Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to scaffolding systems, in particular a scaffold
deck, and
the hooks that are attached to the end of the decks.
Background of the Invention
It is known in typical scaffold assemblies to connect adjacent scaffold decks
in an end to
end manner by having the adjacent decks hook on to the same scaffold bar. This
allows the
worker to walk from one scaffold deck to another.
However, such an arrangement has certain disadvantages. When typical scaffold
decks
are arranged in an end to end manner, there is usually a significant gap
between them. This
creates a dangerous work environment should someone trip in the gap,
especially since they
would most likely be several stories high. Another disadvantage is that
sometimes if all the
weight is shifted in a certain area part of the scaffold deck could raise off
the bar, creating
another hazard.
There currently exists several different variations for decks and hooking
devices for use
in a scaffold assembly which are designed to increase safety. However, each of
these designs
has its own various drawbacks.
In US 6,530,456 by Wallther a type of locking hook for a scaffold device is
disclosed.
This device does prevent the scaffold deck from raising up from its stable
position on the bar,
however, the hook involves moving parts which would increase the difficulty of
removing the
decks in a quick and easy manner. As well, there would still be a gap between
adjacent decks,
which could create a problem.
There are several designs to cover the open space between adjacent decks, such
as
US 4,802,553 by Waters et al and US 5,279,193 by Huffine. These patents
disclose the top
portion of the deck extending beyond the frame of the deck and between the
hooks to cover the
open space. As well, the hooks are offset, so that when placed on a bar
adjacent to another
similar deck, they will be aligned.
A slightly different design is disclosed in US 6,745,871 by Armstrong, where
there is at
least 3 hooks at each end, with tabs extending over each hook, forming notches
where the tabs
from an adjacent deck fit in. However, although these designs adequately fill
the open gap
between adjacent decks, there is nothing in the design to prevent the deck
from becoming
unhooked from the bar, creating a possibly dangerous situation.
US 5,704,449 by Ono is similar to the Armstrong device, in that there is a
plurality of
notches and tabs, which, when fitted together, cover the gap between scaffold
decks. As well,
there is a stopper, which engages the underside of the bar, to secure the deck
in place.
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However, this design is extremely complex, with several small, moving parts.
There would be
difficulty in removing the deck quickly and easily.
There does exist US 4,445,590 by Ihrman, which discloses a deck with a
connector at each
end instead of hooks. Each connector has a horizontal flat portion with a
transverse slit in it, and a
folded-down tongue portion. When the connectors from adjacent decks are places
in an overlapping
configuration, the tongue from the bottom connector engages one side of the
bar, while the tongue
from the upper connector protrudes through the slit in the bottom connector
and engages the
opposite side of the bar. However, having to manoeuver a tongue portion into a
narrow slit while
standing underneath would be extremely difficult, especially if standing on
another scaffold deck, a
few stories high. Another disadvantage is that the overlapping of the
connectors would create a
dangerous trip hazard for a worker.
There remains a need for a safe and secure scaffold deck, which does not have
a gap
between adjacent decks and will not accidentally become unhooked from the
scaffold bar, yet is also
simple in design and easy to use.
Summary of the Invention
In the preferred embodiment there is a deck to be removably secured to a
scaffold assembly,
comprising a plurality of rails forming a rectangular frame with a first end
and a second end, at least
two first hooks attached to and extending from a rail at the first end of the
frame, at least two second
hooks attached to and extending from a rail at the second end of the frame,
and a flat top with a first
end and a second end attached to the frame, dimensioned so that the top has a
width approximately
the same as the frame width and a length such that the second end of the top
is approximately flush
with the second end of the frame and the first end of the top extends beyond
the first end of the
frame so that the first end of the top extends over the first hooks. An
additional feature of the
embodiment is that the first hooks include a bottom ridge for securing the
underside of a bar.
Additionally, the first and second hooks are generally located at the corners
of the rectangular frame
and are offset laterally from the hooks at the other end, to permit multiple
decks to be aligned with
one another. As well, in the preferred embodiment, the top may be made of
plywood, aluminum, or
steel.
Another feature of the present invention is a hook to be attached to a
scaffold deck,
comprising a body, means to secure the body to the scaffold deck, an upper
tongue member for
resting on a bar, and a bottom ridge for securing the underside of the bar
dimensioned so that the
bar can pass between the upper tongue member and the bottom ridge. In the
preferred embodiment
of this device the securing means are a plurality of spaced apertures.
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In a broad aspect, the present invention provides a deck configured to be
removably
secured to a scaffold assembly, comprising: a) a plurality of rails forming a
rectangular frame
with a first end and a second end, b) at least two first hooks each of which
is provided with an
upper hook arm attached to and extending outwardly from a rail at the first
end of the frame,
each of said first hooks also having a bottom ridge extending away from said
rail and spaced
from said upper hook arm of said first hook to accept a scaffold bar between
said upper hook
arm and said bottom ridge; c) at least two second hooks attached to a rail at
the second end of
the frame, each said second hook having an upper hook arm extending beyond
said second
end of said frame; and d) a flat rectangular top with a first end and a second
end attached to the
frame, dimensioned so that the top has a width approximately the same as the
frame width and
a length such that the second end of the top is approximately flush with the
second end of the
frame and the first end of the top extends beyond the first end of the frame
fully over the upper
hook arms of said first hooks, wherein when a pair of said decks are assembled
on a scaffold in
an end to end relationship, the upper hook arms of the second end of a first
deck, positioned
over said lateral scaffold bar, are covered by and flush with the portion of
the flat top extending
over the upper hook arms at the first end of a second adjacent deck, said
first end of said
second deck being secured against vertical movement relative to said bar by
said bottom ridge,
and the upper hook arms of the second hook of said first deck being captive
between said
lateral scaffold bar and said flat top.
In another broad aspect, the present invention provides a hook configured to
be
attached to a scaffold deck, comprising: a) a body; b) means for securing the
body to the
scaffold deck; c) an upper tongue member having a curved surface and
configured for resting
on a scaffold bar; and d) a bottom ridge defined by a curved surface and a
flat surface for
securing the underside of the bar dimensioned so that the bar can pass between
the upper
tongue member and the bottom ridge, said curved surfaces of said upper tongue
member and
said bottom ridge forming a continuous inner surface, said bottom ridge
extending away from
the scaffold deck and vertically spaced from said upper tongue member of said
first hook to
accept the scaffold bar between said upper tongue member and said bottom
ridge.
In another broad aspect, the present invention provides a deck configured to
be
removably secured to a scaffold assembly, comprising: a) a plurality of rails
forming a
rectangular frame with a first end and a second end; b) at least two first
hooks attached to and
extending outwardly from a rail at the first end of the frame, wherein the
first hooks include: i) a
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body; ii) means for securing the body to the rectangular frame; iii) an upper
tongue member for
resting on a bar; and iv) a bottom ridge for securing the underside of the
bar, dimensioned so
that the bar can pass between the upper tongue member and the bottom ridge,
said bottom
ridge extending away from said frame and vertically spaced from said upper
tongue member of
each said first hook to accept the scaffold bar between said upper tongue
member and said
bottom ridge; c) at least two second hooks attached to and extending from a
rail at the second
end of the frame; and d) a flat top with a first end and a second end attached
to the frame,
dimensioned so that the top has a width approximately the same as the frame
width and a
length such that the second end of the top is approximately flush with the
second end of the
frame and the first end of the top extends beyond the first end of the frame
and over the first
hooks.
Other aspects and advantages of the device will become apparent from the
following
Detailed Description and the accompanying drawings.
Brief Description of Drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the deck.
Fig. 2 is a side view of two adjacent decks hooked on to the same bar.
Fig. 3 is a bottom view of a deck.
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Fig. 4 is a top view of a deck.
Fig. 5 is an end view of a deck.
Fig. 6 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the first hook.
Fig. 7 is a side view of the second hook.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment
With reference to Figure 1, a deck 10 to be removably secured to a scaffold
assembly
comprises a pair of side rails 12 and end rails 14, a pair of first hooks 16
and second hooks 18,
and a top 20. The top 20 is dimensioned so that at the end with the second
hooks 18 the edge
of top 20 is approximately even with the end rails 14, so that the second
hooks 18 extend
beyond the edge of the top 20. At the opposite end, the top 20 extends beyond
the end rail 14,
so that the top 20 is over top of the first hooks 16. This can be seen in
Figures 1-4.
The preferred embodiment of the side rails 12 can be seen in Figure 5. As can
be seen,
the side rail 12 folds around the side edge of the top 20, leaving the ends of
the top 20 open.
At one end, the end with the first hooks 16, the top 20 extends beyond the end
of the side rails
12. Although this design is preferred, any type of side rail that functions in
a similar manner
may be used.
Figures 6 and 7 show the preferred embodiments of a first hook 16 and a second
hook
18, respectively. As shown in Figure 6, the first hooks 16 comprise a hook
body 22, a plurality
of spaced apertures 24, an upper tongue member 26, and a bottom ridge 28. As
seen in
Figure 2, when in use with a scaffold system, the upper tongue member 26 rests
on a scaffold
bar 30, while the bottom ridge 28 engages the underside of the bar 30, thus
firmly securing the
bar 30 within the hook 16. It should be noted that although these are the
preferred
embodiments of the hooks used, any type of hook may be used with the deck 10
that allows the
deck 10 to be supported upon the scaffold bars 30.
As can be seen in Figure 3, the hooks 16 and 18 are generally located at the
corners of
the deck 10, where the side rails 12 meet the end rails 14. In the preferred
embodiment, the
first hooks 16 and the second hooks 18 are offset laterally from the hooks at
the opposite end,
as shown in Figure 3. This allows multiple decks 10 to be aligned with one
another when
placed in an end to end arrangement.
The preferred embodiment of the deck 10 can be seen in use in Figure 2. When
installing, the first deck 10a would be hooked on to the scaffold bar 30 first
with the second
hooks 18 on the left, hooked on to the bar 30 as shown in Figure 2. Then, once
the first deck
10a is secure, the second deck 10b is hooked on as shown, with the first hooks
16 hooked on
to the bar 30 as shown, so that the top 20 which extends over the first hooks
16 on the second
deck 10b also will be extending over the second hooks 18 on the first deck
10a. The top 20
extending over both sets of hooks prevents the first deck 10a from raising up
from the bar 30.
This is then continued as a third deck (not shown) would be attached on the
left side of the
second deck 10b, as seen from the perspective of Figure 2.
Shown in the drawings is the preferred embodiment. Other changes or
modifications
may be made without departed from the spirit of the intended invention,
