AU669575B2 - Support assembly - Google Patents

Description

Regulation 3.2 -1-

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 G4-CIM:Px2E]F SEKE -C!XFXIC1a1V I QbI S! V'7kn D1ZID 2nL 37kxE IrI 00000* 0000 O 0 000e 00 0 0 0 0t40*0 00 0 Oe#0 000000 APPLICANT: JOSEPH J BRYAN~T NUMBER: PL5881 FILING DATE: Invention Title: SUPPORT ASSEMBLY The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 "SUPPORT ASSEMBLY" This invention relates to a support assembly, a platform support apparatus and a method of erecting a platform.

The invention has particular but not exclusive application to workers' platforms for supporting a person such as when effecting house repairs and maintenance and, for example, when cleaning leaves and debris from gutters. For illustrative purposes reference will be made to such application, however it should be understood that the invention could be used in other arrangements where there is a requirement to support a person or object on a platform or the like above a ground or fluor surface.

Workers' platforms are well known. In one arrangement, utilised to provide access to house gutters and roof tiles the worker is supported by one of the steps of a step ladder. In another known arrangement the worker is supported by a platform or scaffold board supported at each of its ends on a trestle. In another known arrangement utilised when painting an exterior wall of a building, a scaffolding assembly provided with a 4 0series of platforms is positioned alongside the wall to be painted.

25 The present invention aims to provide a useful alternative support assembly, platform support apparatus r and/or platform erection method which will be reliable and efficient in use.

CI ItWith the foregoing in view, this invention in one aspect resides broadly in a support assembly including:support means for supporting a platform, and longitudinally extending engagement means connected to said support means for engaging the side edges of said platform and adapted to closely receive or be closely received by a side edge of said platform; whereby in use said platform is supported by said support assembly at least partially by the engagement of the side edges of said platform by the longitudinally

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extending engagement means of opposed pairs of support assemblies.

As used herein the expression "platform" 2 includes planks, boards, flooring, decking and other platform-like material and also includes ladders and the like.

The engagement means suitably engages the platform releasably. The engagement means may be a longitudinally extending channel member adapted to closely receive a platform in the form of a plank, or alternatively the engagement means may be a longitudinally extending member adapted to be closely received by a channel shaped stile of a platform in the form of a ladder.

The engagement m~eans can be spring loaded to releasably and fixedly engage the platform but it is preferred that the assembly includes fastening means for releasably fastening the engagement means to the platform.

Tho assembly may include a leg member releasably engageable with the support means.

20 It is also preferred that the support means includes height adjustment means for selectively varying t'-he height of the platform and that the leg member includes length adjustment means for selectively varying the operative length of the leg member. The height 25 adjustment means and the length adjustment means may include apertures in the support means and the leg member respectively, the apertures being adapted to receive a lock bolt therethrough for locking the leg to the support means.

Suitably the leg member is slidably received by the support means.

In another aspect this invention resides broadly in a platform support apparatus including a plurality of support assemblies as defined above, wherein the support assemblies are adapted for arrangement in opposed pairs for supporting a platfolm therebetween and the fastening means are adapted to clamp the platform between the Sopposed pairs.

04 o 0 0 00 a 000 0 004000 a 000 0 o 0 a ut @0 0 00 a 040 a 00 0 00 0 0 0 0 O 00 04 00 00 a 0 04 00 C a a 0 004 a L Li J2CL In a f urther aspect this invention resides broadly in a method of erecting a platform, the method including: providing a plurality of support assemblies as o *4 4 4 4 4 defined above; fastening the platform between opposed pairs of the support assemblies by the fastening means, and selectively locking the leg members to respective support means.

The support assembly can be adapted to be located at any suitable position along the length of the platform and s'itably the platform support apparatus includes a pair of support assemblies, each adapted to be located adjacent a respective end of the platform. The support assembly may include a pair of engagement (or connection) means which extend either side of the platform and which may be interconnected to provide stability and act as an additional support for the platform.

The platform may be formed of any suitable material and may be of any suitable shape. In one arrangement a ladder is utilised as the platform and a flooring means may be positioned on top of the rungs to distribute the load of the worker and also to provide a continuous 20 support surface.

r In another arrangement the platform is adapted to support a step ladder or the like and anchor means may be provided to anchor the step ladder to the platform. Any suitable means may be utilised to anchor the step ladder to the platform, for example by anchoring the platform to the stiles of the ladder or to one of the ladder 00 00, o steps/rungs. The platform may take the form of two elongated lengths of material placed side by side and spaced from each other by anchor means adapted to anchor the platform to the step ladder. The anchor means may boe adapted for adjustable longitudinal movement along the space between the lengths of material to cater for different positions of the step ladder.

The support assembly may be attached to the platform such as by welding, or it may be detachably connected to the platform as described above.

The engagement (or connection) means may be formed integral with or separate from the support means, and may be f ormed of any convenient material .The engagement (or connection) means and the platform may be provided with fastening means in the form of complementary engagement means to releasably connect the platform support apparatus to the platform. For example when a ladder is utilised as the platform, the fastening means may be adapted to interengage with the ladder rungs. In one arrangement, where a metal ladder having hollow rungs is utilised, the fastening means is at least partially received within the hollow of one of the rungs.

In yet another aspect this invention resides broadly in a ladder having stiles provided with a support assembly as described above.

In order that this invention may be more easily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawingG which illustrate preferred embodiments of the inventionr wherein:- FIG Ilis a perspective view of a first embodiment of a platform support apparatus of the invention; FIG 2 is an enlarged part perspective view of FIG 1; FIG 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a platform support apparatus of -the invention; FIG 4 is a part side view of the platform apparatus of FIG 3; FIGS 5 and 6 are perspective views of another f orm of support assembly; FIGS 7 and 8 are cross-sectional side and end elevations respectively of the support assembly illustrated in FIGS 5 and 6 with a leg affixed, and 30 FIG 9 is a perspective view of a further f orm, of support assembly.

1 The platform support apparatus 10 illustrated in FIG supot a ea adr1 ain olwrns1 n I suprsamtllde 2hvn olwrns1 n is pz. vided with ladder support means 16 adjacent each end of the ladder. Each support means 16 includes a pair of tubular legs 18 which extend either side of the ladder and are splayed outwardly at their bases to facilitate stability. The legs are provided with a series of 6 aligned height adjustment apertures 20 spaced apart by approximately Each leg 18 is slidably received within a connection bracket 22. As best seen in FIG 2 each connection bracket includes a substantially horizontal elongated attachment plate 24 adapted to bear against a stile 26 of the ladder. The attachment plate is provided with an aperture 28 adjacent each of its ends. A generally vertical support member 30 is connected by welding to the attachment plate 24 by spacer 25, and an angular support brace 31 interconnects the horizontal plate 24 and vertical support 30. The vertical support 30 also carries upper and lower tubular guides 32 at its ends, each of the tubular guides 32 being provided with locking apertures 34. The upper and lower locking apertures are spaced apart by approximately In operation, the four connection brackets 22 are o. first attached to the stiles of the ladder. The oo0connection is effected by bolts 36 which extend through the attachment plate apertures 28 of a connection bracket positioned one side of the ladder, through the hollows of 00 a pair of ladder rungs 14 and finally through the attachment plate apertures 28 of an aligned second connection bracket positioned on the other side of the ladder. The legs 18 are then fed into the bores of their respective connection bracket guides 32 and each leg is individually height adjusted to compensate for any uneven ground surface. The height adjustment is effected by Q sliding the leg within the bracket guides 32 until the .9 30 desired height is obtained and then locking the leg in position by passing a bolt 38 through either the top or bottom connection bracket locking apertures 34 and appropriate leg height adjustment apertures 20. The 2Scm spacing between the upper and lower bracket apertures 34 is different to, and not a multiple of, the 10cm spacing between the leg apertures 20 for the purpose of obtaining a relatively fine height adjustment without having too many apertures 20 in the legs which could overly weaken

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7 the legs.

One or both of the connection bracket attachment plate apertures 28 may be in the form of an elongated slot to accommodate adjustment for different ladder rung spacings. The rear of the connection bracket attachment plate 24 may be provided with a pair of tubular engagement spigots to be received within the hollow rungs 14 thus providing an imiproved positive engagement and alignment between the ladder and the connection bracket.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS 3 and 4, the platform support apparatus 50 supports a platform 52 provided with platform support means 54 adjacent each end of the platf orm. The platform is in the f orm of two elongated lengths of metal sheeting 56 of inverted U shaped cross-section. The sheets 56 are spaced from each other by a pair of spacers/anchors 58 which are freely slidable longitudinally within the space between the o 0sheets. Each spacer 58 is provided with a central o:00o threaded bore 60 and side grooves 62 to embrace the edges of the sheets 56 and thus prevent vertical relative movement. Each support means 54 includes a pair of tubular legs 18 provided with alignment apertures 20. The tubular legs are also provided with a rubber foot 64 at 0 25 their lowen end and an end cap 66 at their upper end.

Each leg 18 is slidably received within a connection bracket 68. The connection bracket includes a generally vertical support member 70 and an angular support brace 72 both of which a7.e connected to a respective platform hsheet 56 by welding. A pair of connection brackets 68 are located at each end of the platform and, as best seen in FIG 4, the brackets of each pair are interconnected by a combined brace and platform support member 76. The vertical support 70 carries upper 32A and lower 32B tubular guides at its ends, each of the guides being provided with locking apertures 34.

In operation, the connection brackets and platform assembly is placed in a convenient location and the legs 18 are fed, rubber fcot 64 first, downwardly into the 8 bores of their respective connection bracket guides 32A and 32B and each leg is individually height adjusted in the same way as that of the first embodiment. The leg end cap 66 is a safety device to avoid the top of the leg being fed below the upper tubular guide 32A. The spacers/anchors 58 are then fed along the space between the platform sheets and positioned to align with apertures 78 provided in step ladder steps 80. The stiles 82 of the step ladder extend either side of the platform and the ladder is anchored in position by bolts 84 which pass through the ladder step apertures 78 and engage with the threaded bores 60 of the spacer/anchors 58.

In the alternative form of the invention illustrated in FIGS 5 to 8, a support assembly 100 consists of a rectangular length of aluminium tubing 102 to which is welded at an outwardly splayed angle another length of 0 aluminium tubing 104. Tubing 102 constitutes platform engagement means and tubing 104 constitutes support means. Engagement tubing 102 is adapted to be closely received within the channel shaped stiles of an aluminium ba° 6ladder. A pair of rectangular metal hoops 112 are welded to opposite ends o2 support tubing 104 and hoops 112 are adapted to closely and slidably receive a leg 11:4 in the ooo 25 form of a square aluminium tube.

S"A pair of plates 106 are welded to support tubing 104 proximate the ends thereof. Plates 106 contain a i inumber of equidistantly spaced threaded apertures 107, aligned with apertures 108 in support tubing 104, and spaced apart an integral fraction of the distance between apertures 116 in leg 114. Apertures 116, 107 and 108 are adapted to receive threaded locking bolts 118 for releasably fixing leg 114 to support tubing 104.

Platform engagement tubing 102 includes a pair of apertures 122 spaced apart an equivalent distance to the rungs on a standard ladder. Apertures 122 are flanked by a pair of shallow ribs 110 for slightly raising engagement tubing 102 above the weld seam joining 'the I~ I 9 rungs on a standard ladder. Apertures 122 are flanked by a pair of shallow ribs 110 for slightly raising engagement tubing 102 above the weld seam joining the ladder rung to the ladder style.

Alternatively in a support assembly 124 illustrated in FIG 9, the platform engagement means may comprise a length of channel 120 for receiving therein either the edge of a platform in the form of a plank or the stile of a ladder being used as a platform.

1 0 The embodiments of the invention provide useful alternatives to platform arrangements known to the applicant. When cleaning gutters, for example, the apparatus of the embodiments tends to be more stable and allows the worker to clean a larger length of guttering in one operation than if the conventional "ladder against a wall" method was utilised. The apparatus of the first and third embodiments can be relatively inexpensive similar to the one utilised as the platform in the embodiment and this dispenses with the need to buy a platform. Also the apparatus of the first and third embodiments has the advantage that the ladder provides :1 the dual function of a workers platform and also it can be used as a conventional ladder. The apparatus can be S 25 readily dismantled and takes up relatively little storage space.

It will of course be realised that whilst the above has been given by way of an illustrative example of this invention, all such and other modifications and variations hereto, as would be apparent to persons 4 4 Jskilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of this invention as is hereinafter claimed.

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Claims (8)

1. A support assembly including:- support means for supporting a platform, and longitudinally extending engagement means connected to said support means for engaging the side edges of said platform and adapted to closely receive or be closely received by a side edge of said platform; Swhereby in use said platform is supported by said support assembly at least partially by the engagement of the side edges of said platform by the longitudinally extending engagement means of opposed pairs of support assemblies.

2. A support assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engagement means is a longitudinally extending channel member adapted to closely receive a platform in the form of a plank.

3. A support assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said engagement means is a longitudinally extending member adapted to be closely received by a channel shaped stile of a platform in the form of a ladder. l 25 4. A support assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said assembly includes fastening means for releasably fastening said engagement means to said platform. S* 4

5. A support assembly as claimed in any one of the y preceding claims, wherein said assembly includes a leg member releasably engageable with said support means.

6. A support assembly as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said support means includes height adjustment means for selectively varying the height of said platform. or- Is [i7. A support assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said leg member includes length adjustment means for selectively varying the operative length of said leg member.

8. A support assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein said height adjustment means and said length adjustment means include apertures in said support means and said leg member respectively, said apertures being adapted to receive a loock bolt therethrough for locking said leg to said support means.

9. A support assembly as claimed in any one of claims to 8, wherein said leg member is slidably received by said support means. A platform support assembly including a plurality of support assemblies as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 9, wherein said support assemblies are adapted for arrangement in opposed pairs for supporting a platform 4 4therebetween and said fastening means are adapted to clamp said platform between said opposed pairs.

11. A method of erecting a platform, said method I 25 including:- providing a plurality of support assemblies as I defined in any one of claims 4 to 9; 9 OV. astening said platf orm between opposed pairs of 1 *said support assemblies by said fastening means, and q t 30 selectively locking said leg members to respective support means. DATED this FOURTH day of MARCH 1996. JOSEPH J BRYANT by PIZZEYS 12 ABSTRACT A support assembly for an elevated platform has a longitudinally extending member 24 adapted to be closely received by a channel shaped stile 26 of a ladder 12 used as a platform, a support 30 attached to the longitudinal member and fastening means 36 for releasably fastening the engagement means to the ladder. 00 0 0 coona o 00 a a 0 b «o t