Beam supporting device as lifting tongs, for attachment to cables of cranes

Claim 1

A lifting tongs unit each lifting tongs unit for use during crane operations to securely position a member to be lifted, and after the overhead securement of the lifted member by other means to an overall building structure, the lifting tongs unit, solely by utilizing crane operations, has some of its components spaced apart, and then each lifting tongs unit is swung clear of the lifted member, comprising: a. an upstanding guide body; b. an attachment receiver sub assembly secured to the top of the upstanding guide body; c. a lower transverse support sub assembly secured to the bottom of the upstanding guide body; d. an upper transverse holding sub assembly slidably secured to the upstanding guide body; and e. an automatically latching sub assembly, having a hook pivotally mounted to the lifting tongs near the top of the upstanding guide body, and having a cammed retainer mounted on the upper transverse Holding sub assembly in line with the hook, so as the hook is lowered with the upstanding guide body as the guide body slides down through the upper transverse holding sub assembly, the hook will be first pivoted by the cammed retainer and then retained by the cammed retainer on the upper transverse holding sub assembly, until subsequently released following a lifting operation when the lifting tongs are lowered to the ground for readjustment in preparation for another lift.