Elevated working platform and related methods

• US 9,663,989 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2013
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Little Giant Ladder Systems LLC (Wing Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wing Enterprises Incorporated
• Inventors: Jonas, Gary, Moss, N. Ryan, Penrod, Darius S., Russell, Brian, Peterson, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Redman, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US13/748,263
• Publication Number:
  US 20130186710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 182106, 182165, 1821801, 182172, 182 17, 182129, 182118, 182207
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 1/393 Ladders having platforms foldable with the ladder
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 1/397 characterised by having wheels, rollers, or runners
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/182 situated at the top of the ladder
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/185 Devices providing a back support to a person on the ladder, e.g. cages
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/423 Ladder stabilising struts

Abstract

Elevated work platforms, as well as associated methods, are provided. In one particular embodiment, an elevated platform apparatus is provided comprising a first rail assembly having a pair of rails coupled with a plurality of rungs, a second rail assembly hingedly coupled with the first rail assembly, a platform configured to rest upon a portion of the first rail assembly and the second rails assembly and a cage associated with the platform. The cage may include at least one bar and at least one gate, the at least one gate being configured to swing in a first direction upon a user stepping on to the platform from the first rail assembly, and then swing back to a closed position after the user is standing on the platform. The at least one gate is also limited from being displaced in a second direction, opposite the first direction, beyond the closed position.

Claims

1. An elevated platform apparatus comprising:

a first rail assembly having a pair of rails coupled with a plurality of rungs;

a second rail assembly, an upper end of the second rail assembly being hingedly coupled with an upper end of the first rail assembly, the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly being selectively positionable relative to each other between a deployed state and a collapsed state;

a platform having a support surface, a first side portion and a second side portion, wherein, when the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly are in the deployed state, the platform extends between the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly such that a first end of the first side portion extends beyond and is spaced apart from a first rail of the pair of rails and a first end of the second side portion extends beyond and is spaced apart from a second rail of the pair of rails;

a cage associated with the platform, wherein, when the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly are in the deployed state, the cage includes;

a first post coupled with and extending upward from the first end of the first side portion,

a second post coupled with and extending upward from the first end of the second side portion,

a first nonlinear frame structure extending from an upper end of the first post to an upper end of the second post,

a first gate pivotally coupled to the first post and pivotal between a first position, wherein the first gate extends from the first post toward the second post, to a second position wherein the gate is rotated in a first direction about the first post to extend above a portion of the platform, wherein the first gate is biased toward the first position and wherein the first gate is limited from rotating in a second direction, opposite the first direction, beyond the first position,

a second gate pivotally coupled to the second post and pivotal between a first position, wherein the second gate extends from the second post toward the first gate, and a second position wherein the second gate is rotated about the second post to extend above a portion of the platform, wherein the second gate is biased toward the first position and wherein the first gate is limited from rotating in a second direction, opposite the first direction, beyond the first position;

wherein, when the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly are in the collapsed state, the support surface of the platform is positioned adjacent the first gate and the second gate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the platform is pivotally coupled with the first rail assembly and wherein the apparatus includes a locking member configured to releasably lock a second end of the platform with the second rail assembly.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first post includes a lower portion that flares laterally outward from the first end of the first side portion of the platform and wherein the second post includes a lower portion that flare laterally outward from the first end of the second side portion of the platform.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first gate includes a pivoting coupling member having an inclined engagement surface, wherein the inclined engagement surface, in conjunction with the weight of the gate, biases the gate to the closed position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first rail assembly includes an outer rail assembly and an inner rail assembly slidingly coupled with the first rail assembly.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, further comprising at least one adjustment mechanism configured to selectively lock the inner rail assembly at a specified location relative to outer rail assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a pulley system associated with the first assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the pulley system includes a tension line having a first, free end and a second end coupled with the outer rail assembly, the tension line being fed through a first pulley coupled to the outer rail assembly and a second pulley coupled with the inner rail assembly.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second rail assembly includes an outer rail assembly and an inner rail assembly slidingly coupled with the first rail assembly.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising at least one other adjustment mechanism configured to selectively lock the inner rail assembly of the second assembly at a specified location relative to outer rail assembly of the second assembly.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising another pulley system associated with the second assembly.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a barrier structure positioned below the platform and on an interior surface of the outer rail assembly at a location adjacent the at least one adjusting mechanism.

13. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein rails of the inner rail assembly are disposed within cross-sectional cavities of associated rails of the outer rail assembly, and wherein the rails of the outer rail assembly each include a bracket at their upper end substantially circumscribing the rails of the outer rail assembly and the rails of the inner rail assembly, the bracket defining a slot located along a surface of the rails of the inner rail assembly.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one pair of wheels coupled with the apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the at least one pair of wheels includes:

a first pair of wheels coupled with at least one of the first assembly and the second assembly at a fixed location;

a second pair of wheels coupled with the first assembly, the second pair of wheels including at least one retraction mechanism;

a third pair of wheels coupled with the second assembly, the third pair of wheels including at least one retraction mechanism.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein each of the at least one retraction mechanism associated with the second pair of wheels and the at least one retraction mechanism associated with third pair of wheels includes a cam cylinder, a push rod, a cam follower and at least one biasing member.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a second nonlinear frame structure having a first end coupled with the first post at a location between the upper end of the first post and the lower end of the first post, the second nonlinear frame structure having a second end coupled with the second post at a location between the upper end of the second post and the lower end of the second post, the second nonlinear frame structure being sized and positioned such that the first and second posts are positioned within and internal periphery of the second nonlinear frame structure.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a flexible barrier extending between the platform and the second nonlinear frame structure.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the entirety of the first nonlinear frame structure is positioned at an elevation above both the upper end of the first rail assembly and the upper end of the second rail assembly when the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly are in the deployed position.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one adjustable stabilizer coupled with at least one of the first rail assembly and the second rail assembly.