AU641007B2 - A lift shaft work platform - Google Patents

Description

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA FORM PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFCATI O N I FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int.Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: 4 1007 Priority: S Related Art:

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Name of Applicant: Address of Applicant: Actua Inventor: .Actual Inventor: OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY SJED Street, Hurstville, New South Wa-les--22-20---Australia L\E 4 r- S t rnEIcA Lee Ronald Ellis, William Vrontas, Jean-Claude Chapelain, Daniel Baulieu and Didier Balland Address for Service: SHELSTON WATERS, 55 Clarence Street, Sydney Complete Specification for the Invention entitled: "A LIFT SHAFT WORK PLATFORM" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- (Complete of PK0860 dated 27th June, 1990) 1 2- The present invention relates to work platforms and in particular to work platforms for use in lift shafts.

The invention has been developed primarily for use as a transportable, modular work platform adjustable for use in lift shafts of various spans and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application.

In the past lift shaft work platforms have often comprised makeshift cantilevered decking secured to the lift shaft opening, further supported in some cases by brackets attached to the lift shaft walls. Such platforms were often dangerous and unreliable and in most cases difficult and time-consuming to install.

In view of the dangers involved when working within a lift shaft, it is essential that the platform used provides a safe, reliable working environment.

In view of the limited access to such lift shafts, the work platform also needs to be collapsible or dismountable into sections of a size convenient for ;transportation.

As the cross sectional size of lift shafts varies i' enormously, it is also preferable that the platform be adjustable accordingly.

It is therefore an object of the present invention S to provide a lift shaft work platform which will avoid or at least ameliorate the above disadvantages of the prior art.

According to the invention there is provided a work platform for use in a lift shaft of the kind including an opening in a front wall having a substantially horizontal lower edge, and an opposing rear wall, said platform comprising at least one support member to span the shaft from the lower edge to an abutment point on the rear wall displaced upwardly from said lower edge and a substantially horizontal deck mounted on said support member, said support member having at one end a foot in the form of a length of material of L-shaped cross-section engageable with said lower edge and at the other end abutment means in the form of an hingedly connected bearer plate for bearing against said rear wall.

Preferably, the platform includes some form of counter-balance to align the bearer plate vertically with o the rear wall.

The deck is preferably connected to each strut on 9. top a horizontal beam extending near or adjacent the rear wall abutment means, the horizontal beam being supported at its other end by a connecting vertical member :extending from near or adjacent the feet.

20 In a preferred form each strut comprises two telescopically engageable sections adjustable to accommodate a variety of lift shaft spans. In this case the horizontal beam and vertical member are also adjustable so as to maintain their angle of intersection at substantially 3 The invention also includes within its scope a kit of parts for the construction of a lift shaft work platform as defined above.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective cut away view of a lift shaft and lift shaft work platform according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic side elevation of one of the S..support strut assemblies shown in Figure S" Figure 3 is a schematic perspective part view o. illustrating the construction and assembly of the work 0* platform deck.

Referring in particular to Figure I, the work platform 1 is shown fully installed for use in the lift shaft 2. The lift shaft includes an opening 3 in a front wall 4 having a lower horizontal edge 5 opposing a rear wall 6.

oeoo The work platform 1 includes two support members in the form of telescopic struts 7 each spanning the shaft 2 r from the lower edge 5 to an abutment point 8 on the rear wall 6 which is displaced upwardly from the level of lower edge 5. A substantially horizontal deck 9 is mounted with struts 7 by means of horizontal beams 10 extending from near or adjacent the abutment point 8 each being supported at one end by a connecting vertical post 11 extending from near or adjacent the lower edge 4 The vertical posts 11 are each provided with three welded brackets for connection of three corresponding angle braces 12. The braces serve to provide structural reinforcement to the assembly and provide a series of steps for access to the deck 9 above.

The deck 9 comprises a plurality of interlocking pressed steel planks 13 connected to the horizontal beams Hand rails 14 and foot boards 15 are secured to the deck 9 with handrail post brackets 16 and board fixing plates 17 respectively.

Referring now also to the remaining drawings the eg.

e assembly will be described in more detail. The majority .o of connections are in the form of pin joints using in most gee.

cases a pin which is locked against axial movement by means of a transversely disposed quick-release pin of the kind well known to those skilled in the art.

obe: Referring in particular to Figure 2, the struts 7 are eges secured to lower edge 5 by means of feet 18. The feet comprise edge engaging angle hingedly connected with the *ee adjustable end 7a of strut 7 by a pin joint 19 of the kind described above. The fixed end 7b of strut 7 is similarly e •S pin jointed to an abutment means in the form of a bearer plate 20 including a counter balance 21 for vertically aligning the bearer plates 20 with the rear wall 6 during assembly.

The work platform is intended to be transported in kit form and assembled for use on site. In order to describe the features and advantages of the invention more 5

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fully, a description of the assembly process now follows.

Naturally during assembly of the platform the necessary safety precautions must be taken and full harnesses should be worn by all those working near the opening of the shaft.

The assembly stages are as follows: 1. First the depth of the shaft is measured from the lower edge 5 to the rear wall 6.

2. The feet 18 are then placed on the lower edge 5 and centred whilst maintaining a distance for this particular embodiment of 700 mm between them. Two o*: holes are then drilled into the concrete floor o corresponding to the feet positions and the feet S. secured with masonry anchors.

3. The telescopic struts 7 are provided in two separate parts 7a and 7b (which includes bearer plates 20) and must first be assembled together.

4. Referring in particular to Figure 2 the horizontal a 0 a beam 10 is then connected to the fixed part 7b of 0:0 strut 7 by the pin joint method hereinbefore 004 described.

Initially, the fixed strut 7a is slid into the 0000 adjustable strut 7b, having the wall bearer plate 17 connected to the adjustable strut for each leg.

The vertical post 11, are connected to each fixed strut 7a bracket using the quick release pins.

The horizontal beam 10 is inserted through the vertical posts 11 fork clamp and hence connected the adjustable struts 7b bracket, again using the quick 6 release pins.

During overall adjustment, the triangular frames formed must form a near right angle between the post 11 and horizontal beam By carefully aligning the wall bearer plate 20 at right angles W.R.T. the horizontal beam 10, the adjustment to suit the shaft's depth, is done by initially measuring the distance from the outside edge of the bearer plate 20 to the outside edge of 0.:10 the vertical post. Adjustment is simply performed by moving the adjustable strut 7b relative to the fixed strut and sliding the horizontal beam 10 through the *0ee fork clamp 11 to form the right angle. Check the distance above mentioned, with respect to the shaft depth. If distances are within 5mm, align holes between fixed strut 7a and adjustable strut 7b and :"oo pin using quick release pins. Clamp the fork to the horizontal beam by tightening M16 nuts.

With each side of the frame fully assembled they are manipulated one at a time in a near vertical position so that the pin hole in the lower part of each strut i* 7 aligns up with the fixed holes provided in foot 16 and then they are pin jointed in the manner previously described.

This sequence is repeated until both frames are assembled to lower edge 5 and the frames rest with the horizontal beams in contact with the upper edge of the opening.

7 A cross rod (not shown) is then positioned to connect the horizontal beams 10 of the frames at the end nearest the bearer plates 20 and quick release pins used to secure it in the usual manner.

The connected assembled frames are then carefully lowered into position until each wall bearer plate rests against the rear wall 6, the counter balance 21 serving to align the plate vertically ready for contact.

10 6. Ensuring that the vertical members 11 are in this case at 800 mm centres, the braces 15 are then bolted to the vertical members.

sea@ 7. With the aid of a spirit level, the vertical members are checked to ensure they are near vertical in the front/rear direction of the shaft, making adjustments if necessary.

8. One of the interconnecting planks 13 to which hand rail post brackets 16 have been attached is then placed onto the horizontal beams 10 such that it abuts the fork clamps on posts 11.

*Another two planks are then placed beside the first o plank in series and fixed to the horizontal beams using plank clips and socket head screws as shown in Figure 3. The first three secured planks 13 serve as a working deck from which to place and secure the remaining planks. The remaining planks are then fitted, the final plank also including hand rail post brackets.

8 9. The hand rails are then attached directly over the hand rail posts and fixed as required.

The foot boards are then cut to suitable lengths and secured to the base of the hand rails via the board fixing plates 17 provided.

The described preferred embodiment of the adjustable working platform has been designed for a safe duty load of 375 kg and a self weight of 75 kg. The platform is constructed primarily from mild steel using standard 10 angle and bar, as well as aluminium tubing.

0* Although the invention has been described with reference to one embodiment, it will be appreciated by eboS those skilled in the art that the invention may be embodied in many other forms.

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Claims (9)

1. A work platform for use in a lift shaft of the kind including an opening in a front wall having a substantially horizontal lower edge, and an opposing rear wall, said platform comprising at least one support member to span the shaft from the lower edge to an abutment point on the rear wall displaced upwardly from said lower edge and a substantially horizontal deck mounted on said support member, said support member having at one end a foot in the form of a length of material of L-shaped cross-section engageable with said lower edge and at the other end abutment means in the form of an hingedly connected bearer plate for bearing against said rear wall.

2. A work platform according to claim 1 including counter-balance means to align the bearer plate vertically with the rear wall.

3. A work platform according to claim 1 or claim 2 having two spaced apart support members in the form of struts.

4. A work platform according to claim 3 wherein the deck is connected to each strut on top a horizontal beam extending near or adjacent the rear wall abutment means, the horizontal beam being supported at its other end by a connecting vertical member extending from near or adjacent the feet. A work platform according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the support member is of adjustable length to accommodate a variety of lift shaft 10 .SoS

5 S S S spans.

6. A work platform according to any one of claims 3 to wherein each strut comprises two telescopically engageable sections adjustable to accommodate a variety of lift shaft spans.

7. A work platform according to claim 7 wherein each horizontal beam and vertical member are also adjustable so as to maintain their angle of intersection at substantially

8. A kit or parts which upon assembly form a work platform according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A work platform substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 29th day of June, 1993 OTIS ELEVATOR COMPANY PTY LTD Attorney: LEON K. ALLEN Fellow Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia of SHELSTON WATERS 0 eon *se .0 11