AU2006202882A1

AU2006202882A1 - A sheet guide device

Info

Publication number: AU2006202882A1
Application number: AU2006202882A
Authority: AU
Original assignee: BlueScope Steel Ltd
Current assignee: BlueScope Steel Ltd
Priority date: 2006-07-05
Filing date: 2006-07-05
Publication date: 2008-01-24

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED Invention Title: A SHEET GUIDE DEVICE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 SA SHEET GUIDE DEVICE Field of the Invention SThe present invention relates to a sheet guide device for guiding the movement of a sheet across a surface. The invention has particular application for use 00 00 in conveying profiled metal cladding sheet across a C construction site surface and the invention is herein Ci described in that context.

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N O Background of the Invention Profiled metal sheets are used in many applications, including as roof and wall cladding. One common form of metal sheet is produced from steel strip that incorporates a corrosion resistant metal coating and possibly a decorative paint finish. Such steel strip is manufactured by the applicant under the brand name COLORBOND®. The sheets are formed in continuous lengths from the strip using a cold roll forming process to profile the strip to include longitudinally extending stiffening formations. The profiled sheets are cut to size and may be many metres long and are not easily handled. This is particularly the case where the sheet is profiled onsite using mobile roll forming apparatus as the length of the sheet is not restricted by transporting considerations.

When cladding a roof with a plurality of roll formed sheets, the sheets are typically lifted up to the roof level one at a time and slid across the roof support structure. In some instances, this may involve forming a stack of sheets on top of the roof prior to arranging and fixing them in position to form the roof cladding.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a sheet guide device for guiding one or more sheets moving over a surface, the device comprising; 60063 3 Qa base arranged to be mounted to a leading edge margin of the one or more sheets so as to be able to move with those sheets, and surface engaging means to guide the base across the surface whilst the device is moving with the sheets.

The sheet guide device has particular application 00 for the installation of sheet cladding on a building site.

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C For example in the installation of roof cladding where the c- sheets need to be slid across the roof support structure, the structure may incorporate many fixtures which the leading edge of the sheet the edge of the sheet facing the direction in which it is being slid) may catch, including the roof safety mesh. This makes the task of sliding the sheets into position quite difficult. Also there is the potential to damage the sheets and/or the roof support structure. The use of the sheet guide device over the leading edge margin of one sheet (or a stack of sheets) facilitates this task of positioning the sheets whilst reducing the likelihood of damage.

The surface engaging means of the device may take many forms, for example wheels, tracks, rails or other arrangements that facilitate the passage of the device over a surface, particularly one that is uneven. In a particular embodiment, the base incorporates an upper surface which is arranged to support the edge margin and a lower surface that is profiled to form the surface engaging means. In a particular form, the lower surface has a leading end that is turned upwardly to facilitate movement over the uneven surface and in particular resist the catching of the device on fixtures such as roof safety mesh. In this way the base of the device resembles a sled.

In a particular form, the device further comprises a retaining arrangement to maintain the connection between the base and the one or more sheets whilst the sheet(s) are moving.

In a particular form, the base at least partially underlies the sheet(s) and the retaining arrangement 60063 4 includes an abutment surface that is engagable with the leading edge of the one or more sheets. In this way, the leading edge can bear against the abutment surface, thereby transferring drive to the device and keeping the base and the sheet(s) moving together.

In one form, the abutment surface forms part of a 00 OO compartment which is shaped to receive a leading edge of OC C the sheet(s). The compartment is open in a rearward q direction so that the sheet(s) project rearwardly from the N 10 device.

In one form, the retaining arrangement incorporates a clamp operative to clamp the sheet(s) to the base to inhibit relative movement therebetween. In one form the clamp is associated with the compartment described above. In a particular form of that arrangement, the clamp is connected to the compartment and has a clamp arm that is movable into engagement with the sheets located in the compartment. In one form the clamp arm incorporates an external thread that cooperates with a complementary internal thread that is formed in or connected to the compartment.

In one form the base is formed from sheet material which in a particular embodiment is sheet steel.

In another form, the base is formed from other suitable material may be used, such as for example a hard rigid plastic.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is a provided a method of transporting a one or more metal sheet across a surface, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a sheet guide device according to any form described above to the leading edge of the one or more sheets; and moving the sheet(s) having the sheet guide device connected thereto across the surface, wherein the sheet guide device is operative to protect the leading edge margin of the one or more sheets from catching on the 60063 5 Q) surface.

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Brief Description of the Drawings f An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 00 00 Fig. 1 rear perspective view of a sheet guide C1 device for guiding the movement of a sheet across a C surface according to preferred embodiments of the present

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O 0 invention; SFig. 2 front perspective view of the sheet guide device of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the sheet guide device of Fig. 1 disposed on the leading edge of a stack of panels.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a sheet guide device for guiding the movement of a sheet across a surface is shown. The sheet guide device 10 is particularly for guiding roll formed sheets 100(see Fig. 3) across a roof structure, but may be used to guide any type of sheet across any type of surface which has portions upon which the leading edge of the sheet may catch.

The device 10 comprises a base 12 which in the illustrated form is formed of sheet steel that incorporates a corrosion resistant metal coating. However it is to be appreciated that the device may be made of other material, such as plastic, using any suitable technique. The base has an upper surfaces 14 on which a leading edge margin (102 of Fig.3) of the one or more sheets 100 is arranged to be disposed and a lower surface 16 which forms surface engaging means to guide the base across the surface. The device is shaped akin to a sled with a leading portion 18 of the base being upturned so that the lower surface is better able to traverse an uneven surface without the device catching on the surface.

60063 6 QIn use, the device is arranged to be mounted to the edge region 102 of the cladding sheets in a manner where it remains affixed to the sheets whilst they are moved across this surface. To form this connection, the device further comprises a retaining arrangement 20 which is disposed on the upper surface 14 of the base.

00 In the particular form as illustrated the

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C retaining arrangement 20 includes an abutment surface 22 A that is engagable with the leading edge of the one or more S 10 sheets. In this way, the leading edge can bear against the Sabutment surface, thereby transferring drive to the device and keeping the base and the sheet(s) moving together.

The abutment surface 22 forms part of a compartment 24 which is shaped to receive the leading edge 102 of the sheet(s). The compartment 24 is open in a rearward direction so that the sheet(s) 100 project rearward from the device.

In addition, the retaining arrangement incorporates a clamp 26 arranged to clamp the sheet(s) 100 to the base to more securely locate the sheet relative to the base. In the illustrated form, the clamp 26 has a clamp arm 28 that is movable into engagement with the sheets located in the compartment. The clamp arm 28 is mounted to, and extends through, an upper wall 30 of the compartment and incorporates an external thread 32 that cooperates with a complementary internal thread 34 that is formed in a flange 36 that defines the aperture through which the clamp arm extends.

Turning to Fig. 3, the device 10 is shown in position on the leading end 102 of a stack of cladding panels. The leading end 102 is located in the compartment 24 so that the base 12 underlies the stack. The device is held firmly in position by the clamp arm 28 bearing on the upper surface 104 of the sheet stack 100. Furthermore the leading end 102 bears against the compartment end wall 38 that forms the abutment surface 14.

In use, the cladding panels 100 are moved across 60063 7

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O a surface (such as a roof support structure) in manner where the sheet guide device 10 secured to the panel ends 102 remains in contact with the surface. In view of the Sprofile of the under surface 16 of the base 10 with the upturned portion 18, the device is able to traverse the surface without catching on discontinuities on the surface 00 of roof structures such as when roof safety mesh is 00 C installed.

C-i In the claims which follow and in the preceding

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description of the invention, except where the context Srequires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, ie. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

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Claims

3. A sheet guide device according to claim 2, wherein the lower surface has a leading end that is turned upwardly to facilitate movement over the surface.
4. A sheet guide device according to claim 3, wherein the device further comprises a retaining arrangement to maintain the connection between the base and the one or more sheets whilst the sheet(s) are moving.
5. A sheet guide device according to claim 4, wherein the base at least partially underlies the sheet(s) and the retaining arrangement includes an abutment surface that is engagable with the leading edge of the one or more sheets.
6. A sheet guide device as claimed in claim wherein the abutment surface forms part of a compartment which is shaped to receive a leading edge of the sheet(s), the compartment being open in a rearward direction so that the sheet(s) project rearward from the device.
7. A sheet guide device according to any one of the claims 4 to 6, wherein the retaining arrangement incorporates a clamp operative to clamp the sheet(s) to the base to inhibit relative movement therebetween.
8. A sheet guide device according to any preceding claim, wherein the base is formed from sheet material.
9. A sheet guide device according to claim 8, 60063 9 wherein the base is formed from sheet metal. A method of transporting one or more metal sheets across a surface, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a sheet guide device according to any preceding claim to the leading edge of the one or more sheets; and moving the sheet(s) having the sheet guide device connected thereto across the surface, wherein the sheet guide device is operative to protect the leading edge margin of the one or more sheets from catching on the surface.
11. A sheet guide device as substantially described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 5 th day of JULY 2006 BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED By its Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK 60063 h s\-