Scaffold system and method

• US 20110180350A1
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Published: 07/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Steve Howard Thacker
• Original Assignee: Steve Howard Thacker
• Inventors: Thacker, Steve Howard
• Granted Patent: US 8,393,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 182/186.8
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 7/02 with separate coupling elements
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 7/307 with tying means for connecting the bars or members
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 7/32 with coupling elements using wedges
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2200/67 Rigid angle couplings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49815 Disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/30 Laterally related members connected by latch means, e.g. , scaffold connectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/70 Interfitted members

Abstract

A scaffold system and method having a hollow horizontal member with an internal wedge head at each end thereof, and internal wedge assembly with an external handle, and a vertical member having affixed in coaxial alignment therewith at least one grid patterned rosette. Each internal wedge head at the end of the horizontal member is configured to couple to the grid patterned rosette coupled to the vertical member substantially simultaneously using the wedge assembly mechanism.

Claims

1. A system for coupling a horizontal member to a vertical member of a scaffold, comprising:

a horizontal member and a wedge head attached to each end of the horizontal member, the horizontal member; and

an internal wedge assembly within the horizontal member and wedge head, the internal wedge assembly having a wedge portion, the end of which partially or wholly extends and retracts from the end of the horizontal member and wedge head.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a rosette having a set of radially arranged cut-outs, the vertical member affixed in coaxial alignment with the rosette;

the internal wedge head having mating elements corresponding to the radially arranged cut-outs of the rosette, wherein, when the mating elements of the internal wedge head are received in the radially arranged cut-outs of the rosette, the internal wedge assembly, when actuated, causes the wedge portion to rigidly join the horizontal member to the rosette.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising the internal wedge assembly having at least one wedge portion at the first end of a rod, the second end of the rod rotatably coupled to a crank/cam assembly.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising a handle external to the horizontal member being rotatably coupled to the crank/cam assembly.

5. The system of claim 3, further comprising the internal wedge head having a wedge bore through which the wedge portion wholly or partially extends or retracts when the crank/cam assembly is actuated.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the crank/cam assembly is positioned within hollow tubing of horizontal member and further comprises a rotatable crank axle, the ends of which rotatable crank axle are rotatably coupled to the interior sides of horizontal member, at least one end of which rotatable crank/cam axle extends out of horizontal member orthogonally to the length of the horizontal member so as to receive a handle.

7. The system of claim 6, in combination with a handle responsively coupled to an external extension of the crank axle.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the rotatable crank axle and hence, the handle is positioned closer to one end of the horizontal member as opposed to the other end.

9. A scaffold system, comprising:

a horizontal member, a vertical member, at least one rosette affixed in coaxial alignment to the vertical member; and

an internal wedge assembly within the a horizontal member, portions of the internal wedge assembly for locking the horizontal member to the rosette.

10. The scaffold system of claim 9, wherein the vertical member has a plurality of evenly spaced rosettes affixed in coaxial alignment along the vertical member and at least one rosette has a pattern or grid of apertures designed to receive the end of the horizontal member.

11. The scaffold system of claim 9, further comprising:

a wedge head coupled to one end of the horizontal member; and

a handle coupled to the internal wedge assembly.

12. The scaffold system of claim 11, wherein each wedge head has prongs extending therefrom, the prongs dimensioned to fit within the grid of apertures of the rosette.

13. The scaffold system of claim 11, further comprising the internal wedge assembly having a linkage, the handle being responsively coupled to a first portion of a linkage of the internal wedge assembly and the wedge being coupled to a second portion of the linkage;

and

a rod, the first end thereof coupled at a third portion of the linkage, the second end of the rod coupled to a second wedge for extension and retraction at the distal end of the horizontal member.

14. The scaffold system of claim 11, further comprising the internal wedge assembly having a linkage mechanism, wherein the internal wedge assembly has a first rod section having a wedge portion at the first end thereof and a second rod section having a wedge portion at the first end thereof, wherein the second end of the first rod section and the second end of the second rod section are each rotatably coupled to the linkage mechanism.

15. The scaffold system of claim 14, wherein the first rod section and second rod section are unequal in length.

16. The scaffold system of claim 11, further comprising the internal wedge assembly having a crank/cam assembly, the crank/cam assembly having a first rod section with a wedge portion at the first end thereof and a second rod section with a wedge portion at the first end thereof, wherein the second end of the first rod section and the second end of the second rod section are each rotatably coupled to the crank/cam assembly;

and

wherein the handle is coupled to the crank/cam assembly, which, when actuated causes the wedge portion of the first rod and wedge portion of the second rod to partially or wholly extend or retract out of the first end and second end, respectively from the horizontal member, depending on the direction that the handle is turned.

17. The scaffold system of claim 9, further comprising the internal wedge assembly having a crank/cam assembly wherein the internal wedge assembly has a first rod section having a wedge portion at the first end thereof and a second rod section having a wedge portion at the first end thereof, wherein the second end of the first rod section and the second end of the second rod section each have an aperture there-through each for receiving a coupler forming a rotation joint, each coupler being coupled to a crank/cam assembly positioned between the second end of the first rod and the second end of the second rod.

18. The scaffold system of claim 17, further comprising an external handle coupled to the crank/cam assembly, wherein when the handle is turned, causes the wedge portion of the first rod and wedge portion of the second rod to wholly or partially extend or retract out of the first end and second end, respectively from the horizontal member.

19. The scaffold system of claim 18, further comprising an internal wedge head fixedly attached to each end of the horizontal member, the internal wedge head having a bore therethrough for receiving the wedge portion.

20. A method of erecting a scaffold, comprising the steps of:

providing a vertical member having at least one rosette affixed in coaxial alignment to the vertical member wherein the rosette has a grid design for receiving mating elements of a horizontal member to provide a rigid joint between the vertical member and horizontal member;

providing a plurality of horizontal members each having an internal wedge assembly, the internal wedge assembly having an extendable and retractable wedge portion actuated from a position proximate an end of the horizontal member;

positioning an end of the horizontal member on a rosette so that the actuators of each horizontal member is proximate the rosette; and

actuating each internal wedge assembly via an attached handle from a substantially same position proximate the rosette of the vertical member.