GB2421047A

GB2421047A - Cantilevered work platform attachable to scaffolding

Info

Publication number: GB2421047A
Application number: GB0426956A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Chris Rust
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-12-09
Filing date: 2004-12-09
Publication date: 2006-06-14
Anticipated expiration: 2024-12-09
Also published as: GB0426956D0; GB2421047B

Abstract

Platform assembly 11 suitable for use with scaffolding, comprising a platform 17; a cantilevered arm 12 that approaches the platform primarily from beneath; and attachment means 16a and 16b which, in use, attach said arm and platform to a scaffolding member. The cantilevered arm 12 is a horizontal arm connected to a vertical arm 13, extending away from the scaffolding member, to maximise storage space beneath the platform. The platform may be adjustable in height relative to the arm, but may also be adjusted by vertically inverting the arm relative to the scaffolding. The arm may also be pivotally connected to the attachment means.

Description

A PLATFORM ASSEMBLY UNIT

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to platform assemblies and especially to platform assemblies suitable for use with scaffolding.

Review of the Art known to the Applicant Scaffolding is commonly used in the building trade during the erection of buildings. The scaffolding used normally comprises a series of vertical, horizontal and diagonal scaffolding members connected together by suitable means to form a scaffolding tower.

Scaffolding towers made from such members are either free standing or attached to the building as the building is erected. Such towers are typically used by bricklayers, plasterers, etc. as a means to enable them to operate at the appropriate height for the work being carried out. In order to avoid having to constantly bend down to the level of the scaffolding from which they are working, to obtain the mixed cement, render mix, plaster mix or bricks that are being used, workmen commonly build small work platforms. Such work platforms comprise a series of bricks or breeze blocks which are stacked to form a small structure such that a section of ply board or similar material can be located on top of the bricks or breeze blocks to form a platform on which pre-mixed cement, plaster or bricks can be located ready for use.

One problem associated with the use of such work platforms is that they are inherently unstable as the individual bricks or blocks used to produce the tower are not linked in any way. As such, serious injuries can arise due to the tower being knocked over, resulting in the bricks or blocks and material placed on top of the platform falling off the scaffolding striking persons located below the level of scaffolding on which the workmen are working. Additionally there are health risks associated with such workmen constantly bending over to pick up bricks, mortar and the like.

The present invention described herein addresses this problem by providing a platform suitable for the task previously described or any other situation where a platform is required for use in situations where scaffolding is being used.

Summary of the Invention

A platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising; a platform; a cantilevered arm; and an attachment means; in which the platform is cantilevered by the arm and the attachment means attaches said arm and platform, in use, to a scaffolding member; characterised in that the arm approaches the platform primarily from beneath.

The present invention therefore provides a platform which can be securely fixed to the scaffolding being used and additionally enables items to be stored beneath it thus optimising the use of space available on scaffolding towers.

Preferably the arm is pivotally connected to the attachment means. This enables the arm, to be folded for the purpose of storage.

Preferably the height of the platform, in use, may be adjusted by inverting the relative orientation of the arm and the platform. This enables the height of the platform to be adjusted with the assembly attached/engaged to the same two scaffolding members.

Also included within the scope of the invention is a platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising; a platform; a cantilevered arm; and an attachment means; in which the platform is cantilevered by the arm and the attachment means attaches said arm and platform, in use, to a scaffolding member; characterised in that the height of the platform relative to the arm is adjustable.

Also included within the scope of the invention is a platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising; a platform; a cantilevered arm; and an attachment means; in which the platform is cantilevered by the arm and the attachment means attaches said arm and platform, in use, to a scaffolding member; characterised in that the platform is an essentially planar construction unbounded by any substantial wall. By "substantial" we mean a wall whose height exceeds one quarter of the platform width.

Also included within the scope of the invention is a platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising; a platform; a cantilevered arm; and an attachment means; in which the platform is cantilevered by the arm and the attachment means attaches said arm and platform, in use, to a scaffolding member characterised in that the attachment means comprises respective upper, in use, attachment means and a lower, in use, engagement means.

Preferably the engagement means comprises a non-attachment means. This enables the assembly to be attached to one horizontal scaffolding member and the engagement means to abut one or more vertical scaffolding members.

More preferably the engagement means is constituted by a back surface or extension of the platform or the arm supporting the platform.

More preferably one or more spacer units are provided for minor adjustments of the horizontal attitude of the platform. The provision of such spacers enables a user of the assembly to adjust the attitude of the platform such that the platform may be maintained in a substantially horizontal attitude when the engagement means is a non- attachment means.

Included within the scope of the invention is a platform assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by any appropriate combination of the accompanying drawings.

Also included within the scope of the invention is a platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising: a platform a first arm extending horizontally, in use, away from a scaffolding member; a second arm extending vertically, in use connected to the first arm; one of said arms further comprises connecting means to connect the platform with the arm and the assembly further comprises attachment means to attach the assembly to a first scaffolding member and engagement means to engage the assembly with a second scaffolding member.

Brief Description of theDrawings

A number of presently preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the following diagrams in which: Figure 1 of the drawings shows a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention attached to two horizontal scaffolding members Figures 2a and 2b are schematic views of a connecting means used to connect a platform to a supporting arm.

Figures 3a and 3b are schematic views of a platform forming part of the invention.

Figure 4 is an exploded schematic view of a first embodiment of the platform assembly.

Figures 5a, Sb and 5c are schematic side views of a suspension means for use with the invention.

Figure 6 is a schematic side view showing the use of the assembly with the arms in an inverted orientation.

Figure 7 is a schematic side view showing use of the inverted platform assembly with the use of only a single suspension means.

Figure 8 is a schematic side view showing use of the platform assembly in its normal orientation with the use of a single suspension means.

Figures 9a, 9b and 9c are schematic views of a spacer for use with the device when used with only a single suspension means.

Figure 9d shows a schematic representation wherein the rear of a platform abuts vertically orientated scaffolding members.

Figure 10 shows a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the connecting means used with the invention.

Figure 11 is a schematic side view of an alternative embodiment of the invention comprising a single iJ shaped arm as part of the assembly.

Figure 12 is a schematic side view of an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein both ends of the vertically positioned, in use, arm incorporate multiple points for the attachment of the suspension and/or spacer means.

Figures 13a and 13b are schematic representations of alternative means of connecting a platform to an arm.

Figure 14 is a schematic representation of an embodiment wherein a first arm and second arm are pivotally attached.

Dcription of the Preferred Embodiments Figure 1 of the drawings shows a schematic side view of a preferred embodiment of the invention attached to two horizontal scaffolding members, 14a and 14b.

The assembly comprises a first arm 12 which is welded at one end, to a second arm 13.

The first arm 12 extends horizontally, in use, from the scaffolding members 14 to which the assembly is connected. The second arm 13 extends vertically relative to the first arm 12 in use.

The first arm 12 comprises an elongate first piece of tubing with a rectangular cross- section.

The second arm 13 comprises an elongate second piece of tubing with a circular cross- section.

A third piece of tubing 15 with a circular cross-section is welded to the second end of the first arm 12.

A first and second suspension/attachment means 16a and 16b are fixed to the second arm 13 (as will be described below) and are used to attach the platform assembly 11 to the scaffolding members 14a and 14b.

The platform as generally indicated by 17, is connected to the third piece of tubing 15 by connection means, as generally indicated by 30, which is comprised of a plate 31 attached to a fourth piece of tubing 32 as can be more clearly seen on Figures 2a and 2b.

The fourth piece of tubing 32 is circular in cross-section.

The plate 31 incorporates four holes 34, as can be seen on figure 2a, by which known means, such as bolts, are used to connect the plate 31 to the platform via corresponding holes 53 in the platform shown in Figure 3b.

The fourth piece of tubing 32 as shown on Figure 2b incorporates a series of holes 33 which have a corresponding series of holes on the opposite side of the tubing, not shown. The fourth piece of tubing 32 is sized such that it can be inserted into the third piece of tubing 15.

The third piece of tubing 15 incorporates a pair of holes, one of which is indicated by 61, as can be clearly seen on figure 4.

The vertical position of the platform 1 7, relative to the first arm 12, once the platform 17 is fixed to the plate 31 by known means, is set by the insertion of an R clip through the pair of holes 61 in the third piece of tubing 15 and through an appropriate pair of holes 33 in the fourth piece of tubing 32.

The platform 17, as shown on figure 3a and 3b, comprises a rectangular shaped tray with three sides 51. The upper face 52 of the platform being a flat surface.

The platform 17 is manufactured from suitable materials, such as high density foam, or hardwood plywood and alike. If wood is used it may be coated with plastic or protected by suitable material such as a thin sheet of metal as appropriate to the intended purpose.

The second arm 13 of the platform assembly 11 incorporates a single pair of holes 19 at one end of the arm 13 and a series of pairs of holes at the opposite end of the arm 13.

One hold of each pair of holes can be seen more clearly on Figure 4.

Reference is now made to Figures 5a to 5c wherein an example of the suspension means 16a and 16b is shown which comprise fifth cylindrical sections of tubing 71, fixed to a side of an elongate member 72 which has a U-shaped cross- section, as can be seen in Figure 5a, such that it forms a U-shaped channel 75, as indicated in Figure 5a. The fifth cylindrical sections of tubing 71 are sized such that they can be inserted over the tubing forming the second arm 13. The elongate member 72 further incorporates two pairs of holes, one hole 73 of each pair being indicated on Figure 5c, the second hole of each of the pairs on the opposite side of the U- shaped section, such that an R clip or suitable pin can be inserted into each pair of holes. Further reference will only be made to the use of R clips but it will be appreciated by the skilled addressee that other securing means could be used such as split pins and the like.

The fifth cylindrical section of tubing 71 also incorporates a pair of holes, one of the holes 74 being indicated on Figure 5a. The pair of holes being located such that an R clip or pin can be inserted through the tubing 71.

The arms 12 and 13, platform connection means 15 and 30 and suspension means 16a and 16b are made from appropriate materials, as would be known to one skilled in the art, eg. aluminium, steel etc. In use, the first suspension means 16a is slid over the end of the second arm 13 and fixed in position by the insertion of an R clip through the pair of holes 74 in the cylindrical section of the suspension means 16a and the corresponding pair of holes 19 in the arm 13. The suspension means, and attached arms, are suspended from an appropriately positioned scaffolding member 14a by means of the U-shaped section of the elongate member 72. An R clip or other suitable means are then inserted through each pair of the holes in the elongate member 72, such that the suspension means cannot be inadvertently detached from the scaffolding member 14a.

The second suspension means 16b is then slid over the other end of the second arm 13 and located such that the U-shaped channel 75 is located in a position where it can be hooked onto a second scaffolding member 14b with an R clip inserted through an appropriately located pair of the series of holes 20 in the second arm 13. Subsequently, R clips are inserted through each pair of holes 73 in the U-shaped elongate member. A vertical scaffolding member 21 is indicated in Figure 1.

The vertical location of the platform 1 7, relative to the first arm 12, is then set by insertion of an R clip through the pair of holes 61 in the third piece of tubing 15 and through an appropriate paid of holes 33 in the fourth piece of tubing 32.

It is possible to use the platform assembly 11 with the first arm 12 and second arm 13 in an inverted position, as shown in Figure 6. In this way the position of the platform 17 can be lowered relative to the scaffolding members 14a and 14b, once the suspension means 16a and 16b and the platform 17 have been connected to the arms 12 and 13 in the appropriate orientation, as shown.

The platform assembly 11 may also be used with only one suspension means 16 as shown in Figures 7 and 8, wherein a single suspension means 16 attached to the uppermost, in use, end of the arm 13 is used to suspend the platform assembly 11 from the scaffolding member 14a, as previously described. However, in this case, no second suspension means is connected to the lower end of the second arm 13, instead the arm 13 abuts the second scaffolding member 14b. If required, a spacer 81 as generally indicated on Figures 9a, 9b and 9c can be connected to the lower end of the second arm 13 by sliding the cylindrical section 83 of the spacer 81 over the lower end of the arm 13, and then locating the spacer at an appropriate position by the use of an R clip such that the plate 82 abuts a second scaffolding member 14b. The use of plates 82 of an appropriate thickness is used to locate the lower end of the arm 13 relative to the second scaffolding member such that the upper face 52 of the tray platform is maintained in a substantially horizontal position. Additionally the plates 82 may be adjusted in size, length and width to enable their engagement with pairs of vertically orientated scaffolding members, as well as horizontal orientated scaffolding members.

Alternatively a single suspension means 16a and a tray connected directly to a single arm 1 3a may be used and the abutment of the rear of the tray 17 as shown on figure 9c, with two vertically positioned scaffolding members, one of which is shown on figure 9c, being used to maintain the position of the correct orientation of the tray. The tray 17 being connected to the arm 13 such that, in use, the upper face of tray is located in a substantially horizontal orientation.

The three sides of the tray 81 help to maintain the location of mortar, cement or render placed on the upper face of the tray whilst allowing such materials to be readily scraped from the platform 17 from the side where the tray does not incorporate a side member 81.

In an alternative embodiment the cantilevered arm 12 is connected to a second arm 13 by means of a pivot mechanism 9, of known kind. A locking mechanism is provided, not shown, to lock the arm in its normal position, in use, as shown on figure 14 or to enable the arm 12 to be locked in a position such that the arm 12 is located substantially parallel to the second arm, not shown, for storage purposes. it will be appreciated by the skilled addressee that in this embodiment the second arm 13 and the attachment means 16a and 16b could be described as together forming an attachment means, especially if the pivot mechanism allows detachment of the first arm 12 from the second arm 13.

it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the invention described herein without departing from the scope thereof.

For instance the platform 17 may be connected to the arm of the assembly as shown in figures 13a or 13b. The arm 103 may be connected to an upper face of the platform 17 as shown in figure 13a by means of a pLate 101 or the arm 103 may be connected to the platform be means of a plate 102 which is inserted in to an appropriately sized recess in the rear of the platform 17. In either case the plate 101 or 102 may be welded to an end of the arm 103 and the plate connected to the platform by suitable means such as bolts as indicated by 104.

A series of arms may be used to support a single platform with multiple points for the connecting of connection means, in order to provide an elongate platform. Lms

Claims

1. A platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising; a

platform; a cantilevered arm; and an attachment means; in which the platform is cantilevered by the arm and the attachment means attaches said arm and platform, in use, to a scaffolding member; characterised in that the arm approaches the platform primarily from beneath.

2. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the arm is pivotally connected to the attachment means.

3. A platform assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the height of the platform, in use, may be adjusted by inverting the relative orientation of the arm and the platform.

4. A platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising; a platform; a cantjlevered arm; and an attachment means; in which the platform is cantilevered by the arm and the attachment means attaches said arm and platform, in use, to a scaffolding member; characterised in that the height of the platform relative to the arm is adjustable.

5. A platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising; - -.

a platform; a cantilevered arm; and an attachment means; in which the platform is cantilevered by the arm and the attachment means attaches said arm and platform, in use, to a scaffolding member; characterised in that the platform is an essentially planar construction unbounded by any substantial wall.

6. A platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising; a platform; a cantilevered arm; and an attachment means; in which the platform is cantilevered by the arm and the attachment means attaches said arm and platform, in use, to a scaffolding member characterised in that the attachment means comprises respective upper, in use, attachment means and a lower, in use, engagement means.

7. A platform assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by any appropriate combination of the accompanying drawings.

7. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the engagement means comprises a non-attachment means.

8. A engagement means as claimed in 7 wherein the engagement means is constituted by a back surface or extension of the platform or the arm Supporting the platform.

9. A platform assembly as claimed in either of claims 7 or 8 wherein one or more spacer units are provided for minor adjustments of the horizontal attitude of the platform.

10. A platform assembly substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by any appropriate combination of the accompanying drawings. "3

h. JCMuY i"c IJ (?dk 1. A platform assembly suitable for use with scaffolding comprising; a platform; a cantilevered first arm Supporting the platform in use; a second arm Supporting the first arm; and attachment means by which, in use, the second arm is suspended from the scaffolding; the first arm approaching the platform primarily from beneath; and the attachment means comprising one or more units attachable to and detachable from the second arm of the platform assembly.

2. A platform assembly as claimed in claim i wherein the attachment means affix to the second arm of the assembly by the use of clips or pins.

3. A platform assembly as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the detachment of the attachment means from a scaffolding member is prevented by the use of one or more R-clips or pins inserted through holes in the attachment means.

4. A platform assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the height of the platform, in use, may be adjusted by installing the cantilevered arm, together with the second arm, upside down.

5. A platform assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein an attachment means is constituted by a back surface of the platform.

6. A platform assembly as claimed in any claim 5 wherein one or more spacer units are provided for minor adjustments of the horizontal attitude of the platform.