Fold-away hook platform

A fold-away hook platform used as a scaffold for mounting to a structure such as the side of a railroad car. The platform having a pair of scaffold arms with upper end portions having hook portions extending therefrom for quickly mounting to a door, gate, or wooden cribbing. The lower end portion of the scaffold arms adapted for receiving the ends of a board for standing on while working on the platform. The platform is held rigidly in place by scaffold bracing pivotally attached to each scaffold arm.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to scaffolds or temporary platforms for 
working on and more particularly but not by way of limitation to a 
platform for mounting on the side of a railroad boxcar. 
In the loading out of grain into a railroad boxcar or grain car and the 
treating of the grain with a fumigant it is necessary for workmen to work 
along side the railroad boxcar. Because of the height of the boxcar door 
above the ground surface a temporary platform or scaffold is required so 
that workmen can handle the grain load out spout which is pivoted into the 
top of the boxcar. Also a temporary platform is needed to support the 
containers of grain fumigant and the necessary equipment used in treating 
the grain in the boxcar. 
Heretofore workmen have used ladders, improvised scaffolds, or have stood 
on top of the boxcar or hung on the side of the boxcar with one hand. 
These methods were unsatisfactory and dangerous to the safety of the 
workmen. Also both of the workmen hands were not free for handling the 
equipment involved. 
There are prior art scaffolds, ladders, and folding support steps that are 
used having hooked supporting arms for securing to the sides of a 
structure. None of these prior arts scaffolds are similar in structure and 
have the advantages of the subject fold-away hook platform as disclosed 
herein. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The subject invention can be quickly mounted to the side of a railroad 
boxcar door, a gate, an open siding and wooden cribbing used to enclose 
the railroad door opening. The platform is simple in design and provides 
working room for two or three men to work safely thereon for moving a load 
out grain spout into and out of the top of the boxcar. The platform also 
provides room for holding containers of fumigant and the necessary 
equipment for treating the grain in the boxcar. Also the platform allows 
the workmen freedom of movement and allows them to use both hands in the 
handling of the equipment and containers. 
The platform is rigidly secured against the side of the structure and it is 
mounted on and held in place by scaffold bracing to prevent movement 
thereon. Also the scaffold arms are adaptable for receiving various 
lengths and widths of boards used for standing on. The lower portion of 
the scaffold arms receive the end portions of the board and prevent the 
ends of the board from tipping upward should an uneven load be placed on 
one side of the platform. 
When the loading of grain into the boxcar is completed and the grain is 
fumigated, the fold-away hook platform can be quickly removed with the 
scaffold braces folded against the sides of the scaffold arms and the 
board removed from the lower portion of the scaffold arms. The fold-away 
hook platform can then be hung in a convenient place until its use is 
required at a later date. 
The fold-away hook platform includes a pair of vertical scaffold arms. The 
arms include an upper portion having a hook portion extending rearwardly 
therefrom for attaching the platform to a structure such as the side of a 
boxcar. A lower portion of the scaffold arms includes an angular looped 
portion extending outwardly from the arms for receiving the end portions 
of a board thereon. A pair of scaffold braces are pivotably attached to 
the scaffold arms. The opposite ends of the braces are slidably receiving 
in bushings mounted on the scaffold arms to rigidly secure the scaffold 
arms and the board against the side of the railroad car. 
The advantages and objects of the invention will become evident from the 
following detailed description when read in conjunction with the 
accompanying drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments of the 
invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
In FIG. 1 the fold-away hook platform is designated by general reference 
numeral 10. The platform 10 includes a pair of scaffold arms 12 adjacently 
disposed and vertically mounted on wooden cribbing 14 for enclosing a door 
opening 16 in a railroad boxcar 18. The scaffold arms 12 include an upper 
end portion 20 having a hook portion 22 extending rearwardly therefrom, a 
vertical elongated center portion 24, and a lower end portion 26 for 
receiving the end portions 28 and 30 of a board 32. The board 32 and the 
scaffold arms 12 are secured to the sides of the wooden cribbing 14 by 
scaffold braces 34. The braces 34 are pinned inside an upper bushing 36 
mounted to the center portion 24 of the arms 12. The opposite end of the 
braces 34 is slidably received into a lower bushing 38 mounted to the 
center portion 24 of the adjacent scaffold arms 12. 
In FIG. 2 a perspective view of the platform 10 is shown. In this view the 
platform 10 is attached to the wooden cribbing 14. It should be understood 
that while cribbing 14 is shown other structures such as the side of a 
railroad car, a gate, or a door can work equally well wherein the hook 
portion 22 of the scaffold arms 12 can be received thereon. An upper end 
portion 37 of the scaffold braces 34 can be seen pivotally mounted inside 
the upper bushing 36 of the scaffold arms 12. A lower end portion 39 of 
the braces 34 is seen slidably received in the lower bushings 38. By 
crossing the scaffold bracing 34 is shown and attaching the bracing 34 to 
the opposite scaffold arm 12 the scaffold arms 12 and the board 32 are 
held rigidly in place against the side of the wooden cribbing 14. 
In FIG. 3 a top view of the platform 10 is shown. In this view the upper 
portion 20 and the center portion 24 of the scaffold arms 12 can be seen 
disposed adjacent the side of the wooden cribbing 14 with the hook portion 
22 disposed over the top of the wooden cribbing 14 and hooked against the 
opposite side. 
The lower portion 26 of the scaffold arms 12 can be seen extending 
outwardly from the side of the railroad car 18 for receiving the end 
portions 28 and 30 of the board 32. 
In FIG. 4 a side view of the scaffold arm 12 is shown. Attached to the 
sides of the center portion 24 of the scaffold arms 12 is the upper 
bushing 36 and the lower bushing 38. Integrally formed in the lower 
portion 26 of the scaffold arms 12 is an angular loop 40 wherein a bottom 
portion 42 of the angular loop 40 is substantially horizontal for 
receiving the end portion 28 of the board 32 thereon. An outer portion 44 
of the angular loop 40 is angled inwardly above the end portion 28 of the 
board 32. By providing the angular loop 40 as shown a board 32 of various 
dimensions can be received therein for quickly setting up the platform 10. 
When the platform 10 is in use and men and equipment are supported by the 
board 32, the weight may become unbalanced on one side of the platform 10. 
Should this happen the upward movement or tilting of the board 32 is 
prevented by the angled outer portion 44 restricting the upward travel of 
the end portion 28 in the loop 40. 
In FIG. 5 the scaffold brace 34 is shown having the first end portion 37 
integrally formed at right angles to an elongated center portion 46 of the 
brace 34. The first end portion 35 includes a pin 48 and a washer 50 used 
for securing the first end portion 35 in the upper bushing 36 as shown in 
FIG. 2. When the platform 10 is removed from the attached structure the 
scaffold brace 34 pivots in the bushing 36 allowing the brace 34 to be 
disposed against the side of the scaffold arms 12 for convenience in the 
storage of the platform 10. The second end portion 39 is also integrally 
formed in the brace 34 and is at right angles to the elongated center 
portion 46. The second end portion 39 is slidably received in the lower 
bushing 38 of the oppositely disposed scaffold arms 12 for rigidly 
securing the scaffold arms 12 against the structure it is attached to. By 
slidably inserting the second end portion 39 of the braces into the lower 
bushing 38, the scaffold braces 34 can be quickly attached to the opposite 
scaffold arms 12 for erecting the platform 10. Also, when it is desired to 
remove the platform 10, the second end portion 37 of the brace 34 can be 
quickly removed from the lower bushing 38. 
In operation the fold-away hook platform 10 is mounted to the side of a 
railroad car 18 by placing the hook portion 22 of the scaffold arms 12 
over the top of the wooden cribbing 14 as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. The 
scaffold arms 12 are hung vertically in a spaced relationship to each 
other. The pivotably attached scaffold braces 34 are pivoted in the upper 
bushings 36 mounted to the center portion 24 of the scaffold arms 12, and 
the second end portions 37 of the scaffold braces 34 are inserted into the 
lower bushings 38 attached to the center portion 24 of the opposite 
scaffold arm 24. A board 32, or any other suitable material for standing 
on, is inserted through the looped portion 40 of the lower portion 26 of 
the scaffold arms 12. The end portions 28 and 30 of the board 32 rest on 
the horizontal portion 42 of the loop portion 40. The platform 10 now is 
ready for placing equipment, fumigant containers and workmen thereon while 
loading out the railroad car 18 with grain from a grain spout which is 
pivoted into the railroad car 18. When the loading out of the grain is 
completed and the grain is fumigated the equipment and workmen are removed 
from the platform 10. The platform 10 then can be quickly removed from the 
railroad car 18 by removing the board 32 from the scaffold arms 12. The 
scaffold braces 34 are released from the lower bushings 38 and the 
scaffold arms 12 and braces 34 are folded against each other and removed 
from the sides of the wooden cribbing 14. 
Changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts or 
elements of the embodiments as disclosed herein without departing from the 
spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.