Cross-Reference to Related Application

This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 62/531,439 filed July 12, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Background

A scaffold frame is an interconnected series of horizontal vertical scaffold members and vertical scaffold members used to create a supporting structure for an elevated work surface. The horizontal and vertical scaffold members are generally pipe shaped members (circular or square in cross section, for instance) where the ends of each horizontal scaffold member terminates in connectors that attach to a vertical scaffold members. The connectors can be clamp members (such as in tube and clamp scaffolding, see for instance, Figure 4) or more complex connectors, such as scaffolding where an end connector is positioned on the end of a horizontal member, and where the end connector has a lip or hook section that couples with a structure on a vertical scaffold member. The lip sections are designed to engage or rest on the corresponding vertical joint connector, such as an upstanding cup or an annular ring positioned on a vertical scaffold member. One such joint is disclosed in U.S. patent number 4,445,307, which discloses a connector positioned on a horizontal scaffold member, where the connector has two vertically spaced hook sections.

Another cup type of latching connector is disclosed in U.S. patent numbers 5,078,532 and 5,028, 164 and in U.S. application number 12/489, 166 all hereby incorporated by reference. These patents also show an end connector positioned on a horizontal scaffold member, where the connector has two vertically spaced hooked sections that couple with two vertically spaced upstanding cup or ring members located on the vertical scaffold member. In this device, the hooked sections engage the top edge of the cup, and a pivoting member or latch, positioned on the horizontal end connector, is pivoted into position below the cup member.

Instead of upstanding cups, a flat annular ring with openings in the ring may be used as the vertical connector on the vertical scaffold member, to couple to a connector on a horizontal scaffold member. Examples of annular ring/connector systems are shown in U.S. patent numbers 4,273,463; 6,027,276; 5,961,240; 5,605,204 and 4,840,513; all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. These systems are generally referred to as wedge or pinlock scaffold systems. The pinlock system relies upon a wedge or pin being slidable (generally hammer driven) through the horizontal end connector and rosette. The above "system" scaffolds require a horizontal member to couple to a vertical member, that is, a horizontal member cannot couple to another horizontal member.

Once a scaffold frame is erected, an elevated work surface is created by using scaffold boards that are supported at each end of the board by horizontal scaffold frame members. Typically, scaffold boards or planks are wooden, fiberglass, or metal board-like members, having a length (such as 10 feet) and a width, such as 9 inches. A scaffold board generally comprises a top surface, such as 6 inch, 9 inch, 12 inch, or 18 inch wide board, and come in various lengths, such as 2 feet long to 10 to 16 feet long. A typical metal scaffold board is shown in figure 2, showing a metal plank 1, having a top surface 40, and two side rail extensions 70 extending downwardly at about 90 degrees to the top surface 1 adjacent the edges of the top surface. The top surface 40 can be a solid surface, a surface with drain holes, or formed from a series of metal plates. The scaffold plank side rails 70 may be integrally formed with the top surface (such as by roll forming the plank from a single piece of metal), or may be separately attached, such as by welding, riveting, etc. Each metal board top surface has two terminating ends, (a first terminating end edge 202 and a second terminating end edge 204 (not shown). The edge is linear, but may be curved. Also shown in Figure 3, the board 10 has a first side edge 212 and a second side edge 214. Located near each terminating end edge is at least one (preferably two or more) clip members 50. As shown in Figure 2, one embodiment of clip members 50 are downwardly facing shaped members, shaped to engage a horizontal scaffold member in a channel 52 or cutout section. As shown, the clips are "U" shaped members, one attached to each side rail. The clips can be L shaped member, or other "hook" type of engagement members. In the embodiment shown in figure 2, each clip 50 has a leading downward facing lip portion 51 (forming a hook-like structure) and a downward facing channel 52 behind the lip, such as formed by the interior of the "U." The channel 52 is located between the lip 51 and the adjacent terminating edge of the scaffold board. The channel 52 may end before the respective terminating end edge, or at the terminating end edge, or in other embodiments, behind the terminating end edge. When the scaffold board 10 is placed in a scaffold structure, the clip channel 52 will rest or engage a horizontal scaffold member, thereby supporting the scaffold plank 10. The scaffold plank 10 can also be a series of metal strips (such as inch wide metal strips, interconnected to create a "grated" scaffold board). In this instance, the side rails will include outer lengthwise connecting metal strip(s). Connected to the grated surface at the two terminating ends of the plank are downwardly facing shaped clips 50 and the adjacent channel 52, for engaging a horizontal scaffold member. The clips 50 can be vertical orientated plates, such as shown in Figure 2, or the clip plates 50 may be horizontally oriented, such as shown in Figure 1, or the clips may be square or circular or other shapes in cross section to couple with a horizontal scaffold member or another scaffold plank.

The scaffold elevated work surface (such as depicted in Figure 3) generally forms a continuous uninterrupted surface, with safety railing surrounding the work deck or work surface. Often however, the elevated surface may have to be constructed around a structure or obstacle. For instance, pipes, chimneys or conduits may need to extend through the work deck. An obstruction that penetrates through the deck of a scaffold deck will leave an opening in the deck, where the length of the opening corresponds to that of the adjacent scaffold board. To close the opening, often wooden scaffold boards are used, where the boards are placed across the metal planks (for instance, at 90 degrees to the metal planks). However, the wooden planks are a tripping hazard. As disclosed in provisional patent application 62/490,908 filed on April 27, 2017, (incorporated by reference in its entirety) a first scaffold plank can be modified to couple to a second scaffold plank orientated about 90 degrees to the first scaffold plank. In these embodiments, the scaffold plank is supported by, but not locked to, either a horizontal scaffold member or another scaffold plank. Heavy winds or other uplifting forces can cause such a scaffold board to be dislodged from the scaffold frame. A system is needed to lock a scaffold board in place with the supporting member, or to an adjacent scaffold board.

Summary of the Invention.

One embodiment of the improved latchable scaffold board has a board like member with fixed clips or brackets fixedly attached at each end of the board. The brackets are shaped to engage and capture a horizontal scaffold member. The board also has a movable latch at at least one end that move to a latched position, and in the latched position, the movable latch has a portion that is positioned below the horizontal scaffold member, thereby trapping the scaffold board to the horizontal scaffold member.

Brief Description of the Figures.

Figure 1 is a side perspective view of one embodiment of a prior art low profile scaffold board. Figure 2 is a side perspective view of a prior art high profile scaffold board.

Figure 3 is cartoon view of an elevated scaffold deck.

Figure 4A-1 is a top elevation view of one embodiment of an improved low profile scaffold board.

Figure 4A-2 is a side elevation view of one end of the scaffold board of Figure 4A-1.

Figure 4A-3 and 4A-4 are exploded side views of embodiments of the biased movable clips. Figure 4A-5 is an end view of the scaffold plank of Figure 4A-1.

Figure 4A-6 is an end view of the front and back mounting plates used in the plank of Figure 4A-1.

Figure 4B-1 is a top elevation view of one embodiment of the improved scaffold plank.

Figure 4B-2 is a side ghosted elevation view of one end of the scaffold board of Figure 4B-1 showing details of the mounting clip.

Figure 4B-3 and 4B-4 are exploded side views of embodiments of the biased movable clips and the mounting brackets is for the clips of Figure 4B-1.

Figure 4B-5 is a cross section end view of the scaffold plank of Figure 4B-1.

Figure 4B-6 are cross sections through the mounting bracket used in the plank of Figure 4B- 1.

Figure 5A-1 is a top elevation view and an end view of one embodiment of an improved low profile scaffold board.

Figure 5A-2 is a side elevation view and an end view of one end of the scaffold board of Figure 5A-1.

Figure 5A-3 and 5A-4 are side elevation views of the clips used on the ends of the board of Figure 5A-1.

Figure 5A-5 is an end view of the mounting plates used in Figure 5A-1.

Figure 5B-1 is a top elevation view and an end view of one embodiment of an improved low profile scaffold board.

Figure 5B-2 is a side elevation view and an end view of one end of the scaffold board of Figure 5B-1.

Figure 5B-3 and 5B-4 are side elevation views of the clips used on the ends of the board of Figure 5 A- 1.

Figure 5B-5 is an end view of the top and bottom plates used to form the scaffold board of the embodiment of Figure 5B-1. Figure 6-1 is a top elevation view and an end view of one embodiment of an improved low profile scaffold board.

Figure 6-2 is a side elevation view and an end view of one end of the scaffold board of Figure 6-1.

Figure 6-3 and 6-4 are side elevation views of the clips used on the ends of the board of Figure 6-1.

Figure 6-5 is an exploded end view of the scaffold board of Figure 6-1 showing the relationship or the boards top and bottom structures.

Figure 6-6 are end views of the mounting plats used in the board of Figure 6-1.

Figure 7 is a side view depicting one embodiment of the "low profile" boards locked together in a side-to-end configuration with movable locking clip engaged.

Figure 8 is a side view depicting one embodiment of the "high profile" boards locked together in a side-to-end configuration showing the movable locking clips engaged.

Figure 9-1 is a top view of one embodiment of a movable clip in a unitary mounting bracket. Figure 9-2 is a side view of the clip and mounting bracket of Figure 9-1.

Figure 9-3 is an end view of the mounting bracket and clip of Figure 9-1.

Figure 10-1 is a ghosted side view of one embodiment of a low profiled plank showing the retracted, released and unlocked configuration of one embodiment of the movable clip.

Figure 10-2 is a ghosted side view of one embodiment of a low profiled plank showing the locked, latched and deployed configuration of one embodiment of the movable clip.

Figure 11 are side views of one embodiment of a high profiled plank showing the latched

(or locked or deployed) configuration on one end of the board and the unlatched (or unlocked or retracted) configuration on the other end of the board. Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention is an improved latchable scaffold plank. As shown in the view of Figure Al, one embodiment of the plank is a board like member 10, having a first and second terminating ends 202, 204, first and second side edges 212, 214, a top surface 40 extending between the two terminating ends 202 and 204 and two side edges 212, 214. Two side rails 70, extending downwardly from the top surface at about ninety degrees, and run substantially the length of the board 10, and are positioned on the scaffold board near the side edges 212 and 214. Positioned at each near terminating ends 202, 204 is at least one shaped clip or cleat, 50, shaped to couple with a horizontal scaffold member. In Figure 4A, two clips 50 are shown preferably fixedly positioned on each terminating end of the board 10. However, more than two clips 50 may be used. The clips 50 may be attached to board, or integrally formed with the board. As shown in Figure 4A the clips 50 are "U" or "C" shaped clips extending outwardly from the terminating ends of the plank 10. The clips 50 can be attached to the top surface 40, or side rails 70, or an endcap of the board (if present), or be integrally formed with the top surface or rails. Alternatively some of all of the clips 50 on a termination end may be attached to an end cap positioned between the side rails on a terminating end (not shown). In the embodiment shown in Figure 4A, the clips 50 are flat metal plates bent in a "U" shape at the exterior end of the clip 50 (to couple to a circular horizontal scaffold member). Each clip has a downward terminating end with a channel or cutout section positioned between the terminating end of the board. The channel is sized to fit and engage a horizontal scaffold member within the channel, to capture the horizontal member when the clips are resting thereon. The bottom edge of the channel will rest on the horizontal scaffold member when joined. As shown in Figure 4A, the clip 50 is a plate like member orientated vertically (as opposed to orientated in a horizontal orientation, such as shown in Figure 1). The orientation of the clip 50 allows for the top surface 40 of the plank in some embodiments such as shown in Figures 5A and 5B, to closely align with the top surface of a supporting horizontal member. The scaffold plank may include two surfaces, a top surface and a second lower surface 43, attached to the top surface 40 or to the side rails 70, such as depicted in Figure 5A. The two joined surfaces provide for a more rigid scaffold plank capable of supporting higher loads without bending. As shown in Figure 4A, the top surface 40 shown is formed from a metal plate, such as sixteen gauge steel, with drain holes there through.

As can be seen in Figures 5A, 5B, and 5C, the clips 50 on opposite terminating ends of a scaffold board are not aligned, but are offset to accommodate placement of scaffold boards "end-to-end" lengthwise on the same horizontal scaffold member. Also shown in Figure 1 is tab 90, which projects from the top surface of the board 40, and has a thickness of a clip. The tab 90 is placed near the side rail that lacks a clip 50, to resist rotation of the board on the supporting horizontal scaffold member of supporting board member. Tab 90 is positioned so not to interfere or overlap with an adjacent scaffold board clip, when placed end-to-end lengthwise or in an end-to side configuration.

Side rails 70 are attached to or formed with the top surface 40 near the first and second side edges 212, 214, to provide stiffening. In one embodiment, shown in Figure Al and A2, the side rails are solid shaped members, shaped with a bottom facing foot 71. The side rail 70 has at least one outward facing surface 75, and one inward facing surface 76. The side rails can be integrally formed with the top surface 40, such as by roll forming, or the side rails may be attached to the top of the plank 40, such as by welding or attached with rivets or other mechanical attachment means. The side rails 70 can be a more complex assembled structure having multiple "rails" or shaped metal pieces, with multiple inward facing surfaces 76 and multiple outward facing surfaces 75, such as shown in Figures 5A and 5B and 6. The side rails 70 may also have openings there through, to reduce the weight of the board. If openings are included in the side rails 70, preferably the openings are suitably sized to allow for placement of a "slick tube" (a smooth tubular member lacking typical horizontal end connectors) through the openings, so that adjacent boards can be coupled with the slick tube, providing additional strength and stiffness to the decking formed from the scaffold boards.

The top surface 40 of the scaffold board 10 may also have a series of openings or slots 100. In the embodiment shown in Figures 5A and 6, the slots 100 are placed near the perimeter edges of the board, generally with at least a portion of the slot 100 extending inwardly (or behind) the side rails 70, or at least extending inwardly of one of the inward facing surface 76 of the side rails 70. In the embodiment shown, the slots 100 are aligned parallel with the side rails 70. The slots 100 in this embodiment are located at a specific distance from the edge of the board, and sufficiently sized to allow placement of a clip 50 of a second scaffold board, orientated at 90 degrees, through a slot 100. In this configuration, two boards are coupled in an "end-to-side" configuration, with the "end" of one board coupled to the "side" of a second board, allowing for two boards to be coupled to each other at about 90 degrees, without an intervening horizontal scaffold members, as described in patent application number 62/490,908.

Located on at least one terminating end of the scaffold board is a movable clip 151 or a movable latch member. The movable clip 151 is slidably coupled to the scaffold board 10 in Figures 4A, 5A and 6. As shown in Figure 4A, 5A and Figure 6, the moveable clip 151 is slidably mounted to two spaced apart hold down plates 191 and 190. As shown, the hold down plates can be mounted between the side rails 70, to the underside of the top surface 40, or otherwise fixedly attached to the scaffold plank 10. The two hold down plates 191, 190 may be formed from a single member, such as the "U" shaped member 189 shown in Figure 9, as depicted in Figures 5A and 5B. As shown, the rear hold down plate 191 has a center lengthwise slot 193 to allow the movable clip 151 to side through the rearward slot 153 (in the retracted position), while the front hold down plate 190 may include a circular cut-out section 95 with top and bottom slots 196, 197, to allow the movable clip 151 and spring 200 to slide through the front hold down member 190 (see Figure 9). As shown in Figure 4A-3 and 4A-4, the movable clip 151 with a proximal and distal end, shown as a plate like member with a center cutout 153 between the two ends. The cutout 153 is to accommodate a biasing member 200, such as a spring 201, positioned on the movable clip 151 between the front hold down plate 191 and the rear hold down plate 190. As shown in Figure Al, the two terminating ends of the scaffold board are mirror images, with each end 204 and 202 having its own respective movable clip 151. While preferred, this is not necessary as later described.

Located on the proximal end of the movable clip 151 may be an upward facing proximal tab projection 161 (see Figure 5A). On some embodiments, the top surface 40 of the scaffold board will have lengthwise slot(s) 41 and 42, (such as shown in Figures 5A, 5B and 6) in which the movable clips' projection tab projection 161 slides. In this configuration, the top of the tab portion will be approximately even or slightly above the top surface of the scaffold board. The lengthwise openings or slots 41 and 42 terminating ends act as a front and rear stop for the upward tabs 161. As shown, the slot runs 90 degrees or perpendicular to the associated terminating edge of the board. The slot may also be at an angle other than 90 degrees, but in this case, the movable clip's projecting finger next described may need to be longer, or bent at an angle, or a combination of both (to extend the projecting finger underneath the horizontal scaffold member when joined). As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, 5B, 6 and 7, the movable clip has at least a bottom projecting finger 149. Bottom projecting finger 149 is positioned on the movable clip 151 so that when the movable clip 151 is in the "locked," "deployed," or "latched" position, the bottom projecting finger 149 will be either positioned underneath or adjacent to the underside of a joined horizontal scaffold member, or positioned to slide into a slot, or below the side rail 70, of an adjacent board oriented about 90 degrees. Consequently, the vertical distance between the top edge of the projecting finger and the topmost portion of the bottom of a fixed clip is about the distance equal to the diameter of a joined horizontal scaffold member. In this fashion, the bottom projecting finger 149 will "lock" the terminating end of the scaffold board to the supporting member (either a horizontal scaffold member or an adjacent scaffold board), thereby resisting removal of the board from the support member. As shown in Figure 4A, the biasing member 200 (as shown, spring 201) biases the hold down plate 151 into a locked configuration, that is, with the bottom projecting finger 149 extended from the end of the scaffold board 10.

To place the scaffold plank with a biased slidable movable clip, into a scaffold deck, one end of the plank is positioned above the supporting member, such as a horizontal scaffold member, sufficiently to allow the fixed clips 50 shaped channels to be positioned above the supporting member, preferably at an slight angle with respect to the horizontal scaffold member of about 5-30 degrees. As the scaffold board is moved forward and downward, toward the supporting member, the movable clip 151 will engage the supporting member, retracting inward toward the interior of the scaffold plank. This forward motion continues until the clip 50 channels 52 are positioned above the supporting member, allowing the scaffold plank to drop, with the clip channels engaging the supporting member. See Figures 7, 8, 10 and 11. The movable clip 151 is now positioned below the supporting member, and the biasing member thus is biased into the locked position, trapping the end of the scaffold plank to the supporting member. The opposite end of the plank 10 can be lowered onto the opposite supporting member, with the second movable clip 151 on the opposite end (if present) again contacting the supporting member and retracting inwardly (either manually or via pushing on the biasing member), until the scaffold plank is lowered sufficiently so that the second movable clip's 151 bottom projecting finger is located below the opposite second supporting member, where the projecting finger is then biased forward, below the second supporting member, thereby latching that end of the scaffold plank to the second supporting member. If there is resistance to lowering the opposite end of the plank into position onto a supporting member due to the bottom projecting finger "catching' the supporting member and not retracting, the user may manually retract the bottom projecting finger, such as by using a flat bladed screwdriver or other tool positioned through the respective slot 41 in the top surface, catching the upward projecting tab 161 of the movable clip, and pushing that tab 161 toward the other end of the plank, thereby retracting the movable clip 151 manually.

To remove a mounted scaffold plank, one movable clip 151 is captured and slid to the unlocked position (such as by using a flat bladed screwdriver or other device in the fashion in the previous paragraph, to slide the movable clip inwardly), or pushing on top projecting finger 160 (such as shown in Figure 9) if present. Once slid inwardly sufficiently so the bottom projecting finger 149 is clear of the supporting member (the "unlocked position" of the movable clip), that end of the plank can now be raised off the support member. The remaining latched end of the scaffold board may similarly be detached from the opposite supporting member. Alternatively, the mounting bracket could be mounted on the end edge, or a termination end cap of the scaffold board, to eliminate the need for an opening or slot opening in the top plank surface.

Instead of a single opening straight opening or slot, a curved opening in the top scaffold surface could be used where the entire movable clip is moved along the curve from a released position to a latched or locked position (as opposed to rotating about a single point). As shown, each end of the scaffold plank has a single latchable movable clip, preferably (but not required) shown as positioned near the middle of a terminating end of the scaffold plank. Additional movable clips may be provided on each end of the scaffold plank, or a single movable clip can be located other than in the middle of the plank. Alternatively, one end of the scaffold board may have one or more movable pins, while the other end of the scaffold board has a fixed bottom latching clip extending outwardly (as if in the deployed position for a movable clip). In this instance, the end of the plank with the fixed latching clip should be attachable to a supporting member, such as by positioning that end above the supporting member at an angle and joining the plank to the adjacent horizontal, and rotating the board until level (which also engages the opposite end of the scaffold board with its joining horizontal scaffold member. The other end of the board would preferably have a movable pin, allowing this end of the board to be latchable or lockable as described above.

In other embodiments, the movable pin may be hand movable, as opposed to biased in one direction, preferably biased to the latched or locked position. That is, the invention includes a manually operated movable clip, that may include a biasing member, such as a spring.

Instead of a slidable latch member, the invention includes a rotatable latch member or rotatable clip, having a configuration similar to those for the slidable clips. In this case, the proximal end top projecting tab would preferably penetrate the top surface of the scaffold plank though an opening therein. A long slot would not be needed. The projecting tab would be graspable by an operator to rotate the movable clip from a retracted position, to an engaged or locked position, with the bottom lip positioned underneath the joining horizontal. The rotatably movable clip could be mounted on a bracket underneath the top surface. In one embodiment, the rotatable clip could be positioned in a mounting bracket. The mounting bracket could employ stops to hold the position of the movable clip in the locked position (for instance, the mounting bracket could have a ledge supporting the bottom of the movable clip, and in the locked position, the ledge drops downwardly, so the rotating clip drops at the locked position, requiring the operator to lift and move (rotate or translate the movable clip) to unlock or disengage/release the movable clip (the curved path could also be a straight path positioned at an angle other than 80 degrees from the terminating edge of the board.

While the illustrative forms disclosed herein have been described with particularity, it will be understood that various other modifications will be apparent to and can be readily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the claims appended hereto be limited to the example and descriptions set forth herein, but rather that the claims be construed as encompassing all the features of patentable novelty which reside herein, including all features which would be treated as equivalents thereof by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains.

When numerical lower limits and numerical upper limits are listed herein, ranges from any lower limit to any upper limit are contemplated.