Oklahoma Patent of the Month – March 2022
Excavators typically use a combination of grabbers and securing equipment when lifting heavy materials. The securing equipment could include hooks, slings, chains and more. Unfortunately, each of these options requires extra time and labor to set up safely. Vacuworx Global, LLC uses vacuum lifting systems in place of these options. Vacuum lifting allows faster load and unload cycles with less downtime than conventional methods since there are no slings and chains to hook and unhook, while the need for fewer ground personnel reduces the risk of accidents and lowers payroll and insurance costs.
Recently, the company has patented a new vacuum assisted grab-type lifter. This particular design has two arms positioned on either side of the lifter. These arms act as the grabbers, closing around the object to be lifted. The vacuum pads are positioned along the arms. When the arms rotate or pivot towards each other, the vacuum pads maintain their orientation. The vacuum pump itself is driven by a self-contained engine or hydraulic system. They can support and lift objects weighing between 220 and 1,700 lbs.
The pads are interchangeable to match the need of any object including flat objects, rounded pipes, and various other shapes. A vacuum reservoir is built in to ensure the vacuum pressure is maintained even during a power failure. The seal will only release when activated by an operator.
Vacuum lifting is more reliable and more safe than traditional methods, providing a better solution for any construction site.
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