Scaffold plank and method of making the same

Abstract

A scaffold plank comprising an elongate main body having a top wall which defines a central axis and includes a plurality of openings disposed therein along the central axis. Attached to the top wall is an opposed pair of side walls, while attached to at least the top wall and extending between the side walls is a reinforcement structure. The main body is fabricated solely from a plastic material. Additionally, each of the openings is adapted to accommodate a locking pin which allows two or more scaffold planks to be releasably engaged to each other.

1 . A scaffold plank comprising: 
 an elongate main body having: 
 a top wall defining a central axis;  
 a plurality of openings disposed within the top wall along the central axis;  
 an opposed pair of side walls attached to the top wall; and  
 a reinforcement structure attached to at least the top wall and extending between the side walls;  
   the main body being fabricated solely from a plastic material.    
     
     
         2 . The scaffold plank of    claim 1    further in combination with: 
 a second scaffold plank identically configured to the scaffold plank and oriented relative thereto such that one of the openings of the second scaffold plank is coaxially aligned with one of the openings of the scaffold plank; and  
 a locking pin advancable into the coaxially aligned openings and operative to maintain the second scaffold plank in engagement to the scaffold plank.  
 
     
     
         3 . The scaffold plank of    claim 2    wherein the locking pin comprises: 
 an elongate shank portion defining opposed first and second ends and a first axis, the shank portion having an enlarged head formed on the first end thereof; and  
 a swivel member defining a second axis and pivotally connected to the shank portion adjacent the second end thereof;  
 the swivel member being pivotally movable between a slide position whereat the second axis is coaxially aligned with the first axis, and a lock position whereat the second axis extends in non-parallel relation to the first axis.  
 
     
     
         4 . The scaffold plank of    claim 3    wherein each of the openings has a counter-sunk configuration defining an upper portion of a first diameter and a lower portion of a second diameter less than the first diameter, the upper portion being sized and configured to receive the head of the locking pin.  
     
     
         5 . The scaffold plank of    claim 1    wherein: 
 the openings are spaced from each other at substantially equidistant intervals.  
 
     
     
         6 . The scaffold plank of    claim 5    wherein: 
 the top wall is generally rectangular and includes opposed pairs of longitudinal and lateral sides, the central axis being equidistantly spaced from the longitudinal sides;  
 the side walls extend along respective ones of the longitudinal sides in generally parallel relation to each other; and  
 the openings include an outer pair which are spaced from respective ones of the lateral sides at substantially equidistant intervals.  
 
     
     
         7 . The scaffold plank of    claim 6    wherein: 
 the longitudinal sides of the top wall are separated by a distance of approximately ten inches;  
 the openings are separated from each other at equidistant intervals of approximately ten inches; and  
 the outer pair of openings are separated from respective ones of the lateral sides of the top wall at equidistant intervals of approximately five inches.  
 
     
     
         8 . The scaffold plank of    claim 6    wherein: 
 the top wall defines inner and outer surfaces;  
 each of the side walls is integrally connected to the top wall and defines an inner surface; and  
 the reinforcement structure is integrally connected to at least the inner surface of the top wall and comprises: 
 a plurality of channel members extending longitudinally along the inner surface of the top wall;  
 a plurality of primary reinforcement webs extending longitudinally along the inner surface of the top wall, each of the primary reinforcement webs being disposed between a respective pair of the channel members; and  
 a plurality of secondary reinforcement webs extending between each of the primary reinforcement webs and respective ones of the channel members.  
 
 
     
     
         9 . The scaffold plank of    claim 8    wherein: 
 the channel members and the primary reinforcement webs extend in generally parallel relation to the side walls and each other; and  
 the secondary reinforcement webs extend angularly between each of the primary reinforcement webs and respective ones of the channel members.  
 
     
     
         10 . The scaffold plank of    claim 9    wherein: 
 each of the channel members defines a elongate slot; and  
 the scaffold plank further comprises a plurality of reinforcement bars disposed within respective ones of the slots.  
 
     
     
         11 . The scaffold plank of    claim 10    wherein each of the reinforcement bars is fabricated from steel.  
     
     
         12 . The scaffold plank of    claim 8    further comprising a pair of end caps attached to the main body and extending along respective ones of the lateral sides of the top wall.  
     
     
         13 . The scaffold plank of    claim 8    further comprising a cover member attached to the channel members, the primary reinforcement webs, and the secondary reinforcement webs of the reinforcement structure.  
     
     
         14 . The scaffold plank of    claim 8    wherein the reinforcement structure comprises: 
 four channel members spaced from each other in substantially equidistant intervals, with two of the channel members further being integrally connected to the inner surfaces of respective ones of the side walls; and  
 three primary reinforcement webs extending substantially intermediate a respective pair of the channel members.  
 
     
     
         15 . The scaffold plank of    claim 8    wherein the outer surface of the top wall is textured.  
     
     
         16 . The scaffold plank of    claim 1    wherein the plastic material is a glass-filled polypropylene/nylon blend.  
     
     
         17 . The scaffold plank of    claim 16    wherein the polypropylene/nylon blend is about ten percent to about fifty percent glass filled.