High capacity vertical member for use with modular scaffolding

A modular scaffolding system having a series of modular frames and a series of high load vertical members with each of said series of modular frames and said series of high load vertical members having securing rosettes vertically spaced to accommodate modular connection between said modular frames, between said high load vertical members and between said modular frames and said high load vertical members;

• said series of modular frames having secured frame vertical members of predetermined lengths with said modular frames and said high load vertical members each being interchangeably connectable in an end to end manner using a spigot type connection with a female connector at one end and a cooperating spigot at an opposite end of each frame vertical member and each high load vertical member;
• said frame vertical members being selectively horizontally connectable to other frame vertical members to maintain a predetermined distance between connected modular frames using said securing rosettes of said frame vertical members and releasable ledger members of predetermined modular lengths with each ledger member having ledger heads at opposite ends thereof;
• said frame vertical members having a first rated load capacity and said high load vertical members each having a second rated load capacity higher than said first rated load capacity;
• said frame vertical members each comprising an elongate tube of a first diameter with said securing rosettes secured on the exterior of the elongate tube at predetermined positions spaced in the length of said elongate tube with at least a top securing rosette adjacent one end of said elongate tube, a bottom securing rosette adjacent an opposite end of said elongate tube and at least one intermediate securing rosette located between said top and bottom securing rosettes;
• said securing rosettes of said modular frames each being connectable to any one of said ledger heads of said releasable modular ledger members with said ledger heads engaging bearing surfaces of said elongate tube either side of the securing rosette;
• each of said high load vertical members comprising a unitary one-piece elongate tube cooperating with said female connector at one end thereof and cooperating with said cooperating spigot at an opposite end thereof;
• and
• wherein said unitary one-piece elongate tube of each high load vertical member includes major segments of a second diameter greater than said first diameter with a minor segment of reduced diameter corresponding to said first diameter separating adjacent major segments, and wherein at least one said minor segment is located intermediate the length of the unitary one-piece elongate tube;
• said securing rosettes of each high load vertical member being spaced apart in a length of the high load vertical member at positions to cooperate with said securing rosettes of said frame vertical members and including at least one intermediate securing rosette located intermediate the length of the high load vertical member;
• said securing rosettes of said high load vertical members being located in said minor segments of reduced diameter such that ledger bearing surfaces either side of the securing rosette are located inwardly of said second diameter to maintain modular horizontal spacing using said releasable ledgers;
• each unitary one-piece elongate tube of said high load vertical members above and below each securing rosette including a tube portion of a diameter corresponding to said first diameter with each tube portion providing sufficient space to accommodate and present bearing surfaces for any of said ledger heads at a position inwardly of said second diameter;
• wherein said high load vertical members are interchangeable with said modular frames, and said high load vertical members are horizontally connectable to said modular frames using said releasable ledgers while maintaining modular spacing of said scaffold system.