Claims
- 1. A latch means for a scaffold, the scaffold having a support leg having an abutment against which a latch pin of the latch means abuts for supporting a support platform of the scaffold,
- the latch pin being supported to be movable into and between (a) a support position in which it abuts the leg abutment for supporting the platform and (b) a withdrawn position in which the latch pin is removed from the leg abutment to an abutment-release position for permitting a change of position of the platform with respect to the leg,
- there being a pin-spring which biases the latch pin to its platform-supporting position in which it abuts the leg abutment,
- there being a release lever means, having an actuator portion and an actuated portion, the actuator portion being manually movable to cause the actuated portion to operatively engage the latch pin and to cause its movement to its said withdrawn position of leg-abutment-release, against the bias of the pin-spring,
- the improvement for such a latch means, comprising:
- a movable control member having a pin-blocking means and an actuator means,
- support means which supports the control member in and between (a) a position in which its pin-blocking means is disposed in the path of the latch pin, thus blocking the latch pin from moving from its leg-abutting position of platform support to its withdrawn position, and (b) a position in which the control member's pin-blocking means is withdrawn from said path, thus permitting the latch pin to move to its withdrawn position of leg-abutment release,
- a control spring being provided, which biases the control member to a position in which its pin-blocking means is in pin-blocking position,
- the actuator means of the control member being moved in response to pin-releasing movement of the release lever means, to achieve movement of the control member to move its pin-blocking means to a withdrawn position in which the pin is movable to its withdrawn position of abutment-release with respect to the scaffold leg,
- the arrangement providing that the only time the latch pin can move to its withdrawn position sufficiently to release its abutment with the scaffold leg abutment of platform support is while the release lever means is being actuated to cause pin-withdrawal thrust upon the latch pin by force applied to the actuator portion of the release lever means.
- 2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which the control member is formed to have a general L-shape, one leg of it being supported in a generally vertical orientation for providing the pin-blocking means, and the other leg of which being supported in a generally horizontal orientation for providing the actuator means of the control member, and providing that the control member is cammed by the actuator portion of the release lever means to move the pin-blocking means of the control member away from its pin-blocking position as the release lever means is being moved to achieve movement of the latch pin to its said withdrawn position of abutment-release with respect to the scaffold leg.
- 3. The invention as set forth in claim 2, in a combination in which the latch means has a generally horizontally-extending support means, and the actuator means of the control member is provided with a leg extending in the same direction as is the direction of movement of the pin-blocking means, the control spring being a compression spring sleeved around said leg, and the said support means of the latch means being provided with an opening for accommodating said leg and its movement as the control member moves during movement of its pin-blocking means.
- 4. The invention as set forth in claim 1, in a combination in which the latch means has a generally vertically-extending support means, and there is provided a plural-effect member in fixed relation thereto, the plural-effect member being of a general C-shape in horizontal cross-section, the opposed webs of which provide guides for the pin-blocking means of the control member, and support the intermediate web spaced from the generally vertically-extending support means, and the intermediate web provides a bottoming abutment for the pin-spring, the intermediate web being provided with an opening means for receiving the latch pin therethrough.
- 5. The invention as set forth in claim 2, in a combination in which the latch means has a generally vertically-extending support means, and there is provided a plural-effect member in fixed relation thereto, the plural-effect member being of a general C-shape in horizontal cross-section, the opposed webs of which provide guides for the pin-blocking means of the control member, and support the intermediate web spaced from the generally vertically-extending support means, and the intermediate web provides a bottoming abutment for the pin-spring, the intermediate web being provided with an opening means for receiving the latch pin therethrough.
- 6. The invention as set forth in claim 3, in a combination in which the latch means has a generally vertically-extending support means, and there is provided a plural-effect member in fixed relation thereto, the plural-effect member being of a general C-shape in horizontal cross-section, the opposed webs of which provide guides for the pin-blocking means of the control member, and support the intermediate web spaced from the generally vertically-extending support means, and the intermediate web provides a bottoming abutment for the pin-spring, the intermediate web being provided with an opening means for receiving the latch pin therethrough.
- 7. The invention as set forth in claim 4, in a combination in which the opening means of the intermediate web is provided to be operatively close to the shape of the latch pin so as to be a supporting guide for the latch pin in both its support position of abutment with the scaffold leg abutment and in its withdrawn position, and in its movement between said positions.
- 8. The invention as set forth in claim 5, in a combination in which the opening means of the intermediate web is provided to be operatively close to the shape of the latch pin so as to be a supporting guide for the latch pin in both its support position of abutment with the scaffold leg abutment and in its withdrawn position, and in its movement between said positions.
- 9. The invention as set forth in claim 6, in a combination in which the opening means of the intermediate web is provided to be operatively close to the shape of the latch pin so as to be a supporting guide for the latch pin in both its support position of abutment with the scaffold leg abutment and in its withdrawn position, and in its movement between said positions.
- 10. The invention as set forth in claim 4, in a combination in which there are provided a pair of bolt means operatively extending between the generally vertically-extending support means and the intermediate web of the plural-effect member, and on opposite sides of the latch pin and its path of travel, one of the bolt means being positioned away from the adjacent end of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, and the other one of the bolt means being positioned in the position of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, the control member's pin-blocking means being provided with a relief opening means accommodating the presence of the bolt means in and between both positions of the control member's pin-blocking means.
- 11. The invention as set forth in claim 5, in a combination in which there are provided a pair of bolt means operatively extending between the generally vertically-extending support means and the intermediate web of the plural-effect member, and on opposite sides of the latch pin and its path of travel, one of the bolt means being positioned away from the adjacent end of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, and the other one of the bolt means being positioned in the position of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, the control member's pin-blocking means being provided with a relief opening means accommodating the presence of the bolt means in and between both positions of the control member's pin-blocking means.
- 12. The invention as set forth in claim 6, in a combination in which there are provided a pair of bolt means operatively extending between the generally vertically-extending support means and the intermediate web of the plural-effect member, and on opposite sides of the latch pin and its path of travel, one of the bolt means being positioned away from the adjacent end of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, and the other one of the bolt means being positioned in the position of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positons of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, the control member's pin-blocking means being provided with a relief opening means accommodating the presence of the bolt means in and between both positions of the control member's pin-blocking means.
- 13. The invention as set forth in claim 7, in a combination in which there are provided a pair of bolt means operatively extending between the generally vertically-extending support means and the intermediate web of the plural-effect member, and on opposite sides of the latch pin and its path of travel, one of the bolt means being positioned away from the adjacent end of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, and the other one of the bolt means being positioned in the position of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, the control member's pin-blocking means being provided with a relief opening means accommodating the presence of the bolt means in and between both positions of the control member's pin-blocking means.
- 14. The invention as set forth in claim 8, in a combination in which there are provided a pair of bolt means operatively extending between the generally vertically-extending support means and the intermediate web of the plural-effect member, and on opposite sides of the latch pin and its path of travel, one of the bolt means being positioned away from the adjacent end of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, and the other one of the bolt means being positioned in the position of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, the control member's pin-blocking means being provided with a relief opening means accommodating the presence of the bolt means in and between both positions of the control member's pin-blocking means.
- 15. The invention as set forth in claim 9, in a combination in which there are provided a pair of bolt means operatively extending between the generally vertically-extending support means and the intermediate web of the plural-effect member, and on opposite sides of the latch pin and its path of travel, one of the bolt means being positioned away from the adjacent end of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, and the other one of the bolt means being positioned in the position of the pin-blocking means of the control member in both its positions of latch pin blocking and of being withdrawn from latch pin blocking, the control member's pin-blocking means being provided with a relief opening means presence of the bolt means in and between both positions of the control member's pin-blocking means.
- 16. A latch means for a scaffold, the scaffold having a support leg having an abutment against which a latch pin of the latch means abuts for supporting a support platform of the scaffold,
- the latch pin being supported to be movable into and between (a) a support position in which it abuts the leg abutment for supporting the platform and (b) a withdrawn position in which the latch pin is removed from the leg abutment to an abutment-release position for permitting a change of position of the platform with respect to the leg,
- the latch means having a manually-movable pin-release means which is operatively engageable with the latch pin to cause its movement to its said withdrawn position of leg-abutment release,
- the improvement for such a latch means, comprising:
- a movable control means having a pin-blocking means and an actuator means,
- there being provided support means for the movable control means such that its pin-blocking means is moved with respect to the latch pin and into and between (a) a pin-blocking position in which it engages with the latch pin for blocking movement of the latch pin from its position of leg-abutting platform support to its said withdrawn position, and (b) a non-blocking position with respect to the latch-pin, in which the pin-blocking means is withdrawn from the pin-blocking position and is out of engagement with the latch pin, permitting the latch pin to move to its withdrawn position of leg-abutment-release,
- and the actuator means of the control means engages with the manually-movable pin-release means, such that the actuator means of the control means is moved in response to pin-releasing movement of the manually-movable pin-release means, to actuate the control means to move its pin-blocking means to move to its withdrawn position in which it does not block the latch pin from moving to a position withdrawn from platform-supportive engagement with the leg abutment,
- the arrangement providing that the latch pin is operatively blocked from moving to its withdrawn position sufficiently to release its platform-supporting abutting engagement with the leg abutment unless the manually-movable pin-release means is then in its pinreleasing position.
- 17. The invention as set forth in claim 16 in a combination in which the manually-movable pin-release means of the latch means has (a) a relatively inactive position in which it is not operatively engaging the latch pin to cause its movement to its said withdrawn position, and (b) a relatively active position in which it is causing such pin-movement, and in which the operative engageability of the actuator means of the control means with the manually-movable pin-release means, and the support of the movable control means, is such that for the manually-movable pin-release means to move from its said relatively inactive position to its said relatively active position, the actuator means of the control means moves in such a way that the pin-blocking means of the control means is moved from its said pin-blocking position of engagement with the latch pin to its said non-blocking position with respect to the latch pin.
- 18. The invention as set forth in claim 17 in a combination in which spring means are provided which bias the control means to a condition with the pin-blocking means in pin-blocking position, thus assuring that unless the manually-movable pin-release means is being moved into or is in operative engagement with the latch pin to effect latch-pin withdrawal, the pin-blocking means of the control means will be in position to block the latch pin against movement into withdrawn position.
- 19. The invention as set forth in claim 16 in a combination in which the control means comprises a member form to have a general L-shape, one leg of it being supported in a generally vertical orientation for providing the the pin-blocking means, and the other leg of which being supported in a generally horizontal orientation for providing the actuator means of the control means, and providing that the control means is cammed by the manually-movable pin-release means to move the pin-blocking means of the control means away from its pin-blocking position engaging the latch pin as the manually-movable pin-release means is being moved to achieve movement of the latch pin to its said withdrawn position of abutment-release with respect to the scaffold leg.
- 20. The invention as set forth in claim 17 in a combination in which the control means comprises a member form to have a general L-shape, one leg of it being supported in a generally vertical orientation for providing the pin-blocking means, and the other leg of which being supported in a generally horizontal orientation for providing the actuator means of the control means; and providing that the control means is cammed by the manually-movable pin-release means to move the pin-blocking means of the control means away from its pin-blocking position as the manually-movable pin-release means is being moved to achieve movement of the latch pin to its said withdrawn position of abutment-release with respect to the scaffold leg.
- 21. The invention as set forth in claim 18 in a combination in which the control means comprises a member form to have a general L-shape, one leg of it being supported in a generally vertical orientation for providing the pin-blocking means, and the other leg of which being supported in a generally horizontal orientation for providing the actuator means of the control means; and providing that the control means is cammed by the manually-movable pin-release means to move the pin-blocking means of the control means away from its pin-blocking position as the manually-movable pin-release means is being moved to achieve movement of the latch pin to its said withdrawn position of abutment-release with respect to the scaffold leg.
- 22. A latch means for a scaffold, the scaffold having a support leg having an abutment against which a latch pin of the latch means abuts for supporting a support platform of the scaffold,
- the latch pin being supported to be movable into and between (a) a support position in which it abuts the leg abutment for supporting the platform and (b) a withdrawn position in which the latch pin is removed from the leg abutment to an abutment-release position for permitting a change of position of the platform with respect to the leg,
- there being a pin-spring which biases the latch pin to its platform-supporting position in which it abuts the leg abutment,
- there being a release lever means, having an actuator portion and an actuated portion, the actuator portion being manually movable to cause the actuated portion to operatively engage the latch pin and to cause its movement to its said withdrawn position of leg-abutment-release, against the bias of the pin-spring,
- the improvement for such a latch means, comprising:
- a movable control member having a pin-blocking means and an actuator means,
- support means which supports the control member in and between (a) a position in which its pin-blocking means is disposed in the path of, and in contact with the latch pin, thus blocking the latch pin from moving from its leg-abutting position of platform support to its withdrawn position, and (b) a position in which the control member's pin-blocking means is withdrawn from said path, and out of contact with said latch pin, thus permitting the latch pin to move to its withdrawn position of leg-abutment release,
- and the actuator means of the movable control member engaging the release lever means for co-ordinated movement such that the actuator means of the control member is moved in response to pin-releasing movement of the release lever means, to achieve movement of the control member to move its pin-blocking means to a withdrawn position in which the pin is movable to its withdrawn position of abutment-release with respect to the scaffold leg,
- the arrangement providing that the only time the latch pin can move to its withdrawn position sufficiently to release its abutment with the scaffold leg abutment of platform support is while the release lever means is being actuated to cause pin-withdrawal thrust upon the latch pin by force applied to the actuator portion of the release lever means.
- 23. The invention as set forth in claim 22, in a combination in which the control member is formed to have a general L-shape, one leg of it being supported in a generally vertical orientation for providing the pin-blocking means, and the other leg of which being supported in a generally horizontal orientation for providing the actuator means of the control member, and providing that the control member is moved by its being so interconnectd to the release lever means to move the pin-blocking means of the control member away from its pin-blocking position as the release lever means is being moved to achieve movement of the latch pin to its said withdrawn position of abutment-release with respect to the scaffold leg.
RELATION TO PENDING CASES
The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of pending U.S. patent applications, respectively Ser. No. 907,798 filed Sep. 16, 1986, and 934,825 filed Nov. 25, 1986 now abandoned, both entitled "Adjustable Scaffold Latch Means," all of the present inventor.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3396817 |
Perry |
Aug 1968 |
|
4159838 |
Wilzig et al. |
Jul 1979 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
677582 |
Aug 1952 |
GBX |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
907798 |
Sep 1986 |
|