Suspended scaffolding system

• US 20030146049A1
• Filed: 02/01/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scaffolding Professionals Corporation
• Original Assignee: James R. Albano
• Inventors: Albano, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,722,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 182/150
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 3/20 supported by walls E04G3/28 takes precedence; wall-anchors for supporting scaffolds E04G5/04; consoles E04G5/06
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 3/22 supported by roofs or ceilings E04G3/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 5/041 for fastening scaffolds on roof frameworks or on roofs
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 5/06 Consoles; Brackets E04G3/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 5/062 specially adapted for attachment to building walls

Abstract

A suspended scaffolding system and method of use employs a plurality of scaffolding brackets that are hung from the framework of a building under construction to support a plurality of scaffolding planks to form a walkway therebetween. The scaffolding brackets include an anchor assembly, which is specially designed to wrap around the building'"'"'s framework such that construction workers can complete their work without removing the brackets.

Claims

1. A suspended scaffolding bracket for a building under construction, comprising:

a horizontal support having a first end and a second end;

a vertical support having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the bottom end is attached to the first end of the horizontal support; and

an anchor assembly structured to make contact with inside and top surfaces of a crossbeam of the building such that construction work adjacent the crossbeam can be completed without removing the scaffolding bracket.

2. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 1, wherein the anchor assembly includes a horizontal plate structured to make contact with the top surface of the crossbeam.

3. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 2, wherein the horizontal plate is structured make contact with only a portion of the top surface of the crossbeam.

4. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 2, wherein the anchor assembly further includes a vertical plate structured make contact with the inside surface of the crossbeam.

5. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 4, wherein the vertical plate includes a plurality of apertures structured to receive fasteners for releasably securing the anchor assembly to the crossbeam.

6. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 1, further including a brace attached to a lower side of the horizontal support.

7. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 6, wherein the brace is L-shaped for receiving a cross-support.

8. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 7, wherein the cross-support is structured to span at least three studs of the building under construction.

9. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 6, wherein the brace includes a vertical plate forming an abutment for a cross-support.

10. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 9, wherein the cross-support is structured to span at least three studs of the building under construction.

11. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 1, further including a safety post receiver attached to an upper side of the second end of the horizontal support.

12. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 11, wherein the safety post receiver is a hollow tube structured to releasably receive a safety post.

13. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 12, wherein the safety post includes a plurality of vertically spaced channels structured to receive horizontal safety rails.

14. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 1, wherein the vertical support is to be positioned inside of and approximately parallel to a stud of the building under construction.

15. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 2, wherein the anchor assembly further includes a vertical plate structured make contact with the inside surface of the crossbeam.

16. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 15, wherein the horizontal plate is dimensioned to extend across the top surface of the crossbeam in a direction from the inside surface of the crossbeam toward an outside surface of the crossbeam.

17. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 16, wherein the horizontal plate is dimensioned to extend across only a portion of the top surface of the crossbeam so that a leading edge of the top surface of the crossbeam is unobstructed and work adjacent to the leading edge can be completed without removing the bracket.

18. The suspended scaffolding bracket of claim 16, wherein the horizontal plate is dimensioned to extend across only a portion of the top surface of the crossbeam so that a leading edge of the top surface of the crossbeam is unobstructed and a freeze block can be installed in contact with the leading edge without removing the bracket.

19. A suspended scaffolding system for a building under construction, comprising:

a plurality of scaffolding brackets, each bracket comprising;

a horizontal support having a first end and a second end;

a vertical support having a top end and a bottom end, wherein the bottom end is attached to the first end of the horizontal support; and

an anchor assembly structured to make contact with inside and top surfaces of a crossbeam of the building such that construction work adjacent the crossbeam can be completed without removing the scaffolding brackets; and

a plurality of scaffolding planks spanning the plurality of scaffolding brackets and forming a walkway.

20. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 19, wherein each anchor assembly includes a horizontal plate structured to make contact with the top surface of a crossbeam of the building under construction.

22. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 20, wherein each anchor assembly further includes a vertical plate structured to make contact with the inside surface of a crossbeam.

23. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 22, wherein each vertical plate includes a plurality of apertures structured to receive fasteners for releasably securing the anchor assembly to a crossbeam.

24. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 19, wherein each scaffolding bracket further includes a brace attached to a lower side of the horizontal support.

25. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 24, wherein each brace is L-shaped for receiving a cross-support.

26. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 25, wherein each cross-support is structured to span at least three studs of the building under construction.

27. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 24, wherein each brace includes a vertical plate forming an abutment for a cross-support.

28. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 27, wherein each cross-support is structured to span at least three studs of the building under construction.

29. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 19, wherein each scaffolding bracket further includes a safety post receiver attached to an upper side of the second end of a horizontal support.

30. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 29, wherein each safety post receiver is a hollow tube structured to releasably receive a safety post.

31. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 30, wherein each safety post includes a plurality of vertically spaced channels structured to receive horizontal safety rails.

32. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 19, wherein each vertical support is to be positioned inside of and approximately parallel to a stud of the building.

33. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 20, wherein the anchor assembly further includes a vertical plate structured make contact with the inside surface of the crossbeam.

34. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 33, wherein each horizontal plate is dimensioned to extend along the top surface of a crossbeam in a direction from the inside surface of the crossbeam toward an outside surface of the crossbeam.

35. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 34, wherein each horizontal plate is dimensioned to extend across only a portion of the top surface of a crossbeam so that a leading edge of the top surface of the crossbeam is unobstructed and work adjacent to the leading edge can be completed without removing the brackets.

36. The suspended scaffolding system of claim 34, wherein each horizontal plate is dimensioned to extend across only a portion of the top surface of a crossbeam so that a leading edge of the top surface of the crossbeam is unobstructed and a freeze block can be installed in contact with the leading edge without removing the brackets.

21. The suspended scaffolding system 20, wherein each horizontal plate is structured make contact with only a portion of the top surface of a crossbeam.

37. A method of installing a suspended scaffolding system around a building under construction, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of scaffolding brackets, each scaffolding bracket including a horizontal support, a vertical support and an anchor assembly located at a top end of the vertical support;

wherein the anchor assembly is structured to make contact with a crossbeam of the building under construction; and

maneuvering each scaffolding bracket such that each anchor assembly makes contact with upper and inner surfaces of a crossbeam of the building under construction.

38. The method of claim 37, further including the step of providing each anchor assembly with a horizontal plate structured to make contact with only a portion of the upper surface of the crossbeam.

39. The method of claim 38, further including the step of providing each anchor assembly with a vertical plate structured make contact with the inside surface of the crossbeam.

40. The method of claim 39, further including the step of providing each vertical plate with a plurality of apertures structured to receive fasteners for releasably securing the anchor assembly to the crossbeam.

41. The method of claim 37, further including the step of providing each scaffolding bracket with an L-shaped brace attached to a lower side of the horizontal support for receiving a cross-support, wherein each cross-support is structured to span at least three studs of the building under construction.

42. The method of claim 37, further including the step of providing each scaffolding bracket with a brace having a vertical plate attached to a lower side of the horizontal support which forms an abutment for a cross-support, wherein each cross-support is structured to span at least three studs of the building under construction.

43. The method of claim 37, further including the step of providing each scaffolding bracket with a safety post receiver attached to an upper side of the second end of the horizontal support, wherein each safety post receiver is a hollow tube structured to releasably receive a safety post.

44. The method of claim 43, further including the step of providing each safety post with a plurality of vertically spaced channels structured to receive horizontal safety rails.

45. The method of claim 37, wherein the step of maneuvering each scaffolding bracket such that each anchor assembly is positioned along upper and inner surfaces of a crossbeam of the building under construction includes the step of positioning each scaffolding bracket such that construction work adjacent the crossbeam can be completed without removing the scaffolding bracket.

46. The method of claim 37, further including the step of laying scaffolding planks across the horizontal supports of the plurality of scaffolding brackets to form a walkway.

47. The method of claim 37, further including the steps of lifting up the second end of horizontal support and positioning the cross-support between the brace and at least three studs of the building.

48. The method of claim 38, further including the step of providing the anchor assembly with a vertical plate structured to make contact with the inside surface of the crossbeam.

49. The method of claim 48, further including the step of providing a horizontal plate that is dimensioned to extend along the top surface of the crossbeam in a direction from the inside surface of the crossbeam toward an outside surface of the crossbeam.

50. The method of claim 49, further including the step of providing a horizontal plate that is dimensioned to extend across only a portion of the top surface of the crossbeam so that a leading edge of the top surface of the crossbeam is unobstructed and work adjacent to the leading edge can be completed without removing the brackets.

51. The method of claim 49, further including the steps of providing a horizontal plate that is dimensioned to extend across only a portion of the top surface of the crossbeam so that a leading edge of the top surface of the crossbeam is unobstructed and installing a freeze block in contact with the leading edge without removing the brackets.