Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Means maintaining platform level on angularly movable support – Swingable support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-02-02
2001-02-06
Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Means maintaining platform level on angularly movable support
Swingable support
C182S002300
Reexamination Certificate
active
06182788
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an elevating work platform.
The platform is particularly suitable for, but not limited to, a work platform mountable on vehicles such as utility vehicles or pickups, vans, light trucks or the like. The term “work platform” shall be used throughout the specification (ie., description and claims) to also include cranes and “cherry-picker” type materials handing equipment.
2. Prior Art
Examples of elevating work platforms are manufactured and sold under the U.S. Registered Trade Mark “DUR-A-LIFT” by Dur-a-Lift Inc., of George, Iowa, U.S.A.
These platforms suffer some, if not all, of the problems of known elevating work platforms mounted on light vehicles.
With most known platforms, the arrangements for mounting are complicated, expensive and/or space consuming. When the platforms are mounted, they usually do not allow a large working area in the vehicle. Finally, the platforms are not arranged for easy mounting onto standard vehicles without some interference or requirement for major modification to the vehicles. This means that the platforms are also not readily demountable so that the vehicles can be readily used for other tasks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to minimise, or ameliorate, at least one of the problems with known platforms.
In one aspect, the present invention resides in an elevating work platform unit, mountable on a vehicle, including:
a support frame on, or mountable on, the vehicle;
a base frame having a mast supporting a boom for luffing and/or slewing movement relative to the base frame or mast;
coupling means enabling releasable coupling of the base frame to the support frame; and
bracing means on the base frame and/or mast releasably connectable to the vehicle to provide at least vertical stability to the mast.
In one embodiment, the support frame is, or is incorporated in, a towbar at the rear of the vehicle. In an alternative embodiment, the support frame is a load deck or chassis of the vehicle, preferably immediately rearwardly of an operator's cab on the vehicle.
In a first embodiment, the base frame is preferably a substantially horizontal beam or frame member arranged to extend substantially transversely to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In the alternative embodiment, the base frame is preferably a base plate on the mast.
Preferably, the coupling means for the first embodiment includes a socket or tongue on the support frame releasably engageable by a complementary spigot, socket or yoke on the base frame. In the alternative embodiment, the coupling means may be releasable fasteners.
The bracing means may include a counter leverage arm releasably interconnecting the mast (or base frame) to the vehicle at a fixing point spaced from the support frame, the counter leverage arm providing vertical stability to the mast when the base frame and/or mast are in tension or compression.
In a van, an internal brace may be provided between the floor and the roof, the counter leverage arm being engageable with the internal brace.
Diagonal braces may be provided between the base frame and the mast.
The boom may be a fixed-length, single- or two-stage telescopic, fly- or knuckle-boom and be provided with a work platform or load-engaging hook at its distal end.
Preferably, the boom is hingedly mounted on a post rotatably journalled in the mast, where a hydraulic ram is operable to raise and lower the boom in a luffing movement.
A second hydraulic ram may interconnect the post to the base frame to move the boom with a slewing movement.
In a second aspect, the present invention resides in a vehicle fitted with the platform unit.
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patent: 5868218 (1999-02-01), Lawson
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patent: 27027522 (1917-03-01), None
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patent: WO 93/12029 (1993-06-01), None
Chin-Shue Alvin
Holt Industries PTY Ltd.
Mathews, Collins Shepherd & Gould P.A.
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