Aerial work platform and pinless guardrail

Abstract

An aerial work platform and guardrail system having a deck which may include a deck frame; vertically extending guardrail supports affixed to the deck or deck frame; and guardrail sections at the periphery of the deck. The sections have legs receivable in the guardrail supports with spaced upper and lower guides affixed to the legs, the guides being receivable in said guardrail supports and having surfaces for engaging inner surfaces of the guardrail supports. Retainers retain the lower guides in the guardrail supports whereby the guardrail sections may be individually lifted from a lower operative position to an upper pivot position at which the sections are retained in the supports by engagement of lower guides with the retainers and may be pivoted about the lower guides to a horizontal position for storage.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS, IF ANY [0001]This application claims priority from our Provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 216,558 filed May 19, 2009.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART [0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]Guardrails for aerial work platforms are mandatory for safety and safety standards typically require that the guardrails must resist a 300 lb outward force such that when leaned on, the guardrail prevents a worker from falling and likely serious injury or death. Typically, the guardrails are between 42″ and 45″ above the deck and comprise a number of separate individual sections.[0004]Aerial work platforms are moved to and from work positions by extensible booms or scissor lifts which may extend to significant elevations and, when lowered for transport or storage, the work platform may still be high off the ground. Accordingly, there is need to lower the guardrails particularly when the work platform apparatus is loaded on a truck or trailer ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]The system disclosed herein comprises: a work platform having a deck; vertically extending guardrail supports affixed to the deck; and guardrail sections at the periphery of the deck. The guardrail sections have legs receivable in the guardrail supports which may comprise channels having open sides facing the deck. Spaced upper and lower guides not unlike hockey pucks are affixed to the guardrail legs, and the guides are receivable in the guardrail supports and are spaced from each other a length

Problems solved by technology

Time consuming and tedious removal of the pins is required when raising or lowering the guardrail sections and worker frustration is compounded by having to hold the guardrail section with one arm while installing or removing pins with the other, a particularly difficult task when the machine is positioned on a slope.

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