Collapsible Utility Scaffold

Abstract

A utility scaffold is designed to be repeatedly broken down into straighter components to reduce the space requirement for storage and shipment. The scaffold has first and second ladder frames, each comprising a plurality of vertical supports, a plurality of horizontal supports, and a plurality of releasable connections. The horizontal supports are releasably connected to the vertical supports by the releasable connections to form a rigid ladder frame structure. The releasable connections include a male wedge protrusion and a female receiver configured to receive the male wedge protrusion. The female receiver has a passage therethrough, with the passage having a tapered interior surface. The male wedge protrusion and the tapered interior surface are configured to abut when the vertical support and the horizontal support are mounted together via the releasable connection. A fastener is optionally used to secure the releasable connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A scaffold comprising:
 a plurality vertical supports;   a plurality of horizontal supports configured to be releasably connected to the vertical supports to enable disassembly of the scaffold;   a plurality of releasable connections for releasably connecting the horizontal supports to the vertical supports, at least one releasable connection comprising:
 a first connector attached to one of the horizontal support and vertical support and having wedge-shaped projection; 
 a second connector attached to the other of the attached to one of the horizontal support and vertical support and having a receptacle configured to receive the wedge-shaped projection; and 
 a threaded fastener extending from a distal end of the wedge-shaped projection and configured to pull the wedge-shaped projection of the first connector into the receptacle of the second connector when the threaded fastener is tightened. 
   
     
     
         2 . The scaffold of  claim 1 , wherein the threaded fastener is integral with the wedge-shaped projection to form a unitary structure. 
     
     
         3 . The scaffold of  claim 1 , wherein the wedge-shaped projection includes an axial bore and the threaded fastener passes through the axial bore in the wedge-shaped projection. 
     
     
         4 . The scaffold of  claim 1 , wherein the first connector is attached to a horizontal support and the second connector is attached to a vertical support. 
     
     
         5 . The scaffold of  claim 4 , wherein the first connector is configured to insert into one end of the horizontal support and wherein the wherein the wedge-shaped projection extends normal to a longitudinal axis of the horizontal support. 
     
     
         6 . The scaffold of  claim 5 , wherein the receptacle of the second connector includes a closed end having an opening therein and wherein the threaded fastener passes through the opening the closed end of the receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The scaffold of  claim 5 , wherein the releasable connection further comprises a flange attached to the vertical support below the second connector and having an opening therein, wherein the threaded fastener passes through the opening the closed end of the receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . The scaffold of  claim 1 , further comprising first and second ladder frames, each ladder frame including:
 at least two of the vertical supports, and two of the horizontal supports;   a center support configured to extend between and releasably connect to the two horizontal supports;   one or more ladder rungs configured to extend between and releasably connect to one of the two vertical supports and the center support; and   a plurality of cross-braces configured to be releasably connected between the first and second ladder frames to form a self-supporting scaffold.   
     
     
         9 . A method of assembling a scaffold, the method comprising:
 releasably connecting a plurality of horizontal supports to a plurality vertical supports with each horizontal support extending between two of the vertical supports;   wherein releasably connecting the horizontal supports to the vertical supports comprises, for each of one or more releasable connections:
 inserting a wedge-shaped projection of a first connector attached to one of the horizontal support and the vertical support into a receptacle of a second connector attached to the other of horizontal support and the vertical support; and 
 tightening a threaded fastener extending from a distal end of the wedge-shaped projection to pull the wedge-shaped projection into the receptacle. 
   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein releasably connecting the horizontal supports to the vertical supports comprises, for each of one or more releasable connections, inserting the wedge-shaped projections of a first connector attached to one of the horizontal supports into a receptacle of the second connector attached to the vertical support. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein releasably connecting the horizontal supports to the vertical supports comprises, for each of one or more releasable connections, passing the threaded fastener with for each releasable connection through an opening in a closed end of the receptacle. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein releasably connecting the horizontal supports to the vertical supports comprises, for each of one or more releasable connections, passing the threaded fastener with for each releasable connection through an opening in flange attached to the vertical support below the second connector. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein releasably connecting the horizontal supports to the vertical supports comprises, for each of one or more releasable connections, passing the threaded fastener through an axial bore in the wedge-shaped projection of the first connector. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising assembling first and second ladder frames by:
 releasably connecting two of the horizontal supports between two of the vertical supports; 
 releasably connecting a center support between the two horizontal supports; 
 releasably connecting one or more ladder rungs between one of the two vertical supports and the center support; and 
 releasably connecting a plurality of cross-braces between the first and second ladder frames to form a self-supporting scaffold.