AU2005100323A4 - A workbox - Google Patents

Description

P/00/009A Section 29

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION Invention Title: A WORKBOX Applicant: Huon Valley Council The invention is described in the following statement: A WORKBOX Field of the invention The present invention relates to elevated workboxes or the like for carrying one or more workers above the ground in order to allow the worker(s) to carry out work above the ground. In particular, the present invention relates to apparatus including a workbox, attachable to and for use with an excavator or the like.

Background of the invention Machines having elevated workboxes in which workers can be lifted to carry out work above the ground are commonly known as cherry pickers. Different types of cherry picker exist and can be used for different purposes. The size and design depends upon the intended use of the machine.

Such cherry pickers should be durable, safe and sufficiently strong to safely lift and protect a worker in the workbox. They are specialised equipment and are used for relatively specialised jobs. Because of the requirements of cherry pickers, they are built around a dedicated lorry base, with an arm and workbox attached thereto. Such a lorry base allows the workbox to be mobile, while the arm can be raised and lowered to move a worker within the workbox into position. Because of this, such equipment is generally very expensive and large. Moreover, they require a substantially flat surface on which to operate in order to minimise the likelihood of the base becoming unbalanced and the cherry picker toppling over. This means that conventional cherry pickers are not suitable for accessing areas in or over rough terrain such as creeks and river beds where it is often necessary to access elevated structures such as bridges.

The above discussion of background art is included to explain the context of the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any of the documents or other material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge at the priority date of any one of the claims of this specification.

Summary of the invention An aspect of the present invention provides apparatus for positioning a worker. The apparatus includes a workbox for holding a worker and attachment means for releasably attaching the workbox to a lifting portion of an all-terrain vehicle. The apparatus may be releasably attached to the end of a lifting portion of an all terrain vehicle, such as a standard excavator, backhoe, bobcat, front or rear-end loader, forklift or the like, in place of the normal tool such as a shovel or bucket, or in place of a load.

Another aspect of the present invention provides an all-terrain lifting vehicle such as an excavator, backhoe, bobcat, front or rear-end loader, forklift or the like, including apparatus according to the first aspect of the invention releasably attached to its lifting portion. Such a machine can be used to position a worker to repair and/or perform maintenance duties or other work on road bridges for example. Such a machine has an advantage in that allterrain vehicles such as excavators and the like are able to access regions of difficult terrain such as creeks and river beds where it is sometimes necessary for workers to be safely elevated and positioned to do work such as bridge maintenance. In many cases, the lifting portions of these vehicles comprise articulated arms with excellent manoeuvrability which enables apparatus attached to the end thereof to be manipulated into otherwise difficult to reach positions. Also, all-terrain vehicles such as these are relatively common pieces of equipment rendering present invention suitable for use with many existing vehicles.

Apparatus according to embodiments of the invention may be required only for short periods through a construction or maintenance project, but these periods are not necessarily all at the same stage of the project. With the present invention, all that is required is an all-terrain vehicle such as an excavator, and apparatus according to the invention, which can be left on site throughout the project or can be provided as required. Because the apparatus is relatively small, it can be transported on the back of a lorry, flat bed truck, utility vehicle or the like in an economic, time efficient and convenient manner.

Preferably, the attachment means includes a first connecting portion for receiving and releasably engaging a second connecting portion, associated with the all-terrain vehicle. The attachment means attaches to the vehicle in substantially the same way as a tool such as a bucket or shovel. Preferably, the connections on such a bucket or shovel have corresponding connections on the attachment means of the apparatus to ensure the workbox can be fitted to the excavator or the like. Preferably, the apparatus can be connected to more than one type of all-terrain vehicle.

The workbox attachment means may have a recess or first connecting portion into which a connector, or second connecting portion of the excavator or the like can be inserted. The workbox attachment means may have holes aligned with the recess, through which pins can be welded, in which case the recess incorporates pins to retain the connector of the excavator or the like within the recess of the workbox. However, alternative attachment means may be incorporated as would be understood by a person skilled in the art.

Preferably, the workbox includes a base for supporting a worker who may be standing, sitting, kneeling or otherwise supported therein. Usually, the worker would be standing. Preferably, the workbox also has one or more walls for retaining the worker within the workbox. It is preferred that the workbox walls are suitably high to retain a worker within the workbox, while allowing the worker to perform maintenance on objects outside the workbox. There may be one curved wall to act as a barrier to retain the worker, or there may be 2, 3 or more walls configured to retain the worker within the workbox.

In one preferred embodiment, the workbox further includes a cage portion configured to provide protection for the head and upper body of a worker held in the workbox. Preferably, the cage portion is formed of two pieces of substantially inverted shaped tubing, although it may take other suitable forms. The worker may be able to enter and exit the workbox through the cage portion without changing its configuration, or the configuration of the workbox. Preferably, the cage portion also includes one or more crosspieces extending between the tubes, to provide strength to the workbox.

The apparatus may also have second attachment means for attachment to a different all-terrain vehicle which uses a different form of connector. For example, the second attachment means may be configured to attach the apparatus to a forklift, while the first attachment means may be configured to attach the apparatus to an excavator. Further combinations of first and second attachment means are also possible, as would be understood by a person skilled in the relevant art.

Preferably, the apparatus is sufficiently lightweight to allow relatively .easy transportation, for example on the back of a lorry or in a van. It is also desirable that the apparatus meets the necessary safety and industry standards, such as AS1481.17, AS1657 and AS/NZS 1891.1.

Brief description of the drawings A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 shows apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention with a cage portion separated from the workbox; Figure 3a shows the apparatus of Figure 1 connected to a standard excavator; and Figure 3b shows the apparatus of Figure 1 connected to a standard excavator in a different way.

Detailed description of embodiments of the invention Figure 1 shows apparatus 10 for positioning a worker, according to an embodiment of the invention. Apparatus 10 includes a workbox 20 and a cage portion 30 above and partially within the workbox 20. Attachment means 40 is connected to the workbox 20. The inside of the workbox 20 and cage portion 30 defines a work area 50, in which a worker may be retained during use of apparatus 10 when attached to an all-terrain vehicle such as an excavator. The worker may stand, kneel or sit within the workbox, or be otherwise supported.

The workbox 20 includes four walls (rear 21, front 22, and lateral walls 23, 23) inside which the worker is retained and a base 24 on which the worker stands. In the present embodiment, the walls and base are 250-grade carbon steel sheets and the walls form a square and are substantially perpendicular to the base. In an alternative embodiment, the walls may be curved or formed from a single sheet. Alternatively, any other material suitable for supporting itself and a worker can be used and the walls may be at other angles to each other and to the base. Along the top of the walls 21, 22, 23, 23 edge pipes are provided for the worker to grasp comfortably and also assist in strengthening the workbox 20. The edge pipes are comprised of 60.3 O.D. pipe grade 250 steel (Black extra heavy). The front 21 and rear 22 walls and base 24 are formed from a single piece of 6-plate bent to form the three surfaces. The lateral walls 23, 23 are welded to the lateral edges of the rear 21, front 22, and base 24, with a continuous 6 fillet weld. An internal handrail 25 is welded within apparatus 10 to conform to AS1657. The handrail 25 is continuous in the present embodiment, but as an alternative, there may be several separate handrails placed on the walls, front and or rear of apparatus 10. The handrail may alternatively be omitted. A stiffening angle 26 is welded across the full width of the back of the rear wall 21 of the workbox 20 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The rear wall 21 of the workbox 20 extends higher away from the base 24 than the front wall 22. This allows a worker inside apparatus 10 to lean forward out of the workbox 20, while having protection at the rear of the workbox. The rear wall 21 of the workbox 20 has attachment means attached to it as described below.

The cage portion 30 has two substantially inverted shaped tubes 31, 32.

Each tube 31, 32 has two substantially parallel regions with a substantially perpendicular region at one end of the parallel regions, joining the two. The perpendicular region of each tube 31, 32 extends from front to back of apparatus 10. The ends of the tubes 31, 32 fit within retaining sleeves in order to facilitate ease of removal from the workbox. These retaining sleeves are fitted vertically to each internal corner of the workbox and are welded to the base and walls 21, 22, 23, 23. The parallel regions of the tubes 31, 32 extend out of and away from the workbox 20 to a height sufficient to allow a worker to stand underneath the perpendicular region when standing in the workbox 20. The tubes 31, 32 are connected by a cross strut 33 which is substantially perpendicular to both the parallel and perpendicular regions of the tubes 31, 32 and is welded to the perpendicular regions of the tubes 31, 32 across the top of apparatus 10. In this particular embodiment, the tubes and strut are also 60.3 O.D pipe (Black extra heavy). Alternatively, a multiple cross struts or any other suitable means may be provided between the tubes 31, 32, instead of the cross strut. Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the invention with the cage portion 30 separated from the workbox 20. In this embodiment, the cage portion 30 has two cross struts 33, 34.

Figure 3a shows apparatus 10 connected to an excavator 100. In the present embodiment, the excavator 100 is a Komatsu excavator model number 54D95L-1. The excavator 100 is equipped with a "quick hitch" to suit PC120/6 pickup, and has shovels and bucket removed. The quick hitch engages pins 43B, 44B of the attachment means 40 attached to apparatus Apparatus 10 is thus held securely to the excavator 100 by the attachment means 40, and can be moved by movement of the boom 110 and digger arm 120 of the excavator 100. Figure 3b shows apparatus connected to the excavator 100 in a different configuration, with it facing away from the excavator 100, rather than towards it. These two modes of attachment facilitate improved manipulation of the positioning of a worker when compared with existing devices, which have been used to position a worker.

Notably, positioning of the worker does not necessarily involve elevating or lifting the worker. As is illustrated in Figures 3a,b, positioning the worker using the apparatus attached to an all-terrain vehicle facilitates positioning of the worker below the level of the vehicle. This may necessary when repairing or performing maintenance on the underside of a bridge or the like in circumstances where the work site can not be accessed from below. Of course the apparatus may also be used to position the worker above the level of the vehicle. One such example is when the apparatus is used as an elevated platform to support a worker performing maintenance on a bridge being accessed by an excavator positioned in a riverbed.

In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, attachment means includes two panels 41, 42 extending rearwardly away from the workbox

I

The panels 41, 42 are parallel and define between them a recess, or first connecting portion into which a corresponding second connecting portion associated with the lifting arm of an excavator or other all-terrain vehicle can be inserted. In this embodiment, the panels are ex 25 plate and are welded to the rear wall 21, of the workbox, abutting the top of the stiffening angle, 26. The panels each have two holes 43, 43A, 44, 44A as shown in Figure 1.

The two holes 43, 44 in the first panel 41 are aligned with the two holes 43A, 44A of the second panel 42. Pins 43B, 44B are welded through the holes, one through 43,43A and one through 44,44A. In this manner the workbox can be connected to the excavator. The attachment means 40 is attached to the rear wall 21 of the workbox 20 by welding.

In the present embodiment the attachment means has been described with reference to its releasable attachment to an excavator which may be used to position a worker in the workbox of the apparatus. However, in alternative embodiments, different all-terrain vehicles may be used. Suitable vehicles may include but are not limited to bobcats, forklifts, front or rear end loaders or the like. The geometry of the attachment means 40 can be constructed to suit other sizes of "quickhitch" or other attachment or connector assemblies.

Some modification of the attachment means of the apparatus might be required, to conform to the second connecting region of the lifting portion of the all-terrain vehicle, as would be appreciated by a person skilled in the art.

For example, in the case of a forklift attachment, a pair of parallel receiving runners, extending underneath the workbox, into which the prongs of a forklift can be inserted could be used. The prongs could be locked into position by through pins extending through at least one of the runners of the workbox, and the corresponding prong(s). Additionally, two types of attachment means may be provided, the first type being, for example, of the "quickhitch" type, and the second being suitable for attachment of the apparatus to a forklift.

The apparatus of the present embodiment is preferably fitted with two personal safety harness anchors (not shown) in compliance with AS/NZS 1891.1. However, such harnesses may not be provided, for example when used in jurisdictions where AS/NZ1891.1 does not apply. In the present embodiment, the design conforms to the requirements of AS 1481.17.

The apparatus of the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications may be made within the scope and spirit of the invention, which is not limited to the above example, but also resides in any individual features and any combinations thereof, without departing from the ambit of the invention.

Claims (4)

1. Apparatus for positioning a worker, the apparatus including: a workbox for holding a worker; and attachment means for releasably attaching the workbox to a lifting portion of an all-terrain vehicle.

2. Apparatus for positioning a worker according to claim 1, wherein the attachment means includes a first connecting portion for receiving and releasably engaging a second connecting portion associated with the lifting portion of the all-terrain vehicle.

3. Apparatus for positioning a worker according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the workbox includes: a base for supporting the worker and one or more walls for retaining the worker within the workbox; and a cage portion configured to provide protection for the head and upper body of a worker held in the workbox, wherein the workbox is configured to allow a worker to enter the workbox without changing the configuration of the apparatus.

4. Apparatus for positioning a worker according to any one of the preceding claims further including a second attachment means for attaching the workbox to a lifting portion of an all-terrain vehicle having a differently configured second engaging portion when compared with the second engaging portion of the first attachment means. Apparatus for positioning a worker substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. DATED: 14 April 2004 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: HUON VALLEY COUNCIL