Adjustable scaffolding suspension assembly

• US 9,784,001 B1
• Filed: 05/03/2012
• Issued: 10/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Paul Kristen Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Paul Kristen Incorporated
• Inventors: Apostolopoulos, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Katherine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mekhaeil, Shiref
• Application Number:
  US13/463,595
• Time in Patent Office: 1,986 Days
• Field of Search: 182150, 248301, 248322, 248326, 248327, 248333, 248339, 2483545, 248323, 59 86
• CPC Class Codes: E01D 19/106 Movable inspection or maintenance platforms, e.g. travelling scaffolding or vehicles specially designed to provide access to the undersides of bridges lifting devices for movable platforms on vehicles in general B66F11/04
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 3/30 suspended by flexible supporting elements, e.g. cables
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 7/04 Flexible elements, with or without brackets, e.g. ropes, cables, chains in general F16G , means for fastening cables or ropes to one another or to other objects F16G11/00
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 7/20 for ends of members only, e.g. for connecting members in end-to-end relation

Abstract

An assembly of a sling detachably attached to an adjustment device for suspending one structure relative to another structure. The adjustment device comprises a pair of elongate spaced apart plates which are attached to each other and to a hook, for attachment to one of the structures, at the first end portion. Each plate has a plurality of pairs of longitudinally spaced aligned holes for receiving a pin for connecting one end of a sling to the adjustment device at a selected incremental one of the plurality of pairs of holes. The other end of the sling is connected to the other structure to adjust the distance over which the one structure is suspended relative to the other structure. To allow greater adjustability, two or more of the adjustment devices are joined end-to-end.

Claims

1. An adjustment device system comprising at least one adjustment device for a suspension assembly for suspending one structure relative to another structure, the at least one adjustment device comprising a pair of elongate spaced apart plates, wherein each of said plates comprises in a sequence longitudinally of said each plate, an end portion, and a transition portion integrally connected to the end portion at an end of the transition portion, and an elongate portion integrally connected to an other end of the transition portion, and said end portions are attached to each other,

means for connecting the at least one adjustment device to the one structure wherein said means for connecting the at least one adjustment device to the one structure comprises a hook connected between both of said end portions,

the at least one adjustment device further comprising means for connecting an eyelet on one end of a sling to the at least one adjustment device to adjust the distance over which the one structure is suspended relative to the other structure when another end of the sling is attached to the other structure, wherein said means for connecting the eyelet to the at least one adjustment device comprises a plurality of pairs of aligned holes spaced longitudinally in said elongate portions, wherein one of said aligned holes of each of said pairs of aligned holes is in one of said elongate portions and another of said aligned holes of each of said pairs of aligned holes is in another of said elongate portions for receiving the pin in a selected one of said pairs of aligned holes;

whereby a sling eyelet is insertable between said elongate portions and connectable thereto with the pin at any of said pairs of aligned holes, and

wherein there is a first spacing between said elongate portions and there is a second spacing between said end portions, said second spacing is less than said first spacing.

2. The adjustment device system of claim 1 comprising at least two of the adjustment device which are formed such that said end portions of said elongate plates respectively of one of the adjustment devices are receivable between said elongate portions of said spaced apart plates of the other of the adjustment devices, and means for connecting said end portions of said elongate plates respectively of said one adjustment device to said elongate portions of said elongate plates respectively of said other adjustment device in an end-to-end relationship, wherein said means for connecting said end portions of said elongate plates respectively of said one adjustment device to said elongate portions of said elongate plates respectively of said other adjustment device comprises a pair of aligned apertures in said end portions of said elongate plates of said one adjustment device, said pair of aligned apertures in said end portions of said elongate plates of said one adjustment device are alignable with one of said plurality of pairs of holes in said elongate portions of said elongate plates respectively of said other adjustment device.

3. The adjustment device system of claim 2 further comprising a fastener received in said pair of aligned apertures in said end portions of said elongate plates respectively of said other adjustment device and detachably attaching said hook to said end portions of said elongate plates respectively of said other adjustment device, a pin which is receivable in said pair of aligned apertures in said end portions of said elongate plates respectively of said one adjustment device and in said one of said plurality of pairs of holes of said other adjustment device for thereby connecting said one adjustment device and said other adjustment device end-to-end, a sling having an eyelet, and an other pin which is receivable in one of said plurality of pairs of holes of said one adjustment device and in the eyelet of the sling for connecting the sling to said one adjustment device.

4. An elongate adjustment device for a suspension assembly for temporarily suspending one structure relative to another structure,

the adjustment device comprising a pair of elongate spaced apart plates, wherein each of said plates comprises in a sequence longitudinally of said each plate, an end portion, and a transition portion integrally connected to the end portion at an end of the transition portion, and an elongate portion integrally connected to an other end of the transition portion, and said end portions are attached to each other,

means for releasably attaching the adjustment device to the one structure wherein said means for releasably attaching includes a hook attached between both of said end portions, and

means for connecting an eyelet at one end of an elongate sling to said elongate portions at any one of a plurality of positions along the lengths of said elongate portions respectively, whereby another end of the sling may be connected to the other structure, wherein said means for connecting the eyelet of the sling comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of aligned holes in said elongate portions respectively, wherein said plurality of aligned holes correspond to and define said plurality of positions respectively, and

wherein a first of each of said pairs of holes is in a first of said elongate portions and a second of each of said pairs of holes is in a second of said elongate portions whereby a pin is receivable in both said first hole and said second hole of each of said pairs of aligned holes and in the eyelet of the sling, whereby the sling eyelet is insertable between said elongate portions and connectable thereto with the pin at any of said pairs of aligned holes, and

wherein there is a first spacing between said elongate portions and there is a second spacing between said end portions;

said second spacing is less than said first spacing.

5. The elongate adjustment device of claim 4 further comprising the elongate sling the one end of which is detachably attachable to said elongate portions at any one of said plurality of positions.

6. The elongate adjustment device of claim 5 further comprising the pin.

7. The elongate adjustment device of claim 6 wherein said pin includes a pin portion receivable in each of said pairs of holes and a portion which is constructed for retaining said pin portion in the selected pair of said holes.

8. The elongate adjustment device of claim 4 wherein at least part of said end portion of each of said elongate plates is offset from said elongate portion of said respective elongate plate.

9. The elongate adjustment device of claim 4 further comprising the pin which includes a first portion receivable in each of said pairs of holes and means for preventing said first portion of said pin from moving out of a selected pair of said holes, said means for preventing comprising a second portion of said pin wherein said second portion of said pin includes an elongate first part which extends from one end of and normal to said first portion of said pin to an end to lie against one of said elongate portions, an elongate second part which extends from said end of and normal to said first part to an end to lie parallel to said first portion of said pin and across both of said elongate portions, and an elongate third part which extends from said end of and normal to said second part to lie against an other of said elongate portions.

10. The elongate adjustment device of claim 4 wherein said hook has a portion attachably received between said end portions of said elongate plates respectively, wherein spacing between said elongate portions of said elongate plates is a first spacing and wherein spacing between said end portions of said elongate plates is reduced to a second spacing which is less than said first spacing and which is substantially the width of said hook portion.

11. The elongate adjustment device of claim 4 comprising means for detachably attaching said hook to said end portions of said elongate plates, said means for detachably attaching including a pair of aligned apertures in said end portions of said elongate plates respectively and a fastener receivable in said aligned apertures in said end portions respectively of said elongate plates, and the adjustment device further comprising means for retaining shape of the adjustment device when said hook is detached therefrom, said means for retaining shape including at least one member which is attached to both said end portions of said elongate plates respectively.

12. The elongate adjustment device of claim 11 wherein said at least one member which is attached to both said end portions comprises at least two of said at least one member which is attached to both said end portions, wherein said at least two of said at least one member are longitudinally spaced along the length of the adjustment device.

13. A suspension assembly for temporarily suspending one structure relative to another structure, the suspension assembly comprising at least one elongate adjustment device, a pin, and an elongate sling,

said sling having on one end thereof an eyelet and the other end of which is attachable to the other structure,

said elongate adjustment device comprising a pair of elongate spaced apart plates, wherein each of said plates comprises in a sequence longitudinally of said each plate, an end portion, and a transition portion integrally connected to the end portion at an end of the transition portion, and an elongate portion integrally connected to an other end of the transition portion, and said end portions are attached to each other,

said elongate adjustment device further comprising means for releasably attaching said elongate adjustment device to the one structure wherein said means for releasably attaching includes a hook attached between both of said end portions, and

means for connecting said eyelet of said sling to said elongate portions at any one of a plurality of positions along the lengths of said elongate portions, wherein said means for connecting said eyelet of said sling comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced pairs of aligned holes in said elongate portions respectively, wherein said plurality of aligned holes correspond to and define said plurality of positions respectively, and wherein a first of each of said pairs of holes is in a first of said elongate portions and a second of each of said pairs of holes is in a second of said elongate portions whereby said pin is receivable in both said first hole and said second hole of a selected one of said pairs of aligned holes and in the eyelet of the sling, whereby said sling eyelet is insertable between said elongate portions and connectable thereto with said pin at any of said pairs of aligned holes, and

wherein there is a first spacing between said elongate portions and there is a second spacing between said end portions, said second spacing is less than said first spacing.

14. The suspension assembly of claim 13 wherein said elongate portions have a first spacing, and wherein said end portions of said elongate members have a second spacing which is less than said first spacing.

15. The suspension assembly of claim 14 wherein said hook has a portion which is receivable between said end portions of said elongate members and wherein said second spacing is equal substantially to the width of said hook portion.

16. The suspension assembly of claim 14 wherein the assembly comprises a first and a second one of said adjustment device, wherein said end portions of said elongate members respectively of said first adjustment device have a pair of apertures respectively which are alignable with at least one of said pairs of aligned holes in said elongate members respectively of said second adjustment device and wherein said second spacing is such that said end portions of said elongate members respectively of said first adjustment device are receivable between said elongate portions of said elongate members of said second adjustment device, the assembly further comprising means including an other pin receivable in said pair of apertures and one of said pairs of holes for connecting said first adjustment device to said second adjustment device end-to-end.

17. The suspension assembly of claim 16 wherein said hook has a portion which is receivable between said end portions of said elongate members of said at least one adjustment device and wherein said second spacing is equal substantially to the width of said hook portion.

18. The suspension assembly of claim 13 wherein said at least one adjustment device comprises a pair of plates spaced longitudinally of said at least one adjustment device and each of which is welded to both said end portions.

19. The suspension assembly of claim 13 wherein said pin includes a first portion receivable in each of said pairs of holes and a second portion which is constructed for retaining said first portion in the selected pair of said holes.

20. The suspension assembly of claim 19 wherein said second portion of said pin comprises an elongate first part which extends from one end of and normal to said first portion of said pin to an end to lie against one of said elongate members, an elongate second part which extends from said end of and normal to said first part to an end to lie parallel to said first portion of said pin and across both of said elongate members, and an elongate third part which extends from said end of and normal to said second part to lie against an other of said elongate members.