Conveyor end support bracket for a work platform

Abstract

A conveyor end support bracket 34 is configured to fit in, around, over, or adjacent to, a safety barrier of a modular system of builders’ trestles, and / or to replace part of a safety barrier. The bra

Description

[0001] This invention relates to the supply of materials, such as masoniy blocks and the like, to work platforms comprising and supported by a modular system of builders’ trestles. Such trestle systems are shown for example in GB2364733A and WO2005124057A1. The trestles (sometimes called “bandstands” or simply “stands”] are used to support a work platform at a low elevated height compared to the heights achievable using scaffolding. The trestles comprise upright frames which, at least for the purposes of initial assembly of the system, are substantially self-supporting. Unlike scaffolding, such trestle systems can be safely set up by unskilled personnel with relatively little training or supervision, e.g. by following the instructions provided in a training manual.

[0002] Such trestle systems incorporate edge protection measures to prevent workers or work materials and other objects from accidentally falling from the platform. Typically, these measures will comprise horizontal safety rails fitted between upright parts of adjacent trestles, or between removable posts attached to adjacent trestles. The upright parts and removable posts extend to a suitable height above the work platform so that together with the horizontal safety rails, they form a safety barrier. The safety rails typically have a depending spigot at each end, for reception in a corresponding pocket attached to the trestle upright part or post, for securing the safety rail between adjacent upright parts or posts. Two or more pockets may be provided spaced at different heights on the upright parts or posts, so that a corresponding number of safety rails can be fitted one above another. The pockets may be provided in opposed pairs on each upright part or post, arranged longitudinally of the platform at a given height, whereby a continuous safety barrier may be formed by interspersing a series of the safety rails between the upright parts or posts. The work platform may be formed from scaffolding boards supported on transoms of the trestles. A plate-like bracket may extend up from the transom inboard of each trestle’s upright part, for holding a kickboard against the inner face of the upright part.

[0003] For supplying large quantities of heavy building materials such as bricks, tiles, masonry blocks and mortar tubs to a raised work platform supported by scaffolding, it is known to use an inclined conveyor. The lower end of the conveyor is supported at ground level. The upper end is typically supported on the horizontal scaffolding tube which forms the upper edge of the work platform's safety barrier. The conveyor can be operated continuously to lift the building materials efficiently into the hands of a worker standing on the platform, for stacking in a storage area or for immediate use. The building materials are lifted over the barrier which thus remains in place so that the platform edge protection is not compromised. A co-worker at ground level loads the materials onto the continuously circulating tines or carriers of the conveyor. Well-known examples of such conveyors are the "HODD1" [RTM] and “BUMPA” [RTM] hoist conveyors, available from Mace Industries Ltd. Such conveyors however cannot easily be used to deliver building materials to the work platform of existing trestle systems. The safety barriers provided in such trestle systems, although having more than adequate strength for the required edge protection, typically are not designed to reliably support the loads imposed by the upper end of the inclined conveyor and its cargo. Further, these conveyors may be equipped with an upper end securing clamp dimensioned to fit a standard scaffolding tube, and which are therefore too large to securely grip the considerably smaller cross section of the trestle system’s horizontal safety rails.

[0004] The present invention aims to address these problems by providing a work platform supported by a modular system of builders’ trestles or stands as defined in claim 1. Workers using the trestle system are thus able to be safely supplied with building materials via the conveyor, with a reduced amount of manual lifting, and without unduly compromising the working platforms’ edge protection safety measures.

[0005] For example, the conveyor end support bracket may be configured to support the entire upper end of the conveyor above the normal (unextended] full height of the safety barrier. In this way the platform’s edge protection barrier is uninterrupted and building materials leaving the end of the conveyor may be delivered to a worker on the platform at about chest height, so that they are easily grasped by the worker and carried away. For example, the upwardly-facing rest portion of the 09 12 24 bracket may be configured to lie about 950 to about 1320 mm, optionally about 1040 to about 1080 mm, further optionally about 1060 mm, above the upper surface of the work platform. Or the conveyor end support bracket may be configured to support the conveying surface at the upper end of the conveyor so that, while this surface and the 5 conveyed materials cross the safety barrier above its normal full height, some of the conveyor’s upper end lies below this full height, in effect forming a part of the safety barrier. For example, the upwardly-facing rest portion of the bracket may be configured to lie about 820 to about 1040 mm, optionally about 910 to about 1040 mm, further optionally about 970 mm, above the upper surface of the work platform. 10 GB2605607 describes a system of additional components used to extend the normal height of the platform's edge protection barrier. When using such barrier height extension measures, the conveyor end support bracket may be configured to support the conveyor end at a height which allows the conveyed building materials to pass under the uppermost horizontal safety rail, so as to be delivered to a worker on the 15 platform at about torso height, again so that they are easily grasped by the worker and carried away. For example the upwardly-facing rest portion of the bracket may be configured to lie about 660 to about 1120 mm, optionally about 920 to 1020 mm, further optionally about 970 mm, above the upper surface of the work platform.

[0006] The upwardly facing rest portion of the conveyor end support bracket 20 may have a profile which mimics the profile of a scaffolding tube to the extent necessary to allow the conveyor’s upper end to be securely coupled to the conveyor end support bracket. For example, where the conveyor is provided with a clamp designed to secure the upper end of the conveyor to a transversely extending scaffolding tube forming an upper handrail of a scaffold, the upwardly facing rest may 25 have a profile of a size and shape that can be securely gripped by this securing clamp.

[0007] The conveyor end support bracket is thus configured to transfer the load forces imposed on it by the conveyor end, to strong points within the trestle system capable of safely handing those forces. For example, the strong points may be capable of handling the conveyor’s design loads multiplied by a suitable safety factor (e.g., 2.5), without any breakage or permanent deformation of the trestle system and without excessive movement of the conveyor end.

[0008] The conveyor end support bracket is configured to transfer the load forces imposed on it by the conveyor’s upper end, to the transoms of the adjacent pair of stands. These transoms make a good strong point for receiving load forces imposed on the support bracket by the conveyor end, as they are designed to support the platform loads, which may be substantial. Transferring the conveyor upper end load forces to the transoms of a pair of adjacent stands not only shares the load between the two stands but may also increase the lateral stability of the conveyor. The conveyor end support bracket is configured to transfer these loads to the transoms adjacent to the upright parts of the respective stands. This is mechanically advantageous in minimising bending moments imposed on the transoms. Moreover, the conveyor end support bracket may be configured to occupy the spaces between the upright parts and respective kickboard retaining brackets provided on the transoms of the adjacent stands. This serves to securely locate the conveyor end support bracket against movement longitudinally of the transoms. Alternatively, the conveyor end support bracket may comprise a kickboard configured to transfer the load forces imposed on it by the conveyor’s upper end, to the transoms of the two adjacent stands. This kickboard for example may be held against safety barrier-supporting uprights of the two trestles, by kickboard retaining brackets provided on the trestle transoms, as described above.

[0009] To help keep the conveyor end support bracket substantially upright by resisting pivoting movement about the axis defined by the load supporting contact areas on the respective transoms, it may have a prong or prongs configured to extend around an outer face of one or both of the upright parts of the respective stands. To further resist such pivoting movement, the portions of the conveyor end support bracket which engage the stand transoms may have a sufficiently low profile, to allow a kickboard to be received substantially as normal above those ends in each of the kickboard-receiving spaces. The portion of the conveyor end support bracket extending upwardly from the transom engaging portions to support the conveyor upper end may be laterally offset, whereby a single kickboard may be held by and span between the kickboard retaining brackets of the pair of stands. In this way one side of the upwardly extending portion of the conveyor end support bracket is supported to further resist pivoting movement about the axis defined by the load supporting contact areas on the respective transoms. The conveyor end support bracket may be provided with one or more channel sections in which this kickboard is receivable, so that the kickboard can act as a torsion beam and so further serve to maintain the conveyor end support bracket substantially upright, e.g. resisting any lateral loads that may be imposed upon it by the conveyor without excessive movement, permanent deformation, or breakage.

[0010] The conveyor end support bracket may comprise one or more hooks engageable over one of the horizontal rails of the safety barrier when the bracket is in position for supporting the conveyor end. These hooks may serve primarily to properly locate and align the conveyor end support bracket during installation in the trestle system; though they may also transfer lateral loads from the conveyor to the horizontal rails and thereby serve at least in part to keep the conveyor end support bracket substantially upright. Additionally or alternatively, the conveyor end support bracket may comprise one or more telescopic safety rails permanently attached thereto, for engagement with safety rail-receiving pockets of the safety barrier.

[0011] For convenient transport and storage, the conveyor end support bracket may comprise a beam component configured to span between the transoms of the adjacent pair of the stands, and a detachable support frame configured to support the upper end of the conveyor in the raised position above the work platform of the trestle system. The support frame may comprise a cross brace for additional strength and stability.

[0012] Several of the foregoing arrangements may be used together insofar as they are not mutually exclusive.

[0013] The invention and some of its optional features and further advantages is described below with reference to illustrative embodiments shown in the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of an inclined conveyor being used to supply building blocks to a conventional scaffold platform; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a beam component of a conveyor end support bracket embodying the present invention; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a support frame component for use in co-operation with the beam component of FIG. 2 to form the conveyor end support bracket; FIG. 4 shows the beam and support frame of FIGs. 2 and 3 assembled to form the conveyor end support bracket; FIG. 5 is a detail view showing an end of the beam component of FIGs 2 and 4 supported on a trestle transom; FIG. 6 is a detail view showing locating hooks of the support frame component of FIGs. 3 and 4; FIG. 7 is a detail view showing the upwardly facing rest portion of the conveyor end support bracket as provided by the support frame component of FIGs. 3,4, and 6; FIG. 8 is a detail view showing the conveyor end supported by and secured to the support frame component’s upwardly facing rest portion; FIG. 9 shows the conveyor end support bracket of FIGs. 2-8 fitted to a trestle system, ready for reception of the conveyor end (not shown); and FIG. 10 shows a modified form of the support frame component depicted in FIGs. 3, 6, and 7.

[0014] FIG. 1 shows the general arrangement and operating principles of an inclined conveyor 10, which is being used to deliver building blocks 14 to an elevated work platform 16 of a regular scaffold. The work platform 16 is formed from scaffolding boards supported on transoms (not shown - short horizontal scaffold poles transverse to the boards), in turn supported by ledgers 18 (horizontal scaffold poles running in the direction of the boards) and ultimately supported by standards (not shown - vertical scaffolding poles). Edge protection for the platform 16 is provided by a kickboard 20, a mid-height guardrail 22 formed by a scaffolding pole or by several scaffolding poles secured horizontally end to end, and an upper handrail 24 formed from one or more scaffolding poles, similarly to the guardrail 22. The kickboard 20, guardrail 22 and handrail 24 are all secured to the scaffolding standards by suitable scaffolding clamps (not shown). The handrail 24 therefore forms an integral loadcarrying part of the scaffolding and is sufficiently robust to support the upper end of the conveyor 10 and the building blocks or other building materials which it carries. The lower end of the inclined conveyor 10 rests on and is supported by the ground 26. The conveyor 10 comprises an endless belt 28, power driven to circulate in the direction of arrows 30. The belt 28 is equipped with tines or carriers 32 adapted to engage with the blocks 14 or other building materials and carry them up the upper inclined run of the conveyor 10. A worker at ground level can therefore load the blocks onto the conveyor, which delivers them continuously in succession to a coworker standing on the platform 16. The upper end of the conveyor 10 passes over the handrail 24 without interrupting / compromising the platform 16’s edge protection. The material carried by the conveyor 10 is delivered to the platform at a convenient height (torso height of a worker on the platform 16) for carrying, thereby reducing the amount of manual lifting required, not only in carrying the blocks up to the platform 16, but also for the workers on the platform 16. The material delivered by the conveyor 10 can be stacked in a suitable storage area on the platform 16 ready for future use, or can be used immediately, e.g. added to a structure 12 being built.

[0015] The present invention allows such a conveyor to be used to supply building materials to a platform supported by a modular system of builders' trestles or stands (hereafter “trestles”, for brevity), which typically will not provide a handrail robust enough to safely support the conveyor’s upper end. Figures 2-4 show components of a conveyor end support bracket 34 that can be fitted adjacent to the safety barrier typically present in such trestle systems. The support bracket 34 can then be used to support the upper end of the inclined conveyor. Load forces arising from the conveyor are then transferred through the conveyor end support bracket 34 to the transoms of a pair of adjacent trestles in the system. When thus fitted, an upwardly facing rest portion of the conveyor end support bracket may be positioned substantially at or above the normal full height of the safety barrier and is configured to be securely held by an end securing fitting of the conveyor. Alternatively, as explained later below, the upwardly facing rest portion may be positioned at a lower level, but still supporting the conveying surface at the upper end of the conveyor at a height above what normally would be the full height of the safety barrier, to preserve the platform’s edge protection. In yet other arrangements, where the normal height of the edge protection barrier has been increased, e.g. using the barrier height extension components described in GB2605607, the upwardly facing rest portion of the conveyor end support bracket may support the conveyor upper end at a height above the work platform which allows the building materials on the conveyor to pass underneath the uppermost horizontal safety rail.

[0016] For convenient transport and storage, the conveyor end support bracket 34 may comprise a beam component 36 configured to span between the transoms of the adjacent trestles, and a detachable support frame 38 having an upwardly facing rest portion 52 configured to support the conveyor end on the beam component 36 substantially at or above the normal full height of the safety barrier. The beam component 36 may be fabricated from box-section steel tubing, although any other suitable material and structural form may be used. A pair of upwardly open U-shaped channel sections 42 are attached (e.g. welded) to an upper face of the beam component 36 at or near to the centre. Lengths of box-section tubing are attached to the outer limbs of the channel sections 42 to form a pair of parallel, vertically extending sockets 44.

[0017] The support frame 38 may similarly be fabricated mainly from boxsection steel tubing, though again other suitable materials and structural forms are readily possible. The illustrative example shown has a pair of stiles 46 and a bottom crossbar 48. The stiles extend downwards beyond the crossbar to form a pair of parallel spigots 50 receivable in the sockets 44. When thus connected, the support frame 38 is therefore offset to one side of the beam component 36 and of the upwardly open channel formed by the aligned channel sections 42. For strength and rigidity, the support frame 38 may comprise diagonal cross braces 40. The upwardly facing rest portion 52 of the depicted support frame 38 is formed from a length of angle iron; though again other suitable structural forms and materials may be used. The stiles 46 may continue upwards a short distance beyond the upwardly facing rest portion 52 to form a generally U-shaped cradle for the conveyor end (which end is not shown in Figs. 2-4).

[0018] As best seen in FIG. 5, the conveyor end support bracket is configured to transfer the load forces imposed on it by the conveyor end, to the transoms 54 of a pair of adjacent trestles via the support frame 38 (not shown in FIG. 5) and the beam component 36. For simplicity only one trestle and one end of the beam component 36 is shown in FIG. 5; the interengagement between the two ends of the beam component and the respective trestles being substantially mirror images. As seen in FIG. 5, the beam component 36 is configured to transfer the conveyor end load forces to the transom 54 adjacent to a supporting upright 56 of the trestle. Moreover, the beam component 36 may be configured to occupy the space between a safety barriersupporting upright part 58 of each trestle, and a kickboard retaining bracket 60 provided on the trestle’s transom 54. For this purpose, a support finger 62 may extend lengthwise from the end of the beam component generally at or slightly above the level of the beam component 36’s top surface. The support finger 62 may have a sufficiently low profile, to allow a kickboard to be received substantially as normal by each kickboard retaining bracket 60 in the remaining space above the support finger 62, between the retaining bracket 60 and the safety barrier-supporting upright 58.

[0019] This kickboard can extend lengthwise closely above the support beam 36 and therefore can also be received in the channel sections 42. Without the channel sections 42 (e.g. if the offset sockets 44 were directly attached to a side face of the beam component 36) the support frame 38 would then in any case be supported on one side against the kickboard and hence to some extent would be stabilised against pivoting sideways on the beam component 36. Twisting movement about the low-profile support fingers 62 is also resisted to some degree by leverage against the bottom edge of the kickboard and the top surface of the transom 54; rising of the kickboard being resisted by weight and friction. However, if at least one channel section 42 is provided, the kickboard received in the channel section(s) 42 and held at its ends against the safety barrier-supporting uprights 58 by the kickboard retaining brackets 60, can act as a torsion beam. It thereby further serves to maintain the conveyor end support bracket 34 upright, e.g. resisting any lateral loads that may be imposed upon it by the conveyor without excessive movement, permanent deformation, or breakage. To further help to keep the conveyor end support bracket 34 upright by resisting pivoting movement about the axis of the beam component 36, the beam component 36 may have a thumb-shaped prong 64 at one or both ends, which extends around an outer face of the corresponding trestle safety barrier- supporting upright(s) 58. The lengths of the support finger 62 and of the prong 64 are each greater than the width of the transom 54 to allow some adjustment of the spacing between the pair of trestles carrying the support beam 36. The support finger 62 may have a down-turned end 66 for locating and retaining it on the transom 54.

[0020] As best seen in FIG. 6, the support frame 38 of the conveyor end support bracket 34 may comprise hooks 68 engageable over horizontal safety rails of the trestle system when the bracket 34 is in position for supporting the conveyor end. These hooks may serve primarily to properly locate and align the conveyor end support bracket (particularly its support frame 38) during installation in the trestle system; though the hooks 68 may also transfer lateral loads from the conveyor to the safety rails and thereby serve at least in part to keep the conveyor end support bracket upright.

[0021] As shown for example in FIGs. 7 and 8, the profile of the upwardly facing rest portion 52 of conveyor end support bracket 34 upon which the conveyor upper end rests may mimic the profile of a scaffolding tube to the extent necessary to allow the conveyor upper end to be securely coupled to the conveyor end support bracket. For example where as shown in FIG. 8 the conveyor upper end 70 is provided with a clamp 72 designed to secure the upper end of the conveyor 70 to a transversely extending scaffolding tube forming an upper handrail of a scaffold, the upwardly facing rest portion 52 of the conveyor end support bracket 34 (in this case the upwardly facing rest portion 52 of the support frame 38) may have a profile of a size and shape that can be securely gripped by the securing clamp 72. For example, a grip bar 74 may be welded to the vertical inner face of the angle iron forming the upwardly facing rest portion 52. A clamping plate 76 of the clamp 72 may be manually tightened against the grip bar 74 by a wingnut 78. FIG. 8 also shows one of the support frame hooks 68 engaged over an upper telescopic horizontal safety rail 80 of the trestle system. The safety rail 80 is attached to the safety barrier-supporting upright 58 of a trestle by a depending spigot 82 received in a corresponding pocket 84 attached near the top of the trestle safety barrier-supporting upright 58.

[0022] FIG. 9 shows the support frame 38 and beam component 36 comprising the conveyor end support bracket 34, in place on a trestle system 100. A kickboard 86 is shown in position, held against the safety barrier-supporting uprights 58 of two adjacent trestles by their kickboard retaining brackets 60 (hidden behind the kickboard 86 and therefore not visible in FIG. 9). The kickboard 86 is also received in the upwardly open U-shaped channel sections 42 of the beam component 36, to help to stabilise the conveyor end support bracket assembly 34 on the trestle system as described above. The upwardly facing rest portion 52 of the support frame 38 is thereby stably held alongside an upper safety rail 80 of the trestle system, ready to receive and support a conveyor upper end (not shown] which is to be fastened to the upwardly facing rest portion 52. The locating hooks 68 of the support fame 38 are engaged around the upper safety rail 80. The lengthwise extending fingers 62 at either end of the beam component 36 are not visible in FIG. 9, being hidden behind the thumb-shaped prongs 64. However, they engage their respective trestle transoms 54 and support the conveyor end support bracket assembly 34 thereon as described above mainly with reference to FIG. 5. In this arrangement the conveyor end support bracket assembly 34 is thus fully independent of the trestle edge protection barrier and can transfer loads directly to the trestle transoms. The trestle edge protection barrier therefore is not compromised by having to carry loads imposed by the conveyor.

[0023] The beam component 36 with its fingers 62 and prongs 64 is somewhat like a known rest bar used to support the upper end of an access staircase between a pair of adjacent trestles. In an alternative arrangement (not shown in the drawings] the beam component may be formed from such a rest bar. The upwardly open U-shaped channel sections 42 and vertically extending sockets 44 are attached to a downwardly open, longitudinally extending channel section which is removably receivable over a central portion of the rest bar. In yet another alternative arrangement not shown in the drawings, the support frame 38 may be supported on a kickboard fitted between a pair of adjacent trestles in the usual way, using the kickboard retaining brackets 60 of the trestles. For example, U-shaped channels similar to the channels 42, but opening downwardly rather than upwardly, may be permanently or detachably secured to a lower end of the frame 38. These U-shaped channels may then be fitted over the upper edge of the kickboard, so that the kickboard acts as a beam to transfer the conveyor end-imposed loads from the support frame 38 to the trestle transoms. However, use of a metal beam component 36 or staircase rest bar maybe preferable, being less prone to damage and degradation in use and storage, than a kickboard.

[0024]

[0025] FIG. 10 shows a modified form 538 of the support frame 38 shown in FIGs. 3-9. The hooks 68 are replaced by a pair of telescopic safety rails 568 permanently carried by the support frame 538. The telescopic safety rails 568 are pivotally attached at one end to the support frame 538 so that they can be folded away during transport and storage of the support frame 538. This also makes them less vulnerable to accidental damage. The telescopic safety rails 568 are configured to extend outward substantially horizontally when the support frame 538 is fitted to a beam component 36 in the trestle system 100, so that their spigots 582 are received in the corresponding pockets 84 attached near the tops of the two adjacent trestle safety barrier-supporting uprights or posts 58. The standard telescopic safety rail 80 and hooks 68 shown in FIG. 9 are thus replaced by the two permanently attached safety rails 568. The support frame 538 may be somewhat shorter (lower) than the support frame 38, with the telescopic safety rails 568 attached to the support frame 538 near to the top ends of the stiles 546, which extend above the support frame upwardly facing rest portion 552. A lower surface of the conveyor upper end may thus be supported on the upwardly facing rest portion 552 of the support frame 538 below the level of the upper safety rails of the trestle system 100’s edge protection barrier. The upper (material delivering) surface of the conveyor upper end may therefore be supported at a level only slightly higher than the normal full height of the trestle system 100’s edge protection barrier). However, the height of the support frame may be selected to support the conveyor at any suitable height. This may be selected for ergonomic convenience of a worker picking the delivered material from the conveyor end. The upwardly facing rest portion 552 of the support frame 538 is made sufficiently long to accommodate the width of the conveyor and the building materials which it is designed to carry; but is not overly long, so that the conveyor end can "fill the gap” so that platform edge protection is not compromised.

[0026] The upwardly facing rest portion 552 of the support frame 538 may be profiled to co-operate with the conveyor end securing means 72. For example, it may be formed from a length of angle iron equipped with a grip bar for a clamp plate 76 of a CM conveyor end securing clamp 72. (Such a grip bar is not visible in FIG. 10, which shows the opposite face of the support frame 538 compared to the support frame 38 shown in FIGs. 7 and 8).

Claims

1. A work platform assembly comprising a work platform and a modular system of self-supporting stands, each stand having a transom supporting the work platform and an upright part extending above the transom, with the transom extending between supporting uprights of the stand; the work platform assembly further comprising: a safety barrier formed by horizontal rails removably secured to and extending between the upright parts of adjacent ones of the stands;a conveyor end support bracket having an upwardly facing rest portion;a conveyor having an upper end securely supported on the upwardly facing rest portion in a raised position above the work platform and extending through or over the safety barrier;the conveyor end support bracket engaging and extending between the transoms of an adjacent pair of the stands adjacent to their supporting uprights.

2. A work platform assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the upright part comprises a removable post.

3. A work platform assembly as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the upwardly facing rest portion has a profile which mimics the profile of a scaffolding tube so as to allow the conveyor’s upper end to be securely coupled to the conveyor end support bracket.

4. A work platform assembly as claimed in any preceding claim in which the conveyor end support bracket comprises a kickboard supported between the transoms of the two adjacent trestles or stands.

5. A work platform assembly as claimed in any of claims 1-3, in which the conveyor end support bracket occupies the spaces between the upright parts of the respective trestles or stands, and respective kickboard retaining brackets provided on their transoms.

6. A work platform assembly as claimed in claim 5, in which the conveyor end support bracket has a prong or prongs extending around an outer face of one or both of the upright parts of the adjacent pair of stands.

7. A work platform assembly as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which portions of theconveyor end support bracket which engage the transoms have a sufficiently low09 12 24profile, to allow a kickboard to be received substantially as normal by each kickboard retaining bracket, above the respective transom engaging portions of the conveyor end support bracket.

8. A work platform assembly as claimed in claim 7, in which a portion of the conveyor end support bracket extending upwardly from the transom engaging portions to support the conveyor upper end is laterally offset, whereby a single kickboard may be held by and span between the kickboard retaining brackets of the pair of trestles or stands.

9. A work platform assembly as claimed in any of claims 5-8, in which the conveyor end support bracket comprises one or more channel sections configured and arranged to receive a kickboard.

10. A work platform assembly as claimed in any of claims 59, in which the conveyor end support bracket comprises a beam component spanning between the transoms of the adjacent pair of the stands, and a detachable support frame for supporting the upper end of the conveyor end in a raised position above the work platform.

11. A work platform assembly as clamed in any preceding claim, in which the conveyor end support bracket comprises a hook engageable over one of the horizontal rails of the safety barrier.

12. A work platform assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the conveyor end support bracket further comprises one or more telescopic safety rails permanently attached thereto for engagement with safety rail-receiving pockets of the safety barrier.

13. A work platform assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the conveyor is an inclined conveyor having a lower end supported at ground level.

14. A work platform assembly as claimed in claim 13, in which the conveyor comprises an upper end securing clamp dimensioned to fit a standard scaffolding tube.

Images