Apparatus and Method for Facilitating Lifting and Manipulating Wall Sections

Abstract

An apparatus that facilitates lifting and manipulating a wall section when building on a slab. The apparatus has a lower hinge plate, a hinge pin, an upper hinge plate, a rotational stop, a gauge and a sliding keyed joint. The apparatus is designed to be mounted to the edges of both a sill plate and a bottom plate of the wall to enable a wall to be framed and sheathed in a horizontal orientation. The bottom plate aligns with the sill plate as the wall is pivoted into its final vertical position.

1 . An apparatus for constructing and lifting a wall section, the apparatus comprising:
 a lower hinge plate configured for removable attachment to a sill plate; and   an upper hinge plate configured for removable attachment to a bottom plate of the wall section; and   a hinge pin pivotally connecting the lower hinge plate and the upper hinge plate; and   a rotational stop configured to limit pivotal movement between the upper hinge plate and the lower hinge plate; and   a removable gauge configured to align the apparatus on the sill plate prior to fastening the upper hinge plate to the bottom plate of the wall section; wherein   the gauge aligns the hinge pin with an edge of the sill plate and the upper hinge plate is rotatable about the hinge pin to allow for wall construction in a horizontal orientation before lifting the constructed wall section into a final orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the rotational stop comprises a first integral cam extending from the lower hinge plate and a second integral cam extending from the upper hinge plate; and 
 the first integral cam is disposed proximate to the hinge pin and is configured to engage with the upper hinge plate; and 
 the second integral cam is disposed proximate to the hinge pin and is configured to engage with the lower hinge plate; wherein 
 the first integral cam and the second integral cam limit a pivot angle between the lower hinge plate and the upper hinge plate to approximately 90 degrees. 
 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the rotational stop comprises at least one gusset affixed to the lower hinge plate; and 
 the at least one gusset is positioned to contact the upper hinge plate to prevent rotation about the hinge pin beyond approximately 90 degrees. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the removable gauge comprises a key; and wherein 
 the lower hinge plate defines a keyway configured to slidably receive the key to temporarily join the gauge to the apparatus. 
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein:
 the removable gauge further comprises a pull tab to facilitate removal of the key from the keyway. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein:
 the removable gauge comprises a key; and wherein 
 the lower hinge plate and upper hinge plate each define a keyway configured to slidably receive the key to temporarily join the gauge to the apparatus. 
 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein:
 the upper hinge plate and the lower hinge plate are formed from a single extruded profile. 
 
     
     
         8 . A method for constructing and lifting a wall section, the method comprising:
 providing a hinge apparatus comprising an upper hinge plate and a lower hinge plate pivotally connected by a hinge pin, wherein the upper and lower hinge plates include integral cams configured to act as a rotational stop; and   securing the lower hinge plate to a sill plate; and   securing the upper hinge plate to a bottom plate of a wall section; and   assembling the wall section in a horizontal orientation; and   pivoting the wall section about the hinge pin to a vertical orientation until the integral cams of the upper and lower hinge plates engage to arrest rotation.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 prior to securing the lower hinge plate, the steps of:   positioning a removable gauge on the hinge apparatus to align the apparatus relative to the sill plate; and   removing the gauge after securing the lower hinge plate.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 after pivoting the wall section:   the step of fastening the bottom plate to the sill plate.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  further comprising:
 the step of detaching the apparatus from the sill plate and the bottom plate for reuse.