Scaffold shelf

A removable shelf for attachment to a scaffold including a generally L-shaped frame releasably connectable around one of the vertically spaced horizontal crossbars of the scaffold. An object support panel is connected to one or both of the legs to support objects thereatop. Each leg is of sufficient length to extend between two vertically adjacent crossbars so that a distal portion of one leg contacts a lower one of the two crossbars to maintain the substantially horizontal orientation of the other leg and corresponding support panel when weighty objects are placed thereatop.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to accessories for scaffolds, and more particularly to a self-supporting releasably connectable shelf for attachment to a scaffold for holding objects such as working implements, paints and the like.

2. Description of Related Art

Workmen utilizing scaffolds for various phases of construction and building repair typically stand on a lower platform of the scaffolding while work is being done on a particular portion of the building, the scaffolding then being movable from place to place to continue construction operations.

Typical scaffolds are formed of elongated tubular or angle members which are either bolted or welded together at their ends. Very little attention is typically given by scaffold manufacturers to accessories which will assist a worker in holding weighty objects during completion of the work task at hand.

Prior art discloses a number of previous accessories attachable to scaffolds to assist the worker in more effectively utilizing the scaffold by more conveniently supporting work objects and more efficiently attaching additional horizontal platforms for moving about during working conditions. The following U.S. patents embody those notions.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,023 to Allen teaches a scaffold table for removable attachment to scaffolding and U.S. Pat. No. 3,493,208 to Sato discloses a bracket for fastening boards or other projections to a scaffold.

Fears, et al. discloses a collapsible scaffold bracket in U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,477 and an adjustable ladder stabilizer and tool holder is taught by Haig in U.S. Pat. No. 6,691,825. U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,198 to Sharpe discloses a bracket for mounting a ladder shelf and Chen teaches a scaffold with spring locking members which are releasably attached supporting a shelf in U.S. Pat. No. 4,632,222. U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,190 to Bishop teaches a shelf-supporting bracket for a scaffold. Other patents are of interest as follows:U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,774 to RibletU.S. Pat. No. 2,897,013 to DelpU.S. Pat. No. 2,342,427 to RibletU.S. Pat. D412,754 to HardenU.S. Pat. No. 5,535,974 to SavitskiU.S. Pat. No. 6,158,551 to GrayU.S. Pat. No. 6,902,034 to Gibson, et al.

The present invention provides a simple, removable, releasably attachable shelf for attachment to the vertically spaced horizontal crossbars of a scaffold and, in the preferred embodiment, offers true horizontal double or dual working surfaces for supporting heavy or weighty objects. This dual surface feature facilitates quickly and easily reorienting the unit to extend inwardly of the imaginary envelope of the scaffold or outwardly thereof depending upon the task at hand and preference of the worker. Note that the base unit may be manually removed and reattached to reorient its single working surface as well.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to a removable shelf for attachment to a scaffold including a generally L-shaped frame releasably connectable around one of the vertically spaced horizontal crossbars of the scaffold. An object support panel is connected to one or preferably, both of the legs to support objects thereatop. Each leg is of sufficient length to extend between two vertically adjacent crossbars so that a distal portion of one leg contacts a lower one of the two crossbars to maintain and stabilize the substantially horizontal orientation of the other leg and corresponding support panel when weighty objects are placed thereatop without interfering with the quick and convenient installation and removal aspects of this invention.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a releasably connectable shelf for attachment to a scaffold which provides a horizontal work surface for supporting work objects thereatop.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a releasably attachable shelf for attachment to a scaffold which is completely self-supporting when attached to the scaffold.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a quickly removable shelf for easy attachment to a scaffold which provides two alternate working positions wherein the horizontal support panel is either inwardly or outwardly extended with respect to the upright perimeter profile of the scaffolding itself.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a two-panel releasably connectable utility shelf for attachment to a scaffold which is easily positionable either inwardly of or outwardly from the outer vertical profile of the scaffolding depending upon worker preference without the need to remove the unit and reattach it in the opposite orientation.

In accordance with these and other objects which will become apparent hereinafter, the instant invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and firstly toFIG. 1, a typical tubular scaffold is there shown in phantom generally at S and includes a plurality of horizontally spaced upright tubular members U and a horizontally spaced plurality of horizontal tubular members A, B, C, and D. A horizontal working platform P is provided atop which a worker may stand to accomplish the task at hand typically adjacent a building or wall structure.

One embodiment of the invention is shown generally at numeral10inFIG. 1releasably connected to and supported by two adjacent, vertically spaced apart crossbars A and B. This embodiment10includes two horizontal support panels12and14which are mechanically attached to the generally orthogonally oriented legs of two spaced apart L-shaped frames16.

As better seen inFIGS. 2 and 3, this embodiment10includes two spaced apart L-shaped frames16each of which generally each orthogonally formed at a central fold or apex36thereof so that distal portions16aand16bare orthogonally oriented as shown for contact with the lower one of the elongated horizontal crossbars B. Object support panels12and14span across and connect the corresponding legs of each of the L-shaped frames16so as to generally meet at the apex36of each of the frames16and terminate at outwardly extending catch flanges18and20so as to prevent tools and other working objects from easily sliding away from the worker and off of the distal edges of the corresponding horizontal panel12or14.

A spring biased releasable engagement member15is attached by supports24aand25bto the inner surfaces of one of the legs of each of the frames16. Each of these engagement members15includes an elongated shaft22having a pull handle30disposed at one end thereof and a U-shaped crossbar engaging member26formed at the other end thereof. The crossbar engagement member26generally has two spaced prongs28which are sized to snugly fit over the outer diameter of the crossbar A to entrap the crossbar A against the inner surfaces of the frames16to snugly support the shelf10, yet to allow for free rotation of the entire shelf10in the direction of arrow E about the longitudinal axis of the crossbar A.

A compression biasing spring32is positioned around shaft22between one of the supports24aand a stop34attached to the shaft22so as to maintain member15in the closed or locked position as shown except when manually moved to an open position in the direction of arrow8by manually moving handle30in the direction of arrow F to disengage the crossbar engaging member26from around the crossbar A.

When weight W is placed atop the support panel12when the shelf10is in the orientation shown inFIGS. 1,2and3, the lower distal portion16bengages against crossbar B at R so as to prevent any rotational movement of the shelf10. In the position shown inFIG. 2, the support panel12extends to the right of the crossbar A. By rotation of the shelf10in the counter-clockwise direction of arrow E, the support panel12takes on a generally upright orientation shown in phantom wherein distal portion16athen receives support from further rotation against the opposite side of crossbar B and further wherein the support panel14then moves into a generally horizontal orientation (not shown inFIG. 2) extending laterally to the left or away from the orientation previously established by support panel12.

Still referring specifically toFIG. 2, in this embodiment10, each of the legs of the frames16are oriented orthogonally or at 90° one to another as shown. Typically, any two of the vertically spaced crossbars A and B are oriented vertically one to another about an imaginary vertical line V so that support panel12becomes oriented at a slight angle G to horizontal H. This results in the support panel12(or14) being tipped slightly upwardly toward the distal edge and flange18(or20) so that objects placed thereatop may inadvertently roll toward the worker.

To improve upon this minor inconvenience of feature, the embodiment10′ shown inFIGS. 4 and 5is provided and is generally preferred. By orienting the legs of the generally L-shaped frame16′ at an angle at apex36′ of slightly less than orthogonal or in the range of about 85°, each of the support panels12and14become substantially horizontally oriented. Thus, whether this embodiment10′ is oriented to the left of (or outward from) the crossbars A and B, with support panel14being the horizontal work surface or, whether after rotation of the device10′ about the upper crossbar A in the direction of arrow E, support panel12becomes horizontally positioned and oriented to extend inwardly with respect to the crossbars A and B, a substantially horizontal working surface is always provided for the worker and is easily selectable without the need to remove the device10′ for reattachment in the opposite direction.

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