Equipment support systems

Abstract

Equipment support systems and modular platforms provide an equipment support portion with lateral walkways and work areas. The platforms have a skeletal frame that supports a plurality of grates to form the work area. The frame of the platforms also has a number of support legs with circular bases at their lower ends to rest upon the roof or other support surface. The circular bases distribute the load of the supported equipment evenly upon the roof so that specific spots are not overloaded. Outriggers may be removably added to the platform to increase the dimensions of the platform thereby making the platform and supported equipment less prone to overturning from wind loading. Methods are described for providing a support platform designed to resist a specific design wind load. In some preferred embodiments, one or more of the support legs of the platforms are adjustable in length, to allow portions of the platform to be adjusted for differential settlement of the roof.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An equipment support platform for supporting equipment on a rooftop and the like, comprising: 
 an equipment support portion having a structural base for the affixation of equipment and an opening defined within the base through which cabling, piping and the like may be disposed; and    a reversably connectable work area portion surrounding the equipment support portion.    
     
     
         2 . The equipment support platform of    claim 1    further comprising a reversably connectable outrigger portion that can be connected to the platform to increase the resistance of the platform to wind loading.  
     
     
         3 . The equipment support platform of    claim 1    wherein the work area portion further comprises a grate that permits airflow and drainage therethrough.  
     
     
         4 . The equipment support platform of    claim 1    further comprising an leg that is adjustable in length to selectively change the height of a portion of the platform above a supporting surface.  
     
     
         5 . The equipment support platform of    claim 4    wherein the adjustable leg further comprises a securing member for locking the leg at a selected length.  
     
     
         6 . The equipment support platform of    claim 1    further comprising a plurality of leg members that support the platform above a support surface, the leg members each having a substantially circular base member at its lower end.  
     
     
         7 . A support system for use in supporting telecommunications equipment and the like on rooftops or other locations, the system comprising an equipment support platform having: 
 a) an equipment support portion with a central area defined therein; and    b) at least one laterally located platform affixed to the equipment support portion to resist turning moments induced by a design wind load F W  upon equipment supported by the support portion, the platforms providing a length L as measured from the central area of the support portion being related to the design wind load F W .    
     
     
         8 . The support system of    claim 7    further comprising an additional platform that can be laterally affixed to the equipment support platform to increase resistance of the platform to turning moments.  
     
     
         9 . The support system of    claim 7    wherein the length is related to the design wind load by the following equation:  
       L   =       [       (       F   W     ×   H     )     -   M     ]     /     R   T                     
 
       where H is the height of equipment supported, M is a positive number indicative of a turning moment induced by the design wind load, and R T  is the total weight of the platform and equipment supported by the platform.  
     
     
         10 . The support system of    claim 7    further comprising an adjustable leg assembly for selectively changing the height of portions of the platform above a supporting surface.  
     
     
         11 . The support system of    claim 10    wherein the adjustable leg assembly further comprises a securing member for locking the portions of the platform at a selected height.  
     
     
         12 . The support system of    claim 10    further comprising a load-distributing support base within which the leg assembly is seated.  
     
     
         13 . The support system of    claim 7    wherein portions of the laterally located platform comprise apertured grates that permit drainage and airflow therethrough.  
     
     
         14 . A method of providing a stable support platform for telecommunications equipment and the like, comprising: 
 a) establishing a design wind load that a platform and supported equipment must withstand against overturning;    b) determining the height and weight for a load to be supported upon a central portion of the support platform; and    c) using said height and weight, determining a required length of overhang for the platform.    
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 14    wherein the operation of determining a required length of overhang further comprises selective a positive value for an overturning moment.  
     
     
         16 . The method of    claim 14    wherein the operation of determining a required length of overhang further comprises relating the length of overhang to the design wind load by the following equation:  
       L   =       [       (       F   W     ×   H     )     -   M     ]     /     R   T                     
 
       where H is the height of equipment supported, M is a positive number indicative of a turning moment induced by the design wind load, and R T  is the total weight of the platform and equipment supported by the platform.  
     
     
         17 . The method of    claim 14    further comprising the operation of disposing the platform on a support surface.  
     
     
         18 . The method of    claim 17    further comprising the operation of mounting a load to be supported upon a central portion of the support platform.  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 17    wherein the support surface comprises a roof surface.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 17    wherein the operation of disposing the platform upon a support surface further comprises the operation of securing legs of the platform within load-distributing bases.