US3760902A

US3760902A - Scaffold structure

Info

Publication number: US3760902A
Application number: US00089344A
Authority: US
Inventors: C Nyman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-11-17
Filing date: 1970-11-13
Publication date: 1973-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1990-09-25
Also published as: GB1314696A; SE371247B

Abstract

A scaffold structure comprising a ladder like scaffold part having two vertical string members and a plurality of horizontal rungs, support legs to retain one end on the ground and space the structure from a wall or building in relation to which it is in use and a platform movable up and down the scaffold part and with hooks to engage the scaffold part and retain the platform at any desired level.

Description

United States Patent [191 Nyman 1 Sept. 25, 1973 1 SCAFFOLD STRUCTURE [76] Inventor: Curt Lennart Nyman, Billdalsgatan 24, Boras, Sweden 22 Filed: Nov. 13,1970

21 Appl. No.: 89,344

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Nov. 17, 1970 Germany G 69 44 598.3

[52] 11.5. C1. 182/l03,'182/113 [51] Int. Cl. E06c 7/16 [58] Field of Search 182/120, 121, 122,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 837,006 11/1906 Spaull et a1. 182/103 2,198,071 4/1940 Artini 182/103 2,425,302 8/1947 Calhoun 182/101 2,245,661 6/1941 Fieroh 182/122 1,307,468 6/1919 Wells 182/135 788,992 4/1905 Bauer 182/103 Primary Examiner--Reinaldo P. Machado Attorney-Robert E. Burns and Emmanuel J. Lobato [5 7] ABSTRACT A scaffold structure comprising a ladder like scaffold part having two vertical string members and a plurality of horizontal rungs, support legs to retain one end on the ground and space the structure from a wall or building in relation to which it is in use and a platform movable up and down the scaffold part and with hooks to engage the scaffold part and retain the platform at any desired level.

5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures SCAFFOLD STRUCTURE The present invention relates to a scaffold structure.

Known scaffold structures for use in exterior work, such as painting or pointing have various disadvantages. Securing of these scaffold structures against tilting and other stresses which occur affords great difficulties, which have hitherto not been overcome satisfactorily. Furthermore, an uncomplicated anchorage of the platform has hitherto not been provided. Also, in the case of the aforesaid scaffoldings the vertical adjustment of the platform presents the greatest difficulties, which can hitherto be considered as being by no means solved.

An object of the invention is to obviate the defects mentioned above and to provide a reliable and simple scaffold structure having an equally reliable, simple and easily vertically adjustable platform.

In accordance with the invention, this object is achieved by providing a scaffold structure having a vertically adjustable platform, more especially for the external work on buildings, comprising a ladderlike scaffolding part adapted to be erected in a vertical orientation and a platform having means for locking said platform in various vertical positions on the inside of the scaffolding part, characterised in that struts of the scaffolding part are provided for the engagement with rollers, from which the platform is suspended by means of a framework in that the scaffolding part serves as a ladder for climbing and descent by a person and the entire platform can in this connection be drawn up by means of a strap or the like fastened to the person and in that the platform can be locked in different vertical positions by means of hooks, which co-operate with the scaffolding part.

Further features and advantages of the invention emerge from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I is a perspective view of the lower part of a scaffolding in accordance with the invention, with a platform fixed in the lower initial position;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the upper part of a scaffolding in accordance with the invention, with a supporting device; and

FIG. 3 is a horizontal view of a part of the fastening device for the supporting device in accordance with FIG. 2.

As seen in the drawings, a ladder assembly 1 having vertical support members or struts 2 and horizontal rungs 3 connecting the struts is shown in its working position. This ladder assembly 1 is preferably made from light metal, and the rungs consist of square tubes having an outer corrugated profile as a precaution against slipping and the struts consist of I-sectioned beams. The edges of the flanges of the latter are bent towards one another with their free edges preferably in the form of short webs 4, as is shown in FIG. 3, in order to serve as holding and guide members and the outboard webs 4 define a guideway in which a roller 21 may roll along the support members 2. Furthermore, in this way, greater stiffness of the struts against bending is achieved.

The ladder assembly l is braced on two legs 5 which are respectively fastened to the outside of the lower part of a strut end. The legs 5 each consist preferably of two metal tubes 6 which diverge towards the struts and which are securely welded with their ends on for example, flat iron bars 7 and 8. The two fastening bars 8 on the strut side engage strut crosspieces 9 and are provided with bores (not shown) for the reception of fastening 10. These extend through an outwardly exposed rung aperture 11 and thus connect both fastening bars 8 simultaneously to the, scaffolding part 1. The legs project sideways and preferably are also turned away somewhat from the building in relation to which the scaffolding structure is being used. At the lower ends of the legs running wheels (not shown) in a parallel plane to the ladder assembly 1 can be arranged. F urthermore, this lower scaffolding region can be provided with a known securing device.

In the upper region of the ladder assembly 1, a supporting device is fastened as seen in FIG. 2. This comprises a horizontal rod 12, which is held, on the side averted from the said contact surface, on the ladder assembly l by means of a screw-and-nut connection 13. For this, a horizontal bar 15 provided with ribs 14 can embrace the inner strut legs 4, as shown, and can be clamped to these by the connection 13 as well as by means of a round bar or the like 17 introduced into a groove 16 provided in the bar 15. The round bar can also be used as a friction body designed differently as desired and if necessary be welded with the bar. From the rod 12, two distance rods 18 diverge towards the building and are stabilised by a strut 19. The

parts

12, 18 and 19 are designed as square cross-section tubes.

Fastened internally, (i.e., turned to the building) to the ladder assembly 1 is a vertically adjustable assembly 20. The assembly possesses, a pair of rollers 21 slidable along each strut 2 and the rollers are spaced from one another and are preferably guided between the outer legs 4 turned to one another and which can be connected together by a flat connecting bar 22. From the lower rollers 21, flat bars 23 lead downwards, inclined somewhat inwardly, where they merge into a horizontal base portion 24 from the internal corners of which flat connecting bars 25 lead preferably in a straight line as far as the height level of the upper rollers 21, towards which connection a pieces 26 leads. The two inside flat connecting bars 25 are connected together by one or more arcuate connecting rods or yokes 27, which extend towards the contact surface and have for example eyes 28 as suspension members for working tools. Furthermore, the arcuate connecting rod is pivotally mounted at one end by means of a hinge 29 in order to ensure convenient entering and leaving to an from the platform 20 whereas the other end is releasably attached to the associated flat bars 25.

For the purposes of vertical adjustment and positions of expecting the platform assembly, a horizontal shaft 30 extends between the transition regions of the parts 25 and 26. Pivotally mounted on the shaft 30 are two locking members comprising hooks 31 which are spaced one from the other. In a preferred embodiment,

The mode of operation of the scaffolding structure in accordance with the invention is as follows:-

A start is made from a position in accordance with FIG. 1. If, for example, a painter wishes to work at a higher vertical position from the platform assembly then he boards the platform assembly by opening and closing the yoke or connecting rod 27. He then turns himself to face the ladder assembly 1 and passes the strap member 35 around the back of his neck. He then climbs on the rungs 3 and can carry the light platform assembly upwardly, suspended from his shoulders in which connection, through the pulling action of the strap member 35 the claws 32 are released from the respective rung.

When the desired position in a vertical sense is reached, then the claws are hooked over the nearest rung and the strap member is taken off, whereupon work can begin.

In order to achieve a particularly advantageous hooking in the desired position in a vertical sense, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, the rod 34 is arranged in such a vertical position in relation to the base portion 24 and is designed in such a way, for example bent that the rod can be swung from the breast region of the respective person towards the ladder assembly, so that the platform assembly can be hooked fast in this way by means of the claws. Thus both hands and both feet are at all times free for other tasks.

The specific embodiments described above and shown in the drawings can be modified at will within the spirit and scope of the inventive idea. Thus, the hooks can also be arranged sideways and if necessary be connected together by a draw spring, in order to be arrested in or on the rungs or in the strut outer sides. In this connection, thehooks can engage and disengage automatically. The rollers can of course also be guided in someother way on the struts.

I claim:-

I. A scaffold structure comprising: a ladder assembly having a pair of juxtaposed and spaced-apart elongated support members, a plurality of rungs interconnecting said support members at a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart locations, and means connected to said support member for maintaining said ladder assembly in a substantially vertical orientation during use wherein said support members extend in a generally vertical direction; and a vertically positionable plat form assembly movably connected to said ladder assembly for vertical movement therealong and defining therewith a scaffold structure comprising a base portion extending outwardly from said support members and dimensioned to accommodate thereon a standing person when said ladder assembly is vertically oreintated, means movably connecting said platform assembly to said ladder assembly for movement therealong comprising means on said support members defining 3.

guideway longitudinally extending along the outboard side of each support member, a pair of support bars each disposed on the outboard side of respective ones of said support members, a plurality of connecting bars interconnecting said base portion to said support bars, and means mounting said support bars for reciprocal movement along respective ones of said guideways to effect movement of said platform assembly along said ladder assembly, locking means connected to said platform assembly and coacting with said rungs for releasably locking said platform assembly in a predetermined working position along said ladder assembly and comprising a pair of locking members and means including a connecting rod interconnecting said pair of locking members mounting same for both manual pivotal movement together as an integral unit towards said ladder assembly to releasably engage with a common one of said rungs to lock said platform assembly in said working position and manual pivotal movement away from said ladder assembly to disengage said locking members from said common rung to thereby permit movement of said platform assembly along said support members, and means engageable with a person ascending or descending said ladder assembly for effecting corresponding vertical ascending or descending movement of said platform assembly along said support 2. A scaffold structure according to claim 1; wherein said strap member has two end portions respectively connected to and suspended between said pair of locking members.

3. A scaffold structure according to claim 1, wherein said means movably connecting said platform assembly to said ladder assembly includes a pair of rollers rotatably mounted on each support bar at longitudinally spaced-apart locations and rollable along said guideways for effecting movement of said support bars along their associated support members.

4. A scaffold structure according to claim 3; wherein said support members each have an I-shaped crosssection having a web portion and two flange portions and wherein the edge portions of said two flange portions define said guideway.

5. A scaffold structure according to claim 3; wherein said platform assembly includes an arcuate connecting rod pivotally mounted at one end to one connecting bar connected to one of said support bars and having means at the other end for releasably attaching to another connecting bar connected to the other of said support bars, said arcuate connecting rod extending outwardly from said ladder assembly in the direction of said base portion; whereby said connecting rod may be pivoted away from said ladder assembly to permit a person to walk onto said base portion of said platform assembly.

i i 0 1k

Claims

1. A scaffold structure comprising: a ladder assembly having a pair of juxtaposed and spaced-apart elongated support members, a plurality of rungs interconnecting said support members at a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart locations, and means connected to said support member for maintaining said ladder assembly in a substantially vertical orientation during use wherein said support members extend in a generally vertical direction; and a vertically positionable platform assembly movably connected to said ladder assembly for vertical movement therealong and defining therewith a scaffold structure comprising a base portion extending outwardly from said support members and dimensioned to accommodate thereon a standing person when said ladder assembly is vertically oreintated, means movably connecting said platform assembly to said ladder assembly for movement therealong comprising means on said support members defining a guideway longitudinally extending along the outboard side of each support member, a pair of support bars each disposed on the outboard side of respective ones of said support members, a plurality of connecting bars interconnecting said base portion to said support bars, and means mounting said support bars for reciprocal movement along respective ones of said guideways to effect movement of said platform assembly along said ladder assembly, locking means connected to said platform assembly and coacting with said rungs for releasably locking said platform assembly in a predetermined working position along said ladder assembly and comprising a pair of locking members and means including a connecting rod interconnecting said pair of locking members mounting same for both manual pivotal movement together as an integral unit towards said ladder assembly to releasably engage with a common one of said rungs to lock said platform assembly in said working position and manual pivotal movement away from said ladder assembly to disengage said locking members from said common rung to thereby permit movement of said platform assembly along said support members, and means engageable with a person ascending or descending said ladder assembly for effecting corresponding vertical ascending or descending movement of said platform assembly along said support

2. A scaffold structure aCcording to claim 1; wherein said strap member has two end portions respectively connected to and suspended between said pair of locking members.

4. A scaffold structure according to claim 3; wherein said support members each have an I-shaped cross-section having a web portion and two flange portions and wherein the edge portions of said two flange portions define said guideway.