US3095060A - Scaffolding for dome structures - Google Patents

Description

June 25, 1963 J. P. REINHARDT SCAFFOLDING FOR DOME STRUCTURES Filed June 28, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. F] l JOHN P. REM/HARD? June 25, 1963- J. P. REINHARDT 3,095,060

SCAFFOLDING FOR DOME STRUCTURES Filed June 28, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 111 L- r 9/ W 4/ F IG. 2 1/2 INVENTOR. F l C. 4 .mmv l? Ef/NHAZDT ATTOQA E).

June 25, 1963 J. P. REINHARDT SCAFFOLDING FOR DOME- STRUCTURES Filed June 28, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 25, 1963 J. P. REINHARDT 3,095,060

SCAFF'OLDING FOR DOME STRUCTURES Filed June 28, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I 01 E 9 17!!! w 17f .LWHF 5 1&4 I "if a M 1i i 1% 1 52 I I ll l ll llllr E fii'inm 102 INVENTOR.

Arron/EX 3,095,060 SCAFFOLDING FUR DOME STRUCTURES John P; Reinhardt, Syosset, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Baker-R005, Inc., Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Filed June 28, 1961, Ser- No. 120,234 8 Claims. (Cl. 182-12) This invention relates to scaffolding for dome structures.

An object of this invention is to provide scaffolding for the outer surface of a part spherical structure provided with means to move the scaffolding all around the structure about its vertical axis, so that workmen on the scaffolding may paint or otherwise service said outer surface.

A further object of this invention is to provide scaffolding of the character described comprising a plurality of step-ladders interconnected in tandem and hung from cables extending to the upper end of the axis of the structure, each ladder resting on the outer surface of said structure and being provided with steps, the steps of each ladder being substantially horizontal to facilitate climbing up the ladders.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide in scaffolding of the character described, a hanging scaffold suspended from the lower end of the lowermost ladder, winch means being provided on said hanging scaffold to raise the same to desired height.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide in scaffolding of the character described, scaffold ladders each provided with individual motorized rollers to move the ladders sideways around the structure, the motive mechanism for the ladders being so selected that the ladders can move at relative speed which will carry the scafiolding around the structurewith the ladders remaining in line.

A still further object of this invention is to provide, in scaffolding of the character described, removable means to keep the motorized rollers off the surface of the dome, to facilitate pulling the scaffolding up to the proper position relative to the top of the dome, and whereby upon removal of said means, the rollers will contact the outer surface of the dome.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a strong, rugged and durable scaffolding of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to operate and yet practical and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of. parts, which shall be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of invention will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which is shown various illustrative embodiments of this invention,

FIG. 1 is an outer view of a dome structure provided with scaffolding embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational'view of the hanging scaffold;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3a is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3a--3a of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial, enlarged, cross-sectional view taken on line'44 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the lowermost ladder and part of the one thereabove;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 6a is a top view of a front corner of a ladder;

FIG. 6b is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6b5b of FIG. 6a;

Efihiflfill Patented June 25, 1963 FIG. 7 is a top view of the upper end of the scafiolding and the top anchor bearing;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the motor drive shown.

in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged top View of one of the cable dollies;

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on line Ill-10 of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a vertical view of the anchor hearing at the top of the dome, with parts broken away and in crosssection; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on line l212 of FIG. 11.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, 10 designates a dome-like structure provided with scatfolding 11 embodying the invention.

The dome structure may comprise a part of a sphere, from below a horizontal plane passing through the center of the sphere, to the top. This structure may be hundreds of feet in diameter. painting the outside of the structure or otherwise servicing the same, because of difiiculty in getting workmen to all parts of the surface. This structure may be made of steel and may be about one inch in thickness.

The structure 10 may be supported by suitable supporting means 12 provided with a door 13.

At the upper end of the vertical axis of the structure it), is an anchor bearing 14 to be described in detail hereinafter, and carrying a lifting winch 15 for lifting or pulling a pair of parallel cables 16 clamped to over spaced dollies 17. Each dolly 17 comprises spaced pairs of spaced transverse channels 18 interconnected by end channels 18a welded thereto and carrying longitudinal axles 1812 on which are mounted rotary rubber lined wheels 1230 disposed between the pairs of channels and contacting the outer surface of the dome. The cables 16 are fixed to the tops of channel 18 by means of clamps 19.

The upper ends of cables 16 are anchored to the anchor bearing 14 in the manner to be described here inafter.

The cables 16 are connected at their lower ends to the upper end of a scalfold ladder 25 forming one of a series of tandem connected ladders which are of the same construction except as noted hereinafter.

The ladders 25 are interconnected in tandem and lie against the outer surface of the dome structure 10.

Each ladder 25 comprises parallel side frames 26 interconnected by steps 27. Each side frame comprises top and bottom parallel pipes 28 interconnected by a plurality of crossing braces 29 between which are cross-bars or pipes 30. Crossing braces 29 are welded toeach other and to the pipes 28. Bars or pipes 30 are welded to pipes 28. The steps 27 each comprises a rectangular frame 32 carrying a tread 33- of expanded metal. The steps are inclined to the longitudinal axis of the ladder. The angle of the steps 27 is such that when the scaffolding is in place in the structures the steps of the various ladders are substantially horizontal. Thus the steps of the uppermost ladder 25 are closer to being parallel with the axis of the ladder, and in the lowermost ladder, the steps are closer to being normal to its axis.

At the upper end of each ladder is a tongue 35 received between a pair of parallel tongues 36 at the lower end of each ladder. Said tongues are apertured to receive a pivot pin 37 to allow for some swinging movement of one ladder relative to its adjacent ladders.

At the front end of each ladder are side plates 40 welded to the side frames 26. Welded to the side frames 40 are vertical sleeves, tubes or pipes 41. Rotatably mounted in each pipe 41 is a rod 41a having a wrench engaging polygonal portion 41b at its upper end. Fixed to each rod 41a below portion 41b, as by set screw 41c,

Difiiculty has been experienced in 3 is a retaining collar 41d contacting the upper end of tube 41. Fixed to the lower end of rod 41a is a castor fork or yoke 41e comprising a top plate 41 from which extend downwardly, ears 41g carrying a transverse shaft 41h on which is mounted a castor wheel 42.

Between the lower end of tube 41 and top plate 41 is a bronze washer 41f.

Top plate 41 is formed with two tapped openings 41k and 411 spaced 90 apart and having equal radii to the axis of sleeve 41. Opening 41k is forward of the axis of sleeve 41, while opening 411 is outwardly of said axis.

Fixed to the lower end of each sleeve 41 is a lug 43 which extends forwardly and is formed with clear hole 43a adapted to selectively register with tapped openings 41k and 411 upon rotating the rod 41a from the position of FIGS. 4, 6, 6a, 6b outwardly through an angle of 90, to bring the wheels from a position in which the ladders move up or down, to a position in which the ladders move around the vertical axis of the dome.

Slidable in opening 43a of each lug is a bolt 43b which may be screwed into either opening 41k or 411'.

At the rear end of each ladder are brackets 44 connected by chains 45 to brackets 46 at the front ends of adjacent ladders.

Fixed to the rear or lower end of each ladder 25 are brackets 48 having parallel portions 49 and outwardly extending aligned portions 50. Bolted to the outwardly extending portions 50 are jack screw sleeves 51 in which are screwed jacks 51a carrying casters 52. The jacks 51a are adjustable to lift the rear ends of the ladders away from the :dome structure 10. The jacks may be removed by unbolting them from brackets 48.

Fixed to one side of the rear end of each ladder 25 is a plate 53. Fixed to opposite sides of the rear end of the ladder are symmetrical brackets 54 of angle shape having longitudinal portions 54a and outwardly extending portions 54b. Mounted on plate 53 is an electric motor coupled by a coupling 61 to a speed reduction gear box 62 from which extends a shaft 63 passing through an opening in wall 54b and carrying a gear 64. Mounted on and between walls 50, 54b is a shaft 66, carrying a bronze bushing 66a on which is rotatably mounted a pneumatic roller 71. Fixed to one end of each roller is an assembly 69 comprising a wheel hub 71a, a sprocket 67 and a gear bolted together by bolts 71b. Gear 65 meshes with gear 64.

A shaft parallel to shaft 66 is mounted on walls 50, 54b at the opposite side of the ladder supporting a similar pneumatic roller 71 provided with a similar assembly 69. A sprocket chain 68 connects the sprocket wheel 67 of one assembly 69 with the sprocket wheel of the other assembly.

These rollers 71 are maintained in spaced relation to the outer surface of dome structure 10 (when the scaffolding is being pulled up by the winch 15 on the anchor bearing 14) by the jacks 51a. However, when it is desired to swing the scaffolding around the dome structure, the jacks may be first adjusted to allow rollers 71 to contact the :dome, and then the jack sleeves 51' may be unbolted and removed.

The speed of the motors 60 and their drives may be so adjusted that, as the motors operate, the scaffolding will travel around the dome structure, about its vertical axis, with the ladders 25 substantially in line. The axes of the rollers 71 are parallel to the axes of the ladders so that the ladders will move sideways, being supported at their rear ends on said rollers or tires, and at their front ends on the casters 42.

There is also provided a hanging scaffold suspended them the lower end of the lowermost ladder 25. Said scafiold 80 is in the form of a cage 81 in which one or more persons may stand. Said cage 81 has a rectangular floor or plat-form 82 from the corners of which extend upwardly, outer corner posts 83 and inner corner posts 84 interconnected by side rails 85 disposed above the floor, and by top sails or bars 86a. The posts 83, 84 on one side are connected to those on the other side by an outer bar 86 and an inner bar 87. The cage 81 also has a sub-floor 90. At its lower end, said cage has rollers 91 and, at its upper end, inwardly extending bars 92 carrying rollers 93.

At the upper end of the cage are upwardly and inward- 1y inclined braces 94 coming to a central apex above the cage carrying a pulley 95. A second pulley 96 is carried on a plate 97 fixed to the middle of bar 86, and is in alignment with pulley 95.

On the sub-floor is a motor 100 connected by gearing 101 to a winch 102 from which extends a cable'103 passing up over pulley 96 and under pulley 95. The upper end of cable 103 is connected as at to tongue 36 at the rear end of the lowermost ladder 25.

Rollers 91 and 93 are of the swivel type to permit travel vertically or horizontally.

Bars 92 are of such length as to maintain the floor or platform of the cage in a reasonably horizontal position over the entire vertical travel of the hanging scaffold.

A protective vertical rectangular channel shaped screen 111 may be attached to a cross bar 112, the ends of which are fixed to posts 84. Also, plate 97 may be supported by inclined braces 115 fixed at their lower ends 1 up to any of the ladders. Also, the operator can step anchor bearing comprises a vertical axial post or tube 05 the uprnost ladder onto the upper, almost flat surface of the dome structure.

scaffolding sideways, the motors 60 are energized.

The anchor bearing 14 will now be described. Said (FIG. 11) welded to the axial top of the dome 10 and extends up therefrom. Disposed concentrically about the lower end ofthe tube 150 and spaced there-- from, is an outer tube 151 formed with a top outwardly extending flange 152 and with outwardly extending, vertical, radial ribs 153. Set-screws 154 screwed radially through outer tube 151 engage inner tube 150'to hold the outer tube against movement.

7 Above lower outer tube 151 is an upper outer t be 156 telescoped over inner tube 150 but spaced concentrically therefrom. At the lower end of tube 156 is an outwardly extending flange 157 disposed above flange 152. Between flanges 152, 157 is a thrust ball bearing 158. Tubes 151 and 156 are preferably of similar diameter.

Said upper, outer tube 156 is formed at each of difierent levels thereof, with more than two arcuate slots 160, and with pairs of outer apertured ears 161'at opposite sides of said slot and supporting rollers 162 projecting through said slots and engaging the inner fixed tube 150.

. Tube 156 is thus mounted for axial rotation about fixed tube 150.

Fixed to opposite sides of tube 156 are apertured ears 163 receiving shackles 164 to which the cables 16 are connected as at 165. v

A two part split clam-p comprising two substantially semi-cylindrical parts 171 bolted together, as by bolts 172, is clamped to the upper end of tube 150 above tube 156. The motorized winch 15 may be mounted on a plate 175 supported on the fingers of upstanding brackets 176 integrally formed with tube 156 and extending above clamp 170. v

The winch 15 may first be used to pull the cables 16, dollies 17 and ladders 25 up to desired position. Then the winch cable may be disconnected from the cables 16. The cables 16 are then connected by shackles 164 to the ears 161.

When it is desired to move the The winch 15 may then be used to suspend a free safety top, if desired.

it will he noted that :as the ladders move around the dome, the tube 156 may rotate slowly about fixed tube 159.

The winch 15 may of course also be used to lower the ladders.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an apparatus in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In combination, a domed structure, an anchor at the top of the structure, scaffolding comprising a plurality of scaffold ladders provided with steps and located on the outside of the structure, means to connect said ladders in tandem, said anchor comprising .a member rotatable about the vertical axis of the domed structure, cable means connecting the uppermost of said ladders to said rotatable member, dolly means connected to said cable means and engaging the outer surface of the domed structure, motive means on the scafiolding and engaging the outer surface of the domed structure for moving the scafiolding about the vertical axis of the domed structure, a hanging scafiold, and means suspending said hanging scaffold from the lowermost ladder, said last named means including means for raising and lowering the hanging scaffold relative to said lowermost ladder.

2. In combination, a domed structure having an anchor at its top, scaffolding extending outwardly and downwardly over the surface of said domed structure and connected to said anchor for movement around the domed structure, said scaifolding comprising a plurality of rigid ladders and means releasably interconnecting them in tandem, and means for rotating the scaifolding aboutthe axis of the domed structure, said means comprising rollers carried by said ladders and engaging the surface of the domed structure, each of said rollers being mounted on its associated ladder for rotation about an :axis lying in a generally vertical plane and generally parallel to the surface of the domed structure, and power-operated means carried by each ladder and operatively connected to the roller thereof for driving the roller, the several power-operated means being so co ordinated with respect to their speeds of operation that the several ladders will remain in at least approximate alignment as the scafiolding rotates about the axis of the domed structure as a result of power-efiected rotation of said rollers about their respective axes.

3. The combination of claim 2 with the addition that said scafiolding is connected to said anchor through suspending means extending between the anchor and the uppermost ladder, said suspending means being adjustable in efiective length to vary the distance of the scaffolding from the axis of the domed structure, each of said ladders being provided adjacent said roller with a second roller adapted to provide rolling support for the ladder from the domed structure when the scaffolding moves toward or away from the axis of the domed structure as a result of varying the length of said suspending means, and means for adjusting one of said rollers relative to the other along a line perpendicular to the surface of the domed structure whereby either roller can be brought into, and the other roller out of, engagement with the domed structure to adapt the ladder for movement alternatively about or toward and away from the axis of the domed structure.

4. The combination of claim 3 with the addition that said rollers are located near one end of the ladder, and

one or more casters supporting the other end of the ladder from the domed structure.

5. The combination of claim 2 with the addition of a hanging scaffold and means for suspending said hanging scafiold from the lowermost of said ladders, said suspending means being adjustable to vary the height of said hanging scaffold.

6. In combination, a domed structure having an anchor at its top, elongated scaffolding extending outwardly and downwardly over the surface of said domed structure, means extending between the upper, inner end of said scailolding and said anchor for limiting outward and downward movement of the scaffolding under the influence of gravity, said means being adjustable in effective length to vary the distance between the scaffolding and the axis of the domed structure, wheeled casters mounted at spaced intervals along said scaffolding for supporting the scaffolding from the surface of the domed structure, each of said casters being swiveled on the scaffolding on an axis perpendicular to the surface of the domed structure and movable about such axis to permit the caster to be disposed either in a first position with the axis of its wheel extending parallel to the scaffolding or in a second position with the axis of its wheel extending transverse to the scaffolding, and motive means for swinging the scafiolding about the axis of the domed structure.

7. The combination of claim 6 with the addition that said scaffolding comprises a series of flexibly interconnected ladders, a plurality of said casters being mounted on each of said ladders.

8. The combination of claim 6 with the addition of releasable means for locking each caster in either of said positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. IN COMBINATION, A DOMED STRUCTURE, AN ANCHOR AT THE TOP OF THE STRUCTURE, SCAFFOLDING COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SCAFFOLD LADDERS PROVIDED WITH STEPS AND LOCATED ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE, MEANS TO CONNECT SAID LADDERS IN TANDEM, SAID ANCHOR COMPRISING A MEMBER ROTATABLE ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS OF THE DOMED STRUCTURE, CABLE MEANS CONNECTING THE UPPERMOST OF SAID LADDERS TO SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER, DOLLY MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CABLE MEANS AND ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE DOMED STRUCTURE, MOTIVE MEANS ON THE SCAFFOLDING AND ENGAGING THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE DOMED STRUCTURE FOR MOVING THE SCAFFOLDING ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS OF THE DOMED STRUCTURE, A HANGING SCAFFOLD, AND MEANS SUSPENDING SAID HANGING SCAFFOLD FROM THE LOWERMOST LADDER, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS INCLUDING MEANS FOR RAISING AND LOWERING THE HANGING SCAFFOLD RELATIVE TO SAID LOWERMOST LADDER.

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