AU2005237110A1

AU2005237110A1 - A support bracket

Info

Publication number: AU2005237110A1
Application number: AU2005237110A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Tom Raptis
Original assignee: Instant Access Australia Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Instant Access Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2004-11-23
Filing date: 2005-11-23
Publication date: 2006-06-08

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INSTANT ACCESS AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title.

A support bracket The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to us:- 2 Technical Field o The invention concerns a support bracket for supporting a temporary floor in a Z void of a building. In a further aspect it concemrns a system for supporting a temporary 3 floor in a void of a building.

Background Art Building sites can be dangerous irrespective of whether they are a large multistorey development or a simple extension of a house. One danger is open voids ¢€3 i providing space for the future installation of stairwells or light-wells. Such voids are hazardous if left unprotected.

A mesh guard may be installed to cover the void. However the guard will typically be removed to pass material up through the void to the upper floor, and workers may inadvertently forget to reposition the guard. Another proposed solution is to use tool extensions to enable workers to perform work from a lower floor.

Obviously such a solution is not always available.

More popular is the use of a temporary floor to cover the void. Such a system uses two or more telescopic struts to span across the void and a temporary floor platform is then laid on top of the struts. The struts are telescopic to enable them to lay across a range of different sized spaces. Standard scaffolding platforms are then hooked over the struts. The load capacity of such a system is only sufficient for voids having widths of up to 2.5 meters. For larger voids, supporting pillars are required to support the struts from below. Such systems are only suitable for rectangular voids.

Disclosure of Invention In a first aspect the invention is a support bracket for use in supporting a temporary floor in a void of a building, the support bracket comprising: a substantially L-shaped member having a first limb, or anchor plate, to rest on the top of an edge of a void, and a second limb to extend down into the void; and, a cradle, in use extending into the void below the L-shaped member, to releasably secure an end of a cut-to-length beam which spans the void to support floor panels; wherein, the second limb of the L-shaped member is connected between the upper ends of the arms of the cradle, and each of the arms has a lateral projection adjacent the upper end which extends towards the building at the edge of the void to space the remainder of the bracket away from the edge.

The cradle may be substantially "U"-shaped with perpendicular corners.

The support bracket may directly or indirectly engage the edge of the void.

tn 3 When the support bracket directly engages the edge of the void, the anchor plate o rests on top of the edge and the cradle extends down into the edge of the void with the Z lateral projections abutting the edge.

SIn an example where the support bracket engages the edge indirectly, the support bracket further includes an extension bracket. The extension bracket comprises a fastening plate to rest on the top of an edge of the void, and an open channel member Sto extend down into the void such that the ends of the arms of the channel abut the edge of the void. The anchor plate is rotatably connected to the top of the fastening plate so N that the beam may extend across the void at any desired angle. The anchor plate may be bolted to the top of the fastening plate.

N Advantageously, the use of the extension bracket enables the beams to span a void having an irregular or curved shape.

The cut to length beam may be an I-beam.

In a second aspect the invention is a system for supporting a temporary floor in a void of a building, the system comprising: one or more longitudinally extending cut-to-length beams defining a support surface for supporting a temporary floor; a pair of support brackets for each beam to engage the edges of the void and support a beam spanning the void, where the support brackets are as described in accordance with the first aspect, or any one of its embodiments; and one or more flooring platforms laid across the one or more beams.

In accordance with the second aspect a hinged trapdoor may be provided in at least one of the flooring panels to allow the passage of material.

In accordance with the second aspect the beam may be an I-beam.

Brief Description of Drawings An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which: Fig. 1 is a pictorial view of a support bracket for use in supporting a temporary floor in a void of a building; Fig. 2 is a pictorial view of a system for supporting a temporary floor in a void of a building; Fig. 3a is a pictorial view of an extension bracket; Fig. 3b is a front view of the extension bracket illustrated in Fig. 3a; Fig. 4 is a side view of a system for supporting a temporary floor in a void of a building incorporating the extension bracket; and tn 4 Fig. 5 is a plan view of the system illustrated in Fig. 4.

0 Z Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention Fig. 1 illustrates a support bracket 10. The support bracket 10 comprises an Lshaped member 12 having a first limb forming an anchor plate 14 for resting on the top of an edge of a building void, and a second limb 16 which, in use, extends downwards into the void. The support bracket 10 further includes a substantially U-shaped cradle 18 having a pair of arms 20 joined at their lower ends by a base plate 22. The second N limb 16 of the L-shaped member 12 is connected between upper ends of the arms Each of the arms 20 has a lateral projection 24 which extends beyond the plane of the N, inner face of the second limb 16.

The anchor plate 14 has a pair of anchor plate attachment holes 26. A centrally located third attachment hole 30 is also provided. A pair of base plate attachment holes 28 are provided in the base plate 22.

The anchor plate 14 has a length of 75mm, a width of 90mm and a depth of The distance between the anchor plate attachment holes 26 is 60 mm and the anchor plate attachment holes 26 are set back 15mm from the leading edge. The third attachment hole 30 is equidistance between the anchor plate attachment holes 26 and set back a further 18mm. The base plate 22 has a length of 75mm, a width of and a depth of 3mm. The shape of the U-shaped cradle 18 is designed to support a standard cut to length timber I-beam. Each arm has a maximum length of 240mm, the projection 24 has a length of 75mm and extends 20mm out from the plane of the inner face of the second limb 16.

Fig. 2 illustrates a system 40 for supporting a temporary floor 42 in a void of a building 46. The system 40 includes longitudinally extending cut to length timber Ibeams 44, each of which are supported by a pair of support brackets 10. The anchor plate 12 of each support bracket 10 rests on the top of the edge of the void. Screws are screwed through the anchor plate attachment holes 26 to engage into the building 46.

Similarly screws through holes 28 secure the timber I-beams 44 to the base plate 22.

The timber I-beams 44 define a support surface for supporting the temporary floor 42 which is made up of structural ply panels that are laid overtop of and screwed to the I-beams. A section of the structural ply is hinged 50 so as to form a trapdoor through which a ladder 52 passes to enable passage from a lower floor to the temporary floor.

In order to fill voids having irregular shapes, an extension bracket 60 as illustrated in Figs. 3a and 3b is provided. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the use of the t 3 extension bracket in a system for supporting a temporary floor 42 in a void of a o building 46. The extension bracket 60 includes a fastening plate 62 and a "V"-shaped Z channel 64. The "V"-shaped channel 64 extends down from the fastening plate 62 and 3 the distal ends of the arms of the abut the edges of the void 46. The extension bracket 60 can also be used on curved edges.

The fastening plate 62 has a pair of holes 70 located adjacent a first end. A pair Sof screws 72 pass through holes 70 to connect the extension bracket 60 to the top of the edge of the void. The fastening plate 62 has a primary hole 66 located adjacent a e¢3 CI second end and this is used to bolt the anchor plate of a support bracket onto the top of it. In this way the extension bracket is firmly fixed to the building but the support bracket can be rotated so the that beam can extend across the void at a convenient angle.

The load capacity of the entire platform may readily be rated at 450 kg and more over the load may be evenly distributed.

Where large voids are to be spanned, noggins may installed between the beams and support brackets by be used to support the ends of the noggins that meet the edges of the void.

Although the example has been described with reference to and shaped members it should be appreciated that the invention is not limited to precise shapes in its members provides they are able to fulfill the functions described.

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

Claims

2. A support bracket according to claim 1, where the cradle is substantially shaped with perpendicular corners.
3. A support bracket according to claim 1 or claim 2, where the support bracket directly engages the edge of the void.
4. A support bracket according to claim 3, where the anchor plate rests on top of the edge and the cradle extends down into the edge of the void with the lateral projections abutting the edge. A support bracket according to claim 1 or claim 2, where the support bracket indirectly engages the edge of the void.
6. A support bracket according to claim 1 or claim 5, where the support bracket further includes an extension bracket.
7. A support bracket according to claim 6, where the extension bracket comprises a fastening plate to rest on the top of an edge of the void, and an open channel member to extend down into the void such that the ends of the arms of the channel abut the edge of the void. OI S8. A support bracket according to claim 7, where the anchor plate is rotatably o connectable to the top of the fastening plate such that the beam is extendable across the Z void at any desired angle. ",N
9. A support bracket according to claim 8, where the anchor plate is boltable to the top of the fastening plate. A support bracket according to any one of the preceding claims, where the cut to ci length beam is an I-beam.
11. A system for supporting a temporary floor in a void of a building, the system comprising: one or more longitudinally extending cut-to-length beams defining a support surface for supporting a temporary floor; at least a pair of support brackets, as described any one of the preceding claims, for each beam, to engage the edges of the void and support a beam spanning the void; and one or more flooring platforms for laying across the one or more beams.
12. A system according to claim 11, further comprising a hinged trapdoor provided in a flooring panel to allow the passage of material.
13. A system according to claim 10 or claim 11, where the beam is an I-beam.
14. A support bracket, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A system, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this twenty third day of November 2005 Instant Access Australia Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant: F B RICE CO