Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/238,255, filed on Oct. 5, 2000, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention generally relates to devices used in the building construction field and, more particularly, to devices for raising a wall unit and scaffolding systems.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0005]    Wall jacks are known in the art and are used to lift walls to a vertical orientation that have been pre-assembled in a horizontal orientation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,671 to Bott discloses a wall jack consisting of a telescopic member with hydraulic power. U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,591 to Eddie discloses a tool that can raise a wall either by pushing or pulling, and can also be used to rotate a joist and pry apart joists, studs, braces and laths.  
           [0006]    Lifting devices using pump jacks are known, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,806 to Masters which discloses a device for vertically aligning framed stud walls by use of a repetitive, telescopic push stick using hydraulic power. Also, non-hydraulic systems for lifting devices are known as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,413 to Massey which discloses a jack for lifting vehicles or other heavy loads in a vertical direction based upon a worm gear. Additionally, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,669,704 and 4,763,878 to Abraham disclose screw jack devices that re-align basement walls that have been moved from their original positions due to external pressure.  
           [0007]    Scaffolding jacks including those using pump jacks are also known in the art and are used to both erect scaffolding and to lift materials to an elevated position. U.S. Pat. No. 4,942,940 to Boeshart discloses a scaffolding jack that utilizes a ratchet mechanism to provide for vertical lifting. U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,899 to Lubinski similarly discloses a scaffolding jack for vertical movement. U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,794 to Anderson discloses a scaffolding system integrated with pump jacks for vertical movement of staging planks. U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,029 to Berish discloses pump jack poles for a scaffolding system.  
           [0008]    At each stage of a typical construction project, a tool is required to erect walls and then a tool is required to assemble scaffolding and lift materials. All of the above-described devices suffer from the disadvantage of requiring separate first and second tools to accomplish these goals in a construction project.  
           [0009]    The present invention has the advantage of providing a single, multi-purpose tool that combines the functions of the wall jack and the scaffold jack. It further has the advantage of using a simple mechanical mechanism to power both the wall raising mechanism and the scaffolding system, although other sources of power including hydraulic, pneumatic, and electric drives, can be adapted to drive the mechanism of the present invention.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0010]    A combined wall and scaffold jack comprising a driving mechanism that produces a force, a wall raising mechanism and a scaffolding mechanism, wherein the wall raising mechanism and the scaffolding mechanism are interchangeably connectable to the driving mechanism such that the wall raising mechanism can raise a wall by the force or the scaffolding mechanism can raise a staging plank by the force.  
           [0011]    Preferably, the driving mechanism comprises a power source that produces the force, a traveller and a guide member, wherein the traveller translates along the guide member as a result of the force; the wall raising mechanism comprises an attachment structure for removeably securing the wall raising mechanism to a wall; and the scaffolding mechanism comprises a scaffold arm for raising a staging plank.  
           [0012]    The present invention will be described further, by way of example only, with reference to an embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the combination wall and scaffold jack of the present invention;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the floor plate of FIG. 1;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the wall plate of FIG. 1;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the traveller of FIG. 1;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a wall brace of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a brake mechanism of the present invention; and  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a flow chart depicting a method for raising a wall and erecting scaffolding according to the apparatus of FIG. 1. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    Referring to the drawings and, in particular, FIG. 1, there is shown a preferred embodiment of the combination wall and scaffold jack of the present invention generally represented by reference numeral  1 .  
         [0021]    Referring to FIG. 1, jack  1  has a guide member  8 , a floor plate  3 , a ratchet-pawl mechanism  11 , a traveller  50 , and a wall plate  21 . Guide member  8  is a square, hollow tube. However, other shapes may alternatively be used, preferably to provide strength to guide member  8 . Guide member  8  has a first end  70  and a second end  72 .  
         [0022]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, first end  70  has floor plate  3  pivotally secured thereto. In this preferred embodiment, floor plate  3  is pivotally secured to guide member  8  by pin  4  and cotter pin  5 . However, alternative pivotal mechanisms may also be used. Floor plate  3  has a flat plate  43  that is rectangular having a plurality of holes  44  and floor brackets  45 . Bolts or screws (not shown) may be driven through holes  44  and into the surface of a floor in order to secure flat plate  43  to that surface.  
         [0023]    Floor brackets  45  are centrally located and perpendicular to flat plate  43 . Floor brackets  45  are preferably welded to flat plate  43 , but alternative fastening means may also be used, as well as forming floor brackets  45  integrally with flat plate  43 . Floor brackets  45  are spaced apart a distance slightly larger than the outer width of guide member  8  so that floor brackets  45  can slide over first end  70 . Floor brackets  45  each have holes  7  essentially centrally located and aligned with each other. Similarly, first end  70  has holes  9  on opposing sides and aligned with holes  7 . The diameter and alignment of holes  7  and  9 , allow pin  4  to slide through holes  7  and  9 , and lockingly engage cotter pin  5 . Thus, floor plate  3  is free to pivot about an axis passing longitudinally through pin  4 . The distance of holes  7  from flat plate  43  is sufficient to allow floor plate  3  to freely pivot.  
         [0024]    First end  70  also has a stub  6  on outer surface  32  between the sides where holes  9  are located. Preferably, stub  6  is welded to guide member  8 . Stub  6  perpendicularly extends from guide member  8  and has a ratchet hole  10  centrally located therein. Ratchet hole  10  has a diameter that allows ratchet hook  12  to engage with ratchet hole  10  which will be discussed later in further detail.  
         [0025]    Ratchet-pawl mechanism  11  is a ratchet device that provides incremental pulling and is well known in the art. Although the preferred embodiment uses ratchet-pawl mechanism  11  to drive combined wall and scaffold jack  1 , it is recognized by a skilled artisan that other driving devices, including pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric may alternatively be used in the present invention.  
         [0026]    Ratchet-pawl mechanism  11  comprises a ratchet hook  12 , a traveller hook  52 , a pulley  15  and a cable  13 . As described above, ratchet hook  12  passes through ratchet hole  10 , securing ratchet-pawl mechanism  11  to first end  70 . Cable  13  extends from ratchet-pawl mechanism  11  along outer surface  32  and engages with pulley  15 . Pulley  15  is secured to second end  72  of guide member  8  by pulley brackets  16 . Preferably, pulley brackets  16  are welded to second end  72 , but alternative securing means may also be used including nut and bolt assembly. At the end of cable  13  is secured traveller hook  52 . Traveller hook  52  is removably secured to metal strap  51  which will be discussed later in further detail.  
         [0027]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, traveller  50  comprises a slide tube  53 , a traveller tube  14 , traveller brackets  17 , a t-bolt  20 , and metal strap  51 . Slide tube  53  is a square, hollow tube having an inner height and width slightly greater than the outer height and width of guide member  8 , allowing traveller  50  to freely slide along guide member  8 . Although in the preferred embodiment slide tube  50  is square and hollow, alternative shapes may also be utilized that allow slide tube  50  to translate along guide member  8 .  
         [0028]    Traveller tube  14  is a tube that perpendicularly extends from the outer surface of slide tube  53 . Preferably, traveller tube  14  is square and hollow. Traveller tube  14  is also preferably welded to slide tube  53 . Traveller tube  14  has holes  18  centrally located on opposing sides.  
         [0029]    Traveller brackets  17  are parallel flat plates that perpendicularly extend from slide tube  53  on the same outer surface as traveller tube  14 . Preferably, traveller brackets  17  are welded to slide tube  53 . Traveller brackets  17  each have holes  19  that are aligned with each other. Holes  19  have a diameter that allows pin  23  to slide therein.  
         [0030]    Slide tube  53  further comprises a threaded hole (not shown) centrally located on the opposite outer surface from traveller tube  14  and traveller brackets  17 , that engages with t-bolt  20 . A user can drive t-bolt  20  inward whereby the tip of t-bolt  20  engages outer surface  32  of guide member  8 , serving to lock traveller  50  and prevent its slideable movement along guide member  8 . Preferably, t-bolt  20  has a tip with a flat surface to maximize friction and enhance the engagement and locking function of t-bolt  20 .  
         [0031]    Slide tube  53  also comprises a metal strap  51  that engages with traveller hook  52  in order to drive traveller  50  along guide member  8  as a result of the pulling force of ratchet-pawl mechanism  11 . Metal strap  51  is secured to slide tube  53  on opposing sides adjacent to outer surface  32 . Preferably, metal strap  51  is welded to slide tube  53 .  
         [0032]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, wall plate  21  comprises a flat plate  46  and a post  26 . Flat plate  46  is rectangular having a plurality of holes  25  and a lip  48  formed along one side of flat plate  46 . Preferably, lip  48  is integrally formed with flat plate  46 . Bolts or screws (not shown) may be driven through holes  25  and into the surface of a wall in order to secure flat plate  46  to that surface. Lip  48  provides a guide for alignment of wall plate  21  with a wall (not shown).  
         [0033]    Post  26  is centrally located on flat plate  46  and perpendicularly extends therefrom, in the opposite direction from lip  48 . Preferably, post  26  is welded to flat plate  46 , but alternative securing means may be used including post  26  being integrally formed with flat plat  46 . Post  26  has a post hole  27  with a diameter that allows pin  23  to slide therethrough.  
         [0034]    Holes  19  and  27  are aligned so that pin  23  can slide therethrough. Wall plate  21  is pivotally secured to traveller  50  by positioning post  26  in between traveller brackets  17 ; passing pin  23  through holes  19  and  27 ; and removably locking pin  23  with cotter pin  24 . The distance of hole  27  from flat plate  46  is sufficient to allow wall plate  21  to freely pivot about an axis passing longitudinally through pin  23  to a significant angle without interference between the wall surfaces (not shown) and guide member  8 , as the wall is lifted and pivoted.  
         [0035]    When ratchet-pawl mechanism  11  is used to apply a pulling force upon cable  13 , traveller  50  is pulled along guide member  8  towards pulley  15 . This results in wall plate  21  and the horizontal wall (not shown) that has been secured to wall plate  21 , to also advance along guide member  8 . By securing floor plate  3  to a floor but allowing it to pivot, the motion of traveller  50  will elevate the wall to a vertical position while simultaneously elevating jack  1  at an increasing angle.  
         [0036]    Once the wall raising function of jack  1  is performed, the construction project then requires the scaffolding function of jack  1 .  
         [0037]    Referring to FIGS. 1, 5 and  6  combined wall and scaffolding jack  1  further comprises a scaffold arm  22 , a wall brace  34  and a brake mechanism  28 . An advantage of the present invention is the interchangeable use of scaffold arm  22 , wall brace  34  and brake mechanism  28  with wall plate  21 , in order to convert jack  1  from functioning as a wall raising system to functioning as a scaffolding system.  
         [0038]    Scaffold arm  22  is a tube having a first end  75  and a second end  77 . Preferably, scaffold arm  22  is square and hollow. The inner height and width of scaffold arm  22  is slightly greater than the outer height and width of traveller tube  14  allowing first end  75  to slide over traveller tube  14 . First end  75  has scaffold holes  80  on opposing sides and aligned with each other. The diameter and alignment of holes  18  and  80  allow a pin  30  to pass through the holes and be removably locked by cotter pin  31 . Second end  77  of scaffold arm  22  has a scaffold bracket  42  that can securely hold an end of a staging plank (not shown) to hoist heavy loads to an elevated position.  
         [0039]    Wall brace  34  comprises a first leg  47 , a second leg  49 , a u-clamp  37  and brace brackets  35  and  36 . First leg  47  has a right-angle shape with a first end  84 , a second end  86 , and a center portion  88 . Alternatively, first leg  47  may be of another shape including square, hollow tubing. First end  84  has holes  33  located along first leg  47  on the same side. Holes  33  are spaced apart to allow u-clamp  37  to pass through holes  33 . U-clamp  37  has threaded ends  38  and  39  that correspond to bolts  40  and  41  to lock u-clamp  37  through holes  33  and onto leg  47 . U-clamp  37  has an inner width slightly larger than the outer width of guide member  8  so that guide member  8  can be passed within u-clamp  37  and locked to first leg  47 . Second end  86  has a brace bracket  35  having holes  55 . Preferably, brace bracket  35  is welded to first leg  47 .  
         [0040]    Second leg  49  has a right-angle shape with a first end  90 , a second end  92 , and a brace bracket  36 . Alternatively, second leg  49  may be of another shape including square, hollow tubing. First end  90  extends from center portion  88  at about a 45° angle to provide support to first leg  47 , but other angles may also be used, preferably to improve strength or provide for a more compact design. Preferably, second leg  49  is welded to first leg  47 , but alternative securing means may also be used including integrally forming second leg  49  with first leg  47 . Second end  92  has a brace bracket  36  having holes  85 . Preferably, brace bracket  36  is welded to second leg  49 . Bolts or screws (not shown) may be driven through holes  55  and  85  and into the surface of a wall in order to secure wall brace  34  to that surface.  
         [0041]    Referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, brake mechanism  28  can be interchanged for wall plate  21  to pivotally engage traveller  50 . Brake mechanism  28  comprises a threaded cylinder  56 , a hex bolt  60  having a distal end  63 , a bearing bracket  57  and a bearing assembly  74 . Threaded cylinder  56  has an outer surface  64  from which extends bearing bracket  57 . Threaded cylinder  56  has an under surface  62 . Threaded cylinder  56  engages with hex bolt  60  having a hex nut  61  such that tightening of hex nut  61  against under surface  62  prevents hex bolt  60  from further advancing through threaded cylinder  56 .  
         [0042]    Bearing bracket  57  comprises a traveller hole  54  and a bearing hole  66 . Bearing bracket  57  extends from outer surface  64  at an upward angle and has a length so that bearing assembly  74  extends past traveller  50 . Preferably, bearing bracket  57  is welded to threaded cylinder  56 . Traveller hole  54  is substantially centrally located in bearing bracket  57  with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of pin  23 . Brake mechanism  28  is pivotally secured to traveller  50  by positioning bearing bracket  57  in between traveller brackets  17 ; aligning holes  19  and  54 ; passing pin  23  through holes  19  and  54 ; and releasably locking pin  23  with cotter pin  24 . Bearing hole  66  is located near the end of bearing bracket  57  and pivotally engages bearing assembly  74 .  
         [0043]    Bearing assembly  74  comprises a threaded sleeve  59 , bearings  58 , washers  68  and a bearing bolt  65 . Threaded sleeve  59  passes through concentric holes in bearings  58  and washers  68  which are located on opposing sides of bearing bracket  57 , through bearing hole  66 , and threadingly engages with bearing bolt  65 . Washers  68  prevent bearings  58  from contacting bearing bracket  57 . Thus, bearings  58  are prevented from lateral motion while allowed to rotate.  
         [0044]    Brake mechanism  28  provides a controlled braking for traveller  50  and is an added safety device in the event of failure of cable  13  or ratchet-pawl mechanism  11 . A user can drive hex bolt  60  through threaded cylinder  56  and contact distal end  63  with the bottom surface of traveller  50 . This causes the end of bearing bracket  57  where hex bolt  60  is located, to move away from the bottom surface of traveller  50 . Due to the pivotal engagement of brake mechanism  28  to traveller  50  at essentially a central location of bearing bracket  57  acting as a fulcrum, the end of bearing bracket  57  where bearings  58  are located, moves closer to the under side of guide member  8 . This creates a force from bearings  58  onto the under side of guide member  8 . At intermediate levels of force, brake mechanism  28  retards movement of traveller  50  along guide member  8  in the direction of pulley  15  and prevents movement of traveller  50  away from pulley  15 . While at high levels of force, movement of traveller  50  in either direction is prevented. Hex nut  61  can be used to lock hex bolt  60  once the desired amount of force is obtained.  
         [0045]    Spacing a plurality of jacks  1  apart along a wall, and supporting them by floor plates  3  secured to a floor and wall braces  34  secured to a wall, jacks  1  function as a scaffolding system. Traveller  50  is driven along guide member  8  towards pulley  15  by the pulling force of ratchet-pawl mechanism  11 . Thus, scaffold arm  22  is driven upwards and combined wall and scaffolding jack  1  has performed its second function as a scaffolding system.  
         [0046]    Construction Operation  
         [0047]    Referring to FIG. 7, a method of a construction operation that utilizes wall and scaffolding jack  1 , is shown.  
         [0048]    The initial step  700  is to attach floor plate  3  to a floor at a location in the proximity of either the pre-assembled wall to be raised or the elevated area that is to be worked on. Screws or bolts can be driven through holes  44  into the surface of the floor to secure floor plate  3 . The user then determines whether a wall is required to be raised or whether a scaffolding system is to be used (step  710 ). If a wall is to be raised then wall plate  21  is installed on traveller  50 , as in step  720 . This is done by positioning post  26  in between traveller brackets  17 ; passing pin  23  through holes  19  and  27 ; and locking pin  23  with cotter pin  24 . The user then attaches wall plate  21  to a pre-assembled wall that is in a substantially horizontal orientation (step  730 ). This is done by driving screws or bolts through holes  25  into the surface of the wall.  
         [0049]    The user then cranks ratchet-pawl mechanism  11  so that traveller  50  moves along guide member  8 , as in step  740 . By securing floor plate  3  to the floor but allowing it to pivot about pin  4 , the motion of traveller  50  towards pulley  15  elevates the wall to a vertical position while simultaneously elevating jack  1  at an increasing angle. Preferably, this angle is about 45°. Additionally, t-bolt  20  may be driven into outer surface  32  of guide member  8  to lock traveller  50  while the pre-assembled wall is braced by other means. Wall plate  21  is then detached from the pre-assembled wall (step  750 ). Wall plate  21  is uninstalled from traveller  50 , as in step  760 . This is done by removing cotter pin  24  from pin  23  and removing pin  23  from holes  19  and  27 .  
         [0050]    The user next determines if a scaffolding system is required in order to continue working on the raised wall or whether another wall is to be raised, as in step  770 . If another wall is to be raised, floor plate  3  is detached from the floor for re-positioning of jack  1  (step  780 ). This is done by removing the screws or bolts that were driven through holes  44  into the surface of the floor.  
         [0051]    If a scaffolding system is required, wall brace  34 , brake mechanism  28  and scaffold arm  22  are installed on to jack  1  (step  800 ). Wall brace  34  is installed by sliding guide member  8  through u-clamp  37  and tightening bolts  40  and  41  to threaded ends  38  and  39 . Brake mechanism  28  is installed to traveller  50  by positioning bearing bracket  57  in between traveller brackets  17 ; aligning holes  19  and  54 ; passing pin  23  through holes  19  and  54 ; and locking pin  23  with cotter pin  24 . Scaffold arm  22  is installed to traveller  50  by sliding first end  75  over traveller tube  14 ; passing pin  30  through holes  18  and  80 ; and locking pin  30  with cotter pin  31 . Wall brace  34  is then attached to a wall (step  810 ). This is done by driving screws or bolts through holes  55  and  85 . A staging plank (not shown) is secured to scaffold bracket  42  to hoist heavy loads to an elevated position, as in step  820 . The user can then adjust braking mechanism  28  in order to apply the appropriate force of bearings  58  to guide member  8  (step  830 ). This is done by driving hex bolt  60  through threaded cylinder  56  and contacting distal end  63  with the surface of traveller  50 . Due to the pivotal engagement of brake mechanism  28  to traveller  50 , this creates a force from bearings  58  onto the under side of guide member  8 . At intermediate levels of force, brake mechanism  28  retards movement of traveller  50  along guide member  8  in the direction of pulley  15  and prevents movement of traveller  50  away from pulley  15 . While at high levels of force, movement of traveller  50  in either direction is prevented. Hex nut  61  is then tightened to lock hex bolt  60  once the desired amount of force is obtained.  
         [0052]    The user then cranks ratchet-pawl mechanism  11  to raise the staging plank (not shown) to the desired height, as in step  840 . Once a desired height is reached, t-bolt  20  is driven into outer surface  32  of guide member  8  providing a locking mechanism for traveller  50  (step  850 ). If work must be done at other elevations, the user can repeat the step of raising the staging plank to the next desired height, as in step  860 .  
         [0053]    If the work has been completed then the user cranks ratchet-pawl mechanism  11  to lower the staging plank, as in step  870 . The staging plank is removed from scaffold bracket  42  (step  880 ). Wall brace  34  is then detached from the wall by removing the screws or bolts through holes  55  and  85 , as in step  890 . The user can then uninstall wall brace  34 , brake mechanism  28  and scaffold arm  22  from jack  1  (step  900 ). This is done by loosening bolts  40  and  41  and sliding guide member  8  out from under u-clamp  37 ; removing cotter pins  24  and  31 ; and sliding pins  23  and  30  out from their respective holes. The user then detaches floor plate  3  from the floor (step  910 ). This is done by removing the screws or bolts that were driven through holes  44  into the surface of the floor. The user is then ready to re-position jack  1  and to repeat these steps, as necessary.  
         [0054]    The present invention having thus been described with particular reference to the preferred forms thereof, it will be obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Technology Category: 0