Untitled record

Application filed December 18, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Alfred Dawes, of Chelsea, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usec ful Portable Staging and Elevator for Mechanics’ Use, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

Mv invention relates to a portable staging io and elevator for the use of mechanics in doingwork at a considerable elevation, aud is especially adapted for use in putting up overhead shafting -han gers, aud for other similar purposes. and it may be used to advantage by 15 carpenters in work upon buildings, inside or out; and it consists in certain combinations and arrangements of devices, the details and novel features of which will be readily understood by reference to the description of 20 the drawings, and to the claims hereinafter given.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a frout elevation of my improved staging or portable platform. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a 25 sectional elevation of a portion of the central standard, illustrating the manner of uniting two sections. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are, respectively, a plan, elevation, and sectional elevation of the adjustable forked rest for support30 ing shafting; and Fig. 7 illustrates the manner of using two of my portable stagings for raising and hanging shafting.

A is a central hub or socket, supported upon the legs B B, removably set therein, and tied 35 together near their lower ends by the tie-rods G C, each pivoted or otherwise permanently attached by one end to one of the legs, and provided at its other end with a hasp-hook, which engages with an eye, a, on another leg. 40 D is a central standard, which may be made of any desired shape in cross-section, having secured to or formed upon one of its sides a toothed rack, b, and fitted to and adapted to be moved up and down in a corresponds gly45 shaped opening in the hub A, the teeth of the rack b engaging with corresponding teeth on the pinion E on the shaft F, which is mounted in the beariugs A' A' on the hub A, and adapted to be rotated by means of the cranir go F', to raise or lower the standard D and whatever may be supported thereby, the standard

D and its load being supported in any desired position to which it has been raised by the pawl c, pivoted to the hub A, aud engaging with the teeth of the rack b, as shown iu Figs. 55 1, 2, and 7.

G is a platform, provided with a split socket, d, and clamping-screw cl', by means of which it may be readily secured to or removed from the upper end of the standard D, or, if desired, 60 it may be adjusted thereon to a higher or lower level.

H is a cross-bar or bracket, also provided with a split socket, e, and clamping-screw e', by which it may be secured in any desired po- 63 sition upon the standard D, and is designed to support one end of a plank when two of my improved apparatus are used in putting up shafting and other similar work.

The standard D has made through it a se- 70 . ries of horizontal holes,/, in which may be inserted a pin, g, just above the hub A, to prevent any considerable fall of the standard D if the pawl c should be accidentally disengaged from the teeth of the rack b; and other 75 pins, h h, may be inserted below the platform G and bracket H, as safeguards in case of the clamping-screws not being sufficient to hold the weight upon the platform.

In order to adapt the apparatus to raise a 80 shaft or other heavy body to any considerable height from a comparatively low level, I make the standard D in two or more sections, provided with male and female screw-threads, by which said sections may be coupled together 85 end to end, as shown in Fig. 3, the upper section being made as long as can be used without its lower end touching the floor when said standard is in its lowest possible position with the platform G or bracket H and the joint- 90 clasp above the hub A, and the other sections being made of a length not greater than the distance from the floor to the under side of the hub A, so that they can be screwed into the upper portion when it has been moved up- 95 ward till its lower end is on a line, or nearly so, with the lower end of the hub A.

I is a clamping-band fitted to the standard D, and adapted to be moved up and down thereon, and to cover the joint between the 100 two sections thereof to prevent the accidental unscrewing of the upper section when said

228,518 joint is above the hub A, said band being cut apart at one side and provided with the binding-screw i, by which it may be made to gripe the standard with sufficient force to maintain 5 it in the desired position thereon.

A socket is formed in the upper end of the standard D to receive the threaded shank of the forked rest J, to which is fitted the nut J', by which said fork may be raised or lowered, io as may be desired, to bring the shaft K (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7) to the exact height, in case the engagement of the pawl c with the tooth of the rack δ should leave said shaft at too high or too low a level.

The method of using the apparatus for putting up shafting will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 7, where L is a plank, (shown in dotted lines,) resting upon the brackets IIH of two stands, and K is the shaft, resting upon 20 the two forks J.