BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent, when viewed in conjunction with the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a lift truck and arm arrangement adapted to move an articulated platform, in a side elevational view shown in several positions of the platform against a building structure;
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the rear wall of the platform;
FIG. 2A is a view taken along the lines 2A-2A of FIG. 2;
FIG. 2B is a view taken along the lines 2B-2B of FIG. 2;
FIG. 2C is a view taken along the lines 2C-2C of FIG. 2;
FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the rear wall of the platform, with portions of the floor and sidewalls thereattached;
FIG. 3A is a view taken along the lines 3A-3A of FIG. 3;
FIG. 3B is a view taken along the lines 3B-3B of FIG. 3;
FIG. 3C is a view taken along the lines 3C-3C of FIG. 3;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the articulable platform and its associated lift arm at different locations about a structure;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the platform fully extended;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the platform partially extended;
FIG. 7 is a plan view of the platform with a front floor thereattached;
FIG. 8 is a plan view of a platform with a number of floor inserts shown arranged therein;
FIG. 9 is a plan view of an insert utilized in the floor plan of the present articulated platform;
FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the rear wall showing a further embodiment of transverse telescoping adjustability thereof; and
FIG. 11 is a plan view of the side platforms and the rear platform with its further embodiment of transverse adjustability thereof.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown the present invention which comprises an articulable platform 10 that is securable to the distal end of an articulable arm 12. The articulable arm 12 is typically telescopingly arranged on the distal end of a movable arm 14 supported on a lift truck 16. The lift truck 16 provides a mobile base from which the inventive articulable platform 10 may be moved and adjusted around an elevated chimney 90, or the like, to provide a mason's platform during work on that chimney 90.
The articulable arm 12 has a distalmost end 17 with a generally “L” shaped (in cross-section) platform securement member 18 thereon. The articulable platform 10 has a preferably rectangularly-shaped lower anchor plate 20 and an elongated rectangular, lower peripheral support frame 22 to which the lower extremity of the “L” shaped platform securement member 18 is attached at several points, by a bolted anchor mechanism 24, as partially represented in FIG. 1. A rear anchor plate 26 is ridgidly and fixedly attached, as for example by welding, in a perpendicular manner to the bottom side of the lower anchor plate 20 and the lower support frame 22. The securement member 18 also preferably being secured to the rear anchor plate by another bolted anchor mechanism 24, secured through bolt holes 25, as best represented in FIG. 2.
A right sidewall frame 30, best represented in FIG. 2B and a left sidewall frame 32, best represented in FIG. 2A, are each attached, as for example, by welding, to and define the respective right and left side frame members 34 and 36 of the rear wall frame 38, as represented in FIG. 2. The respective sidewall frames 30 and 32 each have an upper elongated channel 40 and a lower elongated channel 42 parallel to one another, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. The length of upper elongated channel 40 is approximately one half of the length of its adjacent lower elongated channel 42, to provide stronger support to floor panels telescopingly supported thereby, near the lower channel 42 on the platform 10.
The sidewall frames 30 and 32, connected to the ear wall frame 38, each slidably support a slidable side wall 44 and 46 respectively, as represented in FIGS. 3A and 3B. An upper right rail 48 of the right slidable sidewall 44, shown in FIG. 3B, telescopingly slides through the supportive upper elongated tubular channel 40 of the right sidewall frame 30. A lower rail 50 of the right slidable side wall 44 telescopingly slides through the supportive lower elongated tubular channel 42 of the right sidewall frame 30, as shown in FIG. 3B. The right slidable sidewall 44 has a transverse bar 52 at its distalmost end. The right slidable sidewall 44 has a right-side proximal transverse bar 54 at the rear or proximal end of the right slidable sidewall 44, as represented in FIG. 3B. The right-side proximal transverse bar 54 closely butts into a right sidewall frame 38 transverse bar edge 34 when the right slidable sidewall 44 is extended distally its maximum amount.
The left sidewall frame 32 has a left slidable sidewall 46 arranged in a similar manner to the aforementioned right sidewall frame 30. An upper left rail 58 of the left slidable sidewall 46 slides telescopingly through the supportive upper elongated tubular channel 40 of the left sidewall frame 32 as represented in FIG. 3A. A lower rail 60 of the left slidable sidewall 46 slides through the supportive lower elongated channel 42 of the left sidewall frame 32. The left slidable sidewall 46 has a transverse bar 62 at its distalmost end and it has a transverse bar 64 at its proximal end. The left-side proximal transverse bar 64 closely butts into a left sidewall frame 38 transverse bar edge 37 when the left slidable sidewall 46 is extended distally its maximum amount, as represented in FIGS. 3A and the uppermost representation of the assembly shown FIG. 4.
The right slidable sidewall 44 and the left slidable sidewall 46 each have an elongated fold-down support plate or panel member 70 and 72 respectively, as represented in FIG. 3C. Each sidewall 44 and 46 is connected to their respective support panel or plate 70 and 72 by an elongated distally disposed hinge 74 and 76 connectively arranged along respective lower bar portions 78 and 80 thereof between the plate members 70 and 72. The support plates 70 and 72 are supported on their “hinge-opposite” sides by a lip thereof using ridably sliding support on the lower support frame 22. Each left and right slideable sidewall 46 and 44 has their lower bars 78 and 80, respectively, movable along with their respective left and right slidable sidewalls 44 and 46, the lower bar 78 and 80 of each being hingedly attached to the elongated side plates 70 and 72 which may also be pivoted into supported engagement with a portion of the rear floor 84 on each side of the lower anchor plate 20, which is part of the lower support frame 22. The outer edge of each rear floor 84 has a support edge 86 on which the elongated hingedly pivotable side support plate members 70 and 72 may themselves supportively slide/rest.
In operation of the articulable platform 10 on the distal end 17 of the articulable arm 12 on the lift truck 16, that articulable platform 10 may engageably receive between its elongated side floors 70 and 72, with a chimney or vertical structure 90 therebetween, as represented by side views in progressive stages of extended engagement of the arm 12, and concomitant extension of the sidewalls walls 44 and 46, and the platforms 70 and 72, as represented in FIG. 4, and in a plan view in FIG. 5, going from an “H” shape to a “U” shape in plan view. Those slidable sidewalls 44 and 46 may be moved forwardly and rearwardly, that is away from and back towards the rear wall frame 38, as represented by arrows A, B and C shown in the different positions of the sidewalls 44 and 46 in FIG. 4. For instance, if the platform 10 were utilized above a chimney 90 on a slanted roof “R”, the slidable sidewalls 44 and 46 would only be independently extended from their respective right sidewall frame 44 and left sidewall frame 46 enough to clear the sides of the chimney without damaging any inclined roof “R” thereadjacent, but the distal ends may rest upon such roof“R” as necessary.
To fully surround a chimney or structure 90, as represented in a plan view in FIG. 5, those independently slidable sidewalls 44 and 46 and their respective hingedly associated support plates 70 and 72 would be extended away from the rear wall frame 38 so as to provide the elongated side floors their full extendibility thereadjacent, as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 represents a plan view of the platform 10 in a partially extended mode, relative to the chimney 90, and shows the platform's configuration in the “H” shape..
It is further contemplated that an elongated, rectilinearly shaped front floor plate 94 with a hingedly attached front wall 96 may be adjustably and removably disposed between the respective distalmost ends of the respective properly reinforced supportive elongated side plates 70 and 72, as represented in FIG. 7. The front floor plate 94 preferably includes a proper corner attachment coupler 98 secured at each end of the front of the floor plate wall 96 to the ends of the respective left and right slidable sidewalls 44 and 46. The front wall 96 and front floor plate 94 may be hingedly attached to one another by an elongated hinge 100 or weldably attached along their connective adjacent portions thereof.
An arrangement of rectilinear Inserts 102 may be disposed between the chimney 90 and the elongated edges of the elongated side floors 70 and 72, and the edges 87 of the rear floor 84 and the front floor 94 for in-close support of personnel and material on the platform 10, as is represented in FIG. 8. Such an insert 102 is represented in FIG. 9, in a plan view thereof. The insert 102 comprises a lipped rectilinear frame 104 having edge shoulder portions which properly rest upon the adjacent edges 106 and 108 of the floors 70 and 72 and the front plate 94, respectively, as represented in FIG. 8. Also shown in FIG. 8 is a central support plate 110, above the chimney 90, which is shown in dashed format. Such a central plate 110 has peripheral shoulder edges for proper restive support on adjacent peripheral plates 102, 94 and 84, when needed. Angle iron members, not shown for clarity of views, may be arranged between the side floors 70 and 72 for as needed peripheral support of various panel members, where such support is proper.
A further preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 10, wherein the rear wall frame 38 is divided into a unitary mid-portion 120 having upper, intermediate and lower rail members 122, 123 and 124, through which right end and left end wall portions rail members 126, 128 and 130, and 126′, 128′ and 130′ of rear wall frame 38 respectively slide supported therethrough, telescopingly or otherwise surely supported in a proper manner thereby. Such an adjustable slidability to the right and left end wall portions 126 and 126′ is also represented in FIG. 11, showing transversely shiftable deck panels 140 and 140′ which are adjustably slidable under the “bridging” portion mid-portion deck panel 142. This side-independent limited transverse movability is important to provide floor panels with support to workers working on a narrow chimney or small project 90′ requiring close work/material support. Note that such a mid-portion deck panel 142 may have an underside bridging member which is attachable to the generally “L” shaped platform securement member 18, to facilitate proper movement of such side floors without interference of the lift arm and its member 18. FIG. 11 shows the platform 10 in a plan view somewhat representing the “U” shape.
The invention thus comprises a support frame platform assembly generally of“H” shape in a plan view, independently slidably adjustable both “forwardly and rearwardly” and “widthwise” to a “U” shape or vice versa, for providing an adjustable platform for supporting workers and supplies about an elevated project such as for example, a chimney. The platform assembly has an elongated rectilinear floor panel “bridging” arrangement with an attached adjacent rear wall member supportively between a pair of adjustable sidewall and side floor panels at each end thereof. The sidewalls and side floor panels are adjustably movable independently forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the rear wall member. The rear wall member and its associated rectilinear floor panel arrangement are sideways adjustable in a telescoping or sliding manner with respect to the central portions of the rear wall and the elongated rectilinear floor panels, to permit the side walls and their associated floor panels to squeeze closer to a narrow chimney against which the platform assembly may be lifted. The platform itself is attached to the distal end of an articulable arm of a power lift truck for lifting of the platform up to and around an elevated chimney.
Patent Application
20080030037
