A New or Improved Portable Stage, Scaffold, or Skeleton Tower to be employed in Repairing the Interiors of Lofty Buildings and for other uses.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 9th May, 1891-Accepted, 13th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Portable Stage, Scaffold, or Skeleton Tower to
be employed in Repairing the Interiors of Lofty Buildings and
for other uses.
I, GEORGE JAMES FARROW of 46 Bonham Road Brixton in the County of
Surrey Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to a new or improved portable stage scaffold or skeleton
tower to be employed in repairing the interiors of lofty buildings and for other
uses, and the object of my invention is to obtain an erection of the above kind
which is capable of being readily taken apart and packed in a small compass for
transport, and of being securely put together and regulated in height with equal
facility.
For this purpose I employ four vertical standards each composed of a number of
lengths or sections of iron pipe each of which lengths or sections fits into a socket
carried by the one next below it where it is secured by a pin or bolt whilst each
bottom length or section terminates in a caster or swivel supporting wheel.
Each length or section of the vertical standards is formed with several bosses or
enlargements thereon arranged at given distances apart and each formed with
several conical key grooves therein to receive the corresponding ends of horizontal
stretchers and ties or braces.
1
Each boss or enlargement is provided with two key grooves arranged at right
angles to each other to receive the corresponding ends of tubular stretchers or ties,
the opposite end of the tie engaging the corresponding groove in the boss of an
opposite section of a vertical standard so that the standards at suitable intervals are
firmly united by these stretthers or ties which form a rectangular frame so that
four opposite lengths or sections of the standards form a section of the erection.
In addition to these horizontal rectangular stretchers or ties. I also employ
horizontal diagonal stretchers or ties which are provided with keyed ends to fit
diagonally disposed key grooves in the bosses or enlargements of the standards.
In order to brace the various sections of the erection together I employ tubular
vertical diagonal cross braces which extend from the stretchers or ties of one section
of the erection to those of another section thereof, and which are for convenience
of transport divided in their length and united when in use by means of socket
joints and bolts or pins, and these braces at their ends are formed with lateral jaws
to embrace the stretchers or ties and the stretchers or ties are formed with flanges
thereon to hold the braces in place whilst pins or bolts are employed to prevent
accidental disconnection.
Upon the uppermost section of the erection a platform is provided for the
workman and a life line supported by vertical stanchions or posts is employed to
protect the workman against accidentally falling from the platform.
At one corner of the platform is a socket to receive the lower end of a swinging
davit or crane and this davit forms one of the posts or stanchions for the life line
but in order to allow of the free movement of the stanchion the life line is attached
to a ring or collar loosely fitting the same.
In addition to the platform at the top of the erection I employ several projecting
stages arranged at different elevations and I mount them upon the stretchers in such
manner that they will fold down when not required for use whilst I employ movable
struts to support them in their horizontal position.
When it is required to reduce the height of the erection and accommodate it to a
building of less than the maximum height one or more of the intermediate sections

page_text: of the erection are taken out and the remaining sections brought together whilst the
stretchers of the lower sections are removed and replaced by those of one of the
sections taken out in order to bring the standards of the lower sections into alignment
with those of the upper sections retained, and I thus bring the platform and crane
to the desired level.
By these means I obtain a stage, scaffold or skeleton tower which is light strong
. and capable of being readily wheeled about and adapted to the height required and
which is also capable of being taken apart and packed in a very small compass for
transport.
The erection is applicable to various uses other than those above enumerated and
such as to form elevated platforms for firemen directing a stream of water upon a
burning building, to form an observatory for military field purposes or to form parts
of triumphal arches in street decoration.
Dated this 10th day of December 1890.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Portable Stage, Scaffold, or Skeleton Tower, to
be employed in Repairing the Interiors of Lofty Buildings and
for other uses.
I, GEORGE JAMES FARROW of 46 Bonham Road Brixton in the County of
Surrey Surveyor do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention relates to a new or improved portable stage scaffold or skeleton
tower to be employed in repairing the interiors of lofty buildings and for other uses
and the object of my invention is to obtain an erection of the above kind which is
capable of being readily taken apart and packed in a small compass for transport
and of being securely put together and regulated in height with equal facility.
For this purpose I employ four vertical standards each composed of a number of
lengths or sections of iron pipe, each of which lengths or sections fits into a socket
carried by the one next below it where it is secured by a pin or bolt whilst each
bottom length or section terminates in a caster or swivel supporting wheel.
Each length or section of the vertical standards is formed with a boss or enlarge-
ment or it might be with several bosses or enlargements thereon arranged at given
distances apart and each formed with several conical key grooves therein to receive
the corresponding ends of horizontal stretchers or ties.
Each boss or enlargement is provided with two key grooves arranged at right
angles to each other to receive the corresponding ends of tubular stretchers or ties
the opposite end of the tie engaging the corresponding groove in the boss of an
opposite section of a vertical standard so that the standards at suitable intervals are
firmly united by these stretchers or ties which form a rectangular frame, so that
four opposite lengths or sections of the standards form a section of the erection.
In addition to these horizontal rectangularly disposed stretchers or ties I also
employ horizontal diagonal stretchers or ties which are provided with keyed ends
to fit diagonally disposed key grooves in the bosses or enlargements of the standards.
In order to brace the various sections of the erection together I employ tubular
vertical diagonal cross braces which extend from the stretchers or ties of one section
of the erection to those of another section thereof and which are for convenience
of transport divided in their length and united when in use by means of socket
joints and bolts or pins and these braces at their ends are formed with lateral jaws
to embrace the stretchers or ties and the stretchers or ties are formed with flanges
thereon to hold the braces in place whilst pins or bolts are employed to prevent
accidental disconnection.

page_text: Upon the uppermost section of the erection a platform is provided for the
workmen and a life line supported by vertical stanchions or posts is employed to
protect the workmen against accidentally falling from the platform and at one of
the inner corners of the platform is a socket to receive the lower end of a swinging
davit or crane.
In addition to the platform at the top of the erection I employ several projecting
stages arranged at different elevations and I mount them upon the stretchers in
such manner that they will fold down when not required for use whilst I employ
moveable struts to support them in their horizontal position.
When it is required to reduce the height of the erection and accommodate it to
a building of less than the maximum height one or more of the intermediate sections
of the erection are taken out and the remaining sections brought together whilst
the stretchers of the lower sections are removed and replaced by those of one of
the sections taken out in order to bring the standards of the lower sections into
alignment with those of the upper sections retained and I thus bring the platform
and crane to the desired level.
By these means I obtain a stage, scaffold, or skeleton tower which is light, strong,
and capable of being readily wheeled about and adapted to the height required
and which is also capable of being taken apart and packed in a very small compass
for transport.
The erection is applicable to various uses other than those above enumerated and
such as to form elevated platforms for firemen directing a stream of water upon a
burning building; to form an observatory for military field purposes or to form
parts of triumphal arches in street decoration.
And in order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully to

page_text: Referring to Figures 1 to 13 a represents a number of sections or lengths of iron
pipe which united form four vertical standards and each of these lengths or
sections a at its lower end fits into a socket a¹ formed on or fixed to the length or
section a next below it where it is secured by a pin or key a¹* passing through
holes provided in those parts or a bolt and nut or other suitable fastening device
might be substituted for the pin a whilst each bottom length or section a which
is a short length terminates in a caster or swivel supporting wheel /.
Each length or section a of the vertical standards is formed with a boss or
enlargement a' thereon or it might be provided with several of such bosses arranged
at given distances apart and each of these bosses a' is formed with several conical
key grooves a a³ therein to receive the corresponding ends of horizontal
stretchers and ties or braces as hereinafter more fully described.
Each boss or enlargement a² is provided with two key grooves a³ arranged at
right angles to each other to receive the corresponding ends of tubular stretchers
or ties c the opposite end of each tie engaging the corresponding groove a³ in the
boss a' of an opposite section of a vertical standard so that the standards at
intervals are firmly united by the stretchers or ties c which combined form a
rectangular frame and thus four opposite lengths or sections a of the standards
form a section of the erection.
In addition to the horizontal rectangularly disposed stretchers or ties chori-
zontal diagonal stretchers or ties d are employed which are provided with keyed
ends to fit diagonally disposed key grooves a** in the bosses or enlargements a³
of the sections a of the standards.
These diagonal stretchers or ties d may if desired be provided for every section
of the erection to be employed in combination with the rectangularly disposed
stretchers or ties c but in practice this arrangement for general purposes is found
unnecessary except in connection with the lowest section at the base of the erection
and in order to enable these diagonal stretchers or ties d to be adjusted in length to
the base when the area thereof is reduced as hereinafter described they are each
formed in two lengths united by a sleeve formed with right and left handed
screw threads to engage corresponding threads upon the two lengths d of the tie or
other suitable means may be employed for this purpose.
In order to brace the various sections of the erection together tubular vertical
diagonal cross braces e are employed which extend from the stretchers or ties c of
one section of the erection to those c of another section thereof and these braces e
are for convenience of transport divided in their length and united when in use by
means of socket joints e¹ and bolts or pins e**.
The braces e at their ends are as shown more particularly at Figures 11 and 12
formed with lateral jaws e to embrace the stretchers or ties c and the stretchers or
ties c are formed with flanges or collars thereon to hold the braces e in place
whilst pins or bolts ** are employed to prevent accidental disconnection thereof.
Upon the upper sections a of the standard are mounted adjustable sleeves or
collars at which carry bosses a²* and which are capable of vertical adjustment upon
the standards a and of being fixed in the desired position by pins a¹* entering
holes aprovided in the standards and these bosses a** are connected together
by stretchers or ties c as herein before described with respect to the fixed bosses a².
Upon each of these stretchers c is mounted or hinged by means of clips fl and
check screws or keys / 1* a rectangular frame f of angle iron in such manner that it
is capable when required of folding down against the sides of the erection and these
frames are supported by means of struts g at their lower ends formed with jaws g'
to embrace the upper sections a of the standards where they take a bearing upon
the bosses or enlargements a² or upon the sleeves or collars at upon the sectional
standards a as hereinafter more fully referred to and are secured by pins or keys gl
whilst at their upper ends the struts g pass through holes formed in angle
plates upon the undersides of the frames and the struts g are at this point
formed with shoulders or collars upon which the frames f rest.
The outer ends of the frames are connected by angle iron stretchers h which

page_text: are also formed with holes h' therein to receive the struts and wooden slabs h* are
fitted into these frames upon the flanges of the angle iron so as to form one
extended platform for the workmen.
The struts g above the platform f* rise in the form of stanchions 9* and carry
at their upper ends a rail or life line g ** which encircles the platform and serves
to protect the workmen against accidentally falling therefrom.
At the inner corners of the platform are sockets formed by the upper sections a
of the standards and which are adapted to receive the lower end of a swinging davit
or crane a*.
In order to provide for a limited vertical adjustment of the platform /* in
relation to the body of the erection the bosses a* are capable of being raised
vertically upon the standards a as hereinbefore described and thus carrying with
them the inner ends of the frames whilst upon the sockets a¹ of those sections of
the standards a next below are at a convenient distance above their bosses u² pro-
vided collars a*¹ to form rests for the jaws g of the struts g and thus the outer
ends of the frames are capable of being raised a given distance equal to that of
the collars a*1 from their bosses a².
静
1**
To provide for a greater range of adjustment of the platform * loose collars or
sleeves a are placed upon the standards a and normally rest upon the tops of the
sockets a' so as to allow of the raising of the struts a distance equal to that of
the collars a* from the bosses a² and in order to provide for a still greater range of
adjustment to the platform f* the collars a¹* are capable of being further raised
upon the standards a and there fixed by means of pins a passing into holes therein
and it will be understood that the distance to which the bosses a** are raised must
be regulated by the distance to which the jaws g' of the struts can be raised.
In addition to the platform / at the top of the erection several projecting
stages f are employed at different elevations formed of metal frames
wooden platforms and these metal frames are mounted upon the stretchers e in
a similar manner to that hereinbefore described with respect to the upper plat-
form so that they will fold down when not required for use; detachable struts g
projecting from the standards a being employed to support them in their horizontal
position.
**
*
and
When it is desired to considerably reduce the height of the erection and accom-
modate it to a building of less than the maximum height one or more of the inter-
mediate sections of the erection are taken out and the remaining sections brought
together whilst the stretchers of the adjacent lower sections are removed and
replaced by those of the upper sections which have been taken out in order to
bring the standards a of the lower sections into alignment with those of the upper
sections retained and the platform f* and crane a* are thus brought to the desired
level; or with the same object the lower section or sections of the erection may
be omitted and the area of the wheeled base reduced to the area of the base of
the lowest remaining section by removing the stretchers c therefrom and sub-
stituting therefor the stretchers e belonging to the top of the omitted section or
sections, the diagonal stretchers or ties d being adjusted in length according to
the reduced dimensions of the base.
In the arrangement represented at Figure 14 two vertical standards a borrowed
from another similar erection are built out from the main erection so as to form
an extension thereof for the purpose of facilitating the decoration of walls and
ceilings of galleries by means of horizontal vertical and diagonal braces e*
formed with socket joints e* and with jaws e to grip the stretchers c upon the
main erection and similar stretchers c upon the extension whilst at the base of the
extension caster or swivel wheels are provided whilst at the upper part are plat-
form frames constructed and supported in a similar manner to those herein-
before described to serve a foundation for a flooring or platform f* and
connected with the main erection by a bridge f***.
By these means a stage, scaffold, or skeleton tower is obtained which is light,
als

page_text: strong, and capable of being readily wheeled about and adapted to the height
required and which is also capable of being taken apart and packed in a very
small compass for transport.
The invention is also applicable to various uses other than those above
enumerated and such as to form elevated platforms for firemen directing a stream
of water upon a burning building, to form an observatory for military field
purposes or to form parts of triumphal arches in street decoration.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a portable stage, scaffold or like erection the combination of several
vertical standards composed of a number of lengths or sections of iron pipe detach-
ably connected by means of socket joints and pins or keys and provided with bosses
or enlargements formed with key grooves therein and a number of stretchers
or ties to fit the key grooves and connect the standards substantially as herein
shown and described.
2. In a portable stage, scaffold, or like erection the combination of several
vertical standards composed of a number of lengths or sections of iron pipe detach-
ably connected by means of socket joints and pins or keys and provided with bosses
or enlargements formed with key grooves therein, a number of horizontal
stretchers or tics formed with corresponding ends to fit the key grooves and con-
nect the standards, fixed collars upon the stretchers, a number of vertical braces
formed with lateral jaws clipping on to the horizontal stretchers or ties between
the collars and extending diagonally across the erection and pins or keys for
securing the jaws upon the stretchers or ties substantially as herein shown and
described.
3. In a portable stage, scaffold, or like erection the combination of several
vertical standards composed of a number of lengths or sections of iron pipe detach-
ably connected by means of socket joints and pins or keys and provided with bosses
or enlargements formed with three key grooves therein two at right angles and
one diagonally disposed and a number of stretchers or ties to fit the key grooves
and connect the standards substantially as herein shown and described.
4. In a portable stage, scaffold, or like erection the combination of several
vertical standards composed of a number of sections or lengths of iron pipe detach-
ably connected by means of socket joints and pins or keys and provided with bosses
or enlargements formed with three key grooves therein two at right angles and
one diagonally disposed, a number of stretchers or ties to fit the key grooves and
connect the standards, a number of vertical braces formed with lateral jaws clipping
on to the horizontal stretchers or ties and extending diagonally across the erection
and pins or keys for securing the jaws upon the stretchers or ties substantially as
herein shown and described.
5. In a portable stage, scaffold or like erection the combination of several
vertical standards composed of a number of sections or lengths of iron pipe detach-
ably connected by means of socket joints and pins or keys and provided with bosses
or enlargements formed with three key grooves therein, two at right angles and
one diagonally disposed, a number of stretchers or ties to fit the key grooves and
connect the standards, a number of vertical braces formed with lateral jaws clipping
on to the horizontal stretchers or ties and extending diagonally across the erection,
pins or keys for securing the jaws upon the stretchers or ties, a platform located at
the top of the erection, a socket upon the platform to receive a davit and a davit
fitting into the socket and carrying wheels at the base of the erection substantially
as herein shown and described.
6. In a portable stage, scaffold, or like erection the combination of several
vertical standards composed of a number of sections or lengths of iron pipe detach-
ably connected by means of socket joints and provided with bosses or enlargements

page_text: formed with key grooves therein, a number of stretchers or ties to fit the key
grooves and connect the standards, a number of vertical braces formed with lateral
jaws clipping on to the horizontal stretchers or ties and extending diagonally across
the erection and several platforms hinged to the stretchers or ties and at their outer
ends supported by struts substantially as herein shown and described.
Dated this 9th day of May 1891.
WHITE & WOODINGTON,
27, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.