Sectional scaffolding raising apparatus

The subcombination of a portable, vertical hoisting pole or mast that is especially adapted for use with a standard sectional scaffolding assembly having multiple vertical levels of interlocking scaffolds, where each scaffold has a pair of end frames supported by a pair of side cross braces, and each end frame has top and bottom horizontal rails and an intermediate upright with a plurality of vertically-spaced rungs supported on at least one side thereof, and a platform or deck adapted to be suspended from the rails or rungs on the opposite end frames, said pole having vertically-spaced clamp members located adjacent the lower end thereof and being rigidly attached thereto, each clamp member comprising a pair of similar parallel plates, the bottom clamp having a vertical slot in each plate that is open at the bottom edge, while the top clamp has a vertical slot in each plate that is open at the vertical free side end of the plate, whereby the clamp members are capable of serving first of straddling an intermediate upright on the end frame of an assembled sectional scaffold, and are capable of locking with the vertically-spaced rungs of the end frame, and a pulley assembly suspended from the top end of the mast and including a long rope acting with the pulley, the rope being adapted to be attached to elements of a sectional scaffold for raising the sections of scaffolding by pulling on the rope at ground level.

A method for erecting and dismantling a standard sectional scaffolding assembly comprising multiple vertical levels of interlocking scaffolds, which comprises the steps of:

• a. manually erecting the first ground-level scaffold including a portable platform;
• b. attaching a portable hoisting mast to one end frame of the ground-level scaffold near the center of the end frame, the hoisting mast having a pulley and long rope suspended from the top thereof;
• c. a ground worker loosely attaching one end of the rope to another section of scaffold on the ground, and the ground worker pulls on the other end of the rope for raising that section of scaffold above the ground-level scaffold;
• d. a top worker supported on the said platform of the ground-level scaffold for guiding the raised section of scaffold into an interlocking position with the ground-level scaffold;
• e. the top worker employing a quick-release remote control means carried by the end of the rope for disengaging the rope from the raised section of scaffold, wherein the said quick-release remote control means is an elongated push rod that is carried by one end of the rope that has a fixed loop for quick-connection of the rope to and from each section of scaffold being erected or dismantled.