EP0269936A1

EP0269936A1 - Elevated mobile workstation

Info

Publication number: EP0269936A1
Application number: EP87116860A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Maurizio De Marco; Irenello Miola
Original assignee: Gimi SpA
Current assignee: Gimi SpA
Priority date: 1986-11-26
Filing date: 1987-11-16
Publication date: 1988-06-08

Abstract

The elevated mobile workstation comprises rod-like elements (2a,2b) mutually connected so as to form a statically stable and self-supporting structure (1) downwardly provided with wheels (7a,7b). The workstation comprises an actuation rod (10) controlled from a raised workstation, a steering bar, arranged at the raised workstation, and a brake. The workstationcan have both the shape of a foldable ladder and the shape of a small scaffolding.

Description

The present invention relates to an elevated mobile workstation particularly useful in the field of building restoring and maintenance.
Various structures are known which have a work platform or workstation, such as for example domestic and industrial foldable ladders or small scaffoldings which rest directly on the ground in a fixed work position.
Some professional scaffoldings having more considerable dimensions and weights are mounted on a system of wheels, having a suitable diameter, which allows the easy manual movement of said scaffolding by the users when the latter are on the ground.
Such structures, during the various work phases, must be continuously moved, thus requiring the descent of the worker from his work position with consequent time losses and greater fatigue; moreover, for rather high structures positioning performed on the ground by the user does not always allow him to precisely reach the work region.
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the disadvantages described above in known types of scaffoldings or work ladders by providing an elevated mobile workstation which allows the user to move it without said user having the leave the workstation.
Within the scope of this aim, an important object of the invention is to allow a precise positioning of the structure at the work region.
Another object of the invention is to facilitate, and make less tiring, the movement of said structure.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an elevated workstation which is simple, functional and lightweight, adapted to allow considerable savings in time.
Not least object is to provide a such workstation which has low manufacturing costs and may be manufactured with current plants.
This aim, as well as these and other objects, are achieved by the elevated workstation according to the invention, which comprises substantially rod-like elements which are mutually associated so as to define a statically stable and self-supporting structure, comprising at least one elevated workstation, said framework having, in its lower part, rolling elements, and characterized in that it comprises kinematic actuation means which are controlled automatically or manually from said workstation, said kinematic means being connected to at least one of said rolling elements.
Advantageously, guiding means, brake means and locking means are provided connected to at least one of said rolling elements and operatable from said at least one workstation.
Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description of a device according to the invention, illustrated only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mobile elevated workstation with automatic actuation by means of an electric motor;
Figures 2 and 3 respectively illustrate a profile view and a lateral view of motor means for the wheels including a metallic rod, an endless screw and a helical gearwheel;
Figure 4 is a schematic view of motor means including a metallic rod and of conical gears;
Figures 5 and 6 respectively illustrate a profile view and a lateral view of a motor means including a metallic or plastic chain;
Figure 7 is a schematic lateral view of motor means including a toothed belt;
Figure 8 is a schematic view of motor means including a perforated steel band;
Fiugres 9 and 10 are respectively a profile and a lateral view of automatic motor means including an electric motor;
Figure 11 is a front view of a detail of the guiding means acting on two wheels;
Figure 12 is a plan view of the same means of figure 11;
Figure 13 is a schematic view of a cross section of the lower angle joints;
Figure 14 is a view of the mutual position of the wheels of the workstation in the position of minimum bulk after use;
Figures 15 and 16 are respectively a front view and a lateral cross section view of a tiltable object-holder tray provided proximate to the upper end of said workstation;
Figure 17 is a lateral view of a small handle for the operation of a rotating movement lever;
Figures 18, 19 and 20 are respectively a top view, a transverse cross section view and a longitudinal cross section view of the handle of figure 17;
Figure 21 is an exploded cross section view of said handle; and
Figure 22 is a view of a possible different embodiment of the mobile workstation as a small scaffolding structure.

With reference to the figure 1, the workstation according to the invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 1.
Said workstation substantially comprises first rod-like elements 2a and second rod-like elements 2b which are mutually counterposed and pivoted at an upper end portion thereof.
Said rod-like elements have a hollow cross section, such as for example tubes, easily available on the market.
Step-like elements 3 transversely extend between the first rod-like elements 2a and stiffen the structure, being rigidly associated, with their ends, with said rod-like elements 2a.
A horizontal platform 4 is located at the top portion of the structure thus formed, and is upturnably associated in a known manner with said first and second rod-like elements.
A traction element 5, composed of a cable stably associated at its ends with said elements 2b and, retained by hooks 6 provided on one of said steps 3, is comprised between said first and said second rod- like elements 2a and 2b in a downwardly parallel position with respect to said platform 4.
The structure thus formed defines a stable and self- supporting framework.
The first rod-like elements 2a are provided, at their lower ends, with first wheels 7a, having a suitable diameter, operatively connected to motor means for moving said framework.
Said motor means comprise, for example (see Figs. 2 and 3), an endless screw 8 and a helical gearwheel 9; the endless screw 8 is axial and rigidly associated with a first end of an actuation rod 10 which is freely and axially accommodated inside one of the rod-like elements 2a, the other end of the actuation rod 10 having, rigidly associated therewith, an actuation element such as for example a crank 11 (as the one shown in Fig. 4), rotating on a horizontal plane, arranged above said first elements 2a.
The helical gearwheel 9 is instead axially and rigidly associated with a drive shaft 12 which is in turn rigidly associated with the wheels 7a, thus making them mutually dependent.
In a different embodiment embodiment (see Fig. 4) the motor means can comprise a pair of conical gearwheels, respectively 13a and 13b; gearwheel 13a is axially and rigidly associated, for example, with a first end of the actuation rod 10 which is associated at the other end with the crank 1.
The conical gearwheel 13b is instead axially and rigidly associated with the drive shaft 12 which is in turn rigidly associated with the wheels 7a.
In a further embodiment (see Figs. 5 and 6) the motor means can comprise a plastics or metal chain 14 connected between a toothed wheel 15 keyed to said drive shaft 12 and a toothed wheel 16 keyed to the axis 17 of a crank 18 which rotates on a vertical plane.
Furthermore, the motor means (see Fig. 7) may comprise a rubber or plastics toothed belt 19, wound between two toothed wheels 20 and 21 respectively keyed to drive shaft 12 and to crank axis 17.
Another embodiment (fig. 8) comprises a perforated metallic band 22, wound between two spiked wheels 23 and 24 respectively keyed to drive axis 12 and to the crank axis 17.
Automatic motor means may comprise (Figs. 9 and 10) an electric motor 25 located in a region adjacent to one of the wheels 7a, said electric motor having keyed to its output shaft 26 a drive pulley 27 which by means of a trapezoidal belt 28 transmits the motion to a driven pulley 29 keyed to the drive shaft 12.
Said electric motor 25 is operated by means of electric cables 30 from a button panel 31 having forward-reverse controls and located on the upper end of one of said first elements 2a, said motor 25 being connectable to mains by means of electric cables 32 and of a power socket 33.
The motor can also be directly connected to an electric accumulator appropriately located on said workstation.
Said second rod-like elements 2b have, at their lower ends, second wheels 7b (see Fig. 1) having the same diameter as the first ones; said second wheels are associated with the second elements 2b in an oscillable manner.
The second wheels 7b can be relatively coupled to per se known steering means.
Said steering means, for example, may comprise a steering bar 34 (see Figs. 11 and 12), accommodated inside one of the rod-like elements 2b, and having its lower end rigidly associated with a first fork 35a for engagement with one of the wheels 7b.
The other end of the steering bar 34 is provided, rigidly associated therewith, with a steering control crank, also located proximate to the platform 4.
In order to obtain a rididly coupled steering action between the two wheels 7b, a connecting rod 37 is pivoted at its two ends to first and second arms 38a and 38b rigidly associated with respective first and second forks 35a and 35b, pivotally carrying the wheels 7b.
A spring 39 is inserted inside the rod-like element which accommodates the steering bar 34, and has a first end fixed to the same rod-like element 2b and a second end fixed to the steering bar 34, thus ensuring the automatic return of the steering.
For greater safety, a brake of a known type is furthermore provided, acting on at least one of the wheels 7a; said brake is particularly useful when the workstation according to the invention is to be used in a fixed position.
Figure 13 illustrates lower angular joints 43 which can be used for structures composed of cylindrical tubes.
In particular, said joints 43 are each obtained from two semicylindrical tubular elements 41a and 41b, connected at right angle by a bent portion 42 which is possibly the seat of said conical gearwheels 13a and 13b.
The joints 43 further comprise seats 44a and 44b for the actuation rod 10 and seats 45a, 45b and 45c for the drive shaft 12.
The lower structure of the workstation is obtained by arranging specularly facing two joints 43 and by introducing the elements 41a and 42b in the ends of the elements 2a and of a transverse tubular element 46.
The length of the elements 2a and 2b must be such that after folding said workstation 1, the wheels 7a and 7b are positioned as in figure 14, thus presenting minimum bulk.
Furthermore (see Figs. 15 and 16) an upturnable thermoplastics object-holder tray 47 is provided proximate to the upper end of said first elements 2a.
Said tray 47 is hinged to a transverse bar 48, which extends between the two rod-like elements 2a, by means of a curved tab 49 upwardly associated with one end thereof, rotation of the tray 47 is being limited to a horizontal position by two abutment pins 50a and 50b, transversely and laterally protruding from said first elements 2a.
The two upper tubular ends of said first elements 2a are transversely joined by a horizontal element 51 having the shape of an inverted U and made of plastics material, the two ends whereof are inserted in the corresponding upper ends of said first elements 2a.
The movement crank 11, rotatably coupled to said actuation rod 10, and a small handle 52 associated therewith, may be concealed in said horizontal element 51 (see Fig. 15,17-21).
Said handle 52 comprises a cylindrical metallic axis 53 having, at the two ends, respectively a disc 54 and a diametral hole 55, a cylindrical compression spring 56 wound about said metallic axis 53 and having an external diameter equal or slightly smaller than that of said disc 54, and an external cylindrical container 57 made of plastics and having smaller length that the axis 53, thereby the latter protrudes from the container 57 with its end having the hole 55, said outer container 57 being provided internally with an axial cylindrical hole composed of two portions, respectively 58 and 59, one having a greater diameter than the other.
Said spring 56 is accommodated inside said hole portion 58 acting against the step formed by the two holes 58,59, while the diameter of the hole portion 59 is slightly larger that that of said metallic axis 53.
Assembling occurs by inserting the spring 56 and then the outer container 57 on the metallic axis 53.
The end provided with the diametral hole 55 is associated by means of a pin with the end 60 of said crank 11 having a vertical longitudinal recess 61, and the entire handle 52 is longitudinally accommodated in a semicylindrical seat 62 arranged upwardly with respect to said horizontal element 51.
The spring 56 normally pushes the outer container 57 against said end 60 and locks it, but by manually pulling the container in the opposed direction along the metallic axis 53, the spring 56 is compressed and the handle becomes free to rotate between the horizontal and vertical positions.
In the first position, the handle 52 acts as a brake, in this case replacing the previously mentioned known brake, and as a lock for the wheels 7a since by being seated in the seat 62 it locks the crank 11 and therefore the actuation rod 10.
In the second position the handle 52 may be used for the actuation of the crank 11 and therefore for the movement of the workstation 1.
Said workstation 1, instead of forming a ladder-type structure, as heretofore described, can have the structure of a small scaffolding, as illustrated in figure 22, with manual or motorized movement.
The operation of the elevated mobile workstation according to the invention is as follows: a user, having climbed onto the workstation with the tools required to intervene in the desired work area, can act alternately or simultaneously on the actuation crank 11 and on the maneuver means.
In the same manner, the concept can be applied to a workstation, having the structure of a small scaffolding, of the type used by house-painters, allowing the operator to paint, for example, an entire ceiling of a room without ever descending to change the position of the workstation.
Advantageously, the described structure can be reduced in dimensions, when it is to be stored, by rotating the elements 2b to bring them near the elements 2a and by tilting the platform 4 to align it to the elements 2a.
In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements.

Claims

1. Elevated mobile workstation, comprising substantially rod-like elements (2a,2b) mutually connected and defining a statically stable and self-supporting framework (1) including at least one raised workstation, said framework having rolling support elements (7a,7b), characterized in that it comprises actuation means (8-33) connected to at least one of said rolling support elements and controlled from said raised workstation.

2. Elevated mobile workstation, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises guiding means (34-39) connected to at least one of said rolling support elements (7b) and operatable from said at least one raised workstation.

3. Elevated mobile workstation, according to claim 1, characterized in that said actuation means comprises an endless screw (8) and a helical gearwheel (9) in mutual engagement arrangement, said endless screw being connected with an actuation rod (10) comprising an actuation element (11) and said helical gearwheel (9) being rigidly associated with a drive shaft (12) of at least one of said rolling support elements (7a).

4. Elevated mobile workstation, according to claim 1, characterized in that said actuation means comprises a first and a second conical gearwheels (13b,13a) in mutual engagement arrangement, said first conical gearwheel (13b) being axially rigidly associated with an actuation rod (10) controlled by a crank (11), said second conical gearwheel (13a) being keyed to a drive shaft (12) which is rigidly associated with at least one of said rolling support elements (7a).

5. Elevated mobile workstation, according to claim 1, characterized in that said actuation means comprises a chain (14) connected between a toothed wheel (15) keyed to a drive shaft (12) rigidly associated with at least one of said rolling support elements (7a) and a further toothed wheel (16) axially keyed to an actuation crank (18).

6. Elevated mobile workstation, according to claim 1, characterized in that said actuation means comprises a toothed belt (19) engaging with a toothed wheel (20) keyed to a drive shaft (12) rigidly associated with at least one of said rolling support elements (7a) and a further toothed wheel (21) axially keyed to an actuation crank (18).

7. Elevated mobile workstation, according to claim 1, characterized in that said actuation means comprises a perforated metallic band (22) engaging with a spiked wheel (23) keyed to a drive shaft (12) rigidly associated with at least one of said rolling support elements (7a) and with a spiked wheel (24) axially keyed to an actuation crank (18).

8. Elevated mobile workstation, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an electric motor (25) located in a region adjacent to one of said rolling support elements (7a), said elelectric motor having an output shaft (26) keyed to a drive pulley (27) connected, through a trapezoidal belt (28), to a driven pulley (29) keyed to a drive shaft (12) rigidly associated with at least one of said rolling support elements (7a), said electric motor (25) being furthermore actuated from a button panel (31) present at said raised workstation and being electrically connected to an electric power supply.

9. Elevated mobile workstation, according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that said guiding means comprises a steering bar (34) rigidly associated with a first fork (35a) pivotally carrying one of said rolling support elements (7b), said first fork (35a) being pivotally connected to a first end of a connecting rod (37) having a second end pivoted to a second fork (35b) pivotally carrying another of said rolling support elements (7b), said guiding means further comprising a spring (39) having a first end fixed to one of said rod-like elements (2b) and a second end fixed to said steering bar (34).

10. Elevated mobile workstation, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower angular joints (43) of said framework include tubular elements (41a,41b) mutually connected at right angle and specularly facing one another, said tubular elements defining accommodation seats (44a,44b) for said actuation rod (10) and for said drive shaft (12) rigidly associated with at least one of said rolling support elements (7a), said tubular elements (41a, 41b) having their ends inserted in corresponding tubular ends of said rod-like elements (2a,2b).

11. Elevated mobile workstation, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said substantially rod-like elements (2a,2b) have a length such that, after folding of said elevated mobile workstation, said rolling support elements (7a,7b) occupy a minimum space.

12. Elevated mobile workstation, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises, proximate to an upper portion thereof, an upturnable object- holder tray (47) rotatably connected to a transverse bar (48) through a curved hook element (49) laterally arranged on said object-holder tray and locked in horizontal position by two abutment pins (50a,50b) laterally arranged on two of said substantially rod-like elements (2a).

13. Elevated mobile workstation, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said steering crank (11) is pivotally connected to an actuation handle (52) movable between a work position perpendicular to said crank (11) and a rest position parallel to said crank.

14. Elevated mobile workstation, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said handle (52), in said rest position, is longitudinally inserted in a seat (62) provided in said framework and defines brake and movement locking means, preventing rotation of said crank.

15. Elevated mobile workstation, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that said framework has the structure of a small scaffolding (Fig. 22).

16. Elevated mobile workstation, according to the preceding claims, characterized in that is comprises brake means associated with at least one of said rolling support elements.