US3447634A - Mobile scaffold - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1969 A. J. TOROSIAN Sheet 2' of 3 Filed Nov. 25, 1966 fiLw. MMME SN N m WWT T A J R MW M w June 3, 1969 Filed Nov. 25. 1966 Sheet ARAM .1 7019051411 INVENTO/ HUEBNER 8 WORREI ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,447,634 MOBILE SCAFFOLD Aram J. Torosian, 3312 El Monte Way, Fresno, Calif. 93702 Filed Nov. 25, 1966, Ser. No. 596,951 Int. Cl. E04g 1/00, 3/00, /00

U.S. Cl. 182131 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mobile scaffold including an earth traversing frame, a support mounted on the frame for movement between extended and retracted positions, a platform mounted on the support for non-linear movement, and linkage interconnecting the frame and the platform for effecting the non-linear movement of the platform in response to movement of the support on the frame.

ported in elevated positions in order to prune trees, thin fruit, harvest and otherwise care for an orchard. Ladders have conventionally been employed for this purpose. However, ladders are time consuming, cumbersome and laborious to use. Furthermore, they are frequently difficult to support in desired positions against a tree, and they are not always safe and dependable. In view of rising labor costs and other problems, the provision of improved means to support workmen for these and other tasks has become imperative.

Mobile scaffolds have been developed in an effort to overcome the inadequacies of ladders. Prior art scaffolds have provided platforms movable inwardly and outwardly of their carrying frame between work and retracted positions. However, many of the conventional scaffolds have been unduly complex, heavy, and cumbersome, while failing to provide the degree of adjustment, position control, mobility, precision, speed of use and safety desired. Still other known scaffolds have only enabled access to the sides of the trees disposed toward the scaffold.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable mobile scaffold wherein an elevated support for workmen is selectively adjustable between an outer work position adjacent to an elevated work area and an inner retracted position.

Another object is to provide a mobile scaffold mounted for earth traversing movement and including a workmans support movable transversely of the path of travel of the scaffold between a retracted position wherein the overall dimensions of the scaffold are minimized to facilitate earth traversing movement in restricted areas, and an extended work position adapted to support a workman in elevationally adjacent relation to work areas laterally outwardly spaced from the scaffold.

Another object is to provide an orchard scaffold including workmen support platforms which are mounted for movement about opposite halves of a tree thereby enabling access to the entire circumference of the tree.

Another object is to enable more depandable and safe support of workmen in juxtaposed relation to elevated work areas.

Another object is to provide a greater degree of position control and adjustment in a mobile scaffold.

3,447,634 Patented June 3, 1969 Another object is to minimize the time, inconvenience, and labor associated with the picking of fruit, pruning of trees, thinning, and other orchard care.

Another object is to provide a mobile, adjustable scaffold which is of relatively simple and lightweight construction.

These, together with other objects, will become more fully apparent upon reference to the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a horizontal section of an adjustable scaffold embodying the principles of the present invention, showing workman support platforms in dashed outline in their retracted positions, and indicating trunks of trees in adjacent rows of an orchard in dashed lines.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, top plan view of the scaffold when the platforms are in their extended positions with one of the support platforms shown in dashed lines, and with one of such tree trunks indicated in dashed outline.

FIG. 3 is a rear elevation of the subject scaffold with the platforms in retracted positions and with trees in adjacent rows of an orchard fragmentarily illustrated on opposite sides of the scaffold.

FIG. 4 is a somewhat enlarged, longitudinal section taken on line 44 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a somewhat enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal section taken on line 5-5 in FIG. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, an adjustable mobile scaffold embodying the principles of the present invention is generally indicated by the numeral 10 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. The scaffold includes an elongated, rectangular main frame 11 having elongated, longitudinally spaced, transversely extended, forward and rearward channels 12 and 13. The channels have opposite ends 15 also constituting opposite sides of the scaffold. It is also to be noted particularly by reference to FIGS. 4 and 5 that the channels lie on their sides and have U- shaped grooves or tracks disposed inwardly toward each other. The channels are rigidly interconnected by elongated struts 16 respectively adjacent to the opposite ends of the channels. Additionally, cylindrical sleeves 18 are secured within each channel, in axial alignment therewithin, and respectively adjacent to the opposite ends of the channels.

The main frame 11 also includes transversely spaced, longitudinally extended, frame members 20 rigidly interconnecting the forward and rearward channels 12 and 13 outwardly of the struts 16. Axles 21 are rigidly outwardly extended from the frame members, and ground wheels 22 are journaled on the axles in coaxial alignment and for supporting the frame for earth traversing movement along a path of travel normal to the axis of the wheels. In the above description of the channels and frame members, it is to be noted that the terms longitudinal and transverse are employed with reference to the scaffold as a whole, that is, considering that the wheels mount the scaffold for travel along a longitudinal path.

An elongated tongue 25 is rigidly forwardly extended from the forward channel 12. Elongated braces 26 rigidly interconnect the tongue and the forward channel on opposite sides of the connection of the tongue to the forward channel and impart rigidity to the tongue. The tongue is adapted to be coupled to a draft appliance, not shown, such as a tractor.

Elongated, generally rectangular, auxiliary frames 30 include forward and rearward, substantially cylindrical rods 31 and 32 having inner end portions 33 individually slidably fitted in the sleeves 18 and thus within the forward and rearward channels 12 and 13, respectively. The rods also provide outer end portions 34. The inner and outer end portions of the rods are respectively rigidly interconnected in fixed spaced relation by inner and outer bars 35. It is to be noted that the inner bars are disposed inwardly of their associated inner pair of sleeves while the outer bars are outwardly of their respective outer pair of sleeves. The auxiliary frames are thus individually mounted on the main frame for slidable movement transversely of the main frame between inner retracted positions, as illustrated in FIG. 1, with the inner ends 33 in closely adjacent relation to each other, or in actual abutment, and outwardly extended work positions, as illustrated in FIG. 2, with the inner bars 35 in closely adjacent relation to their respective inner pairs of sleeves and with the outer end portions 34 of the auxiliary frames spaced endwardly outwardly from the outer ends of the main frame.

Upper and lower hydraulic rams 40 provide mounted ends 41 individually pivotally connected by pins 42 to the struts 16 of the main frame 11 and coupled ends 44 individually pivotally connected by pins 45 to the inner bars of the auxiliary frames 30. It is to be noted that the struts of the main frame are oppositely upwardly and downwardly extended from a horizontal plane passing through the main frame. In like manner the inner bars are oppositely upwardly and downwardly extended relative to each other. The lower ram interconnects the downwardly extended strut and bar while the upper ram interconnects the upwardly extended strut and bar. Thus, each ram controls movement of the auxiliary frame on the opposite side of the main frame from such ram. Fluid conduits 47 are connected to the rams for supplying and releasing hydraulic fluid to and from the rams thereby to enable movement of the auxiliary frames between their extended and retracted positions.

Clevises 55 are individually, transversely adjustably connected to the struts 16 by bolts 56 and nuts 57. Sheaves 58 are rotatably mounted in the clevises. Elongated cables 59 are trained about the sheaves with each cable having an end 60 connected to the inner bar 35 of the auxiliary frame 30 on the same side of the main frame as the sheave about which the cable extends. Each cable also has an opposite end 61 connected to the strut 16 on the opposite side of the main frame 11 from the auxiliary frame 30 to which the end 60 of the cable is connected. Accordingly, the auxiliary frames are concurrently movable either inwardly or outwardly on the main frame incident to contraction or expansion of the rams 40. It is believed understood, however, that only one ram need be employed for extending and retracting the auxiliary frames because of the provision of the cables.

Bearings 65 are individually mounted in upstanding positions on the outer end portions 34 of the rods 31 and 32. Axially upright shafts 66 are journaled in the bearings. Elongated booms 68 provide tubular outer portions 69 having lower ends individually rigidly connected to the shafts. The outer portions of the booms are upwardly extended from their respective shafts in obtuse angular relation therewith. Each boom also includes an inner portion 71 telescopically slidably fitted in its respective outer portion. The outer portions of the booms have a plurality of longitudinally spaced apertures 72 therein, and pins 74 are selectively extendible through the apertures and corresponding apertures, not shown, in the inner portions for maintaining said inner and outer portions of the booms in selectively adjusted lengths.

Platform 80, preferably having an elliptical circumference, are individually rigidly connected to the inner portions 71 of the booms 68, substantially concentrically of the platforms, and in substantially horizontal planes. Elliptical railings 81 are mounted on the platforms in upstanding relation therefrom and provide passageways or gaps 82 for permitting entrance and egress to and from the platforms. Ladders 84 are mounted on the platforms in downwardly extension therefrom immediately below the gaps in their respective railings. Braces 86 rigidly interconnect the plaforrns and their associated ladders.

Elongated, arcuate ogee levers 90 provide inner and outer ends 91 and 92. The levers are individually pivotally mounted on the outer end portions 34 of the forward and rearward rods 31 and 32 of the auxiliary frames 30 by pins 93 extended through the levers between their opposite ends in substantially parallel relation to the shafts 66. It is to be noted that the pins 93 are substantially equally inwardly spaced from the shafts 66 at their respective end portions of the rods.

Frame arms 96 are rigidly rearwardly and forwardly extended from the outer ends 15 of the forward and rearward channels 12 and 13, respectively, and slightly laterally outwardly extended in obtuse angularity with their respective channels. Radius arms 97 are rigidly outwardly extended from the outer portions 69 of the booms 68. Inner and outer toggle links 98 and 99 respectively pivotally interconnect the inner ends 91 of the levers 90 and the frame arms and the outer ends 92 of the levers and the radius arms. The pivot axes of the levers and links are substantially parallel to each other and to the shafts 66.

Operation The operation of the described embodiment of the subject invention is believed to be readily apparent and is briefly summarized at this point. The scaffold 10 is conveniently described for use in orchard maintenance, and for this purpose, a pair of trees in adjacent rows of an orchard are illustrated at in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.

In order to employ the subject scaffold 10 for pruning the trees 110, for example, the tongue 25 is connected to a tractor, not shown, and the conduits 47 are connected to as source of valve-controlled hydraulic fluid under pressure on the tractor. The rams 40 are contracted in order to move the auxiliary frames 30 into their retracted positions. It is to be noted that the overall width of the scaffold 10 when the auxiliary frames are retracted is substantially less than the distance between a pair of adjacent rows of trees in the orchard. In said retracted positions, the platforms 80 are spaced inwardly of their respective shafts 66 in partially overlying relation to the auxiliary and main frames 80 and 11. Workmen mount or ascend onto the platforms by standing on the main frame 11 and by climbing the ladders 84. Of course, the railings 81 protect the workmen from accidentally falling off from the platforms. The scaffold is pulled through the orchard between the adjacent rows of trees and stopped longitudinally of the rows between a pair of trees which it is desired to prune. Preferably, the scaffold is positioned so that an imaginary line extended transversely thereof, and bisecting the main and auxiliary frames, intersects the trunks of the trees to be pruned, all as best visualized by reference to FIG. 1.

The rams 40 are expanded whereby the auxiliary frames 30 simultaneously move outwardly of the main frame 11 toward the trees 110 at their respective sides of the main frame. This swings the platforms 80 on their shafts 66 into work positions endwardly outwardly spaced from their respective shafts and in circumferentially adjacent relation to the tops of the trees 110. The auxiliary frames are moved outwardly by distances sufiicient to rotate the platforms into desired work positions circumferentially to their respective trees. The booms 68 are telescopically adjustable for positioning the platforms at selected elevations but for this purpose the workmen leave their platforms. It is evident that by moving the auxiliary frames inwardly and outwardly, a workman on each platform is .able to prune the half of the tree disposed toward his platform. That is, each platform is moved through substantially a semi-circular arcuate path substantially concentric to the trunk of the tree adjacent thereto. In his manner access is provided for the entire circumference of the tree.

When all of the portions of the trees within the reach of the workmen on the platforms 80 have been pruned,

the rams 40 are contracted to move the auxiliary frames 30 into their retracted positions. Such movement of the auxiliary frames concurrently swings the platforms into their retracted positions. The scaffold is thus ready to be moved longitudinally of the rows of trees 110 to a successive pair of trees. In this manner, the entire orchard is pruned.

From the foregoing, it will be evident that an adjustable mobile scaffold has been provided which enables a workmans support to be selectively adjustable moved between an extended work position in elevationally adjacent relation to a predetermined work area and an inner retracted position. The scaffold is particularly suited for use in orchard care wherein the scaffold is readily movable between adjacent rows of trees when the platforms are in retracted positions and wherein the platforms enable workmen to reach elevated portions of the trees when the platforms are in their extended positions. The scaffold minimizes the time, inconvenience, and labor involved in orchard maintenance, enables dependable and safe support of workmen in elevated work positions, is of relatively simple and lightweight construction, and affords a considerable degree of adjustment and position control of the support platforms. Of greatest significance is the ability of workmen using the scaffold to obtain access to the entire circumference of the trees on opposite sides of the scaffold; because of this advantage, the scaffold need only be driven between every other adjacent pair of rows of trees.

Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what it claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an adjustable scaffold, the combination of a support, a platform, and means mounting the platform on the support for movement in a predetermined path of travel between extended and retracted positions relative to the support and for swinging movement through a predetermined angle about a substantially erect axis incident to movement of the platform along said path.

2. The scaffold of claim 1 including a railing upwardly extended in partially circumscribing relation to the platform and providing a passageway disposed radially of the platform; and a ladder downwardly extended from the platform in substantially vertical alignment with said passageway.

3. The scaffold of claim 1 in which said platform is disposed substantially horizontally during swinging and movement along said path.

4. An adjustable scaffold comprising a main frame; an auxiliary frame telescopically mounted on the main frame for movement along a predetermined path between extended and retracted positions with respect to the main frame; a platform; means mounting the platform on the auxiliary frame for rotation about an axis disposed transversely of the path of movement of the auxiliary frame; and linkage means pivotally mounted on the auxiliary frame and pivotally interconnecting the main frame and the platform mounting means for rotating the platform through a predetermined angle about its axis of rotation incident to movement of the auxiliary frame between said extended and retracted positions.

5. A scaffold comprising a main frame; an auxiliary frame; a platform; means mounting the platform on the auxiliary frame for swinging movement about a predetermined axis; means mounting the auxiliary frame on the main frame for movement along a predetermined path of travel disposed transversely of said swinging axis and between predetermined extended and retracted positions relative to the main frame; and means interconnecting the main frame and the platform mounting means for swinging the platform about its axis through a predetermined angle incident to movement of the auxiliary frame between said extended and retracted positions.

6. A mobile scaffold comprising a main frame; means mounting the main frame for earth traversing movement; an auxiliary frame telescopically mounted on the main frame for movement in a substantially horizontal plane inwardly and outwardly with respect to the main frame; a shaft rotatably journaled in the auxiliary frame in an upstanding position; a boom secured to the shaft and obliquely upwardly extended therefrom; a platform secured to the boom in a substantially horizontal plane; and linkage means having opposite ends respectively connected to the main frame and to the boom and being pivotally connected intermediate said ends to the auxiliary frame for swinging the shaft and thus the platform through a predetermined angle incident to inward and outward movement of the auxiliary frame relative to the main frame.

7. The scaffold of claim 6 wherein the auxiliary frame is elongated and has inner and outer end portions; and wherein the linkage means moves the boom between an inner position overlying the main and auxiliary frames and inwardly of the shaft when the auxiliary frame is in its inwardly extended position and an outer position extended outwardly from the auxiliary frame and said shaft When the auxiliary frame is in extended position.

8. The scafiold of claim 7 including a ladder downwardly dependent from the platform, said ladder being downwardly extended over the main frame in the inner position of the boom for facilitating ascendancy to and descendancy from the platform.

9. The scaffold of claim 6 wherein the boom is telescopically adjustable for enabling elevational adjustment of the platform relative to the auxiliary frame.

10. A mobile scaffold comprising a main frame having opposite sides; means mounting the main frame for earth traversing movement along a predetermined path of travel in relation thereto; substantially horizontal first and second auxiliary frames telescopically mounted on the opposite sides of the main frame for movement transversely of said path of travel between inner retracted positions and outer positions extended outwardly on their respective sides of the main frame; shafts individually rotatably journaled in the auxiliary frames in substantially upright positions; booms individually secured to the shafts and obliquely upwardly extended therefrom; platforms individually borne by the booms in substantially horizontal planes; powered means interconnecting the main frame and the auxiliary frames for moving said auxiliary frames between their inner and outer positions; and linkage means pivotally borne by the auxiliary frames and having opposite ends pivotally connected to their respective booms and opposite sides of the main frame for swinging the shafts and thus the platforms between positions inwardly extended in overlying relation to said main frame in the retracted positions of the auxiliary frames and outer work positions endwardly outwardly extended from the auxiliary frames in the outer positions thereof.

11. A mobile scaffold comprising a main frame having opposite sides; means mounting the main frame for earth traversing movement along a predetermined path of travel; substantially horizontal first and second auxiliary frames mounted on the opposite sides of the main frame for movement transversely of said path of travel between inner retracted positions and outer positions extended outwardly on their respective sides of the main frame; shafts individually rotatably journaled in the auxiliary frames in substantially upright positions; booms individually secured to the shafts and obliquely upwardly extended therefrom; platforms individually borne by the booms in substantially horizontal planes; sheaves mounted on opposite sides of the main frame; cables individually trained about the sheaves and having ends extended from their respective sheaves and connected to their respectively adjacent auxiliary frames, the cables having opposite ends connected to the auxiliary frames on the opposite sides of the main frame from said sheaves; telescopically adjustable powered means interconnecting the main frame and one of the auxiliary frames whereby extension and retraction of said powered means moves both of said auxiliary frames concurrently between their outer and inner positions; and linkage means pivotally borne by the auxiliary frames and having opposite ends pivotally connected to their respective booms and opposite sides of the main frame for swinging the shafts and thus the platforms between positions inwardly extended in overlying relation to said main frame in the retracted positions of the auxiliary frames and outer work positions endwardly outwardly extended from the auxiliary frames in the outer positions thereof.

12. An adjustable mobile scaffold comprising an elongated main frame having forward and rearward portions and opposite ends; ground wheels connected to and mounting the main frame for earth traversing movement along a predetermined path of travel disposed transversely of the main frame; an elongated auxiliary frame having an inner end slidably fitted in an end of the main frame and an opposite outer end; a ram borne by the main frame and individually connected to the auxiliary frame for sliding the auxiliary frame between an extended position with its outer end spaced endwardly outwardly from its respective end of the main frame and retracted positions with corresponding outer ends of the main and auxiliary frames relatively adjacent to each other; a shaft journaled in substantially upright position in the outer end of the auxiliary frame; an elongated rigid boom having a lower end connected to the shaft and being upwardly extended in obtuse angular relation thereto; a platform rigidly mounted on the boom in a substantially horizontal plane; an elongated lever having opposite ends and being pivotally mounted on the auxiliary frame intermediate said ends for pivotal movement about an axis substantially parallel to the shaft; an arm rigidly outwardly extended from the boom; an outer link pivotally interconnecting the outer ends of the lever and arms; and an inner link individually pivotally interconnecting the main frame and inner end of the lever for swinging the platform about its respective shaft between a work position endwardly outwardly extended from the auxiliary frame when the auxiliary frame is in extended position, and a retracted position overlying the frames and generally inwardly extended from the shaft when the auxiliary frame is in retracted position.

13. An adjustable mobile scaffold adapted to be motivated between adjacent rows of trees in an orchard to facilitate pruning, picking, and similar tasks, comprising an elongated main frame having forward and rearward portions and opposite ends; ground wheels connected to and mounting the main frame for earth traversing movement along a predetermined path of travel disposed transversely of the main frame; elongated auxiliary frames having inner ends individually slidable fitted in opposite ends of the main frame and opposite outer ends; rams borne by the main frame and individually connected to the auxiliary frames for sliding the auxiliary frames between extended positions with their outer ends spaced endwardly outwardly from their respective ends of the main frame and retracted positions with corresponding outer ends of the main and auxiliary frames relatively adjacent to each other; shafts individually journaled in substantially upright positions in the outer ends of the auxiliary frames; elongated rigid booms having lower ends connected to the shafts and being upwardly extended in obtuse angular relation to their respective shafts; platforms rigidly mounted on the booms in substantially horizontal planes; elongated levers individually associated with the shafts, having opposite ends, and being pivotally mounted on the auxiliary frames intermediate their respective ends for pivotal movement about axes substantially parallel to the shafts; arms rigidly outwardly extended from the booms; outer links pivotally interconnecting the outer ends of corresponding levers and arms and inner links individually pivotally interconnecting the main frame and inner ends of the levers for swinging the platforms on their respective shafts between work positions endwardly outwardly extended from their respective auxiliary frames when the auxiliary frames are in extended positions, and retracted positions overlying their respective frames and generally inwardly extended from their respective shafts when the auxiliary frames are in retracted positions.

14. In an adjustable scaffold; a main frame; an auxiliary frame telescopically mounted on the main frame for movement along a predetermined, substantially horizontal path bet-ween extended and retracted positions with respect to the main frame; a pair of platforms; means individually mounting the platforms on the auxiliary frame for swinging movement of the platforms about first upright axes transversely spaced from each other with respect to said path of movement; and linkage means individually interconnecting each platform mounting means and the auxiliary frame for swinging the platforms in arcuate paths substantially concentric to a common upright axis substantially parallel to and intermediate said first axes during movement of the auxiliary frame between extended and retracted positions. 15. An adjustable scaffold comprising a frame, a support mounted for movement on the frame, a worker platform mounted on the support for movement relative thereto, and means for effecting relative movement between the platform and the support in response to movement of the support on the frame, said platform following a path of movement disposed in a substantially horizontal plane.-

16. The scaffold of claim 15 in which the platform follows a non-linear path.

17. The scaffold of claim 15 in which said means includes means interconnecting the platform and the frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,127,952 4/1964 Baerg l822 2,428,184 9/1947 Swindler 182-63 2,450,812 10/1948 Ray 18263 3,311,192 3/1967 Richey 182l41 3,285,365 11/1966 Longton l8214l FOREIGN PATENTS 640,786 6/ 1962 Italy.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

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