US Patent 7198311 Elevator for pipe

An elevator for lifting pipe having an exposed bottom edge or an internal groove. A channel member has one end hingedly connected to a rod adjacent a first end of the rod and has a second end connected to a sector-shaped plate. A tubular member is slidably positioned on the rod and is connected to the sector plate with a linkage which allows the sector plate to move from a collapsed position to a splayed-out position as the tubular member is moved toward or away from the sector plate. The sector plate, in the splayed-out position, may be positioned underneath the bottom exposed edge of the pipe or into the internal groove provided in the pipe as the case may be. Apparatus is connected to the rod for either raising or lowering the elevator.