Magnetic Scaffold Tie

Abstract

A magnetic scaffold tie for coupling a scaffold to a tank, wall or beam. The mount has a base platform having an upper planar face and a lower open face and at least one sidewall, at least one magnet coupled between the upper planar portion and lower open face, and proximate an end of the sidewall, a release bar coupled to a release mechanism, the release bar having a plurality of positions. A coupling extension is provided having a first end coupled to and extending substantially orthogonally from the upper planar portion of the platform and a second end of the coupling extension having a scaffold coupling mechanism, such as a clamp, quick release clamp or wedge head.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A magnetic scaffold tie, comprising:
 a base platform having an upper planar face and a lower open face and at east one sidewall;   at least one magnet coupled between the upper planar portion and lower open face;   proximate an end of the sidewall, a release bar coupled to a release mechanism;   a coupling extension, having a first end coupled to and extending substantially orthogonally from the upper planar face of the base platform and a second end of the coupling extension coupled to a scaffold coupling mechanism; and   a scaffold coupling mechanism.   
     
     
         2 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 1 , further comprising the coupling extension being extendible and retractable. 
     
     
         3 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 4 , wherein the scaffold coupling mechanism comprises one selected from the group consisting of a clamp, a quick release clamp, a half clamp and a wedge head operable to engage a rosette. 
     
     
         4 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 1 , further comprising four sidewalls in a generally rectangular shape between the upper planar face and lower open face. 
     
     
         5 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 4 , comprising a plurality of bar magnets arranged between the sidewalls and exposed at the lower open face. 
     
     
         6 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 1 , wherein the release bar further comprises a cam mechanism operable to release the base platform from a surface to which it is magnetically coupled. 
     
     
         7 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 6 , comprising the platform base having four sidewalls in a generally rectangular shape, a rotatable shaft coupled between the face of an extension of a first sidewall and the face of an extension of a second sidewall, the second sidewall being parallel to the first sidewall;
 a circular cylinder, a longitudinal portion of interior of the circular cylindrical being fixedly coupled to the rotatable shaft to form a lobe;   the release bar, having a handle on a first end, the second end being fixedly coupled to the shaft, the circular cylinder or both, to operable to cause the lobe portion of the combination of shaft and circular cylinder to be repositioned simultaneously when the release bar is moved from a first position to a second position.   
     
     
         8 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 1 , wherein the magnet is a rare earth magnet. 
     
     
         9 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 8 , wherein the magnets are selected form the group consisting of neodymium magnets and samarium-cobalt magnets. 
     
     
         10 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 1 , wherein the coupling extension comprises a two inch diameter steel pipe, having a length of between eighteen inches and twenty four inches with a turnbuckle welded inside the steel pipe operable to allow for adjustment of the length. 
     
     
         11 . A magnetic scaffold tie, comprising:
 a base platform having an upper planar face and a lower open face and four sidewalls forming a generally rectangular shape;   a plurality of magnets coupled between the upper planar portion and lower open face and aligned within the sidewalls;   proximate an end of the sidewall, a release bar coupled to a release mechanism;   a coupling extension comprised of two portions, the first portion having a first end coupled to and extending substantially orthogonally from the upper planar face of the base platform and a second end coupled to a first end of a shock absorbing portion, the second end of the shock absorbing portion having a scaffold coupling mechanism; and   a scaffold coupling mechanism further comprising a clamp or half clamp.   
     
     
         12 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 11 , wherein the shock absorbing portion is rotatably coupled using a rotatable coupling mechanism, to the second end of the first portion, so as to freely axially rotate. 
     
     
         13 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 12 , wherein the rotatable coupling mechanism is a ball joint. 
     
     
         14 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 11  wherein the shock absorbing portion further comprises
 a hollow, cylindrical inner pipe: 
 a cylindrical outer pipe, the outer diameter of the inner pipe being dimensioned to fit within the inner wall of outer pipe; 
 a compressible inner pipe positioned within the inner pipe, extending between, and coupled to each of the first end and second end of shock absorber extension; and 
 a tension outer spring positioned on the outside of outer pipe extending between, and coupled to each of the first end and second end of the shock absorber extension, inner spring serving to counteract the outer spring. 
 
     
     
         15 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 14 , further comprising a bar transversely welded to inner spring, each end of the bar extending through aligned slots in a portion of the side walls of inner pipe and outer pipe, operable to allow a user to compress the inner spring and outer spring, thus temporarily shortening the length of shock absorber extension. 
     
     
         16 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 15 , wherein the length of the inner pipe is substantially equivalent to that if the outer pipe. 
     
     
         17 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 13 , further comprising a release bar operable to remove the magnetic scaffold tie from a wall when the release bar is moved from a first position to a second position. 
     
     
         18 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 11 , wherein the magnets are selected form the group consisting of neodymium magnets and samarium-cobalt magnets. 
     
     
         19 . The magnetic scaffold tie of  claim 11 , wherein the scaffold coupling mechanism further comprises one selected from the group consisting of a clamp, a half clamp, a quick release clamp and a wedge head operable to engage a rosette. 
     
     
         20 . A method for anchoring a scaffold to a structure, comprising:
 coupling a magnetic member within a base platform to a structure;   extending an extension member orthogonally from the base platform:   coupling a clamp on a distal end of the extension member to a scaffold member.