Construction system, method and apparatus

1. A construction system for erecting a building, the construction system comprising:

a plurality of lifting rams operatively coupled to a power source;

at least one elongate, telescopic lifting rail, each lifting rail coupled to at least one lifting ram of the plurality of lifting rams;

at least one mounting element slidably received on each of the at least one lifting rails, each mounting element configured and arranged to receive and secure a part of a construction element of the building;

a clamping element to secure each mounting element in a selected position along the respective lifting rail; and

a controller operatively coupled to the power source to control the lifting rams to elevate the construction element to a prescribed height.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a detachable mounting bracket to couple each lifting rail to at least one lifting ram.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 , said mounting bracket comprising:

a hollow member having a stopped end for receiving an end of the lifting ram; and

a yoke coupled to the hollow member for receiving the elongate, telescopic lifting rail, said yoke preventing rotation of the lifting rail within the yoke.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 , the mounting bracket further comprising a web extending between the hollow member and the yoke.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the web comprises an aperture therethrough to which cables or chains for pre-stressing at least part of the lifting rail prior to receiving a load can be coupled.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a tensioning device, wherein the tensioning device comprises at least one cable or chain extending between two separated points along the length of the lifting rail.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the tensioning device comprises a tensioning member intermediate the two separated points for varying tension in the at least one cable or chain.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a tensioning device, wherein the tensioning device is movable along a length of the lifting rail.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the construction element is one or more of the following: a roof structure or part thereof, a floor structure or part thereof.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lifting rams are one of the following: hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical, mechanical.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the power source is one of the following: a hydraulic pump, a pneumatic pump, a generator.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising one or more scissor lifts beneath one or more of the lifting rails.

13. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the one or more scissor lifts are operatively coupled to the power source such that elevation of a table of each scissor lift is synchronized with elevation of the plurality of lifting rams.

14. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said mounting element comprises:

a hollow member for slidably receiving the elongate, telescopic lifting rail;

the clamping element for securing the hollow member to the elongate, telescopic lifting rail; and

a yoke coupled to the hollow member for receiving part of the construction element.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the hollow member comprises a pair of hollow arms abutting at an angle to respectively receive an elongate, telescopic lifting rail.

16. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each lifting rail further comprises a tensioning device to pre-stress at least part of the lifting rail prior to receiving a load.