Scaffold Having Lift Apparatus

Abstract

A lift apparatus includes a ladder assembly having a first ladder end portion and a second ladder end portion extending upwardly from a base framework, each end portion having a pair of upstanding support legs and a plurality of rungs. The lift apparatus includes a platform that is slidably coupled to respective support legs of respective ladder end portions, the platform having a floor surface capable of supporting a person. The lift apparatus include a motorized pulley system operable for raising and lowering the platform relative to the ladder end portions via a controller accessible to the worker while standing on the platform.

1 . A lift apparatus for raising or lowering a worker on a scaffold, said lift apparatus comprising:
 a ladder assembly that includes:   a first ladder end portion having a first fixed section and a first variable section movably coupled to said first fixed section and movable between lowered and raised configurations;   a second ladder end portion having a second fixed section and a second variable section movably coupled to said second fixed section and movable between lowered and raised ladder configurations;   a platform slidably coupled to said first ladder end portion and said second ladder end portion and slidably movable between lowered and raised platform configurations;   a first winch assembly that includes:
 a first winch motor and a first spool electrically connected to said first winch motor; 
 a first pulley coupled to said first variable section of said first ladder end portion; 
 a first cord having a proximal end operably coupled to said first spool and a distal end coupled to said platform, said first cord extending about said first pulley for raising or lowering said platform when said first winch motor is energized. 
   
     
     
         2 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second winch assembly that includes:
 a second winch motor and a second spool electrically connected to said second winch motor; 
 a second pulley coupled to said second variable section of said second ladder end portion; 
 a second cord having a proximal end operably coupled to said second spool and a distal end coupled to said platform, said second cord extending about said second pulley for raising or lowering said platform when said second winch motor is energized. 
   
     
     
         3 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said platform includes:
 a floor surface having a planar configuration;   a platform first end portion having a first pair of upstanding support members mounted to an end of said floor surface and having a first plurality of rungs extending in parallel to one another between said first pair of upstanding support members, respectively;   a platform second end portion having a second pair of upstanding support members mounted to another end of said floor surface and having and a second plurality of rungs extending in parallel to one another between said second pair of upstanding support members, respectively;   a platform front section extending between said platform first end portion and said platform second end portion, said platform front section including at least one front support rail extending between respective upstanding support members of said first and second platform end portions;   a platform rear section opposite said platform front portion and having at least a rear support rail extending between respective upstanding support members of said first and second platform end portions.   
     
     
         4 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 3 , wherein said platform front section includes a gate member having a distal end releasably coupled to said front support rail and movable between a closed configuration inline with said front support rail and an open configuration displaced from said front support rail so as to permit ingress or egress of worker relative to said platform. 
     
     
         5 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 3 , wherein:
 said first fixed section of said first ladder end portion includes a first upstanding leg and a second upstanding leg spaced apart from and parallel to said first upstanding leg, said first fixed section of said first ladder end portion having a plurality of rungs extending between said first and second upstanding legs of said first fixed section; and   said second fixed section of said second ladder end portion includes a first upstanding leg and a second upstanding leg spaced apart from and parallel to said first upstanding leg, said second section of said second ladder end portion having a plurality of rungs extending between said first and second upstanding legs of said second fixed section.   
     
     
         6 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 5 , wherein:
 said first variable section of said first ladder end portion includes a first upstanding leg and a second upstanding leg spaced apart from and parallel to said first upstanding leg, said first variable section of said first ladder end portion having a plurality of rungs extending between said first and second upstanding legs of said first fixed section; and   said second variable section of said second ladder end portion includes a first upstanding leg and a second upstanding leg spaced apart from and parallel to said first upstanding leg, said second variable section of said second ladder end portion having a plurality of rungs extending between said first and second upstanding legs of said second variable section.   
     
     
         7 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 5 , wherein:
 one corner of said floor surface of said platform is slidably coupled to said first upstanding leg of said first fixed section of said first ladder end portion with an alignment bracket that surrounds said first upstanding leg of said first fixed section in a friction fit arrangement;   another corner of said floor surface of said platform is slidably coupled to said first upstanding leg of said second fixed section of said second ladder end portion with another alignment bracket that surrounds said first upstanding leg of said second fixed section in a friction fit arrangement.   
     
     
         8 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein said floor surface of said platform is slidably coupled to said first ladder end portion and second ladder end portion with alignment brackets, respectively. 
     
     
         9 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first variable section is coupled to said first fixed section of said first ladder end portion in a telescopic construction, said first variable being telescopically adjustable between said lowered and raised configurations relative to said first fixed section;   said second variable section is coupled to said second fixed section of said second ladder end portion in a telescopic construction, said second variable being telescopically adjustable between said lowered and raised configurations relative to said second fixed section.   
     
     
         10 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 2 , further comprising a controller electrically connected to said first and second winch motors, said controller having controls for actuating said first and second winch motors in a first direction and a second direction corresponding to raising or lowering said platform, respectively. 
     
     
         11 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 1 , further comprising a controller electrically connected to said first winch motor, said controller having controls for actuating said first winch motor in a first direction and a second direction corresponding to raising or lowering said platform, respectively. 
     
     
         12 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a framework having a front brace and a rear brace opposite and parallel to said front brace and having a first side brace and a second side brace opposite and parallel to said first side brace, said first and second side braces extending between proximal and distal ends of said front and rear braces, respectively;   wherein a lower end of said first ladder end portion is coupled to said first side brace and extends upwardly from said framework;   wherein a lower end of said second ladder end portion is coupled to said second side brace and extends upwardly from said framework.   
     
     
         13 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a framework having a front brace and a rear brace opposite and parallel to said front brace and having a first side brace and a second side brace opposite and parallel to said first side brace, said first and second side braces extending between proximal and distal ends of said front and rear braces, respectively;   a plurality of support pocket fasteners mounted atop said front, rear, first side, and second side braces, respectively, each support pocket fastener defining an open top and an interior area for receiving a lower end of said first upstanding leg of said first fixed section, said second upstanding leg of said second fixed section, said first upstanding leg of said second fixed section, and said second upstanding leg of said second fixed section, respectively.   
     
     
         14 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 13 , wherein said each support pocket fastener includes a spring-loaded locking assembly that is automatically locked when a respective upstanding leg is received into a respective interior area. 
     
     
         15 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 12 , further comprising a plurality of wheels rotatably coupled to a bottom said of said framework such that the lift apparatus is mobile. 
     
     
         16 . The lift apparatus as in  claim 3 , further comprising at least one ladder lock pivotally coupled to an associated rung of said first plurality of rungs of said platform first end portion and another at least one ladder lock pivotally coupled to an associated rung of said platform second end portion, each ladder lock having a spring element and a configuration that prevents downward movement of said platform until released.