall of the tube 14 for engagement
with one of the fingers 15. When a plurality of such bolts 20 are
tightened so that they clamp each of the fingers 15 in the tubes
14, it will be appreciated that the entire apparatus A is prevented
from shifting off of the fingers 15 until such bolts 20 have been
unthreaded and released from engagement with the fingers 15.
The platform F is provided with safety rails 25 at the outer
longitudinal side of the platform and at a height sufficient to
prevent the man C from inadvertently falling from the platform when
the apparatus A is in an elevated position above ground level.
Also, similar safety rails 26 are provided at each end of the
platform F at a height which is substantially the same as the
height of the rails 25 so that the man or men C are protected from
falling from the platform F on at least the three sides of the
platform F. The inner side of the platform which is adjacent to the
building structure B does not need a permanent safety rail since it
is disposed very close to the building structure B, although a
safety rail may be utilized in some instances, or a temporary
safety line may be extended from the end rails 26 out of an
abundance of caution in some situations. The safety rails 25 and 26
are preferably supported by vertical angle iron members 27 at each
of the corners, each of which is welded to the platform F in the
preferred form of the invention.
Also, a plurality of toe plates 30 and 31 are welded or otherwise
secured to the platform F by any suitable connecting means so as to
provide a stop or a warning for the man or men C so that they will
know that they are at the edge of the platform F in the event they
are working and not looking downwardly as they move around on the
platform.
The apparatus A also includes a vertical support post or column 40
which is preferably made in two or more sections and is releasably
joined together by a coupling 41 so that the post 40 can be
disassembled into relatively small lengths for transportation to
and from each job site. The lower end of the column 40 is
preferably rotatably mounted in a tubular support 42 which is
welded or is otherwise secured to and forms a part of platform F.
The bottom of 42a of the tubular support 42 is closed so that the
lower end of column or post 40 rests thereon or on any other
suitable base within the column supporting member 42.
A substantially horizontal boom 45 which is formed with at least
one lower rail 45a is preferably releasably mounted to the upper
end of the post or column 40 by means of releasable bolts 45b which
extend through a plate 45c which is a part of the boom 45 and
another plate 40a which is welded or is otherwise secured to the
post 40 near its upper end.
The boom track 45a is adapted to receive wheels 50 on a trolley 51
so that the trolley 51 may move horizontally on such boom 45. The
wheels 50 are confined by any suitable means (not shown) so that
they cannot shift off of the track 45a as they move along the boom
45. A slight lip on the track 45a will provide such restriction to
movement of the wheels 50 laterally off of the track 45a, or the
trolley 51 may be provided with a corresponding set of wheels 50 to
those shown but on the opposite side of the boom 45 so that they
are not visible in FIG. 1 and they would move on a track similar to
45a, thereby preventing any lateral shifting of the trolley 51.
The trolley 51 has an upper pulley 52 mounted therewith and it
carries an operating line or cable 53 over it and such line or
cable 53 is connected to a travelling block or pulley 54 in the
preferred form of the invention. The end of the line 53 indicated
at 53a is preferably free so that it may be grasped by the man C to
effect a raising and lifting of one of the panels P. The other end
of the line 53b has a hook 55 or other suitable means (FIG. 1) for
engaging the lower edge of the panel P which is to be moved.
To facilitate the handling of each panel P as it is moved from a
stacked position on the platform F to a position for mounting on
the building structure P, the operator C preferably has a special
tool T which has a long handle 60 having its lower end 60a which is
grasped by the operator C and its upper end 60b which is welded or
is otherwise secured to a pipe or tubular member 61. The pipe or
tubular member 61 is formed with a notch 61a sufficiently large to
slide over the upper end of the panel P. The line 53 passes through
a portion of the pipe 61 or to one side of it.
Although the building structure B may be formed in any suitable
manner so long as it is capable of receiving the panels P, as
illustrated in the drawings, the building structure B includes a
plurality of horizontally extending angle iron members 70 of known
construction which are mounted to a vertically extending member 71,
a portion of which is schematically illustrated in the drawings. It
will be understood that the invention is not limited to the
mounting of the panels P upon any particular kind of building
structure, and the invention is described herein with respect to
the building structure B solely for illustrative purposes. It
should also be understood that the panels P are preferably and are
normally of the asbestos cement type which are extremely heavy and
difficult for one man to handle. A suitable support block 75 is
preferably provided on the platform grill 12 for supporting the
panels P so that they are not damaged and may be more readily
engaged by the hook 55 to pick them up for moving same into
position adjacent the building B.
In carrying out the method of this invention, the apparatus A is
lowered to ground level, or near ground level, by lowering the
fingers 15 of the hoisting unit M. A plurality of the panels P are
then loaded onto the platform and are disposed on the support 75,
assuming such support is utilized on the platform F. The panels P
are positioned substantially vertically to the outside of the
platform F and they are preferably disposed at an angle so that
they lean against the column or support post 40 as best seen in
FIGS. 1 and 3.
Usually there are two men or operators C which then ride up with
the apparatus A and they may steady the panels P during the lifting
or hoisting of the apparatus A to the desired elevation for the
beginning of the mounting of the panels P to the building structure
B. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the apparatus A has been raised to a
point above a tier of panels P which have already been attached to
the building structure P. The operator then engages the hook 55
below the panel P which is closest to him, and he positions the
special handling tool T with the knot 61a over the upper end of the
panel P. The operator thus has control of the panel P at the upper
and lower ends and he may raise the panel P by pulling downwardly
on the end 53a of the cable or line 53.
After the panel P has been raised upwardly by the operator pulling
downwardly on the line 53 at the end 53a, the operator turns the
panel P 180.degree. so as to position the panel between him and the
building structure B so that it assumes the position generally
shown in FIG. 3. The movement of the panel P horizontally or
laterally is accomplished by the trolley 51 moving laterally on the
boom 45. Such urging is accomplished by the operator pulling on the
tool T and also on the line 53. Also, if an additional operator is
used on the apparatus A, he may assist in handling the panel P as
it is moved from its stacked position to the position for attaching
to the building structure B.
When the panel P has been moved to the position shown in FIG. 3, a
fastener 80 of known construction is forced through the panel P or
a previously drilled hole therein and into one of the angle iron
members 70 of the building structure B so as to initially attach
the panel P to the building structure B. Thereafter, the hook 55
may be released and also the tool T may be released and additional
fasteners 80 such as shown in FIG. 4 may then be inserted at the
appropriate locations for connecting the panel P to the building
structure members 70. The last or uppermost part of the panel P is
not normally fastened to the member 70 adjacent thereto until the
next panel thereabove has been positioned over it so that there is
an overlapping connection such as shown at the bottom of panel P at
the connector or fastener 80' in FIG. 4.
During the fastening of the panel P, the apparatus A may be raised
to facilitate the inserting of the fasteners 80 at the various
heights which might not otherwise be reached conveniently by the
men C in the apparatus A.
It is to be noted that the boom 45 extends inwardly past the
vertical member 71, so it is assumed that the vertical member 71 is
positioned with vertical spaces therebetween, which is usually the
case. In other words, there is ample room for the boom 45 to extend
into the building structure as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3.
However, the boom structure can be shorter in length and can
terminate at the edge of the building structure B if the building
structure B is so made that the boom 45 cannot extend into the
space between the vertical support 71.
The apparatus A is moved horizontally by moving the mobile support
and hoisting means M horizontally when it is desired to move the
apparatus A for the positioning of the next panel P on the building
structure B. In some instances, several panels P may be installed
on the building structure B without horizontally or laterally
moving the apparatus A, but when that does become necessary, the
entire apparatus A may be moved without lowering it back to the
ground level, or if more convenient, the apparatus A may be lowered
back to the ground level and then moved horizontally to locate the
apparatus A for the positioning of the next panel P in the same
manner as heretofore described with the first panel P. All of the
panels P are thus mounted on the building structure B and when the
supply panels P on the apparatus A has thus been exhausted, the
apparatus A is lowered back to the ground level and another group
of panels P are mounted on the platform F and the procedure is
repeated.
Although the method of this invention has been heretofore described
and illustrated in the drawings with each panel P being rotated
180.degree. when picked-up from the stacked position and moved to
the mounting position, the invention is not limited thereto. Thus,
instead of engaging the tool T with the handle 60 thereof inwardly
of the panel P as shown in FIG. 1, the operator C may engage the
tool T so that the handle 60 is outwardly of the particular panel P
which is to be moved. This normally requires two operators C so
that one of the operators can hold the panel P spaced from the
other stacked panels P so as to provide a space outwardly of the
panel P which is to be picked up for thereby receiving the handle
60 of the tool T. When the handle 60 is thus outwardly disposed
with respect to the panel P, the operator simply moves the panel P
inwardly without turning or rotating same so that the tool T ends
up in the same position as shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings. It
should be noted that the hook 55 is also preferably disposed so
that it faces inwardly as shown in FIG. 3, when initially engaged
in the position of FIG. 1 so as to facilitate the removal of the
hook 55 after the panel P has been fastened to the building
structure B.
The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are
illustrative and explanatory thereof, and various changes in the
size, shape, and materials as well as in the details of the
illustrated construction may be made without departing from the
spirit of the invention.
* * * * *