Abstract: The invention relates to scaffolding in which the uprights have sockets projecting outwardly at spaced positions along their length, the horizontal cross members of the scaffolding having spigots to engage in the sockets, a captive wedge being provided to cause the spigots to be clamped against the socket or upright. Such scaffolding in accordance with the invention is arranged so that in use the spigot is inserted into a socket and the wedge acts between the outside surface of the socket on the surface of the cross member tightly to draw the spigot against the corresponding inside surface of the socket. The "lower" narrower end of the wedge is formed or provided with a projection which, when the wedge is moved upwardly relative to the cross member it wedges against the surface of the cross member to hold the wedge in the withdrawn "uppermost" position so that the spigot can readily be removed from the socket.

Abstract: A horizontal or diagonal bracing element in a scaffolding structure includes a terminal lug which is pivotably connected to another lug on a connection shoe; the shoe is provided with an elongated slot for receiving a fastening wedge insertable into a radial aperture in a connection flange on a vertical supporting element of the scaffolding; the other lug forms with the midline of the elongated slot an angle of 135.degree..

Abstract: A releasable locking device for pivotally locking two members to one another. The locking device includes a hollow support assembly extending through an opening in one of the members. A locking member extends through a bore in the hollow support assembly and is formed with an enlarged locking portion insertable through an interior portion of an opening formed in the remaining member. The locking member includes a conically-shaped guidance surface for automatically aligning the enlarged locking portion with the interior opening in response to a biasing spring acting on the locking member.

Abstract: In a scaffolding system an upright tube is provided with an annular dish shaped protrusion. A housing on the end of a horizontal tube carries a lever with a cam face that engages the protrusion to lock the tubes together. The horizontal tube can be at any radial orientation relative to the upright tube.

Abstract: A knocking arrangement for cleaning electrodes of an electric precipitator has a plurality of hammer members mounted on a rotary shaft, a plurality of anvil members arranged so that the hammer members strike against the anvil members, and connecting elements including a V-shaped holding member with a closed end portion embracing one frame member of a frame of the precipitator, and an open end portion provided with two projections, wherein a wedge member carrying the anvil member is received into the holding member between the projections and the one frame member.

Abstract: A connector assembly for a scaffold structure having an upright member or standard and a cross member, comprising an open-ended V or channel-shaped socket fixed to the upright member and a channel-shaped connector member fixed to an end of the cross member. In the fully assembled position, a base flange of the connector member is held, by means of a wedge element, in tight engagement with the outer surface of the socket and arms extending outwardly from the base flange, and over opposite ends of the socket, are such as to be spaced from the outer peripheral surface of the upright member. For location purposes, the free end of the uppermost arm of the connector member is formed with a downwardly depending tongue, or alternatively, the side edges of the uppermost arm are provided with downwardly depending flanges.

Abstract: A novel structure is provided for joining a frame member for carrying a snowplow blade or the like to a vehicle-mounted lift frame or the like. At least one mounting bracket is rigidly attached to the lift frame and includes a pair of parallel, generally vertical walls supporting a generally horizontal mounting rod therebetween. A cooperating mounting ear is provided on the blade-carrying frame and is of lesser width than the space between the parallel walls of the mounting bracket. This mounting ear presents a slot of predetermined depth which is rotatably engageable with the mounting rod to define a rotatable joint. A retaining pin is insertable through the mounting bracket vertically above the mounting rod and substantially parallel therewith.

Abstract: A horizontal, support rack for use in supporting pallets on vertical H-beams includes an elongate support bar having beam engaging clamps at opposite ends thereof. The clamps include J-shaped plates welded to the ends of the support bar, each J-shaped plate cooperating with a clamping element to adjustably secure an end of the horizontal support bar to the adjacent vertical beam. Conventional pallets are supported on adjacent pairs of horizontal support racks or bars.

Abstract: A steel tube scaffold composed of tube posts and latches and on the tube posts of which brackets spaced from one another and encompassing same flange-like are secured to which the latches are connectible by means of jaws secured endwise at the latches and with which the latches are interlockable by wedges. The circumference of each bracket has a tapered surface extending throughout the perimeter of the circumference. The jaw is firmly inserted into the latch by means of a shank having an aperture therein. In the aperture of the shank of the jaw there is provided an inclined surface for the wedge which in the driven-in condition is supported with one of its sides on the tapered surface of the circumference of the bracket and with the other of its sides on the inclined surface.

Abstract: A coupling for tubular scaffolding including a boss mounted on a standard by a pin or by welding and a wedge ring rotatably encircling and co-planar with the boss.Radial insets in the boss combine with the ring to form apertures in which pegs are located, the pegs being attached to the ends of ledgers and transoms. The inner face of the wedge ring has sloping wedge surfaces in the vicinity of the apertures which alter the radial dimension of the apertures. Thus, when a peg is located in an aperture the wedge ring can be rotated to wedge the peg firmly in the aperture.The problem existing prior to the invention was the difficulty of securing ledgers and transoms. This has to be done by screw couplings or by getting above the coupling in order to tighten it. The coupling of the invention can be operated from below, i.e. by a person standing on erected scaffolding.

Abstract: Three elongate members such as rods or tubes forming mutually perpendicular uprights transoms and ledgers in a scaffolding structure are interconnected by engagement of a bracket carried at one end of a first (horizontal) member in a socket provided in a second (upright) member, a third horizontal member being engaged between the end and the second member and retained in position by a wedge element. The wedge element is jammed in position by tightening a clamping nut, and use may be made of standard pipes such as scaffolding tubes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of increasing the density of an aqueous liquid in a slurry by forming a solution of the aqueous liquid and saccharide.

Abstract: A device comprising a straight rod portion with a mounting pin extending from its one end and having a smaller diameter than the rod portion and vertical parallel flat walls on both side of mounting pin, a pivotable member fitting over the mounting pin, and an abutment provided at the forward end of the mounting pin for preventing the pivotable member from slipping off the pin. The pivotable member includes two side plates extending substantially over the entire length thereof with the pin positioned therebetween and a forward end portion loosely secured to the mounting rotatably and a little slidably. Spring is provided between pivotable member and mounting pin so as to bias the free end of the pivotable member away from the pin.

Abstract: An assembly element, inter alia for scaffolding, used (a) for clamping a cylindrical element after engaging axially or laterally on the cylindrical element and (b) for securing one or more transverse elements on to the cylindrical element, said assembly element comprising two half-rings interconnected by two pins, each half-ring having a deformable inner part adapted to bear against the surface of the cylindrical element and an outer part adapted to co-operate with the inner part to bound spaces to receive the ends of one or more transverse elements, at least one of the two pins being adapted to tighten the two half-rings when the pin is moved with respect thereto.

Abstract: A device comprising a straight rod portion with a mounting pin extending from its one end and having a smaller diameter than the rod portion, a pivotable member fitting over the mounting pin, and an abutment provided at the forward end of the mounting pin for preventing the pivotable member from slipping off the pin. The pivotable member includes two side plates extending substantially over the entire length thereof with the pin positioned therebetween and a forward end annular portion loosely fitting around the mounting pin.

Abstract: A first member is provided with an elongated recess which has one open end, and a first throughgoing passage which extends transversely to the elongation of the recess. A second member which is to be connected to the first member is provided with a disc which extends outwardly away from the second member. The disc is adapted to be received in the recess when the second and first members are connected to one another. The disc is provided with a throughgoing passage so arranged as to communicate and bound with the first passage of the first member a throughgoing channel. A wedge-shaped element is closely receivable in the channel so as to arrest the second member on the first member and prevent any movement of these two members relative to one another.

Abstract: An arrangement for connecting the ties to the uprights of a scaffolding includes a plurality of vertically elongated openings in the uprights, an end projection on a wedge-shaped end plate of the tie which has an enlarged end portion which is introduced into the interior of the upright through an enlargement of the opening while the stem of the projection is received in the opening when the enlarged end portion of the projection is received in the interior of the tubular upright, and a wedge element which is permanently mounted on the projection and interposed between the upright and the wedge-shaped end plate of the tie in the assembled position of the tie with the upright.

Abstract: A pair of scaffold lumber clamps are provided. A first of the clamps includes a pair of elongated generally parallel strap members with adjustable clamp structure connected between corresponding ends thereof for drawing the strap members toward each other for clamping lumber pieces therebetween. The opposing sides of the strap members include pointed projections projecting outwardly therefrom. The second clamp structure includes an angle member having a pair of elongated upstanding and generally right angularly disposed integral flanges. The angle member may embracingly engage a corner of an upright piece of lumber and an elongated bar member generally parallels the outer side of a first flange of the angle member and first clamp structure is connected between that flange and the bar for drawing the bar toward the flange.

Abstract: A panel assembly which comprises panels having astragals adapted to be attached to the segments of a segmented column and adapted to be rotated about the axis of the column to a position in which one panel forms an angle with another. One or more additional panels may be added to the column. The panels have load supporting means and the column does not.

Abstract: A scaffold fitting attached to a scaffold tube as a lever secured by a screw which passes through an intermediate aperture in the lever and which can be tightened to urge one end of the layer against a flanged member to clamp the latter directly against the scaffold tube.

Abstract: A foldable carrier for carrying objects on an automobile includes a pair of side members, a pair of carrying members and a pair of brackets. One of each pair of side members and one of each pair of carrying members is mounted to one of each pair of brackets for relative movement between a flat collapsed position and an erect extended position, the brackets being held apart by a cross member. Each side member is constrained for biaxial movement relative to each carrying member. Attaching hardware is provided for fastening the carrier to an automobile and for locking the carrier in the extended position.

Abstract: A scaffolding structure comprising upright members connected together by cross members and including additional members which serve as braces, including at least one brace secured to a member, the brace being provided with at least one transverse pin and the member being provided with an aperture for the reception of the pin, the brace having means captively associated therewith for releasably restraining the brace from movement in a direction longitudinally of the pin.

Abstract: In builders scaffolding of the kind wherein cross-members are detachably connected to upright members by connecting means comprising a plurality of open-ended vertically disposed sockets on the upright member and connector means on the cross-members each comprising a pair of vertically spaced limbs adapted to embrace a selected socket member, with a wedge clamping member driven through aligned openings in the limbs of the connector member and through the socket to press the end faces of the limbs into engagement with the upright member, an improved connector member in which the two limbs are spaced apart by a distance sufficient to receive a socket therebetween with only a small clearance, at least the upper limb affording a cavity at its underside to accommodate a retaining formation which is provided on the lowermost end of the wedge clamping member so that the latter may be raised to a releasing position in which its lowermost end is clear of the space between the two limbs.

Abstract: An improved releasable gate locking device for preventing the opening thereof by animals. The device is used with a gate and fence structure and comprises a locking pin which includes a head portion having upper and lower walls spaced apart along the pin's axis so as to define a groove therebetween. The lower wall is at right angles to the pin's axis and the upper wall is inclined away from the pin's axis. The pin cooperates with two spaced apart plates having aligned holes for receipt of the pin and the pin will swivel if not raised in a vertical direction. The lower wall prevents the pin from being withdrawn since swiveling of the pin causes the lower wall to engage the lower plate. The upper inclined wall serves to guide the pin back into proper position when a lifting force on the pin is released.

Abstract: The frame structure of the invention has a plurality of tubular uprights of circular cross-section each including a number of axially spaced ring flanges which are concentric with the respective upright and which are each formed with circumferentially distributed cut-outs of differing shapes. A plurality of bracing elements connect the respective uprights and each of them has two end portions. Each end portion is formed with an axial slot having a width at least equal to the thickness of the respective ring flanges and subdividing the respective end portion into two sections provided with registering openings extending normal to the elongation of the respective bracing element. A releasable wedge member extends through these openings across the slot and through one of the cut-outs of a ring flange which is in part located in the slot.

Abstract: In scaffolding a cross member is connected to an upright member by means of a dependent spigot which engages in a socket on the upright, and is secured to the upright by jamming the spigot in the socket by means of a retaining member carried by the cross member which is movable relative to the spigot by rotation of an associated cam.

Abstract: A scaffolding element comprises a triangular frame having a vertical member, a horizontal member and a diagonal member and further having a yoke at the free ends of the horizontal and diagonal members. This yoke has an upper arm with an aperture therein to receive the upper end of the vertical member of an adjacent frame and a lower arm. This lower arm has a slot into which the vertical member is received below the horizontal member.

Abstract: A pallet rack is disclosed which is collapsible for storage and shipment, can be readily varied as to size, requires minimal hardware, with four corner uprights connected at the front and at the rear by pairs of beams at the same level, the uprights at each end being connected horizontally and diagonally by struts which are detachably connected at their ends by readily releasable locking mechanism which includes rods welded to the corner uprights and a slidable box cammed for application to a rod and with a holding bolt which may be readily tightened or loosened as desired.

Abstract: A skeletonized, adjustable, high-rise scaffold assembly employs stacked sections, each made-up of a pair of opposed end frames or panels. The end frames of cooperating upper and lower sections are each provided with a pair of main or outer, supporting side legs and retained latching pin means for vertically adjustably connecting the sections together. Side legs of each end frame have a pin connector extending inwardly within a plane of the frame to removably receive ends of cross brace members that are mounted to extend from an end frame of one section diagonally across in a connected relation with an opposed end frame of the other section. The cross brace members have spaced-apart latching hole portions at at least one of their ends to enable a selection of a proper hole portion that is related to or compatible with an up or down adjustment of the frames of an upper section with respect to frames of a cooperating lower section.

Abstract: A draw-tight connector for connecting members extending at right angles with respect to each other includes a receptacle means provided on one of the members and a projection means having a configuration corresponding to the receptacle means and which is adapted to fit within the receptacle means. Means connect the receptacle means and projection means together thereby drawing them into tight engagement and connecting the members securely together.

Abstract: A dual tapered dovetail shaped mortise is formed within a joist to receive a dual tapered dovetail shaped tenon extending from a beam. Laterally oriented cavities are disposed within opposite faces of the mortise to receive correspondingly configured ridges formed integral with the mating tenon. The resulting frictional interlock between the mortise and the tenon created by two forces acting in opposition to one another rigidly secures the beam to the joist without play therebetween. The ridges, mating with the corresponding cavities, affords use of the resulting joint in any plane from horizontal to vertical without danger of separation.

Abstract: A shoring or scaffold for construction, maintenance and other work, using stacked scaffold sections of a demountable type and having a heighth adjusting construction is provided. Each section has a pair of spaced-apart end frames that are demountably cross-connected with respect to each other and the end frames of upper and lower sections have a telescopic adjustable relation to meet heighth requirements. To provide strength and support rigidity, dual-tire bracing members are utilized to extend from the end frame of a lower section across and in an interconnecting relation with an opposed end frame of an upper section.

Abstract: A cable tray has side rails and rungs formed from sheet metal. The side rails have outwardly opening upper and lower grooves which are keystone shaped in that the open side of the groove is narrower than the inner side of the grooves. The lower groove provides an inwardly offset flange along the side rail and the hollow rungs, which are formed with a substantially square cross-sectional shape fit around substantially square portions of the flange which are defined by pairs of spaced vertical slots across the flange. The rung-ends have horizontally aligned rectangular slots through their sides and rung joiners, which have a rectangular cross-sectional configuration are driven through the aligned slots, the joiners having a drive fit between the closed vertical side of the flange and the ends of the aligned slots which are adjacent the end of the rung, thus forcing the rung end against the side rail web.