Adjustable joists for suspended access platforms

Abstract

A joist attachment includes a joist attachment first end, a joist attachment second end, a top portion, and a bottom portion. The joist attachment first end is arranged on a center axis of the joist attachment. A width of the joist attachment second end is greater than a width of the joist attachment first end. The joist attachment second end includes a second support at least substantially parallel to the first support and arranged on a first side of the center axis and a third support at least substantially parallel to the second support and arranged on a second side of the center axis, the second side opposite the first side. The top portion and the bottom portion extend between the joist attachment first end and the joist attachment second end. The top portion includes a plurality of top portion apertures. The bottom includes a plurality of bottom portion apertures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A joist attachment configured to couple to a joist, the joist attachment comprising:
 a joist attachment first end comprising:
 a first support arranged on a center axis of the joist attachment, the first support comprising a first aperture configured to receive a coupling mechanism; 
   a joist attachment second end opposite the joist attachment first end, a width of the joist attachment second end greater than a width of the joist attachment first end, the joist attachment second end comprising:
 a second support at least substantially parallel to the first support and arranged on a first side of the center axis; and 
 a third support at least substantially parallel to the first support and arranged on a second side of the center axis, the second side opposite the first side; 
   a top portion extending between the joist attachment first end and the joist attachment second end, the top portion comprising:
 a plurality of top portion apertures configured to receive a pin; and 
   a bottom portion extending between the joist attachment first end and the joist attachment second end, the bottom portion opposite and at least substantially parallel to the top portion, the bottom portion comprising:
 a plurality of bottom portion apertures configured to receive the pin. 
   
     
     
         2 . The joist attachment of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of top portion apertures comprises:
 a top portion first aperture, and 
 a top portion second aperture, and 
   the plurality of bottom portion apertures comprises:
 a bottom portion first aperture aligned with the top portion first aperture, and 
 a bottom portion second aperture aligned with the top portion second aperture. 
   
     
     
         3 . The joist attachment of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 the pin; and   the joist extending between a joist first end and a joist second end;   wherein the pin is configured couple to one of the plurality of top portion apertures and one of the plurality of bottom portion apertures, the pin repositionable between (a) a first position where the pin is positioned within the top portion first aperture and the bottom portion first aperture and (b) a second position where the pin is positioned within the top portion second aperture and the bottom portion second aperture, a first distance defined between the top portion first aperture and the joist first end, a second distance defined between the top portion second aperture and the joist first end, the first distance less than the second distance.   
     
     
         4 . The joist attachment of  claim 1 , wherein the top portion comprises:
 a top portion first piece coupled to a first end of the first support and extending towards the second support and the third support; and   a top portion second piece coupled to the top portion first piece and a first end of the second support and the third support;   wherein the top portion second piece defines the plurality of top portion apertures.   
     
     
         5 . The joist attachment of  claim 4 , wherein the bottom portion comprises:
 a bottom portion first piece coupled to a second end of the first support and extending towards the second support and the third support; and   a bottom portion second piece coupled to the top portion first piece and the second end of the second support and the third support;   wherein the bottom portion second piece defines the plurality of bottom portion apertures.   
     
     
         6 . The joist attachment of  claim 5 , wherein the bottom portion first piece is at least substantially identical to the top portion first piece and the bottom portion second piece is at least substantially identical to the top portion second piece. 
     
     
         7 . The joist attachment of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first brace extending between the first support and the second support; and   a second brace extending between the first support and the third support.   
     
     
         8 . The joist attachment of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first brace extending between a first end of the first support and a center of the second support; and   a second brace extending between the first end of the first support and a center of the third support.   
     
     
         9 . The joist attachment of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a third brace extending between a second end of the first support and a center of the second support; and   a fourth brace extending between the second end of the first support and a center of the third support.   
     
     
         10 . A support structure comprising:
 an adjustable joist assembly comprising:
 a hub; 
 a joist extending between a joist first end and a joist second end; 
 a joist attachment comprising:
 a joist attachment first end configured to couple to the hub, 
 a joist attachment second end opposite the joist attachment first end, the joist attachment second end configured to couple to the joist first end, 
 a top portion extending between the joist attachment first end and the joist attachment second end, and 
 a bottom portion extending between the joist attachment first end and the joist attachment second end, the bottom portion opposite and at least substantially parallel to the top portion, and 
 
 a pin configured couple to the top portion, the joist first end, and the bottom portion, the pin repositionable between (a) a first position where the pin is positioned a first distance from the joist attachment first end and (b) a second position where the pin is positioned a second distance from the joist attachment first end, wherein the first distance is shorter than the second distance. 
   
     
     
         11 . The support structure of  claim 10 , wherein in the first position the joist first end is positioned a third distance from the joist attachment first end, and in the second position the joist first end is positioned a fourth distance from the joist attachment first end, the third distance shorter than the fourth distance. 
     
     
         12 . The support structure of  claim 10 , wherein a length of the adjustable joist assembly is longer in the second position than in the first position. 
     
     
         13 . The support structure of  claim 10 , wherein the top portion defines a plurality of top portion apertures, the bottom portion defines a plurality of bottom portion apertures, and the pin is configured to be received within one of the plurality of top portion apertures and one of the plurality of bottom portion apertures. 
     
     
         14 . The support structure of  claim 13 , wherein the pin is a first pin, and the adjustable joist assembly further comprises a second pin configured to couple the joist attachment first end to the hub. 
     
     
         15 . The support structure of  claim 14 , wherein the joist and the joist attachment are configured to rotate about the second pin. 
     
     
         16 . The support structure of  claim 10 , wherein the joist is configured to rotate about the pin. 
     
     
         17 . The support structure of  claim 10 , wherein a width of the joist attachment second end is greater than a width of the joist attachment first end. 
     
     
         18 . A joist attachment comprising:
 a first end; and   a second end opposite the first end, a width of the second end greater than a width of the first end;   wherein the joist attachment is configured to couple a joist to a hub, thereby forming an extended joist.   
     
     
         19 . The joist attachment of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a pin repositionable between (a) a first position where the pin is positioned a first distance from the first end and (b) a second position where the pin is positioned a second distance from the first end, wherein the first distance is shorter than the second distance.   
     
     
         20 . The joist attachment of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a top portion extending between the first end and the second end;   a bottom portion extending between the first end and the second end, the bottom portion opposite the top portion;   a plurality of supports extending between the top portion and the bottom portion; and   a plurality of braces extending between the plurality of supports.