Connectable Multi-Function Scaffold

Abstract

A lightweight, multifunction scaffold comprises first and second ladder frames, and an adjustable height platform configured to be supported between the first and second ladder frames at a user selected height in an adjustment range. The multifunction scaffold can be linked together end to end with other similar scaffolds to provide a longer working surface.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A scaffold comprising:
 first and second ladder frames, each ladder frame comprising two vertical supports connected by two or more cross members; and   an adjustable height platform configured to be supported between the first and second ladder frames, the adjustable height platform comprising:
 a pair of reversible side rails configured to be supported between the first and second ladder frames in a first orientation and a second orientation, each side rail including first and second support surfaces disposed on opposite sides of an axial plane dividing the side rail into upper and lower portions; 
 a deck configured to mount between the side rails so as to be supported by the first support surfaces when the siderails are in the first orientation and by the second support surfaces when the siderails are in the second orientation; and 
 a pair of guide channels at opposing ends of each side rail for slidably mounting the side rails to the vertical supports of the ladder frame, the guide channels being connected to the side rail in an offset manner to enable two side rails to be simultaneously mounted on the same vertical support in opposite orientations and adjusted in height so that the first support surface of the side rail in a first orientation is level with the second support surface of the side rail in the second orientation. 
   
     
     
         2 . The scaffold of  claim 1 , wherein each guide channel includes a proximate end having an end face and connected to the side rail so that a geometric center of the end face does not extend beyond the axial plane. 
     
     
         3 . The scaffold of  claim 2 , wherein the end face is orthogonal to a vertical axis of the guide channel. 
     
     
         4 . The scaffold of  claim 2 , wherein end face is angled relative to a vertical axis of the guide channel so that a first portion of the end face is below the axial plane and a second portion of the end face is above the axial plane. 
     
     
         5 . The scaffold of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second support surfaces of the side rails are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of an axial plane. 
     
     
         6 . The scaffold of  claim 2 , wherein the end face of the guide channel connected to a the side rail in the first orientation contacts the end face of the guide channel connected to the side rail in the second orientation when the side rails are adjusted to a height where the first support surface of the side rail in the first orientation is level with the second support surface of the side rail in the second orientation. 
     
     
         7 . A scaffold comprising:
 first and second ladder frames, each ladder frame comprising two vertical supports connected by two or more cross members; and   an adjustable height platform configured to be supported between the first and second ladder frames, the adjustable height platform comprising:
 a pair of reversible side rails configured to be supported between the first and second ladder frames in a first orientation and a second orientation, each side rail including first and second support surfaces disposed on opposite sides of an axial plane dividing the side rail into upper and lower portions; 
 a deck configured to mount between the side rails so as to be supported by the first support surfaces when the siderails are in the first orientation and by the second support surfaces when the siderails are in the second orientation; and 
 a pair of guide channels at opposing ends of each side rail for slidably mounting the side rails to the vertical supports of the ladder frames, each guide channel including a proximate end having an end face and connected to the side rail so that a geometric center of the end face does not extend beyond the axial plane. 
   
     
     
         8 . The scaffold of  claim 7 , wherein the end face is orthogonal to a vertical axis of the guide channel. 
     
     
         9 . The scaffold of  claim 7 , wherein end face is angled relative to a vertical axis of the guide channel so that a first portion of the end face is below the axial plane and a second portion of the end face is above the axial plane. 
     
     
         10 . The scaffold of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second support surfaces of the side rails are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of an axial plane. 
     
     
         11 . The scaffold of  claim 7 , wherein the end face of the guide channel connected to a the side rail in the first orientation contacts the end face of the guide channel connected to the side rail in the second orientation when the side rails are adjusted to a height where the first support surface of the side rail in the first orientation is level with the second support surface of the side rail in the second orientation. 
     
     
         12 . A side rail assembly for a scaffold, the side rail assembly comprising:
 a side rail configured to be supported between two vertical supports in first and second orientations, the side rail comprising first and second support surfaces for supporting a deck of the scaffold in the first and second orientations respectively;   a pair of guide channels at opposing ends of the side rail for slidably mounting the side rail to the vertical supports, the guide channels being connected to the side rail in an offset manner to enable two side rails to be simultaneously mounted on the same vertical support in opposite orientations and adjusted in height so that the first support surface of the side rail in a first orientation is level with the second support surface of the side rail in the second orientation.   
     
     
         13 . The side rail assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 first and second vertically aligned slots formed in respective opposing surfaces of the side rail;   a locking pin assembly comprising a shaft, a locking tab, and a biasing member to bias the locking tab into engagement with the deck and secure the deck against one of the support surfaces of the side rail depending on the orientation, wherein the locking pin assembly is configured to be removably engaged with the first and second slots of the side rail in both the first and second orientations.   
     
     
         14 . The side rail assembly of  claim 12 , wherein each guide channel includes a proximate end having an end face and connected to the side rail so that a geometric center of the end face does not extend beyond the axial plane. 
     
     
         15 . The side rail assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the end face is orthogonal to a vertical axis of the guide channel. 
     
     
         16 . The side rail assembly of  claim 14 , wherein end face is angled relative to a vertical axis of the guide channel so that a first portion of the end face is below the axial plane and a second portion of the end face is above the axial plane. 
     
     
         17 . The side rail assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the end face of the guide channel connected to a the side rail in the first orientation contacts the end face of the guide channel connected to the side rail in the second orientation when the side rails are adjusted to a height where the first support surface of the side rail in the first orientation is level with the second support surface of the side rail in the second orientation. 
     
     
         18 . The side rail assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second support surfaces of the side rails are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of an axial plane of the side rail. 
     
     
         19 . A scaffold assembly comprising:
 first, second and third ladder frames, each ladder frame comprising two vertical supports connected by two or more cross members;   a first pair of reversible side rails configured to be supported between the first and second ladder frames in a first orientation and a second orientations, each side rail of the first pair including first and second support surfaces disposed on opposite sides of an axial plane dividing that side rail into upper and lower portions;   a first deck configured to mount between the first pair of reversible side rails so as to be supported by the first support surfaces in the first orientation or second support surfaces in the second orientation;   first guide channels at opposing ends of each side rail in the first pair of side rails for slidably mounting the first pair of side rails to respective the vertical supports of the first and second ladder frames;   a second pair of reversible side rails configured to be supported between the second and third ladder frames in the first orientation and the second orientation, each side rail of the second pair including first and second support surfaces disposed on opposite sides of an axial plane dividing that side rail into upper and lower portions;   a second deck configured to mount between the second pair of reversible side rails so as to be supported by the first support surfaces in the first orientation or second support surfaces in the second orientation;   second guide channels at opposing ends of each side rail in the second pair of side rails for slidably mounting the second pair of side rails to respective the vertical supports of the second and third ladder frames with the second pair of side rails disposed in an opposite orientation to the first pair of side rails; and   wherein the first and second guide channels are connected to respective side rails in the first and second pairs of side rails in an offset manner to enable the first support surfaces on one of the first and second pairs of side rails and the second support surfaces on the other one of the first and second pairs of side rials to be adjusted to the same height when the first and second pairs of side rails are simultaneously mounted between respective ones of the ladder frames in opposite orientations.   
     
     
         20 . The scaffold assembly of  claim 19 , wherein first and second guide channels include a proximate end having an end face and connected to a respective side rail so that a geometric center of the end face does not extend beyond the axial plane. 
     
     
         21 . The scaffold assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the end face is orthogonal to a vertical axis of the guide channel. 
     
     
         22 . The scaffold assembly of  claim 20  wherein end face is angled relative to a vertical axis of the guide channel so that a first portion of the end face is below the axial plane and a second portion of the end face is above the axial plane. 
     
     
         23 . The scaffold assembly of  claim 20 , wherein the first and second support surfaces of the side rails in the first and second pairs of side rails are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the corresponding axial plane. 
     
     
         24 . A scaffold comprising:
 an adjustable height platform;   a first ladder frame supporting a second end of the adjustable height platform, the first ladder comprising:
 a first pair of vertical supports; 
 a first series of ladder rungs connecting the first pair of vertical supports and providing access to the adjustable height platform up to a predetermined height; 
 a pair of handrails extending upward from an uppermost ladder rung of the first ladder frame, the handrails defining a pass-through between the handrails allowing a user to step between the handrails onto or off of the adjustable height platform; and 
   a second ladder frame supporting a second end of the adjustable height platform, the second ladder frame comprising a second pair of vertical supports connected by a second series of ladder rungs extending above the predetermined height and providing access to the adjustable height platform above the predetermined height.   
     
     
         25 . The scaffold of  claim 24 , wherein the first ladder frame comprises not more than two ladder rungs and the second ladder frame comprises four or more ladder rungs. 
     
     
         26 . The scaffold of  claim 24 , wherein the pass-through is vertically unobstructed above the uppermost ladder rung. 
     
     
         27 . The scaffold of  claim 24 , wherein the adjustable height platform comprises:
 a pair of reversible side rails configured to be supported between the first and second ladder frames in a first orientation and a second orientation, each side rail including first and second support surfaces disposed on opposite sides of an axial plane dividing the side rail into upper and lower portions;   a deck configured to mount between the side rails so as to be supported by the first support surfaces when the siderails are in the first orientation and by the second support surfaces when the siderails are in the second orientation; and   a pair of guide channels at opposing ends of each side rail for slidably mounting the side rails to the vertical supports of the first and second ladder frames respectively.   
     
     
         28 . A ladder frame for a scaffold having an adjustable height platform, the ladder frame comprising:
 a pair of vertical supports;   two or more ladder rungs connecting the vertical supports and providing access to the adjustable height platform up to a predetermined height below a maximum height of the adjustable height platform;   a pair of handrails extending upward from an uppermost ladder rung of the ladder frame, the handrails defining a pass-through between the handrails allowing a user to step between the handrails onto or off of the adjustable height platform.   
     
     
         29 . The scaffold of  claim 24 , wherein the pass-through is unobstructed in the vertical direction above the uppermost ladder rung.