The disclosure is directed to portable lead blanket shields for the nuclear power industry and in particular to a telescopic lead blanking lifting frame for forming lead blanket shields for workers.
Lead blankets weigh 40 to 60 pounds each and are difficult to lift and maneuver into position for forming protective lead shields for workers in the nuclear power generation industry and other industries that have potential radiation exposure to workers. As the workforce gets older, it is more difficult and dangerous to lift the heavy lead blanks into place to form a lead shield. Accordingly, what is needed is a lead blanket lifting device that reduces the need to lift lead blankets overhead by hand thereby reducing the incidence of injury to workers.
In view of the foregoing, an embodiment of the disclosure provides a telescopic lead blanket lifting frame. The lifting frame includes a first hollow vertical tubular member attached orthogonally on a first end thereof to a first end of a horizontal base member, a second hollow vertical tubular member attached orthogonally on a first end thereof to a second end of the horizontal base member, a third vertical tubular member slidably disposed in the first hollow vertical tubular member, a fourth vertical tubular member slidably disposed in the second hollow vertical tubular member, a first cross member attached orthogonally to a second end of the first hollow vertical tubular member and to a second end of the second hollow vertical tubular member, a second cross member attached orthogonally to a distal end of the third vertical tubular member and to a distal end of the fourth vertical tubular member, a plurality of hooks attached to the first cross member and to the second cross member on side portions thereof for engaging lead blankets, and a lifting gear for telescopically extending and retracting the third and fourth vertical tubular members and second cross member in a vertical direction.
In another embodiment there is provided a method for shielding workers from radiation. The method includes providing a telescopic lead blanket lifting frame including, a first hollow vertical tubular member attached orthogonally on a first end thereof to a first end of a horizontal base member, a second hollow vertical tubular member attached orthogonally on a first end thereof to a second end of the horizontal base member, a third vertical tubular member slidably disposed in the first hollow vertical tubular member, a fourth vertical tubular member slidably disposed in the second hollow vertical tubular member, a first cross member attached orthogonally to a second end of the first hollow vertical tubular member and to a second end of the second hollow vertical tubular member, a second cross member attached orthogonally to a distal end of the third vertical tubular member and to a distal end of the fourth vertical tubular member, a plurality of hooks attached to the first cross member and to the second cross member on side portions thereof for engaging lead blankets, and a lifting gear for telescopically extending and retracting the third and fourth vertical tubular members and second cross member in a vertical direction. A plurality of lead blankets are attached to the plurality of hooks on the first and second cross members. The lifting gear is actuated to lift the second cross member to desired height above the first cross member. One or more of the lead blanket lifting frames are positioned between the workers and the radiation source.
In some embodiments, the horizontal base member includes a rectangular frame having four wheels attached adjacent to corners of the rectangular frame.
In some embodiments, the horizontal base member further includes a pair of wheels on opposing ends thereof and adjustable stabilizer feet on the opposing ends thereof.
In some embodiments, the lifting gear comprises a central vertical screw gear disposed between the first cross member and the second cross member to vertically move the second cross member toward and away from the first cross member.
In some embodiments, the lifting gear comprises pinion gears disposed adjacent the first and second hollow vertical tubular members and racks attached to the third and fourth vertical tubular members. In other embodiments, the lifting gear comprises a first gear box disposed on the second end of the first hollow vertical tubular member and a second gear box disposed on the second end of the second hollow vertical tubular member, wherein a worm gear axle is disposed through the first cross member to activate the first gear box and the second gear box to extend and retract the third and fourth vertical tubular members and the second cross member in the vertical direction upon rotation of the worm gear axle.
In some embodiments, the lifting gear is manually actuated. In other embodiments, the lifting gear is actuated by a motor.
In some embodiments, one or more rosette scaffolding discs are disposed on each of the first hollow vertical tubular member and second hollow tubular member and one or more stabilizer outriggers are attached to the one or more rosette scaffolding discs. In other embodiments, the horizontal base member and the stabilizer outriggers have locking wheels.
In some embodiments, a coupling is provided for connecting multiple telescopic lead blanket lifting frames to one another.
In some embodiments, the plurality of hooks include spring loaded metal hooks.
With reference to
The lifting frame 10 preferably includes wheels 34 for moving the lifting frame 10 into position for shielding workers from radiation. Once the lifting frame 10 is in the shielding position, stabilizing feet 36 attached to opposing ends of the horizontal base member 12 may be lowered to ground level to prevent the frame 10 from moving or tilting as the lead blankets 28 are lifted. In
Prior to actuating the lifting gear 30, lead blankets 28 are disposed on the hooks 26 on the first cross member 22 as show in
In
Unlike the previous embodiments, the telescopic lead blanket lifting frame 70 of this embodiment includes outriggers 100 that may be adjustably positioned on the first and second hollow tubular members 74 and 76 by attachment to two or more rosette scaffolding discs 102 (
In some embodiments as described above, a double wedge head joiner 112 containing a pair of wedge head connectors 108 may be used to attach multiple lead blanket lifting frames to one another to provide a wall of lead blankets as described above. The double wedge head joiner 112 may include a spacer 114 between the wedge head connectors 108 that may space-apart the wedge head connectors 108 by from about 4 to about 8 inches so as to avoid interference between adjacent wheels 96, and adjacent outriggers 100 and outrigger wheels 110. Multiple double wedge head joiners 112 may be used with the rosette scaffolding discs 102 on each end of first and second vertical hollow tubular members 74 and 76 of the lead blanket lifting frame 70 (
While particular embodiments have been described, alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and substantial equivalents that are or can be presently unforeseen can arise to applicants or others skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims as filed and as they can be amended are intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications variations, improvements, and substantial equivalents.
This application claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 63/079,736, filed Sep. 17, 2020.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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63079736 | Sep 2020 | US |