Patent Application
20230407650
A number of patents and or publications have been made to address scaffolding issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,584,803 issued on Nov. 19, 2013, to Roberto Ubaldo Arduino Sani and is titled Multi-Point Suspended Scaffold. This patent discloses a multi-point suspended scaffold utilizes a pair of spaced scaffold frames, each of which is provided with suspension cables which support the scaffold from outrigger beams of a building. The two scaffold frames are connected to each other by wire mesh trusses. These wire mesh trusses incorporate guard rails, toe boards, and an object retaining mesh. Upper and lower cross braces are also secured between adjacent ones of the scaffold frames. The cooperation of the wire mesh trusses, the cross bracing and the use of secured footboards provides a suspended scaffold that is structurally rigid while being easily assembled and disassembled. While this patent is for a scaffold it uses filed length and size parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 10,995,504 issued on May 4, 2021, to David S. Cook and is titled Scaffold Stabilizer. This patent discloses a stabilizer, especially for a typical interior style baker scaffold, painters' scaffold, and the like; used in homes and or buildings largely by various trades reduces the undesired movement of the scaffold. The stabilizer includes a first C-shaped coupler to secure a support bar at a first bar end and a second C-shaped coupler to support a second bar end to the scaffold. This stabilizer will adapt to the typical scaffold frame, and works to eliminate the wobble, wiggle, shake and sway from the scaffold when it is erected as a single piece or as multiple pieces stacked on top of themselves for additional height. While this patent is for a stabilizer, the stabilizers are fabricated in fixed lengths.
U.S. Pat. No. 11,255,095 issued on Feb. 22, 2022? to Peter Rogers and is titled Modified Ledger and Modular Scaffold System with Continuous Work Surface. This patent discloses a scaffold ledger providing a raised support surface of the elongate structural member with the opposed ledger heads being downwardly and outwardly offset. Each ledger head includes cover flaps that extend the raised support surface above the ledger heads in a cover position. The scaffold ledger cooperates with scaffold posts and scaffold planks to allow for a continuous work platform above an intermediate scaffold support post and/or across supporting ledgers. While this patent is for a modular scaffold the parts are fabricated in fixed lengths and do not include diagonal stabilizers.
What is needed is a scaffolding system that uses universal and adjustable components that allows the components to be adjusted as the scaffolding is erected so the erection and removal can be quickly accomplished in an efficient manner. The scaffolding system described in this application provides the solution.
This invention relates to improvements in a scaffolding system. More particularly, the present scaffolding system allows for quick installation and stability for a scaffold with more universal components to minimize custom parts for different structural components.
Scaffolding is used for a variety of purposes from painting to construction. For most applications the scaffolding is assembled and disassembled when and where needed to perform and elevated structure. Because the scaffold is often used for a short or limited period of time it is important that the scaffolding can be quickly assembled and disassembled and any additional time in constructing, and removal of the scaffolding is usually not profitable. In addition to the time of erecting and removal is to use as many universal parts as possible to minimize the number of distinct parts and components that must be inventoried.
It is an object of the scaffolding system to include an adjustable stabilizer. Stabilizers are placed at diagonal positions to prevent the scaffolding from becoming unstable. Typical stabilizers are fabricated at a fixed length to minimize the potential for the scaffolding from tipping of translating. The adjustable stabilizer uses telescoping tubing with locking pins that fix the length of the stabilizer.
It is another object of the scaffolding system to include an access gate. The access gate provides both access to inside the elevated structure and safety to prevent a person from falling out of a scaffold opening. The access gate is secured to the frame of the scaffold and is opened by lifting one or both sides of the gate to allow the gate to hinge from the central span of the gate.
It is another object of the scaffolding system to include a variety of toe board brackets. The different toe board brackets are configured to be installed on any standard, mid-rail or end frame of the scaffolding depending on the side or corner that is required. A toe board prevents material from falling and employees from slipping off the scaffolding. A standard toe board must be 4 inches minimum height from its top edge to the level of the working surface, and securely fastened in place. The toe board bracket is installed quickly on the standard or mid-rail and transom or ledger.
It is another object of the scaffolding system double toe board bracket where the scaffolding extends in an elongated condition along the scaffolding. The double toe board allows for a nearly infinite length of scaffolding to be used to provide a protective barrier that is placed near the ground or walking surface, They are often used when there is a risk that took or other objects could fall onto a person from a platform or other raised area, or through a floor opening or hole.
It is still another object of the scaffolding system that can be quickly and universally installed and with minimal or no tools in a variety of configurations. This provides versatility for the scaffolding system to be used and reconfigured as needed for the application with limited wasted time in setting-up and disassembly of the scaffold at a location where elevated work is required.
Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components.
It will be readily understood that the components of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the drawings herein, could be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the following more detailed description of the embodiments of the system and method of the present invention, as represented in the drawings, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention but is merely representative of various embodiments of the invention. The illustrated embodiments of the invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout.
While this technology is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail several specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the technology and is not intended to limit the technology to the embodiments illustrated. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the technology. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” and/or “including,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. It will be understood that like or analogous elements and/or components, referred to herein, may be identified throughout the drawings with like reference characters.
A guard rail 15 extends horizontally around the top of the scaffold 10 to protect workers inside on the top of the scaffold 10 as they stand on a working platform 86. On one (or more) side of the top of the scaffold is an access gate 40 that allows workers to the inside of working platform 86. The access gate 40 is connected or otherwise integrated onto the end frame 11 pipes and can hinge to allow access. Around the sides of the working platform 86 is a vertical border for a toe board 84 that prevents material from falling over the side of the elevated working platform 86 and onto people or the ground under the scaffold 10. The connection of the toe board 84 to the scaffold is with brackets 61 that sit of the tubular frame members. In this example only corner brackets 61 are shown, but a variety of brackets 61 are configured for corners, straight scaffolding sections and to accommodate the width of the boards that are used to create the working platform 86. The various configurations of brackets 61 are shown and described in other figures herein.
The notch 35 in the coupling end 30 is securable onto a post (not shown) in the scaffold. One end of the coupling end 30 is tubular and slides or telescopes within the central tube. There is a transition 31 in the tube so the second end of the coupling end tube 30 is flattened to accept a gate 32 that rotates over the flattened end and the notch 35. The gate rotates 97 on a pivot 36 to capture a post (not shown) within an opening 34 in gate 32. A hole 37 in gate 32 is used for a pin that locks gate 32 in a closed position on the post (not shown) to prevent accidental opening of gate 32. There is also a lock 33 hole that holds gate 32 open to allow the cross brace 20 to be easily hooked onto the post (not shown) in notch 35. The hole(s) 23 are shown placed at one-foot increments to make the distance between the notched 35 adjustable in one-foot increments. It should be understood that the minimum and maximum length between the notches 35 are limited to by the length of the tube 22 and the tube 22 can be made longer to create a longer cross brace 20 and shown and described in other figures herein.
The adjustment is by depressing button 26 such that the button is pressed below the inside diameter of the outer tube 27. The inner tube 28 can then be extended or slid 93 in or out to the desired length and the button 26 extends through the desired hole 23 to retain the length of the adjustable rail or cross brace 20/21. The outer tube 27 can be configured with an inner recess that tracks the button 26 to prevent rotation of the
Each coupling end 30 has a notch 35 for securing the cross brace 20 on a scaffold. The notch 35 in the coupling end 30 is securable onto a post (not shown) in the scaffold. One end of the coupling end 30 is tubular and slides or telescopes within the central tube. There is a transition 31 in the tube so the second end of the coupling end tube 30 is flattened to accept a gate 32 that rotates over the flattened end and the notch 35. The gate rotates 97 on a pivot 36 to capture a post (not shown) within an opening 34 in gate 32. A hole 37 in gate 32 is used for a pin that locks gate 32 in a closed position on the post (not shown) to prevent accidental opening of gate 32. There is also a lock 33 hole that holds gate 32 open to allow the cross brace 20 to be easily hooked onto the post (not shown) in notch 35. The hole(s) 23 are shown placed at ½ foot increments to make the distance between the notched 35 adjustable in one-foot increments.
The bottom tube(s) 46 have aligned sections of tube 47 or pipe with an “L” rod 38 that can be slid 93 through the tube(s) 47 to prevent the access gate 40 from swinging 94 from on the hinge(s) 44. The “L” rod 38 operates as a holding mechanism that is configured to retain the two similar sections in a linear configuration. On the inside of the vertical tube 42 is pin 39 where the previously shown and disclosed brace 20 or 21 can be connected to provide lateral support. Extending out the upper end 49 of the vertical tube 42 is a coupling 50. The coupling has a hole 51 for a pin to pass therethrough to lock vertical movement of the access gate 40. A tab 52 extends out of the upper end of the coupling that can rotate with the access gate 40 to lock the tab 52 into scaffolding that may be inserted above and into the coupling 50.
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While four versions and configurations are shown and described, various other configurations are contemplated to accommodate quick installation and removal of toe boards on a scaffold. The toe board retainers are fabricated from metal components that are connected with welding or the like. After fabrication, the assemblies are painted, or powder coated for corrosion and rust protection.
Thus, specific embodiments of a scaffolding system have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/352,365 filed Jun. 15, 2022, the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63352365 | Jun 2022 | US |
