Field of the Invention

The present application relates generally to portable work platforms and in particular, to portable work platforms having detachable components. Background of the Invention

Portable work platforms are employed in a variety of work situations to provide a stable and reliable platform from which a worker can perform one or a variety of tasks at an elevated position. Such a work platform enables a worker to stand on an elevated surface, and reach up to greater heights when doing jobs such as painting, rendering, plastering, bricklaying and the like. The portability of such a work platform is important, particularly in situations where the worker is a tradesperson and needs to take an elevated platform on site to work on, or is working at a remote site, away from regular work benches and the like or is working in a smaller area such as a room in a building where larger scaffolding platforms cannot be set up.

Most portable work platforms comprise a horizontal support beam supported above the ground on a set of legs. The support beam forms a level surface upon which work can be performed and which is capable of bearing a load. The required length and height of the level surface may vary considerably depending upon the task being undertaken and as such, work platforms having beams of various lengths and legs of various heights are available.

In order to facilitate portability of such work platforms, it has become common for many work platforms to employ collapε ible and/or foldable legs that can pivot between an extended and a folded position. Such collapsible arrangements allow for easy storage of the work platform when not in use, which is particularly advantageous for transporting the work platform between sites.

In most known portable work platforms, the leg members are secured either directly or indirectly to the support member/beam. Such an arrangement prevents removal and/or replacement of the support member/beam from the leg members should a larger or smaller or higher or lower work platform be required. Further, the inability to remove the support member/beam from the work platform prevents the support member/beam being used for a variety of alternative

purposes, such as planks, ramps and/or spanning members, as is often required.

Therefore, there is a need to provide a work platform system wherein a worker can easily detach the leg members from the support member/beam and choose from a variety of lengths of support members/beams and different heights of leg members, thus enabling him to mix and match the platform length required with the leg height needed to suit each particular job.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application. Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect, the present ii λ/ention is a work platform comprising: an elongate beam member for supporting a load; a plurality of leg supports for supporting said beam member in an elevated work position; and a bracket for attaching each of said leg supports to said beam member, wherein, each said bracket is removably mountable to the beam member and is operationally and selectably positionable in a plurality of positions along the length of said beam member, whereby the beam member and the brackets are relatively detachable.

Preferably, the aforesaid work platform may be provided with a beam member that has a width dimension and a thickness dimension which is substantially less than said width dimension, the width dimension being disposed in a horizontal plane when supported by the brackets and said leg supports. In one embodiment, the one or more brackets may be slidingly mountable to the beam member. Each of the brackets may include a channel portion that is configured to receive the beam member such that the beam member is slidingly retained within the channel portion. Conveniently, the channel portion restrains the beam member for sliding movement relative to the brackets to only in a

longitudinal direction defined by the length dimension of the beam member.

A locking member may be configured to extend through the channel portion so as to engage with the beam member received therein to substantially prevent sliding movement of the beam member within the channel portion. In this arrangement, the locking member may retain the bracket in the one of a plurality of positions along the length of the beam member. The locking member may be in the form of a screw element threadingly received within a hole formed in the channel portion of the bracket. The screw element may be actuable such that a distal end of the screw element engages with a surface of the beam member to retain the bracket in the one of a plurality of positions along the length of the beam member. The one of a plurality of positions along the length of the beam member may include any position along the length of the beam member.

In another embodiment, the plurality of leg supports may be hingedly mounted to the one or more brackets such that they are pivotal between the work position and a folded position. The plurality of leg supports may be hingedly mounted to the one or more brackets by way of one or more connector members.

Each connector member may have a pair of arms that are hingedly mounted to a bracket and a pair of legs that extend from the arms to receive a pair of leg supports. The pair of legs may extend from the arms at an obtuse angle and may be arranged such that they diverge such that the leg supports mounted thereto are suitable splayed and diverge to provide stability to the platform.

Throughout this specification the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps. Brief Description of the Drawings

By way of example only, the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a work platform in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the bracket arrangement of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional end view of the bracket arrangement of FIG. 2 along plane "B B";

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the portion of the work platform shown in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a connector element in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Description of an Exemplary Embodiment of the Invention

Referring to FIG. 1 , there is shown a work platform 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

The work platform 10 comprises an elongate work support member or beam 12 that is supported in a substantially horizontal and elevated position by leg supports 14. Whilst not shown, the leg supports 14, usually arranged in pairs, are positioned at each end of the beam 12 such that the legs diverge as they extend downwards from the beam 12 to provide stability to the platform 10.

Each pair of leg supports 14 is attached to the beam 12 by way of a bracket 18. The bracket 18 is removably mounted to the beam 12 to facilitate detachment of the leg supports 14 from the beam 12. In this arrangement, the leg supports 14 are able to be removed from the beam 12 to enable the beam 12 to be used for a variety of other purposes, for example as a plank, ramp, support strut, etc. It will be appreciated that the ability to attach and detach the leg supports 14 from the beam 12 also enables beams 12 of different lengths and leg supports 14 of different heights to be used to provide for work platforms 10 of variable lengths and heights, as required.

The manner in which the leg supports 14 are attached to the beam 12 by way of the bracket 18 also enables the legs to be mounted in a variety of positions along the length of the beam 12, as desired. As will become more apparent below, such an arrangement does not require the precise provision of holes in the undersurface of the beam 12 to receive securing bolts, screws and the like, to secure the bracket 18 and leg supports 14 to the beam 12. Rather, beams 12 and brackets 18 can be used interchangeably.

Further, the ability to readily attach and detach the leg support 14 from the

beam 12 enables more than two leg supports 14 to be employed to support the beam 12 in a working position. Such an arrangement is particularly applicable where a long beam 12 is employed to create a work platform 10 that spans a considerable length. In such an arrangement, the leg supports 14 may be attached to the beam 12 and positioned at spaced intervals along the length of the beam 12 to provide stability to the platform 10 along its entire length. This provides longer more stable work platforms 10 than is conventionally the case with existing devices.

As represented by the arrows A in FIG. 1, the leg supports 14 are hingedly mounted to the brackets 18 such that they can pivot between a working position that supports the beam 12 in an elevated positioi. for use (as shown), and a stored position whereby the leg supports are folded underneath the beam 12 for storage and/or transportation.

As shown more clearly in FIG. 2, the leg supports 14 are attached to the brackets 18 by way of connectors 20. The connector 20 is secured to the bracket 18 by way of a pair of bolts 19 that pass through the walls of the bracket 18 and a pair of arms 21 (see FIG. 5) of the connector 20. The connector 20 is then able to pivot about this point, which is represented by axis 17 (see FIG. 3), such that the leg supports 14 can pivot between the working position and the folded position. A spring loaded locking pin 16 is also provided to extend through the walls of the bracket 18 such that the connector 20 can be retained in the working position and the folded position, as required.

The connector 20 is shown in more detail in FIG. 5. In the embodiment as shown, the connector 20 is a one-piece casting of a suitable aluminium alloy, however it will be appreciated that the connector 20 could be formed in a variety of manners and from a variety of materials and still fall within the spirit of the present invention. The connector 20 has a pair of projecting arms 21 each having holes 22 formed therethrough. The holes 22 receive the bolts 19 to facilitate pivotal connection of the connector 20 to the bracket 18, as discussed above in relation to FIG. 2. Additional holes 23 and 24 are provided in one of the arms 21 to receive an end of the locking pin 16 that extends through the walls of the bracket 18. Hole 23 is positioned to receive the end of the locking pin 16 when

the connector 20 is in the working position, thereby locking the leg supports 14 in the working position. Similarly, hole 24 is positioned to receive the locking pin 16 when the connector is in the folded position, thereby locking the leg supports in the folded position.

As is shown in FIG. 2, the pair of legs 25 extend at an obtuse angle from the arms 21 of the connector 20. The legs 25 are received within the leg supports 14, and each leg support 14 is secured to one of the legs 25 by a suitable fastener, such as a rivet 15. The angle at which the legs 25 extend from the arms 21 is determined to ensure that the leg members 14 are suitable splayed and diverge as they extend downwards from the beam 12 to provide stability to the platform 10.

The bracket 18 is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. The bracket 18 has a channel portion 30 comprising a web 32 extending transversely between a pair of flanges 34. When attached to the beam 12, the channel portion 30 is positioned such that the web 32 extends along the undersurface of the beam 12 in the manner as shown in FIG. 3. The flanges 34 extend transversely from the web 32 away from the beam 12 to define a channel under the beam 12, into which the connector 20 is received, as discussed above.

A pair of elongate finger members 40 extend from the channel portion 30 in a direction opposite to the flanges 34. The finger members 40 are arranged such that their inner walls 41 are parallel and are separated a distance sufficient to receive the beam 12 therebetween. In this regard, the finger members 40 and the web 32 of the channel portion 30 form a second channel into which the beam 12 is received. In order to retain the beam 12 in position between the finger members 40, an inwardly projecting lip 42 is provided at the distal end of each finger member 40. As shown, the lip 42 extends transversely from the walls 41 of the finger members 40 thereby reducing the opening of the channel into which the beam 12 is received, such that the beam 12 is prevented from being lifted from the bracket 18.

In the embodiment as shown in FIG. 3, a pair of grooves 43, 44 are provided in the lip 42 and base of the finger members 40 respectively. The grooves 43, 44 are provided to accommodate ridges 46 provided on the surface

of the beam 12, adjacent the edges of the beam 12. The provision of such grooves 43, 44 and corresponding ridges 46 further aid in securely retaining the beam 12 within the bracket 18.

Whilst the present invention is shown and is described with the channel portion 30 and the finger members 40 as separate integers secured together by a bolt and screw arrangement, it will be appreciated that the channel portion 30 and the finger members 40 could be formed integrally thereby eliminating the need to secure the features together with additional fastening members. Further, it will be appreciated that the fingers 40 could be configured such that the lips 42 extend fully across the bracket, thereby forming an enclosed recess into which the beam 12 is received. It will be appreciated that these and other variations of the present invention fall within the spirit of the present invention.

In order to attach the bracket 18 to the beam 12, the beam 12 is slid into the space between the web 32 of the channel portion 30 and the lips 42 of the finger members 40. To secure the bracket 18 in a desired position along the length of the beam 12, a locking member in the form of a screw arrangement 45 is provided. The screw arrangement 45 extends through a threaded hole formed in the web 32 so as to be engageable with the und^rsurface of the beam 12. By tightening the screw 45 such that it engages with the undersurface of the beam 12, further sliding movement of the beam 12 with respect to the bracket 18 is prevented. This ensures that the leg supports 14 are securely positioned with respect to the beam 12 to provide a stable work platform 10.

In FIG. 4, the work platform 10 is shown with the leg supports 14 pivoted midway between the stored and working positions. In this position, the surface 27 of the connector 20 is clearly shown. This surface 27, is the surface which contacts the web 32 of the channel portion 30 of the bracket 18 when the legs are in the working position. Such contact between the surface 27 of the connector 20 and the web 32 ensures load transfer from the beam 12 to the leg supports 14 when in the working position, thereby greatly increasing the stability of the platform 10.

It will be appreciated that the ability to detach the leg supports 14 and associated bracket 18 from the beam 12 provides considerable benefits to the

users of conventional work platforms of this type. In particular, the present invention enables the beam 12 to be used for a variety of purposes other than merely as a platform for a worker to stand on and work from. This is particularly advantageous for tradespeople as the beam 12 could be used to function as a plank, ramp, prop, and/or as part of a floor surface etc. when the work platform is not required. Further, by having an arrangement that facilitates relatively easy attachment and detachment of the leg supports 14 from the work platform 10, different length beams and different height leg supports can be easily employed to form work platforms of variable lengths and heights. This overcomes the need for individuals to carry a large number of work platforms to perform varying tasks, as they merely need to have a variety of different lengths of beams and different heights of leg supports to assemble a work platform to suit their specific needs of length and height. As longer work platforms 10 are possible through the use of longer beams 12, more than two leg supports 14 can be attached to the beam 12 to provide additional stability to the work platform 10 along its entire length.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.