Climbing system for multi-level building construction

Abstract

A climbing system for multi-level building construction includes (a) a plurality of vertical guides mountable to a building structure under construction; (b) a climbing unit coupled to the vertical guides for guided vertical translation of the climbing unit along an exterior of the building structure and; (c) one or more horizontal guides mounted to the climbing unit; and (d) an extendible platform supported by the horizontal guides for guided translation of the extendible platform along a horizontal axis extending generally perpendicular to the building structure. The extendible platform is translatable along the horizontal axis between a retracted position, in which the extendible platform is generally retracted into the climbing unit and clear of the building structure to permit interference-free vertical translation of the climbing unit, and an advanced position, in which the extendible platform projects horizontally from the climbing unit to the building structure for covering a gap therebetween.

1 . A climbing system for multi-level building construction, comprising:
 a) a plurality of vertical guides mountable to a multi-level building structure under construction;   b) a climbing unit coupled to the vertical guides for guided vertical translation of the climbing unit along an exterior of the building structure;   c) one or more horizontal guides mounted to the climbing unit; and   d) an extendible platform supported by the horizontal guides for guided translation of the extendible platform along a horizontal axis extending generally perpendicular to the building structure, the extendible platform translatable along the horizontal axis between a retracted position, in which the extendible platform is generally retracted into the climbing unit and clear of the building structure to permit interference-free vertical translation of the climbing unit, and an advanced position, in which the extendible platform projects horizontally from the climbing unit to the building structure for covering a gap therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The climbing system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more horizontal guides define a horizontal track and the extendible platform includes a plurality of rollers for rolling engagement with the track to roll the extendible platform between the retracted and advanced positions. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The climbing system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of rollers includes a pair of front rollers positioned toward the building structure and a pair of rear rollers spaced apart from the front rollers away from the building structure, and wherein when the extendible platform is in the retracted position, the front and rear rollers are in rolling engagement with the track, and when the extendible platform is in the advanced position, the front rollers are advanced off the track while the rear rollers remain in rolling engagement with the track. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The climbing system of  claim 1 , wherein the climbing unit includes a pair of vertical climbing rails coupled to the vertical guides for guiding vertical translation, the climbing rails spaced laterally apart by a rail spacing, and wherein at least a front portion of the extendible platform passes through the rail spacing when the extendible platform is translated between the retracted and advanced positions. 
     
     
         7 . The climbing system of  claim 6 , wherein the front portion has a first work surface portion and one or more second work surface portions moveable relative to the first work surface portion between a withdrawn position, in which the front portion has a withdrawn width that is less than the rail spacing for permitting translation of the front portion through the rail spacing, and an extended position, in which the front portion has an extended width greater than the rail spacing for increasing an effective work area of the extendible platform in the advanced position. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The climbing system of  claim 7 , wherein the one or more second work surface portions are pivotably attached to the extendible platform for pivoting relative to the first work surface portion between the withdrawn and extended positions. 
     
     
         11 . The climbing system of  claim 7 , wherein the extendible platform has a rear portion rearward of the front portion, the rear portion having a rear portion width greater than the rail spacing, and wherein when the extendible platform is in the advanced position, the front portion extends between and forward of the climbing rails and the rear portion remains generally rearward of the climbing rails. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The climbing system of  claim 11 , wherein the one or more second work surface portions comprise a pair of laterally spaced apart panels pivotably attached on laterally opposite sides of the first work surface portion, the panels pivotable relative to the first working surface portion about corresponding pivot axes extending parallel with the horizontal axis for movement between the withdrawn and extended positions, and wherein when in the withdrawn position, the panels are inboard of the climbing rails, and when in the extended position, the panels extend laterally outward from the first work surface and in front of the climbing rails. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The climbing system of  claim 14 , wherein when the extendible platform is in the advanced position and the second work surface portions are in the extended position, the panels are translatable along corresponding pivot axes relative to the first work surface portion between a forward position, in which the panels are clear of the climbing rails for movement between the withdrawn and extended positions, and a rearward position in which laterally outer portions of the panels extend along laterally outboard sides of the climbing rails toward the rear portion to provide a work surface generally surrounding the climbing rails. 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The climbing system of  claim 1 , wherein the climbing unit comprises a plurality of climbing rails coupled to the vertical guides, and at least one climbing platform supported by the climbing rails, and wherein the horizontal guides and the extendible platform are supported by climbing platform. 
     
     
         19 . The climbing system of  claim 18 , wherein the climbing platform has a plurality of horizontal beams and a climbing unit worksurface supported by the beams, and wherein the horizontal guides are supported by the beams at an elevation below the climbing unit worksurface and the extendible platform has an extendible platform worksurface at an elevation above the climbing unit worksurface, and wherein the climbing unit worksurface has one or more horizontal slots extending along the horizontal axis in alignment with corresponding horizontal guides, and the extendible platform has roller assemblies extending downwardly from under the extendible platform worksurface and through the slots for rolling engagement with the horizontal guides. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The climbing system of  claim 1 , wherein the climbing unit comprises a plurality of climbing rails coupled to the vertical guides and a plurality of climbing platforms supported by the climbing rails, the plurality of climbing platforms including a top climbing platform and at least one lower climbing platform below the top climbing platform, and wherein the horizontal guides and the extendible platform are supported by the lower climbing platform. 
     
     
         22 . The climbing system of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism operable to releasably lock the extendible platform relative to the horizontal guides in the advanced position and in the retracted position. 
     
     
         23 . A climbing system for multi-level building construction, comprising:
 a) a plurality of vertical guides mountable to a multi-level building structure under construction;   b) a climbing unit connectable to the vertical guides for guided vertical translation of the climbing unit;   c) one or more horizontal guides mountable to the climbing unit; and   d) an extendible platform horizontally translatable along the horizontal guides between a retracted position, in which the extendible platform is generally retracted into the climbing unit for being clear of the building structure, and an advanced position in which the extendible platform projects horizontally from the climbing unit for extension to the building structure.   
     
     
         24 . A method of operating a climbing system mounted to a multi-level building structure under construction, comprising:
 vertically translating a climbing unit of the climbing system along an exterior of the building structure to move an extendible platform supported by the climbing unit into vertical alignment with a first slab of the building structure; and   after (a), horizontally translating the extendible platform along horizontal guides supported by the climbing unit from a retracted position, in which the extendible platform is clear of the building structure, to an advanced position, in which the platform extends from the climbing unit to the first slab for covering a gap therebetween.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising, after (b), supporting shoring elements atop the extendible platform in the advanced position. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising: horizontally translating the extendible platform along the horizontal guides back to the retracted position and repeating steps (a) and (b) for a second slab at an elevation above the first slab. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein during (b), at least a front portion of the extendible platform is translated through a lateral rail spacing between a pair of laterally spaced apart vertical climbing rails of the climbing unit, the climbing rails coupled to corresponding vertical guides mounted to the building structure for guiding vertical translation of the climbing unit. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , further comprising:
 when the extendible platform is in the advanced position, extending a pair of movable panels of the extendible platform laterally outwardly in front of the climbing rails to increase an effective work area of the extendible platform.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising, after the panels are extended, translating the panels in a rearward direction toward the climbing rails to position laterally outer portions of the panels along laterally outboard sides of the climbing rails; and
 after translating the panels in the rearward direction, translating the panels in a forward direction clear of the climbing rails, withdrawing the panels to reduce a width of the front portion of the extendible platform to less than the rail spacing, and translating the extendible platform back to the retracted position.   
     
     
         30 . (canceled)