Not applicable.
This disclosure relates to rigging lifts for the construction of large structures such as, for example, stadiums in which ducting or other components are to be attached to the structure at an elevated height.
In the construction of large buildings, such as stadiums, it is often necessary to install heavy and/or large components at an elevated height. For example, HVAC ducts often need to be lifted and installed in place on beams supporting the roof or along walls of the building. Such ducts or components, because of their size or weight, may present difficulties because they may need to be lifted hundreds of feet from the ground and installed in place by highly skilled workers.
Even under ideal conditions, installation of large objects at great height can pose a challenge. However, such installations can be greatly complicated by other factors. For example, increasing bold architectural designs are being presented which creates pragmatic challenges to construction. Further still, during the construction of large structures, various contractors—often working on different parts of the building—will often work at once in relatively close proximity to one another. Still yet, if the overall construction is not carefully managed and stages are not sequenced efficiently, then the installation of certain building elements can be severely complicated by the pre-existing work.
Thus, there remains a need for more robust and flexible systems and methods for construction.
Disclosed herein is a system and method for installing large items, such as HVAC ducts, at an elevated height in the construction of a building, such as a stadium. Notably, this method permits increased flexibility in construction order and allows installation or work to be done in regions of the building that may be difficult to access in other ways (e.g., directly by crane).
A method is disclosed of constructing a structure in which an item is to be installed at an elevated height on the structure. Hoists are hung from the structure. A platform is moved from ground level and positioned at a first elevated position between ground level and the hoists. The platform is attached to the hoists at the first elevated position. After the platform has been attached to the hoists, the item is moved onto the platform. The item is lifted on the platform to a second elevated position for installation at the elevated height on the structure and installed at the elevated height.
In some forms of the method, the step of hanging the hoists on the structure may be performed by riggers. In some forms of the method, the platform may be vertically movable over a distance exceeding 200 feet by the hoists.
In some forms of the method, the step of installing the item at elevated height may involve mechanically attaching the item to the structure for support by the structure independent of support by the platform.
In some forms of the method, the method may further include the step of assembling the platform at ground level prior to picking up the platform. This assembly may occur prior to, after, or contemporaneously with the hanging of the hoists. The platform may be assembled from multiple joined truss sections with walkboards received thereon and railing supported thereby so that the platform can receive the item and/or workers thereon.
In some forms of the method, the step of moving the platform from ground level and positioning the platform at a first elevated position between ground level and the hoists involves raising and positioning the platform with a crane. It is contemplated that the platform may be supported by a heavy duty polyester sling, for example, when the platform is positioned with the crane.
In some forms of the method, a portion of the structure may be located directly beneath an installation site at the elevated height at which the item is installed. For example, the structure may be a stadium and the portion of the structure that is located directly beneath the installation site is bowl seating. In such a case (as may result from sequencing seating assembly before the hanging of items such as HVAC duct), lifting the platform via the hoists directly from the ground may not be feasible because of the interference of the pre-installed bowl seats.
In some forms of the method, the item may be one of various objects. For example, the item may be an HVAC duct—which for large stadiums can be quite large and heavy, making them onerous to lift to the elevated height to install. However, it is contemplated that such a platform may be used in conjunction with other objects including, but not limited to, display screens or scoreboards, other utility components (wires, pipes, WiFi components, and so forth), lighting fixtures, and so forth.
In some forms of the method, the platform may include a super duty truss supporting aluminum walk boards. In some forms, such as in the embodiment illustrated herein, the platform may be an eight hoist platform having a gross capacity of 35,280 pounds (16 metric tons) and a net capacity of 24,280 pounds. Note that as used herein gross capacity refers to combined weight of the platform, the suspension mechanisms (e.g., ropes, cables, and so forth) for suspending the platform, and rated capacity, whereas net capacity simply refers to the rated capacity of material that can be lifted using the platform. Of course, other hoist configurations may provide other capacities. This represents a sizable difference from other “swing stage” type construction site platforms.
In some forms of the method, the platform may be moved from a second elevated position to a third elevated position. This additional movement may be effectuated by attaching the platform to an additional subset of hoists in which the additional subset of hoists includes hoists not included in an original subset of hoists attached to the platform and by detaching at least a portion of the subset of original hoists. The attaching and detaching of subsets of hoists can result in the walking the platform which may occur, at least partially, in a horizontal direction relative to ground level. In some situations, the platform may be walked a plurality of times, with the platform being lowered after every walk to receive a new item and which is then lifted back up, thereby permitting the installation of multiple items over a distance.
Still yet, in some forms of the method, walking the platform may place of the platform in the structure at a location at which a crane would be incapable of placing the platform based on a geometry of the roof under which the platform is to be positioned. For example, a steep overhang may make it difficult to position the platform, but for the walking.
In some forms of the method, the hoists may be operable using a control system, such as for example, a remote control system. The hoists may be independently operable by the control system. It is contemplated that the control system may have some number of failsafe built in such as automatic shutoffs if some hoists become slack. However, it is also contemplated that all may be manually controlled by a skilled operator.
These and still other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description and drawings. What follows is merely a description of some preferred embodiments of the present invention. To assess the full scope of the invention, the claims should be looked to as these preferred embodiments are not intended to be the only embodiments within the scope of the claims.
Referring first to
An exemplary form of this method 100 will now described with further reference to
Now with reference to
It should be appreciated that in the context of the description that follows “ground level” is undoubtedly a somewhat relativistic term because there may well be portions of the structure beneath ground level (e.g., a basement or other subterranean structures); however, as will be apparent from the description that follows, ground level will be a position or height of a lower surface of the structure upon which further construction activities may take place (e.g., the assembly of the platform according to step 104, the support of a crane or other substantial lifting machine) and would exclude structure further constructed beyond it, such as lower bowl seating 306, upon which the construction activities that are further described (e.g., the assembly of the platform according to step 104, the support of a crane or other substantial lifting machine) could not be performed.
Turning now to
With respect to the attachment of the hoists 310 to the roof 306, such attachment may be performed by riggers (such as the type of riggers that construct trusses for concert performances) on the roof 306 or on structures attached to the roof 306 such as for example, beams or trusses that form part of the stadium. An upper end of these hoists 310 may be attached to the roof 306 or surrounding structure, which chains or other suspension mechanisms (e.g., ropes, cables, and so forth) extend down to connection points which will be eventually attached to the platform 200 mid-air. It is contemplated that in some forms, a system of cables and chains may be hung between beams such that the platform can be to position exactly where it needs to go for the work along the cables and chains. See for example,
With respect to the platform 200, reference is made to
It will be noted that platform 200 can be engineered to have eight hoists and support a 24,280 pound load distributed centrally along its longer dimension, which is effectively the net capacity of the platform. Taking into account the weight of the platform and suspension mechanisms, the gross capacity of the platform is 35,280 pounds. To this end, the materials for the trusses and the corner blocks are designed to safely accommodate this load. In one configuration, each of the corner blocks 206 of the platform at three-way junctions provide a mounting point for one of the hoists and may be rated for an 8,000 pound load (maximum) and each of the corner blocks 206 of the platform at two-way junctions provide a mounting point for one of the hoists and may be rated for a 6,000 pound load (maximum).
Now with reference to
Turning to
With the crane 312 withdrawn, the hoists 310 may now be used to lift the platform 200 from the first elevated position illustrated in
This general methodology of lifting heavy items to great heights may be supplemented in various ways.
For instance, multiple platforms may be used to create a row of installation points. Such platforms may be “walked” or “swung” from one location forward by re-rigging and adjustment to create a continually forward moving series or chain of platforms in which one or two platforms serve as points of installation, while other platform(s) are moved to the next position for operation.
Further yet, the platform may be lowered again from an elevated height near the installation point back down to a lower point after each “walk” or “swing” of a platform to reload the platform with an item and lift the item back up the higher, second elevation point at which it is to be installed. Thus, once a platform is up in position (e.g., after the sequence of steps 102-106 have been completed), the platform may effectively be repositioned by further rigging and adjustment of hoists making the platform a flying platform until the installation job is done.
It is contemplated further that in some instances, such as were the architecture of the structure is incredibly complex (e.g., has a steep roof or low overhang), the flying platform concept may be used to walk or swing items into otherwise difficult areas to reach using a crane alone. Thus, the system and method offers incredibly diverse and flexible positioning options which may not be achieved using conventional methods.
Turning now to
It will be appreciated that movement or walking by detaching and attaching of additional hoists may be performed in a number of ways and the specific number of detachments and re-attachments may be altered based on the weight of the platform and the degree and type of movement to be effectuated.
Further yet, it is contemplated that in some forms one platform may be moved more dramatically under or around the side of other stationary platforms to create an advancing chain of platforms. The only significant limitation on the types of movement the platforms might make with respect to one another are the limitations relating to rigging the platform to the roof via the hoists and finding ways to clear the other stationary platforms which are already in place. Because such platforms are being moved high over the ground (typically in excess of tens or hundreds of feet), extreme caution should be maintained when re-re-rigging and moving any of the platforms.
It should be appreciated that various other modifications and variations to the preferred embodiments can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention should not be limited to the described embodiments. To ascertain the full scope of the invention, the following claims should be referenced.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/578,033 filed Oct. 27, 2017, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if set forth in its entirety herein.
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20190127995 A1 | May 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62578033 | Oct 2017 | US |