US2267638A - Scaffolding - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 23, 1941. H. H. CLARK `SCAFFOLDING Fild June 21, 1940 Patented Dec. 23, 19541 UNITED sTATEs PATENT ori-ICE I Ioward H. Clark, Kent, Ohio Application June 21, 1940, serial No. 341,160

5 Claims.

My invention relates to an improved scaffolding for use by brlcklayers, housepainters and generally in building and in repair and improvement of buildings. It is an object of my invention toprovide a simple and inexpensive scaffolding which can be put together or taken down with a minimum of time and expense and which shall reduce the hazardsincident to the use of scaifolding, and particularly to do away with the vuse of nails as the principal means of securing together-the several parts of a scaffolding, since nailing damages theparts and since faulty nail-` ing is responsible for many of the accidents occurring in the use of scaffolding.

. A specific object is toprovide improved extensible uprghts or posts of such a character that they can readily be made higher, yet will afford a strong and rigid support for the entire framework.

Another object is to provide an improved Joint between sections of the uprights of the scaioldm v Another object is to provide an improved method of bracing the scalolding.

Another object is to provide an improved method of supporting putlogs.

than a -solid pole of like materiall and identical weight. Y

The bottom sections of the uprights are square at the bottom and throughout their length up to the joint now to be described. At the upper ends of the lowermost sections and at each end of intermediate sections spacers I5 and I6 are provided which are simply duplicates of spacers I4 cut on an angle of about and each attached to a section o f the post so as to member or coact with each other in `theextension of a post. It will be seen that the respective side bars of an upper section are alined with and rest directly on those of a lower section, these side bars being of the same cross-section from end to end, so that no npart of their strength is lost.

Channel irons I1 and Il are permanently affixed to the inner side of one section and to the outer side of the coacting section by screws I9 Another object is to provide improved means i for supporting footboards and material-carrying boards.

Referring to `the annexed drawing, which is made a part of` this application and in which Fig. 3, a detail of a joint on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 4, another detail of parts shown in Figs.

1 and 2; and

Fig. 5, a detail of a modication. I

In the drawing, reference character III indicates a bottom section of an upright in the nature of a pole or post and II indicates another section formed for superposition on a section I0. These uprights include any suitable number of sections according to the height desired and each of the sections comprises two parallel bars or side rails I2 and I3 with spacers Il arranged at suitable distances between them. Screws i3 connect each spacer to the bars I2 'and I3 but of course other means may be used to fasten the parts securely together to make a very strong and rigid upright which in tact is found to be stronger or the like, the iianges of said channel irons embracing the side bars and providingV guides for guiding the spacers I5 and I6 and holding the parts in place, and the Achannel bars extending beyond the end of the section preferably far enough to embrace the end of the second spacer of the upright, as shown in Fig. 1. For additional security I provide bolts 20, preferably just above and below the membering spacers I5 and I6, said bolts connecting the channel. irons and coacting with vthe spacers to further strengthen the uprights. It wiil be evident Vthat if the bars I2Y and I3 are i1%" by 3%", for example, and the spacers'are cut from so-called 2 x 4s with bolts and screws of appropriate size and with strong channel irons, avery strong and rigid structure will result. Actually I propose to use spacers lit" thick by l2" long, the spacers I5 and I8 being cut so as to leave three inches of their length in the original rectangular form and the side bars are H" thick or of greater thickness as may be desirable according to conditions.`

Each pair of uprights (comprising an inner upright next to a wall and an outer upright farther from the wall) carries a suitable number of putlogs 2| which preferably are so thick as just to iit nicely between the bars I5 and I8 and which rest on the spacers of the respective uprights but are not fastened to the uprights ex- `cept forsmall nails, which are used as hereinputlogs thatcarry the footboards. for additional bolts 25 mounted in the spacers, and by diagonal `braces 28, here shown as each carried at one end by a bo1t25 and at the other by a bolt 21 mounted in a spacer located lower down on the other of the pair of `uprights, each bolt being long' enough to carry the ends of at least three braces, i. e., two horizontal braces extending to right and left therefrom and adlagonal brace. Preferably the braces consist of hollow metallic tubes fiattened part to receive a bolt. but' obviously' the structure and arrangement of the braces may be varied. Nailed-on ledger boards and cross brac can be added in special. cases but it will be seen that generally I avoid all nailing and yet provide a strong and rigid structure that can be put together, taken apart and re-assembled, all inquick time and with no damage to the parts.

,The arrangement whereby footboards can be located at any convenient level, and whereby matened nt their ends with n noie through the i'lat-l terial supporting tables can also be provided approximatelyA waist-high with reference to the footboards, is particularly desirable-as conducing to" emcien'cy and reducing fatigue, especially in the case of operations, such asbricklaylng, where tremendous waste of time and strength often occurs dueto the necessity of incessantly stoop-v ing forr bricks and for mortar.

The use of braces that can be temporarily secured in place merely by hanging them up at one end is also a matter of great convenlence, since it avoids the'necessity of many a diflicult climb and many an awkward and difficult job of nailing, particularly vwhere one man is workingl by himself. This outfit can be used anywhere that an upright type of scailolding can `be used.

The provision of readily adjustable putlogs that can be moved forward to support fcotboards or to bear against a wall for additionally bracing the scaffolding, or moved backward out'of the way 'with their surplus length projecting back of the scaffolding is obviously a matter of great convenience. Usually I secure the putlogs against slipping or lateral movement by means of small nails 30. Also the arrangement' of putlogs at convenient intervals (as at 2-foot intervals) is a matter of great convenience, since these putlogs andtheir uprlghts serve as a convenient ladder.

.I claim is:

ademas It will be obvious that this scaffolding should be set on a level footing and such footing may readily be made of planks and suitable supporting means therefor. When used for veneering or facing, the scaffolding may be secured to a wall or a window ledge by metal straps 3l (Fig. 2).

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modification in which the position of the channel irons I1 and Il' is reversed, the flanges of the two irons extending oppositely away from each other instead of toward each other. v

It will b'e obvious to those skilled in the art that many changes may be made in the device of my invention all without departing from the spirit of the invention. and therefore I do not limit myself .to what is shown in the 'drawing and described in the specication but only as indicated ln the appended claims. Having thus fully described l. Scaifoldingcomprising superposable uprights each including a pair of spaced parallel side bars, spacers located at intervals between sections. l a

2. A device as in claim 1 including abutting spacing means secured to each upright at the' Joint between said pair ofuprights.

s. -A device as in claim 1 including abutting spacing means secured to leach upright at the f joint between said pair of uprights yand bolts Passing through said channel irons and said side bars respectively above and below said spacing means.

" 4. A device as in vclaim 1, including a spacer on each upright adjacent thejoint between them, said spacers having oppositely inclined faces fitting closely against each other when the-ends of the side bars are brought into abutting. relation.

5. A device asin claim 1, including a spacer on each upright adjacent the joint between them, said spacers having oppositelyinclined faces iitting closely against each other when the ends of the side bars are brought into abutting relation the ends of the side bars of each upright terminatingrespectively at the upper and lower margins of the face of the spacer between said side bars.

HOWARD H. CLARK.

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