Composite scaffolding plank and method of forming same

Abstract

A composite scaffolding plank made from a plurality of wooden boards positioned in side to side parallel abutment. A plurality of spaced pins extend transversely through the wooden boards. A cam means on the pins pulls and holds the boards together. In addition, my invention is a method of forming wide wooden planks from two or more narrow wooden boards by positioning the boards in side to side parallel abutment and embedding a plurality of spaced pins transversely through the boards. Further, a method of increasing the strength of a wooden plank is to cut the plank longitudinally, position the resulting sections in side to side parallel abutment with the wood grains alternating directions, and to subsequently embed a plurality of spaced pins in the sections.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of forming a scaffolding plank from two or more wooden boards, comprising: 
 positioning a plurality of wooden boards in side to side abutment, each of said wooden boards including two sides and a lengthwise direction, each of said sides having a height and said height being the smallest dimension of said wooden boards; and    subsequently revolvingly embedding at least three spaced apart pins transversely through said plurality of wooden boards, normal to said sides of said plurality of wooden boards, and normal to said lengthwise direction of said plurality of wooden boards, each of said at least three spaced helical pins having helical threads; 
 whereby the helical threads of said plurality of helical pins become anchored within each of said wooden boards thereby fixing and maintaining said wooden boards in relative position.  
   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising aligning said plurality of wooden boards such that their ends form a substantially continuous surface before revolvingly embedding said at least three spaced helical pins.  
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 compressing said plurality of wooden boards transversely before revolvingly embedding said at least three spaced helical pins; and  
 subsequently removing the compression on said plurality of wooden boards.  
 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising compressing said plurality of wooden boards vertically before revolvingly embedding said at least three spaced helical pins so that the top surfaces of said plurality of wooden boards are co-planar.  
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 aligning said plurality of wooden boards laterally and longitudinally; and  
 drilling a plurality of lateral bores through said plurality of wooden boards before revolvingly embedding said at least three spaced helical pins into said plurality of lateral bores to facilitate said embedding step.  
 
     
     
         6 . A method of increasing the strength of a wooden scaffolding plank comprising the steps of: 
 cutting said plank longitudinally into a plurality of wooden plank sections;    positioning said plurality of wooden plank sections in side to side parallel abutment with the wood grains of said plurality of wooden plank sections having alternating directions, each of said wooden plank sections including two sides and a lengthwise direction, each of said sides having a height and said height being the smallest dimension of said wooden plank sections; and    subsequently revolvingly embedding at least three spaced helical pins transversely through said plurality of wooden plank sections, normal to said sides of said plurality of wooden plank sections, and normal to said lengthwise direction of said plurality of wooden plank sections, each of said at least three spaced helical pins having helical threads;    
     
     
         11 . A composite scaffolding plank comprising: 
 a plurality of wooden boards each having a lengthwise direction, two opposing sides extending parallel to said lengthwise direction, and a height, said height being the smallest dimension of said wooden boards;    said plurality of wooden boards positioned in side to side parallel abutment;    at least three spaced helical pins extending transversely through said plurality of wooden boards, normal to said wooden board sides and normal to said lengthwise direction; and    said helical pins pulling and holding said plurality of wooden boards together.    
     
     
         12 . A composite scaffolding plank as in  claim 11  wherein said plurality of wooden boards comprise three of said wooden boards.  
     
     
         13 . A composite scaffolding plank as in  claim 11  wherein: 
 each of said plurality of wooden boards having a length and including a top and two opposing ends;  
 said wooden board tops being co-planar,  
 said wooden board lengths being substantially equal; and  
 said wooden board ends forming a substantially continuous surface.  
 
     
     
         14 . A composite scaffolding plank as in  claim 11  further comprising: 
 said plurality of wooden boards having a transverse bore extending substantially therethrough for each of said helical pins;  
 so that said transverse bore facilitates placement of said corresponding helical pin in said plurality of wooden boards.