Lid lifting handle tool for tight fitting heavy container lids

Abstract

A lifting handle tool including a pair of laterally extending support plate each having a major portion for extending over a top of the lid and a minor portion less than the major portion for overhanging the lid. A handle bar is carried between the support plates at the minor portion for overhanging the lid. A reinforcing bar is carried by the support plates at the major portion for resisting separation and torque of the support plates during lifting. A lifting plate is fixed between the support plates at the minor portion and protrudes vertically below the support plates for extending beneath a lip of the container lid. The lifting plate includes a lip receiving channel for engaging the lip so that applying an upward force to the handle bar causes the support plates to pivot and engage the lip in the lip receiving channel to raise the container lid.

1 . A removably attachable lifting handle tool for removing tight fitting heavy container lids, said tool comprising: 
 a first laterally extending support plate;    a second laterally extending support plate spaced apart from said first support plate and arranged parallel with said first support plate;    a major portion of said first and second support plates arranged for extending across a top side of the lid when mounted to the lid;    a minor portion of said first and second plates being less than the length of said major portion and arranged for extending laterally outward from the top of the lid to overhanging the lid when mounted to the lid;    a handle bar carried by said first and second support plates at said minor portion of said support plates for lifting said support plates;    a reinforcing bar carried by said first and second support plates at said major portion of said support plates for resisting separation and torque of said support plates;    a lifting plate carried by said first and second support plates at said minor portion between said handle bar and reinforcing bar; said lifting plate protruding vertically below said first and second support plates for extending beneath the lid when mounted to the lid;    a carrier plate fixed to a bottom of said lifting plate below said support plates that extends perpendicular to said lifting plate for extending underneath the lip of the lid when mounted to the lid; and,    a retention plate fixed to said carrier plate that extends upwardly and parallel to said lifting plate so that a lip receiving channel is defined at said bottom of said lifting plate by said retention plate, carrier plate and lifting plate for engaging a lip portion of the lid;    whereby application of an upward force applied to said handle bar causes said support plates to pivot on the top of the lid for engagement of said lip receiving channel with the lip portion of the lid so that the lid may be raised off of the container.    
   
   
       2 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein each of said support plates includes an interior and exterior major surface defining the vertical height of said support plates, and a top and bottom minor surface defining the horizontal thickness of said support plates; and, wherein said major surfaces are greater than said minor surfaces so that said support plates are taller than said plates are thick.  
   
   
       3 . The tool of  claim 2  wherein said support plates are symmetrical and extend in a parallel arrangement with said interior major surface of each plate aligned facing each other to resist bending during lifting.  
   
   
       4 . The tool of  claim 2  wherein said first and second support plates includes a pivot point disposed on said bottom minor surface located at a second distal end of said plates at said major portion for pivoting on said lid when said upward force is applied to engage the lip in said lip receiving channel.  
   
   
       5 . The tool of  claim 2  wherein said lifting plate extends between said support plates from said top minor surface downwardly along the entire vertical height of said support plates and extends vertically beneath said support plates so that said lip receiving channel is located below the lip of the lid when mounted in position.  
   
   
       6 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said handle bar is carried between said first and second support plates generally at a first distal end of said support plates for overhanging the lid when mounted in position.  
   
   
       7 . The tool of  claim 6  wherein said reinforcing bar is carried between said first and second support plates generally at a second distal end of said support plates so that said handle bar and reinforcing bar are carried at opposite ends between said support plates to resist separation and torque of said support plates.  
   
   
       8 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing bar is constructed and arranged in a V-shape with the point of the V-shape directed toward a second distal end of said support plates.  
   
   
       9 . The tool of  claim 1  wherein said lifting plate is fixed in position between said first and second support plates and located adjacent said major portion.  
   
   
       10 . A removably attachable lifting handle tool for removing tight fitting heavy container lids, said tool comprising: 
 a first laterally extending support plate spaced apart from a second laterally extending support plate with each having a major portion for extending over a top of the lid and a minor portion less than said major portion for overhanging the lid;    said support plates extend in a parallel arrangement with an interior major surface of each plate aligned facing each other, wherein the vertical height of said support plates is defined by said major surface and is greater than the horizontal thickness of said support plates to resist bending during lifting;    a handle bar carried by said first and second support plates at said minor portion for overhanging the lid when in position on the lid so that said handle is positioned adjacent the lid for lifting;    a reinforcing bar carried by said first and second support plates at said major portion for resisting separation and torque of said support plates during lifting; and,    a lifting plate fixed between said first and second support plates at said minor portion and protruding vertically below said support plates for extending beneath the lid; said lifting plate including a lip receiving channel for engaging a lip portion of the lid; whereby application of an upward force applied to said handle bar causes said support plates to pivot for engagement of said lip receiving channel with the lip portion of the lid so that the lid may be raised off of the container.    
   
   
       11 . The tool of  claim 10  wherein each of said support plates includes a top and bottom minor surface defining the horizontal thickness of said support plates; and, wherein said first and second support plates includes a pivot point disposed on said bottom minor surface located at a second distal end of said plates at said major portion for pivoting on the lid when said upward force is applied to engage the lip in said lip receiving channel.  
   
   
       12 . The tool of  claim 11  wherein said lifting plate is located adjacent said major portion and extends between said support plates from said top minor surface downwardly along the entire vertical height of said support plates and extends vertically beneath said support plates so that said lip receiving channel is located below the lip of the lid when mounted in position.  
   
   
       13 . The tool of  claim 10  wherein said handle bar is carried between said first and second support plates generally at a first distal end of said support plates for overhanging the lid when mounted in position.  
   
   
       14 . The tool of  claim 13  wherein said reinforcing bar is carried between said first and second support plates generally at a second distal end of said support plates so that said handle bar and reinforcing bar are carried at opposite ends between said support plates to resist separation and torque of said support plates.  
   
   
       15 . The tool of  claim 10  wherein said reinforcing bar is constructed and arranged in a V-shape with the point of the V-shape directed toward a second distal end of said support plates.  
   
   
       16 . A hazardous materials storage container system comprising: 
 a container having a gasket disposed continuously along a top edge of said container;    a container lid engaging said gasket in a tight fitting arrangement to enclose said container so that materials stored in said container are prevented from escaping; said container lid having a downwardly extending lip overhanging said container;    a lifting handle tool removably attachable to said container lid for removing said lid without contacting said gasket; wherein said lifting handle tool includes: 
 a pair of laterally extending support plate each having a major portion for extending over a top of said lid and a minor portion less than said major portion for overhanging said lid;  
 a handle bar carried between said support plates at said minor portion for overhanging said lid when in position on said lid;  
 a reinforcing bar carried by said support plates at said major portion for resisting separation and torque of said support plates during lifting; and,  
 a lifting plate fixed between said support plates at said minor portion and protruding vertically below said support plates for extending beneath said downwardly extending lip of said container lid; said lifting plate including a lip receiving channel for engaging said lip;  
   whereby application of an upward force applied to said handle bar causes said support plates to pivot and engage said lip in said lip receiving channel so that the lid may be raised off of the container while avoiding damaging contact with said gasket.    
   
   
       17 . The tool of  claim 16  wherein each of said support plates includes an interior and exterior major surface defining the vertical height of said support plates, and a top and bottom minor surface defining the horizontal thickness of said support plates; and, wherein said major surfaces are greater than said minor surfaces so that said support plates are taller than said plates are thick.  
   
   
       18 . The tool of  claim 17  wherein said support plates are symmetrical and extend in a parallel arrangement with said interior major surface of each plate aligned facing each other to resist bending during lifting.  
   
   
       19 . The tool of  claim 17  wherein said first and second support plates includes a pivot point disposed on said bottom minor surface located at a second distal end of said plates at said major portion for pivoting on said lid when said upward force is applied to engage said downwardly extending lip in said lip receiving channel.  
   
   
       20 . The tool of  claim 17  wherein said lifting plate extends between said support plates from said top minor surface downwardly along the entire vertical height of said support plates.  
   
   
       21 . The tool of  claim 16  wherein said handle bar is carried between said first and second support plates generally at a first distal end of said support plates for overhanging said lid.  
   
   
       22 . The tool of  claim 21  wherein said reinforcing bar is carried between said first and second support plates generally at a second distal end of said support plates so that said handle bar and reinforcing bar are carried at opposite ends between said support plates to resist separation and torque of said support plates.  
   
   
       23 . The tool of  claim 16  wherein said reinforcing bar is constructed and arranged in a V-shape with the point of the V-shape directed toward a second distal end of said support plates.