Abstract:
A self securing work platform panel for temporary installation under or upon a structure and comprised of corrugated metal sheets which are secured to a support system such as, but not limited to, cables by means of a system of opposing hooks affixed to the underside of said metal sheets.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    Not Applicable  
         STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    Not Applicable  
         REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX  
         [0003]    Not Applicable  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    This invention relates to work platform installation systems which are installed under or upon structures such as bridges to allow workers and equipment to repair and renovate said structure and more particularly to an improved work platform panel to allow for faster, easier and safer installation and operation; and better debris containment. Current panels are secured to cables through holes cut into the sheet and then a clip consisting of multiple parts is used to secure the sheet to the cable. Though care is taken to keep the hole covered, debris inevitably escapes the enclosed work area through these holes. Also with the fastening clip consisting of multiple parts, it is time consuming to fasten the sheets to the cables and there is also the opportunity for pieces to be dropped during installation allowing metal to fall to the ground, highway or water below creating a danger to motorists or persons below. And as parts get dropped and lost the installer will grab a part readily available such as a bolt or nut to complete the installation and the replacement part occasionally does not meet the specifications for which it is being used even though it may look like the same part to the installer.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    It is the object of this invention to provide a work platform panel system with self securing platform panels which contain minimal parts to allow for faster and easier installation and lessen the opportunity for losing small parts such as nuts and bolts.  
           [0006]    It is another object of this invention to provide a work platform panel which better prevents dust and debris from escaping outside the containment area.  
           [0007]    In summary the work platform panel of this invention consists of a corrugated metal sheet with two sets of hooks affixed to the underside of the corrugated sheet towards one end, with at least one hook in each set. The hooks are affixed so that their lengths run parallel with the lines of corrugation and so that one portion of the hook is attached to the sheet in the valley of the corrugation and the other remaining portion of that hook hangs protruding below the plane of the metal sheet underside. The two sets of hooks are affixed to face in the opposite direction to one another. Thus when the panel is placed upon a support cable at an angle to the length of cable with each set of hooks on opposite sides of the support cable with open end facing the cable, as the panel is rotated upon the cable so that the hooks move towards the cable, the cable slides into the open ends of the hooks thereby securing the panel to the support cable. Another panel may then be placed upon a different support cable in the same manner and in such a way as to overlap the first panel. Then the second panel is fastened to the first panel at the overlap. Thus each panel will be secured to the support cables at both ends, at one end by the hooks fastened to it&#39;s underside and at the other end by the hooks of the previous panel which it overlaps and is attached to. By continuing to lay down successive panels in this manner a work platform floor may be created to a desired width and length. The first row of panels placed upon the support cables will not have a previous row of panels to be affixed to and will thus require a different means of securing the panels to the support cable at the end without the hooks. Any one of the means currently used by persons practiced in this field can be utilized such as U-bolts, wood and screws, or one of the many others. Also there can be multiple sets of hooks to fasten the panel to more than one cable at a time. This would necessitate the panel laying flat upon all the cables it is to be secured to with each set of hooks in the same relationship as previously described to the particular cable it will fasten to, and as the panel is turned upon the cables, all of the hooks lock in simultaneously. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING  
       [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1. Is a view of a single hook assembly showing the tube  13 , the hooked rod  12  inserted through the tube  13  and the pin  14  inserted through the protruding straight end of the rod  12 .  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2. Is a fragmentary view of a single hook assembly in the open position as would be while the panel was in use. Also Illustrating the movement of the hooked rod  12 .  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3. Is a fragmentary view of a single hook assembly in the closed position as would be while the panel was in storage or transport. Also illustrating the movement of the hooked rod  12   
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4. Is a fragmentary underside view of a single corrugated metal panel  11  showing two hook assemblies attached to the panel  11  as they secure the panel  11  to a support cable  15 .  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5. Is an underside view of a single corrugated panel  11  secured to a support cable  15   b  by two hook assemblies and resting on top of support cables  15   c  and  15   d.    
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 6. Is two platform panels secured together as they would be upon support cables as viewed from the side.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 7. Is an underside view of a single corrugated metal panel  11  as seen in FIG. 5 secured to a support cable  15   b  by two hook assemblies illustrating the movement of rotating the panel  11  upon the support cable  11   b  so as to slide the cable  15   b  into the hooks  12   a  and  12   b  thereby securing the panel  11  to the cable  15   b.   
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0015]    Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a single hook assembly which is comprised of a metal tube  13  and a metal rod  12  which has been bent in a hooked or J shape. The hooked rod  12  is inserted into the metal tube  13  so that it protrudes slightly out the other end of the metal tube  13  where a pin  14  is inserted into the end of the hooked rod  12  to prevent the hooked rod  12  from being pulled back out of the metal tube  13 . The size and, dimensions of the metal tube  13  and the hooked rod  12  are dependant on the capacity specifications of the specific application that they are being used for. A person skilled in the art of platform and scaffold fabrication and installation can determine the gauge and size of the hooked rod  12  and metal tube  13  needed for the specific application requirements. The size relationship of the metal tube  13  to the hooked rod  12  should be such that the hooked rod  12  can be easily inserted and rotate freely inside the metal tube  13  but have limited lateral movement. Generally a metal rod  12  of ⅜-inch diameter and 4-inch length prior to bending will be sufficient. The diameter of the bend in the hooked rod  12  will be dependant on the diameter of the support cable  15  it is being secured to. The hooked rod  12  should allow for the support cable  15  to fit snugly into the hook.  
         [0016]    Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3; the pin  14  should be of such size so as to be flush with the surface of the hooked rod  12  and so as to not extend beyond the outside surface of the metal tube  13  on one end after being inserted into the hooked rod  12  and protrude far enough out of the other end of the hooked rod  12  so as to be able to strike the side of the corrugated metal sheet  11  to keep the hooked rod  12  from rotating past the 90-degree perpendicular position in relation to the overall plane of the corrugated metal sheet  11  when the metal sheet  11  is flipped with hooks side down as in FIG. 2 which is the position the sheet  11  and hooked rod  12  would be in when being secured as in FIG. 4 to a support system such as a cable  15   b . The flush or nearly flush end of the pin  14  is to allow the hooked rod  12  to rotate freely without the flush end of the pin  14  striking the corrugated metal sheet  11  or otherwise interfering with the rotating movement of the hooked rod  12 . The size and position of the pin  14  as inserted into the metal rod  12  will be dependant on the gauge of the hooked rod  12  and the type of corrugation of the metal sheet  11 . A person skilled in the art of platform and scaffold fabrication and installation will be able to determine the pin  14  size and angle of insertion into the hooked rod  12  by first determining the gauge of the metal rod  12  and the type of corrugation of the metal sheet  11 .  
         [0017]    Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 the hook assembly of FIG. 1 is attached to the metal corrugated sheet  11  along the mostly vertical portion of the corrugation as close to the open end of the corrugation where it turns horizontal and so that the metal tube  13  does not protrude above or below the horizontal surface of the metal sheet  11 ′. This is necessary to allow the metal sheets  11  to be stacked for storage or transport with limited interference from the hook assembly. The metal tube  13  is the only portion of the hook assembly to be secured to the metal corrugated sheet  11 , this allows for the metal hooked rod  12  to rotate freely so that when the metal sheet  11  is flipped with the hook assembly on top as in FIG. 3 the metal hooked rod  12  will fall into the valley of the corrugation so as to have limited interference with successive metal corrugated sheets  11  being stacked upon it. It should be noted that this present invention uses rotating hooks to facilitate storage and transportation of the corrugated sheets, however there are other means available to achieve this, such as making the hooked rod or entire hook assembly removable for transportation and storage. The embodiment of the present invention is the use of opposing hooks to secure the corrugated metal sheet to a support system such as support cables.  
         [0018]    Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 the hook assemblies are secured to the corrugated metal sheet  11  closer to one end of the corrugated metal sheet  11 , so that the support cable  15   b  when secured by the hooked rods  12   a  and  12   b , the support cable  15   b  runs 6-inches from that end of the metal sheet  11 . The hook assemblies are secured so that the hooked, rods  12   a  and  12   b  face in opposing directions to one another. The exact distance between the two hook assemblies will be dependant on the corrugation however the distance should be approximately ⅓ the width of the corrugated metal sheet  11 . Referring to FIG. 7 when installing the corrugated metal sheet  11  upon the support cables  15   b ,  15   c  and  15   d . The corrugated metal sheet  11  is placed at such an angle to the support cable  11   b  which the hooked rods  12   a  and  12   b  will secured to so the open end of each hooked rod  12   a  and  12   b  is facing the support cable  15   b  as the corrugated metal sheet  11  is sitting, upon the support cable  15   b . The corrugated metal sheet  11  is then rotated upon the support cable  15   b  so that the hooked rods  12   a  and  12   b  move towards the support cable  15   b  and the support cable  15   b  slides into the hooked rods  12   a  and  12   b  thereby securing the corrugated metal sheet  11  to the, support cable  15   b . The corrugated metal sheet  11  is then laid flat upon the other remaining support cables  15   c  and  15   d.    
         [0019]    Successive corrugated metal sheets can be secured in an overlapping manner so as to form a work platform of desired length and width. Referring to FIG. 6, as the corrugated metal sheet  11   a  is laid flat upon the remaining support cables  15   a  and  15   b  it overlaps the previously secured corrugated metal sheet  11   b  by approximately 12-inches and then the corrugated metal sheet  11   a  is secured to the corrugated metal sheet  11   b  by temporary removable means such as metal screws or bolts. In this manner each corrugated metal sheet  11   a  and  11   b  will be secured at both ends to the system of support cables  15 , at one end by the hooked rods  12 , and at the other end by the hooked rods  12  of the previous corrugated metal sheet  11 . When constructing a work platform the first row of corrugated metal sheets  11  will require a different means of securing the end which lacks hooked rods  12  to the support cable  15  since there will not be a previous row of corrugated metal sheets  11  to overlap and secure to. Referring to FIG. 7, if this corrugated metal sheet  11  were in the first row of sheets to be laid down to create a work platform then a different means of securing the corrugated metal sheet  11  to the support cable  15   d  would be needed. A person skilled in the art of platform fabrication and installation would be able to use a number of means currently available and in use for securing panels to support cables, such as but not limited to, U-bolts or wood and screws. The opposing hooks system used in the current invention facilitates the speed and ease to which successive corrugated sheets can be laid out and secured upon support cables to create a work platform for men and equipment and limits the number of openings required in the work platform since the opposing hooks system does not require holes in the corrugated metal sheets where the hooks secure to the support cables.