Personnel elevating apparatus

• US 4,503,932 A
• Filed: 01/05/1982
• Issued: 03/12/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fairfield Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hilton Group (Hilton Worldwide Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hilton, Allan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Machado, Reinaldo P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIN SHUE, ALVIN C
• Application Number:
  US06/337,185
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 182/152, 182/20, 182/21, 182/27, 182/33, 182/33.2, 182/33.4, 182/33.5, 182/156, 182/155, 182/106, 182/113, 182/129, 182/118, 297/37, 297/36, 297/41
• US Class Current: 182/113
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 1/393 Ladders having platforms foldable with the ladder
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/14 Holders for pails or other equipment on or for ladders

Abstract

Personnel elevating apparatus comprises a support platform supportable above ground level on leg frames pivoted to the platform. Side guard rails extend upwardly therefrom in an erected position. An end support or hand rail is pivotally connected to each other and to the support platform. The support platform, leg frames, guard rails and support or hand rail are foldable into relatively flat condition. Pivoted to the leg frame at the support or hand rail end of the support platform a link rod is engageable with the other leg frame to serve as a leg strut, or with one of the guard rails to permit collapse or erection of the apparatus.

Claims

1. Personnel elevating apparatus, comprising:

(a) a support platform (10) dimensioned wholly to accommodate a person standing thereon to reach an elevated location,

(b) first leg means (11) pivoted to one end of the support platform and movable between an out-of-use position where the leg means lie substantially parallel alongside and underneath the support platform and an in-use position where the leg means are disposed substantially normal to and depending from the support platform,

(c) second leg means (12) pivoted to the other end of the support platform,

(d) an upright (18) extending upwardly from the second leg means at each side of the support platform,

(e) the second leg means and uprights being movable between the out-of-use position where the second leg means lie underneath the support platform and the uprights lie forwardly of the platform, and the in-use position where they are disposed substantially normal to the support platform, the second leg means depending from the platform and the uprights extending above the platform,

(f) step means (13) horizontally incorporated in the second leg means whereby a person can climb onto the support platform,

(g) a support frame (15) including a top hand rail pivoted to said one end of the support platform and movable between the out-of-use position where it lies substantially parallel with the upper surface of the support platform and the in-use position where it extends upright from the support platform,

(h) a lateral rail (16) at each side of the apparatus pivoted at one end to or adjacent to the end of one of the uprights and at the other end to one side of the support frame nearer the hand rail than the support platform,

(i) the support frame and lateral rails defining a three-sided guard rail means around the sides and said one end of the support platform and the lateral rails being movable between the out-of-use position alongside the uprights and the in-use position normal to the uprights and support frame, and

(j) strut means (19) pivoted to the first leg means and adjustable between a position (20) where it engages the second leg means to stabilise the apparatus in the in-use position and a position (21) where it engages an upright to facilitate collapse of the apparatus to the out-of-use position.

2. Personnel elevating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which, in the erected position, the support frame is greater in height than the lateral rails so that the hand rail can easily be grasped by a person standing on the support platform.

3. Personnel elevating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the support frame is adapted to receive and detachably mount a receptacle for tools or a shelf.

4. Personnel elevating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the strut means is a link rod of cranked configuration connected to and extending transversely of the first leg means, the link rod being movable at its other end between a position adjacent the lower end of the second leg means and a position adjacent the upper end of one of the uprights.

5. Personnel elevating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the leg means subtend at slightly obtuse angles with the support platform when the apparatus is erected.

6. Personnel elevating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the support platform has at opposed sides an upstanding wall (10A) to prevent a person standing thereon accidentally stepping out the side of the platform.

7. Personnel elevating apparatus, comprising:

(a) a support platform (40) dimensioned wholly to accommodate a person standing thereon to reach an elevated location,

(b) first leg means (55) pivotally mounted at one end of the support platform and movable between an out-of-use position where the leg means lie substantially parallel with and under the support platform and an in-use position where the leg means are disposed substantially normal to and depending from the support platform,

(c) a slotted extension (55A) at each end of the first leg means disposed alongside the support platform when the first leg means is in the in-use position,

(d) second leg means (51) pivoted to the other end of the support platform,

(e) an upright (48'"'"') extending upwardly from the second leg means at each side of the support platform,

(f) the second leg means and uprights being movable between the out-of-use position where the second leg means lie underneath the support platform and the uprights lie forwardly of the platform, and the in-use position where they are disposed substantially normal to the support platform, the second leg means depending from the latter and the uprights extending above the latter,

(g) step means (58) horizontally incorporated in the second leg means whereby a person can climb onto the support platform,

(h) a support frame (43) including a top hand rail pivoted to said one end of the support platform and movable between the out-of-use position where it lies substantially parallel with the upper surface of the support platform and the in-use position where it extends upright from the support platform,

(i) an extension (43B) at each side of the support frame movably engaging in the corresponding slotted extension of the first leg means to cause the latter to follow the movements of the support frame between the out-of-use and in-use positions, and

(j) a lateral rail (48) at each side of the apparatus pivoted at one end to or adjacent to the end of one of the uprights and at the other end to one side of the support frame nearer the hand rail than the support platform.