Adjustable work surface for large irregularly shaped objects
AssigneeAluminum Ladder Company
InventorsAdam Lewis DuBose, Ronald W. Bennett, Rodrick Lafaye Williamson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable work platform comprises a fixed platform carrying a multiplicity of adjustable members designed to slide out of the fixed platform to variable lengths as needed. A large irregularly shaped object, such as an aircraft, may be driven into the interior of the platform with the adjustable members retracted. Once in place, the adjustable members are extended to form a heavy duty work platform conforming to the irregular shape of the exterior of the object.
Claims7
An adjustable work platform for carrying heavy loads in a stable manner comprising:
- a fixed platform with a front side and a back side opposite thereto comprising:
- a first stringer along said front side comprising defined openings therein;
- a second stringer along said back side;
- and
- a multiplicity of I-beam guides spanning between said first stringer and said second stringer;
- and
- an adjustable platform extendable from said fixed platform comprising:
- a slider received by adjacent I-beam guides and disposed to reversibly extend through one of said openings comprising:
- a toothed member that reversibly engages with said first stringer thereby restricting sliding of said slider;
- and
- a back plate attached to said slider, to limit the length of extension of said slider through said one of said openings.
A method of providing a work platform for carrying heavy loads while accessing an irregularly shaped large object comprising the steps of:
- providing an adjustable platform comprising a fixed platform with a front side and a back side opposite thereto, said fixed platform comprising a first stringer along said front side with defined openings therein, a second stringer along said back side, and a multiplicity of I-beam guides spanning between said first stringer and said second stringer;
- and an adjustable platform extendable from said fixed platform comprising a slider received by adjacent I-beam guides and disposed to reversibly extend through one of said openings, said adjustable platform further comprising a toothed member that reversibly engages with said first stringer thereby restricting sliding of said slider;
- and a back plate attached to said slider, to limit the length of extension of said slider through said one of said openings;
- moving a large object to within a predetermined separation distance of said platform;
- and
- extending said adjustable platform from said fixed platform, thereby minimizing said separation distance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.