US2662798A

US2662798A - Bracing for scaffolds and the like

Info

Publication number: US2662798A
Application number: US199705A
Authority: US
Inventors: John A Kirkpatrick
Original assignee: Universal Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Universal Manufacturing Corp; Universal Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1950-12-07
Filing date: 1950-12-07
Publication date: 1953-12-15
Anticipated expiration: 1970-12-15

Description

Dec. 15, 1953 J. A. KIRKPATRICK BRACING FOR SCAF'FOLDS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 7, 1950 INVENTOR.

' :9 1544 4 7- TOB/VZ' n5 Patented Dec. 15, 1953 BRACING FOR SCAFFOLDS AND THE John A. Kirkpatrick, Zelienople, Pa., assignor to Universal Manufacturing Corp.,

Zelienople,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application Dccember 7, 1950, Serial No. 199,705

This invention relates to the bracing of metal scaffolds, bleachers and the like, and more particularly to the braces and the brackets that detachably connect them to the legs of the structure being braced. For the sake of illustration this invention will be described as applied to metal scaffolds formed from spaced end panels that are connected by removable braces, but it is not limited thereto.

It is among the obj ects'of this invention toprovide such bracing in which the braces are moved horizontally into and out of position, in which the ends of the braces cannot rotate in a vertical plane on the legs they are bracing, in which the braces are retained in place by gravity-actuated 3 locking members, and in which the supporting members for the braces are simple in construction and inexpensive to make and fasten to the legs. I

According to this invention, horizontal pins of non-circular cross section, preferably rectangular, are rigidly connected to a pair of spaced vertical legs in such a manner as to project from the sides of the legs. For connecting the legs together a removable brace has end portions provided with openings for receiving the pins. Each of these openings is of substantially the same size and shape as the pins in cross section so as to keep the bracefrom rotating on the pins. By preventing the brace from rotating on the pins, the'number of bracescan be reduced. Thus, in a scaffold formed from end panels, only one brace need be provided at each side of the scaffold between any given pair of end panels. A movable locking member is supported by each brace-supporting pin and normally projects part way across the outer face of the adjoining end portion of the brace to hold the brace on the pin, but the locking member can be manually retracted to allow the brace to be removed from the pin. It is highly desirable that the locking member be gravityactuated so that it will drop into locking position automatically. Preferably, it is a latch which is pivotally mounted in a vertical slot in the pin. When the outer end of the latch is swung-upward the brace on the pin can be slid outward over the latch and pulled off the pin.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a section of a scaffold provided with my bracing; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on the line vIIII of Fig. l, to show the end of one of the brace-supporting pins; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sec tion through a leg, showing the pin from above;

I 1Claim. (01. 304-40) crossed horizontalbraces 4.

frame.

and Fig. 4 is a combination side view and section I of the pin taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Referring to Fig. l of the drawings, each of a pair of vertical prefabricated scaffold end frames of any suitable construction has tubular legs I that may be rigidly connected by horizontal cross members 2 upon which wooden planking (not shown) may beplaced to form a working platform. When the scaffold is assembledthe end frames are held upright by means of inclined side braces 3, and they may be further braced by In order to detachably connect the ends of the braces to the scaffold legs, supporting pins 6 are fastened to each leg near its upper and lower ends- As shown in Fig. 2, each pin "is non-circular in cross section, preferably'being rectangular. The legs are provided with holes of the same shape as the pins for snugly receiving them. Each 'pin is inserted in a pairof holesin a leg 'with its opposite ends projecting therefrom, as

shown in Figs. Sand 4. One end projects only a short distance and'is connected by a Weld I to the leg to anchor the pin in it. The other end of the pin projects a much greater distance from the leg, most suitably from the inside of the leg, which is the side nearest to the other leg of the same In this position the pins are more protected than if they projected from the outside of Y the legs. I

The long projecting portion of each pin is provided with a vertical slot B'that preferably extends entirely through it from top to-bottom and inward from its outer end toa point close to the leg that supports the pin. Loosely disposed in the slot is a latch 9, the inner end of which is pivotally mounted on a rivet l0 extending across the inner end of the slot and having its heads countersunk in opposite sides of the pin so that they will not project beyond the surface of the pin. At no point is the vertical dimension of the latch greater than the height of the slot. It will be seen that the latch normally will swing down by gravity. The low inner corner of the latch strikes the inner end wall of the slot when the outerend of the latch has swung down a predetermined distance to its lower or looking position shown in Fig. 4. The bottom of the latch is provided with a two-sided notch I 2, the upper wall of which is substantially horizontal when the latch is in its lower position. At that time the other wall of the notch is substantially vertical. This notch reduces the depth of a portion of the latch in such a manner that it can swing downward even though it is surrounded by the end of a brace on the pin. The notch also forms a projection or nose l3 between the outer end of the notch and the outer end of the latch, which projects down from the bottom of the pin when the latch is in its lower position. The lower surface H of the nose is inclined from its lowest point outward and upward to the outer end of the latch *in the pin .slot for a purpose-about to be described.

The braces 3 and 4 that are connected to the pins may be formed from members of any desired shape in cross section, butvtheir-endsvshouldabe provided with openings of substantially the same size and shape as the pmsi'fi in tcross se'ction.

Each of the braces shown in the drawinghappens' 15' to be formed from a length of pipe-provided'at its ends with vertical slots-Min which short :metal plates l6 are welded. Each 'of'these plates is provided with a rectangular opening I! lor more or less snugly receiving: one of the rectangular upins. That is the ends lot the braces can he slid inwardover the pins. 'Thistype :of: connection -m'evmts the :brace from'irotating around the pins -and :thereby-makes-it feasible to use onlyaone I brace 3:at each sideof the scaffold between :each

pa-irfoiopanels. :Of course, two =or--more-braces acan he'd-136d ifdesired. The-wpins "proiect :far

enough Irom the'legs'to accommodate :at=-least three 'braces per pin.

::Whentheopening -11 in the iend of a brace is lined-up with' one' of the pins 6' and then .the brace is pushed inward -along*the =pin theslower :inclmed'surfa'ce I 4 :ofet-he" outer end of the latch :is engaged gbyntheubottom of "the brace opening and is forced upward, thereby swinging the-latch npintothe'pin. .--As soonas theend-of: the brace passes: the latch nose -i.3, the latch will/drop down .nagainwand athe znose -will'- form" a lock -:that= will .:hold the brace on the pin. w-heniitris desired ato removeithe brace -from the pingthe 'outer send .of the-latch is raisedmanually tdthe broken line :po'sition of'Figi 4 so that the brace can be pulled s dutalong the latch and off the end-of the pin.

It"wi1l-- be seen that in this-bracing'the braces are held onthebrackets by latchesthat automatia cally swing down into locking position .by gravity -as-soon as the braces are slid inward over: them. The =-braces then-can :notsbe removed" from the pins until the. latches have been swung: upward by hand into the pin slots. This locking 'mechanism is =-oi'. .simple-iconstructionand-there is mathing-v about. itto get out of: order orto cause itto fail to operate automatically. =-=No vertical :movement of ithe: braces: is required order to statutes," I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I-desire to have it understood that,

'withinthe scope ofthe appended claim, the ini .ventiommay be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

.:A coupling for connecting a brace to a vertical leg, said coupling comprising a horizontal pin adapted-to project from the side of said leg and extend through a holeiin an end of said brace,

'the pin having a vertical'slot in it,''and a latch disposed in the slot'with .its inner end pivotally mounted therein, the latch:having a-depending projectionat its outer endthat extends below the pin'to lockathe brace'thereon when-the latch swings'downwardby gravity,.the latch :being provided with a'surfaceadaptedrto engage'the pin rat the inner .end :or: said slot to limit-downward swinging of said projection, band :the projection having a surface inclined :irom-its bottom outward and .upward .toithe pin to causethe pro- :jection to swing upward when abrace 1 is pushed inward over the pin and against said inclined surface. the outer end of l the latch being disposed :in theslot when the -latchis in-its'lower position.

J JOHN AL KIRKPATRICK.

References Cited in the :flle rot this p'atent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date "331,742 ..Subers Dec. 1, 1885 1,349,344 I ONeill .Aug. 10,1920 1,360,924 I =Gilarski Nov. 30, 1920 -.1,'516, 347 Pataky Nov. '18, .1924 11,641,801 Connely "Sept. 6, 1927 1,713,277 Goldberg et a1. May 14, 1929 4,733,333 Coplan Oct-29,1929 l 2943,4198 -Uecker c June 9, 1936 2,452,461 Harris -Oct. 26, 1948 F'OREIGN" PATENTS Number 'Country Date 274,568 Germany May 25, .1914