WORKSTATION

• US 20170089135A1
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Published: 03/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Heff Industries Inc.
• Original Assignee: Heff Industries Inc.
• Inventors: Heffernan, Matthew Paul
• Granted Patent: US 10,662,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/02 of table type
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/06 Trays
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 5/003 Devices for storing material on the scaffold
• CPC Class Codes: E06C 7/14 Holders for pails or other equipment on or for ladders

Abstract

A workstation for supporting work articles at an elevated position comprising a base plate; a workstation mount connected to the base plate and configured to selectively mount the workstation on one of a ladder and a railing; and at least one tray sized and arranged for being inserted into the at least one tray opening and thereby installed in the workstation, the at least one tray being selectively removable from the tray opening to separate the tray from the base plate.

Claims

1. A workstation for supporting work articles at an elevated position, the workstation comprising:

a base plate having a top, a bottom, and a thickness extending therebetween, the base plate defining a plurality of tool holes extending through the thickness of the base plate, the tool holes each being shaped and arranged for receiving a narrow end portion of a tool therethrough such that a wide end portion of the respective tool is supported on the top of the base plate, the base plate further defining at least one tray opening extending through the thickness of the base plate;

a workstation mount connected to the base plate and configured to selectively mount the workstation on one of a ladder and a railing; and

at least one tray sized and arranged for being inserted into the at least one tray opening and thereby installed in the workstation, the at least one tray being selectively removable from the tray opening to separate the tray from the base plate.

2. A workstation as set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one tray has a receptacle portion defining a storage cavity and a flange portion.

3. A workstation as set forth in claim 2 wherein the receptacle portion of the tray is configured to be received in the at least one tray opening and the flange portion is configured to be supported on the top of the base plate when the at least one tray is installed in the workstation.

4. A workstation as set forth in claim 3 wherein the receptacle portion of the tray has a first wall, a second wall, and a width extending therebetween, the width of the tray being sized so that, when a predetermined item is inserted into the storage cavity, the storage cavity is substantially free of gaps between the item and the first and second walls of the receptacle portion.

5. A workstation as set forth in claim 4 wherein the width of the receptacle portion is about 6 inches.

6. A workstation as set forth in claim 4 wherein the predetermined item is a one-gallon paint can.

7. A workstation as set forth in claim 1 wherein the workstation includes a first number of tray openings and a second number of trays, the second number being greater than the first number.

8. A workstation as set forth in claim 1 wherein the workstation includes a plurality of trays, the trays being interchangeably installable in said at least one of the tray openings.

9. A workstation as set forth in claim 8 wherein the workstation includes a plurality of tray openings and the trays are interchangeably installable in any of the tray openings.

10. A workstation as set forth in claim 1 wherein the base plate comprises plywood and a sheet metal skin.

11. A workstation as set forth in claim 1 wherein the workstation mount comprises at least one C-channel mounting bracket configured for receiving a segment of the railing therein.

12. A workstation as set forth in claim 11 wherein the mount further comprises a pin insertable into the C-channel mounting bracket beneath the segment of the railing received therein.

13. A workstation as set forth in claim 1 wherein the workstation mount comprises a first C-channel mounting bracket and a second C-channel mounting bracket oriented perpendicular to the first C-channel mounting bracket.

14. A method of positioning work articles at an elevated position on one of a ladder, a lift, and a scaffold, the method comprising:

loading work articles into a set of trays;

installing a selected subset of the trays into tray openings formed in a base plate of a workstation; and

mounting the workstation and the installed selected subset of trays on said one of the ladder, the lift, and the scaffold whereby the work articles loaded into the selected subset of the trays are positioned at the elevated position.

15. A method as set forth in claim 14 further comprising removing the mounted workstation from said one of the ladder, the lift, and the scaffold.

16. A method as set forth in claim 15 further comprising removing the installed selected subset of the trays, installing another subset of the trays into the tray openings, and mounting the workstation and said other subset of the trays on said one of the ladder, the lift, and the scaffold to position other work articles at the elevated position.

17. A method as set forth in claim 14 wherein the base plate has fewer tray openings than the number of trays in said set of trays.

18. A workstation for supporting work articles at an elevated position, the workstation comprising:

a base plate configured to support the work articles having a top, a bottom, and a thickness extending therebetween, the base plate including an inner perimeter edge margin that defines a ladder opening extending through the thickness of the base plate, the ladder opening being sized and arranged for receiving a top end portion of a folding ladder therein such that the inner perimeter edge margin of the base plate is seated on the top end portion of the ladder; and

a workstation mount attached to the base plate and configured to selectively secure the workstation to the ladder, the work station mount comprising;

a hook member configured for hooking engagement with a bottom portion of a rung of the ladder that is spaced apart below said top end portion of the ladder; and

a tensioner connected between the hook member and the base plate and configured to be selectively tensioned to impart a mounting force between the hook member and the base plate that urges the hook member and the base plate toward one another, whereby the tensioner forces the base plate downward to maintain said seated engagement between the inner perimeter edge margin of the base plate and the top end portion of the ladder and forces the hook member upward to maintain said hooking engagement with said rung of the ladder.

19. A workstation as set forth in claim 18 wherein the tensioner comprises a turnbuckle.

20. A workstation as set forth in claim 18 wherein the workstation mount further comprises a mounting bracket attached to the base plate and including a segment configured to hook beneath a top rung of the ladder when the ladder opening receives the top end portion of the ladder therein.