This invention relates to lift platforms to facilitate chimney construction, and more particularly to articulable lift platforms attachable to mechanical arm arrangements to be utilized for construction at above the ground locations. This application is a Continuation-In-Part application of application Ser. No. 14/544,133, filed Nov. 29, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,114,967, which was a Divisional application of application Ser. No. 12/658,868, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,899,397 which is a Continuation-In-Part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/287,787, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,661,372, which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/499,374 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,434,521, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The construction industry, particularly that which is involved in the home and building field have a difficult time reaching elevated structures, such as chimneys on roofs or the like, to rebuild them or to get around them. Often those structures are several stories high off of the ground. Movement and work space around them is too often very limited.
Those in the masonry business may readily attest to this. Getting bricks, mortar and personnel to an elevation several stories above the ground, and keeping them there in a safe and stable manner where they can productively work is something much to be desired.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an articulable platform which is adapted to the attached to the distal end of an articulable arm, for safe hoisting and lowering of personnel and equipment to a roof of a building.
It is a further object of the present invention, to provide an articulable platform which may be adapted to the particular construction irregularities of a particular work site.
It is still yet another object of the present invention, to provide a work space or platform which is maneuverable, safe and has the ability to be changed and controlled in its elevated most position.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adaptable platform arrangement which may have side platform portions which may be individually moved about a curved foundation on their support bases to be permitted to surround, apply transverse pressure or provide spaced-apart or close accommodation to a vertical or non-rectilinear structure more readily.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an adaptable platform arrangement which will be movable circumferentially to closely align itself with the periphery of curvilinear vertical (round or generally round) structures such as chimneys, piers, columns, standpipes, storage tanks, lighthouses or the like.
The present invention comprises an articulable platform which is securable to the distal end of an articulable arm. The articulable arm is typically telescopingly arranged on the distal end of a movable arm supported on a lift truck. The lift truck provides a mobile base from which the articulable platform may be moved and adjusted.
The articulable arm has a distalmost end with a securement member thereon. The platform has a lower anchor plate and a lower support frame to which the securement member is attached, by a bolt and slider mechanism. A rear wall plate is attached to the lower anchor plate and the lower support frame. A right sidewall frame and a left sidewall frame are attached to the respective side edges of the rear wall frame.
The present invention comprises an adjustable platform for supporting workers and supplies about an elevated work site, the platform being movably supportable preferably on an articulable support arm. The platform comprises an elongated semi-circular bridging panel arrangement and an elongated curved floor and railing assembly at each end thereof, wherein each elongated curved floor and railing assembly are independently movable on support members outwardly and inwardly with respect to the semi-circular bridging panel arrangement to change the platform from a generally semicircular shape to a half or full circular shape or with any combination of one curved side platform extending fully or partially outward or inward with the other curved side platform extending either fully outward or partially outward or inward from the bridging panel arrangement, as required.
The invention also comprises an articulable, elevated-structure-engaging platform assembly, adjustable between a semi-circular shape, a ¾ circular shape or combination thereof, the platform assembly being attachable to an overhead support, the platform assembly being arranged to adjustably fully surround an elevated circular structure, the platform assembly comprising: a stationary generally semi-circular anchor plate support frame bridging member comprising a rear floor; a right side curved platform and a left side curved platform both slidably connected to and supported from beneath the semi-circular anchor plate support frame bridging member rear floor, to provide adjustable “curved side” portions to the platform assembly, the curved side portions each being movable in a direction away from and returnable in a direction towards and under the semi-circular rear floor, with their distalmost ends movable towards and away from one another, so as to be articulable around at least one semi-circular side of an elevated circular structure for lifting, supporting and even closely squeezing the structure, with personnel and equipment thereat. The right and left curved side platforms are preferably movable independently with respect to one another. The right side platform and/or the left side platform are of curved configuration for all of its/their length.
The overhead support structure preferably may also comprise at least one crane or derrick. The at least one crane or derrick preferably has a plurality of cables connected to the platform assembly to maintain stability of that platform assembly. The cables are preferably connected to both distal ends of the curved side platforms. The curved side platform may be attached to the lower side of the curved bridging member by a curvilinear support and movement empowerment means therebetween, to permit the supported, controlled in and out movement of the curved side platform(s) with respect to the curved bridging member. The movement empowerment means may comprise a properly controlled worm gear arrangement between the curved bridging member support arrangement and each curved side platform.
The invention also comprises an adjustable platform assembly for supporting workers and supplies about an elevated work site, the platform assembly being movably supported on an articulable support, the platform comprising a stationary curvilinearly shaped rear bridging panel arrangement having an curved, elongated side platform member floor assembly at each end thereof, wherein each curved, elongated side platform member floor assembly is preferably independently movable on support members forwardly, rearwardly, with respect to the curved bridging panel arrangement to change the platform assembly back and forth between a generally “C” shape to a generally “O” shape, or any skewed combination thereof, as required.
The present invention thus comprises an articulable, elevated-structure-engaging circularly adaptable platform assembly, adjustable between an “C” shape to a “O” shape or combination thereof, the platform assembly being attachable to an overhead support, the platform assembly being arranged to adjustably surround an elevated structure on at least 180° periphery thereof, the platform assembly comprising: a stationary anchor plate support curvilinear frame bridging member comprising a curvilinear rear floor; a Pt side curvilinear platform and a 2nd side curvilinear platform slidably and supported on the anchor plate support curvilinear frame bridging member curvilinear rear floor, to provide adjustable curved 1st and 2nd side portions to the platform assembly, the curved 1st and 2nd side portions each being movable by a movement means away from and returnable towards the curvilinear rear floor, so as to be articulable around at least about 180° of the circumference of an elevated structure for lifting and supporting the structure, personnel and equipment thereat. The curvilinear 1st side platform is movable independently with respect to the curvilinear 2nd side platform. The overhead support structure may comprise at least one crane or derrick. The at least one crane or derrick has a plurality of cables connected to the platform assembly to maintain stability of that platform assembly. The cables are preferably connected to the distalmost ends of the curved side platforms. The movement means preferably comprises a controlled rack and pinion gear arrangement.
The invention also comprises a method of supporting a work crew on an elevated structure, comprising: attaching a generally “C” to “O” shaped articulable platform assembly to an overhead support, wherein the platform assembly is arranged to adjustably surround a generally circular elevated structure about at least 180° therearound; moving at least one curvilinear side platform member with respect to a stationary curvilinear rear bridging member of the platform assembly so as to re-shape the platform assembly, thereby forming at least a partial structure-periphery surrounding work-crew platform assembly; moving the 1st side curvilinear platform member and the 2nd side curvilinear platform member independently of one another, wherein the 1st curvilinear side platform and the 2nd side curvilinear platform each have support rails which positionally overlap one another, for example, side-by-side, in their fully stored configuration; and wherein the platform assembly may be supported from the overhead support by a plurality of cables.
The invention may also comprise an adjustable platform assembly for supporting workers and supplies about an elevated circular work site, the platform assembly being movably supported by an articulable support, the platform comprising a stationary curvilinear rear bridging panel arrangement having a elongated 1st side curvilinear platform member and a 2nd side curvilinear platform member both comprising a floor and railing assembly, wherein each 1st and 2nd curvilinear side platform member is independently movable on support members outwardly and inwardly with respect to the curvilinear bridging panel arrangement to change the platform assembly back and forth between a generally “C” shape to a generally “O” shape, or any incomplete circular combination thereof, as required.
The objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent, when viewed in conjunction with the following drawings in which:
Referring now to the drawings in detail, and particularly to
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 first embodiment as a 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
A right sidewall frame 30, best represented in
The sidewall frames 30 and 32, connected to the rear wall frame 38, each slidably support a slidable side wall 44 and 46 respectively, as represented in
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
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
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
To fully surround a chimney or structure 90, as represented in a plan view in
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
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
A further preferred embodiment of the invention taught in the aforementioned '967 and '379 Patents is shown in
It is to be further noted that the platform assembly 10 may be itself supported from one or more overhead cranes or derricks preferably at multiple connections on each crane or derrick 210 and 212, which platform assembly 10 is supportively connected to those (multiple) crane/derrick connections by a plurality of cables 206, partially represented in
Now however, proceeding to the present newest and presently claimed embodiment of the platform assembly 10 invention, as represented in
The 2nd side curvilinear platform 306 is shown in a proximal end view in
Similarly the 1st side curvilinear platform 304 is shown in a proximal end view in
The width of the respective 1st side curvilinear platform 304 and the 2nd side curvilinear platform 306 may be different from the width of the curvilinear bridging platform 300 so as to accommodate the storage of the side platforms 304 and 306 therebeneath. The support rails 310 and 312 of the 2nd side curvilinear platform 306 may have a spaced apart distance which is greater than the spaced apart distance of the support rails under the 1st side curvilinear platform 304 so as to accommodate their respective overlapping over and under, or side-by-side storage arrangement positioned beneath the curvilinear bridging platform 300.
The invention thus comprises a support frame platform assembly generally of “C” peripheral shape of up to about 180° in a plan view, with independently slidably adjustable both “outwardly and inwardly” and to a “O” shape or vice versa, for providing an adjustable platform for supporting workers and supplies circularly up to a full 360° about an elevated project such as for example, a chimney. The platform assembly 10 has an elongated curvilinear floor panel “bridging” arrangement with an attached adjacent rear wall member supportively between a pair of adjustable curvilinear platforms at each end thereof. The platform itself is preferably attached to the distal end of an articulable arm 14 of a power lift truck 16 for lifting of the platform assembly 10 up to and around an elevated chimney, standpipe, column 302 or the like.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14756317 | Aug 2015 | US |
Child | 16501872 | US | |
Parent | 11499374 | Aug 2006 | US |
Child | 12287787 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12658868 | Feb 2010 | US |
Child | 14544133 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14544133 | Nov 2014 | US |
Child | 14756317 | US | |
Parent | 12287787 | Oct 2008 | US |
Child | 12658868 | US |