Scaffold frame section with integral guard rail post

Abstract

An enhanced safety scaffold assembly ( 10 ) is provided including end frames ( 12,14 ) interconnected by means of cross-tie structure ( 18,20 ). The end frames ( 12,14 ) include ledgers ( 36 ) located a safety distance ( 38 ) of at least about thirty inches below the upper ends ( 26 b, 28 b ) of the standards ( 26,28 ), and are free of additional ledgers within the safety distance. A platform ( 16 ) is supported by the ledgers ( 36 ), and guardrail assemblies ( 22,24 ) extend between opposed standards ( 26,28 ). In this way, the platform ( 16 ) is located well below the upper ends ( 26 b, 28 b ) of the standards ( 26,28 ) in accordance with existing safety regulations, and placement of a platform ( 16 ) in an unsafe, elevated position is precluded. The assemblies of the invention may be constructed in a variety of ways to include optional leveling units ( 58 ), ladders ( 44 ), outriggers ( 134 ) and supplemental work platforms ( 144 ).

1 . A scaffold assembly, comprising: 
 a pair of end frames, each comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart, upright standards having opposed upper and lower ends, with a primary platform ledger extending between and interconnected with said standards,    said primary platform ledger being located a safety distance of at least about thirty inches below each of said standard upper ends,    said end frames being free of platform ledgers within said safety distance above said primary ledger;    a personnel platform extending between said end frames and supported by said ledgers of the end frames;    cross-tie structure interconnecting said end frames to present a free-standing scaffold assembly; and    a guardrail assembly extending between said end frames in said safety distance above said personnel platform.    
   
   
       2 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said platform having a pair of hooks adjacent each end thereof, said hooks engaging the adjacent ledger.    
   
   
       3 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 2 , 
 said platform being laterally shiftable along the lengths of said ledgers.    
   
   
       4 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 3 , 
 at least one of said end frames having a ladder unit.    
   
   
       5 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said safety distance being from about thirty-six to forty-two inches below the upper ends of said standards.    
   
   
       6 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said cross-tie structure comprising a pair of crossing, angularly oriented tie bars operatively connected to opposed standards of said end frames.    
   
   
       7 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said guardrail assembly comprising at least one guardrail cross-tie extending between opposed standards of said end frames and substantially perpendicular thereto.    
   
   
       8 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 each of said end frames including a pair of leveling units, each being affixed to a respective one of the lower ends of the standards.    
   
   
       9 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said ledgers being integrally attached to said standards.    
   
   
       10 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 each of said standards including a pin-type lock for attachment of said cross-tie structure thereto.    
   
   
       11 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1;  and 
 a plurality of personnel platforms located in side-by-side relationship and each supported by said end frame ledgers.    
   
   
       12 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 each of said end frames including at least one angularly disposed reinforcement brace extending between an underside of said ledger and a point on a corresponding one of the standards below the ledger.    
   
   
       13 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said primary ledger comprising a pair of closely spaced apart, laterally extending ledger bars,    said ledger bars both being spaced said safety distance below each of said standard upper ends.    
   
   
       14 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 said upper ends of the standards being tubular,    each of said end frames including a pair of reduced diameter insert pins, each of which is removably received in a respective one of the upper ends of the standards and projecting upwardly therefrom so as to permit attachment of another end frame atop of the end frame.    
   
   
       15 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 14;  and 
 another of said scaffold assemblies located atop said first-mentioned scaffold assembly and secured to and supported thereby,    said insert pins being received within the lower ends of the standards of said another of said scaffold assemblies.    
   
   
       16 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1;  and 
 an outrigger assembly operatively coupled to and extending from each of said standards.    
   
   
       17 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1;   a secondary personnel platform assembly secured to opposed standards of said end frames and including a secondary personnel platform, with said secondary platform being located at said safety distance below the upper ends of said standards,    a secondary personnel platform assembly further including a secondary guardrail assembly extending upwardly from the secondary platform.    
   
   
       18 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 each of standards being provided with a plurality of accessory attachment holes spaced equidistantly along the length thereof; and    a scaffolding accessory having at least a pair of attachment openings spaced apart a distance equal to that defined between corresponding attachment holes,    each of said end frames including a plurality of connection pins, each being received in aligned ones of the attachment holes and openings to removably attach the accessory to the corresponding standard.    
   
   
       19 . The scaffold assembly as claimed in  claim 18 , 
 said scaffold accessory comprising a secondary personnel platform assembly secured to opposed standards of said end frames and including a secondary personnel platform, with said secondary platform being located at said safety distance below the upper ends of said standards.    
   
   
       20 . A scaffold end frame comprising: 
 a pair of laterally spaced apart, upright standards having opposed upper and lower ends; and    a primary platform ledger extending between and being interconnected with said standards, said primary ledger being capable of supporting the end of a personnel platform,    said primary platform ledger located a safety distance of at least about thirty inches below each of said standard upper ends,    said end frame being free of platform ledgers within said safety distance above said primary ledger.    
   
   
       21 . The scaffold end frame as claimed in  claim 20;  and 
 a ladder unit extending generally vertically alongside one of the standards.    
   
   
       22 . The scaffold end frame as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 said safety distance being from about thirty-six to forty-two inches below the upper ends of said standards.    
   
   
       23 . The scaffold end frame as claimed in  claim 20;  and 
 a pair of leveling units, each being affixed to a respective one of the lower ends of the standards.    
   
   
       24 . The scaffold end frame as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 said upper ends of the standards being tubular; and    a pair of reduced diameter insert pins, each of which is removably received in a respective one of the upper ends of the standards and projecting upwardly therefrom so as to permit attachment of another end frame atop said end frame.    
   
   
       25 . The scaffold end frame as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 each of said standards including a pin-type lock secured thereto.    
   
   
       26 . The scaffold end frame as claimed in  claim 20;  and 
 at least one angularly disposed reinforcement brace extending between an underside of said ledger and a point on a corresponding one of the standards below the ledger.    
   
   
       27 . The scaffold end frame as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 said primary ledger comprising a pair of closely spaced apart, laterally extending ledger bars,    said ledger bars both being spaced said safety distance below each of said standard upper ends.    
   
   
       28 . The scaffold end frame as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 said primary ledger being the sole ledger extending between said standards.    
   
   
       29 . The scaffold end frame as claimed in  claim 20 , 
 each of standards being provided with a plurality of accessory attachment holes spaced equidistantly along the length thereof; and    a plurality of connection pins, each being received in aligned ones of the attachment holes to permit removable attachment of a scaffolding accessory to the corresponding standard.