US3712418A

US3712418A - Climbing assembly having removable steps

Info

Publication number: US3712418A
Application number: US00146118A
Authority: US
Inventors: W Currence
Original assignee: AB Chance Co
Current assignee: AB Chance Co
Priority date: 1971-05-24
Filing date: 1971-05-24
Publication date: 1973-01-23
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-23

Abstract

A climbing assembly for transmission poles and the like includes a series of removable steps in the nature of open frames having downturned stems insertable into tubular brackets welded or otherwise rigidly affixed to the poles. The steps are provided with rungs of a size and disposition to permit their further use as working platforms or stages and are offset for safety purposes. The releasable attachment is such as to obviate lateral or other movement during use to preclude accident or injury.

Description

United States Patent Currence, Jr. 1 J 1973 1 1 CLIMBING ASSEMBLY HAVING 994,912 6/1911 1211101 ..1s2 90 REMOVABLE STEPS 3,149,696 9/1964 Anderson. ..l82/92 Y 1,073,158 9/1913 Morris 1 ..l82/l89 lnventorl Wilbur" Currence, Centraha 1,159,821 11/1915 Barger ..248/3l5 Mo., 65240 Primary Examiner-Reinaldo P. Machado [73] Ass1gnee: A. B. Chance C0., Centralia, Mo. Attorney schmidtJohnson, Hovey & Williams [22] Filed: May 24, 1971 [57] ABSTRACT [21] APPLNO" 146,118 A climbing assembly for transmission poles and the like includes a series of removable steps in the nature U-S. of open frames having downturned stems insertable Int. ..E06c into tubular brackets welded or otherwise af. Field Search-18x90, 92, 100, 189; 248/315, fixed to the poles. The steps are provided with rungs 248/224 of a size and disposition to permit their further use as working platforms or stages and are offset for safety References Cited purposes. The releasable attachment is such as to ob- YUNITED STATES PATENTS viat e lateralor other movement during use to preclude acc1dent or in ury. 990,267 4/l9ll Hill ..l82/92 2,242,833 5/1941 Nibur ..248/3l5 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 3,200,903 8/1965 Marino ..l82/92 PATENTED JAN 23 I913 INVENTOR. Wi/bur'n C. Currence Jr:

BY WJWflM ,4 ORNEYS.

CLIMBING ASSEMBLY HAVING REMOVABLE STEPS SUMMARY OF INVENTION BACKGROUND OF INVENTION It has been the universal practice in the provision of climbing assemblies for transmission poles to provide two rows of steps extending laterally in opposite directions with one row disposed to each foot respectively of the climber. During climbing, the user grasps the pole itself by encircling his arms therearound to stabilize himself and prevent backward falling. It is also common to use safety belts in impaling relationship to the pole. Such construction is manifestly not suitable for large diameter poles.

OBJECTS OF INVENTION It is, therefore, an important object of my present invention to provide a climbing assembly which is especially useful in connection with large diameter poles wherein the safety factor is absent because of inability of the climber to grasp the pole itself and prevent from falling during climbing and during the course of his work while using one of the steps of the assembly as a stage or platform.

Another important object of the invention is the provision of an assembly for climbing transmission poles wherein the steps of the series thereof are individually and interchangeably mounted on the poles through releasable construction permitting attachment during ascent and removal, if desired, during descent to thereby allow subsequent use on other poles.

A further important object of the instant invention is to provide identical mounting arrangements for all of the steps made to eliminate the need for tools and fasteners, and constructed to provide great strength and stability through proper interengagement between several portions of the step and the surface of the pole on which the steps are mounted.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a step of the aforementioned character and purpose which embodies additional functions, including handover-hand climbing; safety belt attachment means; anti-slip characteristics; and capability of use rather universally on many types of poles varying in dimensions, heights, materials, wall thicknesses and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a climbing assembly having removable steps made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary perspective view illustrating one of the steps in position for mounting on the transmission pole;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical crosssectional view through a portion of the pole showing one of the step units in side elevation; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal crosssectional view through a portion of the pole showing one of the step units in plan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In FIG. 1 of the drawing there is illustrated a somewhat conventional transmission pole broadly designated by the numeral 10, usually made of metal and being hollow throughout its length. These poles are usually polygonal in cross section as illustrated in part by FIG. 4, presenting at least one flat wall 12. Poles 10 are relatively large, ranging from 36 inches to inches in diameter at their lower ends and having heights as great as 30 feet to feet.

FIG. 1 also illustrates a series of conventional structures 14 from which the transmission lines are suspended. Manifestly, as is well understood, it becomes necessary to climb poles 10 from time to time especially during initial erection and performance of work adjacent the structures 14. For this purpose, poles 10 are normally provided with steps used by the workman but, for the most part, such steps are in the nature of short protuberances extending in opposite directions as, for example, in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 3,399,746, dated Sept. 3, 1968, and owned by the assignee of the instant application. Steps of such nature are not suitable for poles 10 because it is not possible for the climber to grasp the pole by encircling his arms therearound; therefore, it becomes necessary as illustrated in the drawing to arrange the steps, broadly designated by the numeral 16, on the outer face of but one wall 12 of the pole 10 in continuous row and to construct the step 16 in a manner to permit hand-overhand climbing.

Accordingly, the step 16 is in the nature of an open, continuous polygonal frame 18 preferably made from an initially straight length of round rod stock material, formed or otherwise constructed to present of pair of laterally spaced, parallel, elongated sides 20. Frame 18 also includes an elongated rung 22 at normally forwardmost ends of the sides 20-20, and a crosspiece 24 at the normally rearmost ends of the sides 20-20, it being understood that the rung 22 and the crosspiece 24 integrally interconnect the sides 2020.

The frame 18 of each of the series of identical steps 16 is also provided with short, downturned arms 26 integral with the sides 20 and with the rung 22 disposing the rung 22 below the level of the sides 20 in perpendicular relationship to the latter and in parallel relationship to the crosspiece 24. The crosspiece 2 4 is made up of a pair of identical sections 28 that terminate in downtumed legs 30, presenting a mounting or attachment stem 32 that has its longitudinal, upright axis generally perpendicular to the crosspiece 24. Legs 30-30 are preferably connected rigidly in any suitable manner such as by welding.

An elongated, tubular bracket 34 is provided on the outer face of walls 12 for each step 16 respectively, adapted to removably receive the stem 32 of the corresponding step 16. Bracket 34 is preferably U-shaped in cross section presenting a bight 36 in spaced parallelism to the wall 12 and a pair of flanges 38 integral with and extending from the bight 36 toward the wall 12 to which the flanges 38-38 are firmly attached such as by lines of weld 40.

OPERATION The series of steps 16 may be mounted on the pole prior to erection or subsequently by use of a tag line from a derrick and may be easily and quickly inserted into the brackets 34 successively by the climber as he ascends the pole 10. This is accomplished simply by inserting the stems 32 into the tubular brackets 34 through the open, uppermost ends thereof to a position where the stems 32 project downwardly beyond the lowermost open ends of the brackets 34 as best illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawing.

In such mounted position of the steps 16 on the pole 10, the sections 28-28 of the crosspieces 24 rest firmly upon the upper edges of the flanges 38-38 with the sections 2828 as well as the stem 32 bearing generally against the outer face of the wall 12.

Accordingly, as the climber steps onto the rung 22 in the manner illustrated by FIG. 4, there is little, if any, tendency on the part of the step 16 to swing in any direction or become displaced from the bracket 34, presenting a sturdy, rigid, stabilized condition. Such stabilizing relationship of the stem 32 and the crosspiece 24 with respect to the wall 12 is enhanced by the firm support of the sections 28-28 by the flanges 38- 38; by the fact that there is insufficient clearance between the wall 12 and the bight 36 to permit any substantial rotation of the stem 32 within the bracket 34; and by the fact that stem 32 cannot shift or swing in a sidewise direction between the flanges 38-38.

It is to be understood that while it is desirable that there be a relatively tight fit because of the similar cross-sectional configurations of the bracket 34 and the stem 32, sufficient tolerance should be maintained to permit insertion of the stem 32 into the brackets 34 and removal therefrom without the need for using any tool or auxiliary fasteners.

Another feature which is not to be overlooked lies in the fact that the arms 26-26 effectively prevent skidding of the shoe of the climber laterally off the rung 32 providing therefore a very important safety factor.

The steps 16 are advantageous additionally because of the fact that the rungs 22 are adapted to receive both feet of the climber when he reaches the point of working on the pole 10 such the the rungs 22 serve as stages or platforms at the working zones. Moreover, inasmuch as the normal safety belt used by climbers in this field will not encircle the large diameter pole 10, the rungs 22 may also be used to receive such safety belt and positively prevent accidental falling of the workman from the pole 10.

Because of the fact that steps 16 are normally handled by the workman, both on ascent and descent, it is desirable and necessary that the steps l6be of a lightweight construction and such attributes to be found in the steps 16 when made as above described from lightweight, yet strong rod stock material.

While it is contemplated that the steps 16 may be removed succe sively after the work is comBleted, and while the wor man descends the pole 1 for subsequent use on additional poles, it is within the scope of my present invention that steps 16 may be left in place if such is desired.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with an elongated upright having an outer wall, a climbing assembly for the upright capable of use as a work platform, comprising:

a step configured to be mounted to said outer wall of the upright and including an open, continuous, polygonal frame presenting:

a pair of sides,

a lateral rung interconnecting said sides and being of a width at least twice the width of a man's foot to present a work platform,

downturned arms at the outer ends of said sides for connecting the sides with said rung to locate the latter in offset relationship below the level of the sides whereby said arms deter lateral skidding of a mans foot off said rung,

a crosspiece interconnecting said sides rearwardly of the rung, and

a member depending from said crosspiece intermediate the ends of the latter; and

a bracket secured to the upright and configured to releasably receive said member to place the latter and said crosspiece in engagement with said outer wall of the upright, said crosspiece being complementally configured to said outer wall whereby said engagement of the member and the crosspiece with the outer wall holds the step in rigid, stabilized relationship to said upright.

2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sides of the step are parallel and extend transversely outwardly from said outer wall of the upright.

3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said crosspiece includes a pair of sections each terminating in a downwardly extending leg, said legs being interconnected in side-by-side relationship presenting said member.

4. An assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein said bracket comprises an open, transversely U-shaped tube presenting a bight and a pair of spaced, longitudinal flanges integral with the bight and fixed to said upright, said member being longer than said flanges and extending through said tube with said crosspiece resting on the upper end of the tube.

Claims

1. In combination with an elongated upright having an outer wall, a climbing assembly for the upright capable of use as a work platform, comprising: a step configured to be mounted to said outer wall of the upright and including an open, continuous, polygonal frame presenting: a pair of sides, a lateral rung interconnecting said sides and being of a width at least twice the width of a man''s foot to present a work platform, downturned arms at the outer ends of said sides for connecting the sides with said rung to locate the latter in offset relationship below the level of the sides whereby said arms deter lateral skidding of a man''s foot off said rung, a crosspiece interconnecting said sides rearwardly of the rung, and a member depending from said crosspiece intermediate the ends of the latter; and a bracket secured to the upright and configured to releasably receive said member to place the latter and said crosspiece in engagement with said outer wall of the upright, said crosspiece being complementally configured to said outer wall whereby said engagement of the membEr and the crosspiece with the outer wall holds the step in rigid, stabilized relationship to said upright.