Advance installation guardrail assembly for scaffolding systems

Abstract

A scaffolding system includes a guardrail ledger having an elongated support member, a ledger head coupled to a first end of the elongated support member, and a hook ledger head coupled to a second end of the elongated support member. The hook ledger head is formed to include a first prong and a second prong configured to extend into a scaffolding rosette of a vertical scaffolding post to assist in the installation of the guardrail ledger prior to assembly of a work platform for an upper level of the scaffolding system.

1 . A guardrail ledger for use with a scaffolding system, the guardrail ledger comprising:
 an elongated support member that extends along an axis between a first end and a second end of the elongated support member,   a ledger head coupled to the first end of the elongated support member, the ledger head having an upper ledger body and a lower ledger body with a horizontal slot formed between the upper ledger body and the lower ledger body for receiving a first scaffolding rosette therein, and   a hook ledger head coupled to the second end of the elongated support member, the hook ledger head including a ledger connector base coupled with the second end of the elongated support member, a prong support body that extends from an upper end of the ledger connector base to form an open space vertically below the prong support body, and a pair of prongs that extend vertically downward from the prong support body, and wherein the prong support body is formed to define a first slot therein for receiving a first wedge to couple the hook ledger head with a second scaffolding rosette.   
     
     
         2 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of prongs includes a first prong and a second prong, the first prong extends downwardly from a first side of the prong support body, and the second prong extends downwardly from a second side of the prong support body. 
     
     
         3 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 1 , wherein the prong support body is formed to define a second slot that extends through the prong support body and opens into the first slot to allow the wedge to extend through either one of the first slot and the second slot. 
     
     
         4 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 3 , wherein the first slot extends generally vertically through the prong support body and the second slot extends vertically and axially through the prong support body. 
     
     
         5 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 1 , wherein the prong support body includes an engagement surface that is spaced apart axially distally from the ledger connector base and the engagement surface is concave and adapted to engage a vertical scaffold post. 
     
     
         6 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 1 , wherein the ledger head is fastened with the elongated support member to allow for limited movement relative to the elongated support member and the hook ledger head is fixed with the elongated support member. 
     
     
         7 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 1 , wherein the first prong extends transversely away from the first side of the prong support body relative to the axis by a first angle and the second prong extends transversely away from the second side of the prong support body relative to the axis by a second angle, the first angle is between about 35 and 85 degrees, and the second angle is between about 35 and 85 degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 7 , wherein the first angle is between about 55 and 65 degrees and the second angle is between about 55 and 65 degrees. 
     
     
         9 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 2 , wherein the first side of the prong support body and the second side of the prong support body tapper toward each other as the prong support body extends axially away from the ledger connector base. 
     
     
         10 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 2 , wherein the first side of the prong support body extends at a third angle between about 10 and 30 degrees relative to the axis inward toward the second side of the prong support body and the second side of the prong support body extends at a fourth angle between about 10 and 30 degrees relative to the axis inward toward the first side of the prong support body. 
     
     
         11 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 10 , wherein the third angle is between about 15 and 25 degrees and the fourth angle is between about 15 and 25 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 2 , wherein both the first prong and the second prong are arranged relative to one another such that both the first prong and the second prong simultaneously extend into corresponding holes formed in the second scaffolding rosette. 
     
     
         13 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 2 , wherein the first prong and the second prong each include a first segment coupled with the prong support body that extends generally only vertically downward, a second segment that curves toward the elongated support member as the second segment extends vertically downward away from the first segment, and a third segment that extends from the second portion at least axially proximally toward the elongated support member. 
     
     
         14 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 2 , wherein the entire prong support body is located above a center point of the elongated support member and wherein the first prong and the second prong extend vertically downwardly below a lowest most surfaces of the elongated support member and the ledger connector base. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The guardrail ledger of  claim 1 , wherein the hook ledger head further includes a wedge retainer configured to engage the first wedge and located in the first slot and coupled with the prong support body. 
     
     
         17 .- 27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . A method of assembling a scaffolding system, the method comprising:
 inserting a first prong and a second prong of a hook ledger head into corresponding holes formed in a first scaffolding rosette of a first vertical scaffold post, the hook ledger head connected with a first end of an elongated support member,   coupling a ledger head to a second scaffolding rosette of a second scaffold post, the ledger head being coupled to a second end of the elongated support member while allowing limited movement relative to the elongated support member,   moving the ledger head and the second scaffold post upwardly while the first prong and the second prong are retained in the holes formed in the first scaffolding rosette,   coupling the second scaffold post vertically to a spigot of the scaffolding system such that the second scaffold post extends generally vertically away from the spigot and the elongated support member extends generally horizontally, and   moving a wedge through a first slot formed in the hook ledger head so that the wedge extends through the hook ledger head and interlocks the hook ledger head with the scaffolding rosette.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein moving the wedge through the first slot urges the hook ledger head and the first vertical scaffold post toward one another to cause a curved engagement surface of the hook ledger head to engage the first vertical scaffold post. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising inserting the wedge into a second slot formed in the hook ledger head to temporarily retain the wedge in the second slot during the moving step. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the second slot opens into the first slot. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the second slot opens into the engagement surface of the hook ledger head. 
     
     
         33 . (canceled)