Patent ID: 9701486
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: B65G

Claim:
1. A handling system for use by a technician in conjunction with a glazing panel, the handling system comprising: a support structure having an expanded configuration arranged to support the glazing panel in a laid down attitude at a support zone disposed above the support structure; wherein the support structure includes two pairs of upstanding supports operably coupled to a ground-engaging base, wherein the upstanding supports of each pair include a rear upstanding support that is coupled to a front upstanding support by at least one cross brace; wherein, in the expanded configuration, the pairs of upstanding supports and corresponding cross braces are operably disposed on opposite sides of space disposed below the support zone in order to define access means that permits the technician to move bodily into and out of the space disposed below the support zone from one open side of said space to an opposite open side of said space, wherein said access means comprises an open, unobstructed passageway which enables the technician to bodily pass completely through the support structure, wherein the open passageway is disposed between said two pairs of upstanding supports and corresponding cross braces and extends laterally between the one open side of said space to the opposite open side of said space; wherein the rear upstanding support of each given pair extends upward from the ground-engaging base in an axial direction and the front upstanding support and cross brace of the given pair pivot together about the axial direction of the corresponding rear upstanding support of the given pair in order to collapse the support structure; and wherein the opposed pairs of upstanding supports and corresponding cross braces are coupled to one another solely by the ground-engaging base in the expanded configuration, and wherein in the expanded configuration the front upstanding support and cross brace of each given pair are free to pivot about to the axial direction of the corresponding rear upstanding support of the given pair.