U.S. patent application number 12/155575 was filed with the patent office on 2008-12-11 for size adjustable platform for scaffolding.
Invention is credited to Andre ST-GERMAIN, Luc TESSIER.
Application Number | 20080302605 12/155575 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40094824 |
Filed Date | 2008-12-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080302605 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ST-GERMAIN; Andre ; et
al. |
December 11, 2008 |
SIZE ADJUSTABLE PLATFORM FOR SCAFFOLDING
Abstract
A size-adjustable platform for scaffolding comprises a plurality
of overlapping sections extending from a central core, the sections
including separate panels reciprocable with respect to the central
core whereby the extent of the platform from the central core may
be varied in size upon actuation of a ram or equivalent to cater
for variable dimensions.
Inventors: |
ST-GERMAIN; Andre;
(St-Bonaventure, CA) ; TESSIER; Luc;
(St-Nicephore, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Franz BONSANG;c/o EQUINOX PROTECTION
410 - 1500, Du College
St-Laurent
QC
H4L 5G6
CA
|
Family ID: |
40094824 |
Appl. No.: |
12/155575 |
Filed: |
June 6, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60929044 |
Jun 8, 2007 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
182/223 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04G 1/36 20130101; E04G
2001/157 20130101; E04G 1/20 20130101; E04G 5/08 20130101; E04G
1/362 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
182/223 |
International
Class: |
E04G 5/08 20060101
E04G005/08 |
Claims
1. A size-adjustable platform for scaffolding comprising a
non-expandable portion securable to a moveable part of the
scaffolding, an expandable section releasably mounted on the
non-expandable portion, and an actuating mechanism adapted
selectively to move the said expandable section relative to the
non-expandable portion thereby to adjust the size of the
platform.
2. A size-adjustable platform according to claim 1, wherein the
platform is of annular shape for surrounding scaffolding erected at
the centre of the platform.
3. A size-adjustable platform according to claim 1, wherein the
platform is of rectilinear shape extending orthogonally from
scaffolding erected at the margin of the platform.
4. A size-adjustable platform for scaffolding comprising at least a
fixed first panel and a movable second panel mounted adjacent one
another, and an actuating mechanism connected to the first and
second panels adapted to selectively reciprocate the second panel
with respect to the first panel thereby to expand or reduce a size
of the platform.
5. A platform according to claim 4, wherein the platform includes a
third panel movably mounted on the second panel opposite the first
panel, and a synchronizing mechanism connected to the first, second
and third panels to synchronize displacement of the third panel
relative to the second panel with the displacement of the second
panel relative to the first panel.
6. A platform according to claim 5, wherein the platform is of
annular shape and each panel is of segmental shape with the second
panel overlying the first panel and the third panel overlying the
second panel.
7. A platform according to claim 5, wherein the third panel is an
outer circumferential panel and the outer circumferential panels of
the platform are arranged in paired sections with each pair
comprising an upper circumferential section and a lower
circumferential section secured one to the other side-by-side.
8. A platform according to claim 7, wherein each circumferential
section comprises a plurality of radially and telescopically
expandable sections, each adjacent pair being independently
expandable one from the other.
9. A platform according to claim 7, wherein adjacent pairs of outer
circumferential panels overlap one another in alternating manner
with each upper circumferential section being adjacent two lower
circumferential sections and vice-versa, the arrangement being such
that in both extended and retracted mode a continuity of platform
surface is achieved.
10. A platform according to claim 5, wherein the actuating
mechanism is hydraulically powered and comprises an actuating ram
extending between the first panel and the second panel.
11. A platform according to claim 10, wherein each panel is
provided therebeneath with a hollow beam, the ram extending between
the first panel beam and the second panel beam and the
synchronizing mechanism includes chains interconnecting the first
and third panel beams and engaging sprockets mounted on the second
panel beam, thereby allowing simultaneous radial displacements of
the first, second and third panels with the beams telescoping
relative to each other.
12. A platform according to claim 1, wherein a controller for the
actuating mechanism is provided on the non-extendable portion of
the platform.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] Benefit of U.S. Provisional Application for Patent Ser. No.
60/929,044 filed on Jun. 8, 2007, is hereby claimed.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to scaffolding, and is more
particularly concerned with a size-adjustable platform for use
therewith.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is known in the art of scaffolding to have a work
platform that is displaceable in a translational manner, towards
and away from an adjacent wall surface, as shown in U.S. Pat. No.
6,095,285 of one of the present inventors and granted on Aug. 1,
2000.
[0004] However, this type of displaceable platform leaves an area
uncovered when being displaced, which is not well suited for
application where the platform needs to be selectively either
enlarged or reduced in size to adapt to the varying available space
between the supporting tower structure and the adjacent wall
surface to be worked on and along which the platform is being
displaced. This is especially applicable when the platform is at
least partially annular in shape, such as when located inside a
furnace tower, chimney, silo or the like with a constantly varying
diameter along its axial length, for the cleaning and/or
maintenance and/or construction of the inside wall thereof.
[0005] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved work platform
for scaffolding and the like.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] It is therefore a general object of the present invention to
provide an improved work platform for scaffolding and the like.
[0007] An advantage of the present invention is that the work
platform is expandable to follow the contour and/or profile of a
surface, including obstacles and/or discontinuities thereof, along
which the platform is being rectilinearly displaced.
[0008] Another advantage of the present invention is that the work
platform is radially and telescopically expandable with a plurality
of radial sections.
[0009] A further advantage of the present invention is that the
work platform is made of a plurality of adjacent circumferential
sections independently expandable and retractable with respect to
one another.
[0010] A further advantage of the present invention is that the
work platform is easily and quickly mounted on and dismounted from
a site.
[0011] According to a first aspect of the invention there is
provided a size-adjustable platform for scaffolding comprising a
non-expandable portion securable to a movable part of the
scaffolding, an expandable section releasably mounted on the
non-expandable portion, and an actuating mechanism adapted
selectively to move the said expandable section relative to the
non-expandable portion thereby to adjust the size of the
platform.
[0012] The size-adjustable platform may be of annular shape for
surrounding scaffolding erected vertically at the centre of the
platform.
[0013] The size-adjustable platform may in the alternative be of
rectilinear shape extending orthogonally from scaffolding erected
at a margin of the platform.
[0014] According to a further aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a size-adjustable platform for scaffolding,
comprising at least a fixed first panel and a movable second panel
mounted adjacent one another, and an actuating mechanism connected
to the first and second panels and adapted to selectively
reciprocate the second panel with respect to the first panel
thereby to expand or reduce a size of the platform.
[0015] The platform may include a third panel movably mounted on
the second panel opposite the first panel, and a synchronizing
mechanism connected to the first, second and third panels to
synchronize displacement of the third panel relative to the second
panel with the displacement of the second panel relative to the
first panel.
[0016] The platform may conveniently be of annular form and each
panel may be of segmental shape with the second panel overlying the
first and when provided the third panel overlying the second.
[0017] Advantageously the third or outer circumferential panels are
arranged in pairs of sections, and each pair includes an upper
circumferential section and a lower circumferential section secured
one to the other side-by-side. Each circumferential section
preferably includes a plurality of radially and telescopically
expandable radial sections, each adjacent pair being independently
expandable one from the other.
[0018] Adjacent pairs of outer circumferential panels overlap one
another in alternating manner with each upper circumferential
section being adjacent two lower circumferential sections and
vice-versa, the arrangement being such that in either extended or
retracted mode a continuity of surface is achieved.
[0019] The actuating mechanism may be hydraulically or
pneumatically powered and may thus comprise an actuating ram
interconnecting the first and second panels. In an alternative
embodiment a screw drive may be provided to effect reciprocating
relative movement between the panels.
[0020] The synchronizing mechanism is associated with the actuating
mechanism and comprises for example chains interconnecting the
first and third panels, the chains being reeved over appropriate
sprockets associated with the second panels.
[0021] The synchronizing mechanism may further incorporate
telescoping beams which slide within one another and are mounted
beneath respective panels, whereby upon actuation of the actuating
mechanism relative movement is achieved in synchrony such that
relative movement is smooth with the outer panel moving twice as
fast as the middle panel in relation to the first fixed panel.
[0022] A controller for the actuating mechanism is advantageously
provided on the non-extendable part of the platform.
[0023] It will be understood that whilst the specific embodiment of
the invention has been defined in terms of an annular platform, a
rectilinearly-shaped platform also falls within the scope of the
present invention. Other objects and advantages of the present
invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the
detailed description provided herein, with appropriate reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will
become better understood with reference to the description in
association with the following Figures, in which similar references
used in different Figures denote similar components, wherein:
[0025] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a scaffolding assembly
having a work platform in accordance with an embodiment of the
present invention;
[0026] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view taken along line 2 of
FIG. 1, showing a pair of platform circumferential sections with
their respective three radial sections in a fully extended
configuration;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the pair of platform
circumferential sections of FIG. 2;
[0028] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, showing the pair of
platform circumferential sections with their respective three
radial sections in a fully retracted configuration; and
[0029] FIG. 5 is a schematic section view taken along line 5-5 of
FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] With reference to the annexed drawings the preferred
embodiments of the present invention will be herein described for
indicative purpose and by no means as of limitation.
[0031] Reference is now made to FIG. 1, there is shown a
scaffolding assembly 10 typically centrally and axially mounted
inside a large chimney 12 for cleaning or maintenance of the
internal wall surface thereof. The scaffolding assembly 10 includes
a main tower 14 supported at its base by a structure 16 mounted at
the bottom of the chimney 12, the assembly being typically further
secured at its top portion to the chimney structure generally
extending through the top opening of the chimney 12. A main sleeve
structure 18 surrounds the main tower 14 and is displaceable
therealong and secured thereto at any selected location. A work
platform, shown generally as 20, in accordance with an embodiment
of the present invention is releasably mounted onto the sleeve
structure 18, and defines an access opening 22 therethrough to
allow for the passage of a secondary sleeve structure 24 with its
secondary platform 26 attached thereto being displaceable along a
secondary tower 28, typically secured adjacent to the main tower
14, via its displacement mechanism 30 (motor cage thereof shown)
carried thereby. Both the main and secondary sleeve structures 18,
24 have a respective axial slit opening therealong to allow for the
passage of the tower-to-tower attachments (not shown) during
displacement along their respective towers 14, 28.
[0032] The secondary sleeve structure 24 and platform 26 are
generally used as an elevator to carry workers and/or materials to
and from the work platform 20. Similarly, the main sleeve structure
18 carries its own displacement mechanism (not shown).
Alternatively, the secondary sleeve structure 24 and platform 26
could also be used as a freight elevator, to carry and displace the
main sleeve structure 18 with the work platform 20 to different
locations along the main tower 14 where it is secured thereto. In
such a case, before displacement of the main sleeve structure 18,
the latter is connected to the secondary sleeve structure 24 before
it is disconnected from the main tower 14, and in reverse when the
desired location is reached.
[0033] The access opening 22 extends through a non-expandable
portion 32 of the work platform 20 releasably secured to the main
sleeve 18. The work platform 20 includes an expandable section 34
thereof and is releasably mounted onto the non-expandable portion
32. The expandable portion 34 includes a plurality of adjacent
circumferential platform sections 38 oriented towards a wall
surface to be worked on such as the chimney internal wall. Each
circumferential section 38 is radially expandable in order to allow
adjustment of the work platform 20 to the varying section of the
chimney 12. Each circumferential section 38 covers an angular
portion of an annular section of the work platform 20, such that
all circumferential sections 38 form an annular shaped outer
portion of the platform 20.
[0034] As shown more specifically in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5,
circumferential sections 38 are typically arranged in pairs 40 for
easy assembly of the platform 20. Each pair 40 includes an upper
circumferential section 38u and a lower circumferential section 38l
secured to one another side-by-side. Each circumferential section
38 includes a plurality of radially and telescopically expandable
radial sections 42. Although each circumferential section 38 is
independently expandable from each other, the two sections 38u, 38l
of the same pair 40 are arranged and connected to simultaneously
expand or retract, independently of any other pair 40, in order to
allow for local discontinuities or non-uniformity of the
surrounding section wall of the chimney 12.
[0035] For each circumferential section 38, the radial sections 42
thereof (three of which are shown in the figures) are movable
relative to each other in a radial direction, with the innermost
radial section 42i being fixed relative to the adjacent structure
32. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the two circumferential sections
38u, 38l of the pair 40 are shown in a fully extended
configuration, with the middle panels 44m of the middle radial
section 42m partially overlapping the corresponding inner panel
44i, and partially overlapped by the outer panel 44o of the
corresponding outermost radial section 42o (the covered outlines
being shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3). Similarly, middle and outer
panels 44m, 44o of the upper circumferential section 38u partially
overlap the corresponding panels of the adjacent lower
circumferential sections 38l, the one of the same pair 40 as well
as the one of the adjacent pair 40, such that the circumferential
sections 38 alternate as upper and lower sections when assembled,
as in FIG. 1 (with each upper circumferential section 38u adjacent
two lower circumferential sections 38l, and vice-versa).
[0036] FIG. 4 shows the two circumferential sections 38u, 38l of
the pair 40 in a fully retracted configuration, with most of the
inner panels 44i being covered by the corresponding middle panels
44m, which are themselves mostly covered by the corresponding outer
panels 44o, as highlighted by the dotted outlines.
[0037] The expansion actuating mechanism 46 of each circumferential
section 38 is conveniently a hydraulic ram (although other
mechanisms could be considered without deviating from the scope of
the present invention) with the cylinder section 48 pivotally
connected to a hollow inner beam 52i mounted under the inner panel
44i, and the piston section 50 connected to an inverted U-shaped
middle beam 52m mounted under the middle panel 44m. An inverted
U-shaped outer beam 52o, typically mounted under the outer panel
44o, is movably connected to the middle beam 52m typically via a
synchronizing mechanism 54 such as two chains 56 or the like,
connected to the inner and outer beams 52i, 52o at points 54i and
54o respectively, and respective sprockets 58 or the like mounted
on longitudinal ends of the middle beam 52m to allow for
simultaneous radial displacements of the outer beam 52o relative to
the middle beam 52m and of the middle beam 52m relative to the
inner beam 52i via the radial actuation of the hydraulic ram 46.
Typically, the outer beam 52o axially slides inside the middle beam
52m which axially slides inside the inner beam 52i, in the radial
direction of the work platform 20. Accordingly, the outer panel 44o
moves twice as fast as the corresponding middle panel 44m in
relation to the corresponding inner panel 44i.
[0038] The controller 33 (schematically shown) of all the expansion
actuating mechanisms 46 is conveniently located on the
non-expandable portion 32 of the work platform 20 adjacent the main
sleeve structure 18.
[0039] Although not shown herein, it would be obvious to one
skilled in the art that a similar size-expandable platform 20 could
be arranged in a rectilinear manner instead of a curved and arcuate
manner to allow accommodation within a chimney structure of
different cross-sectional shape, without deviating from the scope
of the present invention.
[0040] Although the present invention has been described with a
certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the
disclosure has been made by way of example only and is not limited
to the features of the embodiments described and illustrated
herein, but includes all variations and modifications within the
scope and spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
* * * * *