Lifting device

1. A lifting device suitable for lifting a tube or pipeline with respect to a supporting beam with an H profile or I profile, comprising:

a supporting body;

gripping means on the supporting body that can grip over opposite side edges of a free flange of the supporting beam, and with which the supporting body can be suspended from this free flange of the supporting beam with an H profile or I profile;

a pair of jacks provided on the supporting body on either side of the gripping means, wherein each jack is affixed to one end of the supporting body and is movable with respect to the supporting body such that the tube or pipeline can be lifted with respect to the supporting body; and

a head provided at an upper end of each jack, each head configured, when the supporting body is suspended from the free flange, to support a tube or pipeline to be lifted by the jacks,

wherein the gripping means are formed by hooks having a base and an arm, the arms of the hooks extending towards one another, whereby the distance between the hooks is adjustable, wherein the pair of jacks are a pair of screw jacks, whereby each screw jack is affixed to one end of the supporting body, and wherein the screw jacks are equipped with a hydraulic, pneumatic or electrical drive.

2. The lifting device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the hooks is movably affixed to the supporting body and is equipped with releasable locking means whereby at least a movement of the movable hook away from the other hook can be prevented.

3. The lifting device of claim 2 , wherein the releasable locking means are formed by a spring-loaded tiltable pawl that engages with a ratchet.

4. The lifting device of claim 2 , wherein the supporting body is equipped with a guide, in which or over which the base of at least one movable hook can be slid.

5. The lifting device of claim 1 , wherein both hooks are movably affixed to the supporting body.

6. The lifting device of claim 1 , wherein the supporting body is formed by a support beam with an H profile or I profile.

7. The lifting device of claim 1 , wherein the hooks are constructed from two flanks that are connected together by means of two outermost connecting rods and an intermediate connecting rod, whereby the flanks of the hooks extend over the supporting body and the supporting body is affixed between the outermost connecting rod and the intermediate connecting rod.

8. The lifting device of claim 7 , wherein there is a pair of ratchets on the supporting body, whereby each hook is affixed over one of these ratchets.

9. The lifting device of claim 8 , wherein the intermediate connecting rod of each hook extends between the flanks at the side of the hook concerned opposite the hook ends, while the two outermost connecting rods of each hook extend between the flanks more or less at the level of a vertical through the centre of the flanks, at least insofar the lifting device is placed in a horizontal position.

10. The lifting device of claim 1 , wherein each one of the pair of screw jacks comprises a hollow, cylindrical screw jack base that is immovably affixed to the supporting body and which acts as a guide for a jack rod that is affixed in the screw jack base and can be moved up and down.

11. The lifting device of claim 10 , wherein the jack rod has a screw thread around which there is a nut, whereby the distance between the head of the jack rod and the screw jack base can be adjusted by turning the nut.

12. A lifting device suitable for lifting a tube or pipeline with respect to a supporting beam with an H profile or I profile, comprising:

a supporting body;

gripping means on the supporting body that can grip over opposite side edges of a free flange of the supporting beam, and with which the supporting body can be suspended from this free flange of the supporting beam with an H profile or I profile;

a pair of jacks provided on the supporting body on either side of the gripping means, wherein each jack is affixed to one end of the supporting body and is movable with respect to the supporting body such that the tube or pipeline can be lifted with respect to the supporting body; and

a head provided at an upper end of each jack, each head configured, when the supporting body is suspended from the free flange, to support a tube or pipeline to be lifted by the jacks,

wherein the gripping means are formed by hooks having a base and an arm, the arms of the hooks extending towards one another, whereby the distance between the hooks is adjustable, and

wherein each one of the pair of jacks includes a screw thread around which a nut with an arm is affixed, the arm configured to be operated by hand to turn the nut.

13. A lifting device for lifting a tube or pipeline with respect to a girder with a free flange comprising:

a support beam;

hooks having a base and an arm, the arms of the hooks extending towards one another on the support beam, which hooks can grip over opposite side edges of the free flange of the girder, and with which the support beam can be suspended from this free flange of the girder; whereby the distance between the hooks is adjustable, wherein at least one of the hooks is movably affixed to the support beam and is equipped with releasable locking means;

lifting jacks provided on the support beam on either side of the hooks and movable with respect to the supporting body such that the tube or pipeline can be lifted with respect to the support beam; and

a head provided at an upper end of each jack, each head configured, when the supporting body is suspended from the free flange, to support a tube or pipeline to be lifted by the jacks, wherein each head is V-shaped.

14. The lifting device of claim 13 , wherein the support beam is equipped with a guide, in which or over which a base of at least one movable hook can be slid.

15. A lifting device suitable for lifting a tube or pipeline with respect to a supporting beam with an H profile or I profile, comprising:

a supporting body;

gripping means on the supporting body formed by hooks having a base and an arm, the arms of the hooks extending towards one another such that the hooks can grip over opposite side edges of a free flange of the supporting beam, and with which the supporting body can be suspended from this free flange of the supporting beam with an H profile or I profile;

a pair of jacks provided on the supporting body on either side of the gripping means, wherein each jack is affixed to one end of the supporting body and is movable with respect to the supporting body such that the tube or pipeline can be lifted with respect to the supporting body; and

a head provided at an upper end of each jack, each head configured, when the supporting body is suspended from the free flange, to support a tube or pipeline to be lifted by the jacks,

wherein each head is V-shaped.