AU2008203798B2

AU2008203798B2 - Scaffold Stair Bracing System

Info

Publication number: AU2008203798B2
Application number: AU2008203798A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Lida Song
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-08-11
Filing date: 2008-08-11
Publication date: 2011-10-27
Anticipated expiration: 2028-08-11
Also published as: AU2008203798A1

Abstract

-14 A scaffold stair section bracing system; said system providing for braced support proximate a mid point of at 5 least a single said stair section; said system including an angled bracing element between said proximate mid point and adjacent scaffolding elements; a first end of said angled brace connected to a midpoint of a transverse element affixed between stringers of said stair section 10 proximate said midpoint; a second end of said angled brace connected to a vertical element of said adjacent scaffolding elements.

Description

Editorial Note for case 2008203798 There are two page l's.

P/00/009 Regulation 3.10 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Invention Title: SCAFFOLD STAIR BRACING SYSTEM The invention is described in the following statement, including the best method of performing it known to us: Our Ref: 082034 - 1 SCAFFOLD STAIR BRACING SYSTEM The present invention relates to scaffolding and, more particularly, to stair systems for reaching different 5 levels of a multi-levelled scaffold structure. BACKGROUND Preassembled stair sections supported between scaffold transoms at succeeding levels of a multi-levelled scaffold 10 structure are known. Generally, in the case of scaffolding for building construction, the scaffolding is arranged to provide walkways at each floor level of the building so that stair sections providing access from one level to the next and which conform to standards of riser and tread 15 length, must be of a certain length. In many jurisdictions, standards apply to the load carrying capacity of a stair section. For example, Australian Standard AS1657-1992 requires that the combined dead and live evenly distributed load capacity be not less 20 than 2.5MPa. The erection of scaffolding and the placement of stair sections is largely a manual operation and, since these structural and weight requirements demand a stair construction which is relatively heavy, time consuming and 25 difficult to manipulate, place considerable strain and safety concerns on scaffolding personnel.

-2 In at least some scaffolding structures, there is a requirement for wider stair access than afforded by a single standard stair section. Placing two or more stair sections aide by side is a solution but less than satisfactory since the 5 stability of the two sections behaving as one unit is not assured, It is an object of the present invention to address or at least ameliorate some of the above disadvantages, Notes 10 1. The term "comprising" (and grammatical variations thereof) is used in this specification in the inclusive sense of "having" or "including", and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of". 2. The above discussion of the prior art in the 15 Background of the invention, is not an admission that any information discussed therein is citable prior art or part of the common general knowledge of persons skilled in the art in any country. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 20 Accordingly, in a first broad form of the invention, there is provided a scaffold stair section bracing system; said system providing for braced support proximate a mid point of at least a single said stair section; said system including an angled bracing element between said proximate mid point and adjacent 25 scaffolding elements; a first end of said angled brace conected to a midpoint of a transverse element affixed between stringers -3 of said stair section proximate said midpoint; a second end of said angled brace connected to a vertical element of said adjacent scaffolding elements. Preferably, a said stair section includes a pair of 5 rectangular hollow section (RHS) steel stringers with RHS steel cross members linking lower ends and upper ends of said stringers respectively; said stair section further including aluminium risers and treads. Preferably, said cross members of a said stair section are 10 supported by transom elements at each upper end and lower end of said stair section; said transom elements supported between vertical standard elements of a scaffolding assembly. Preferably, said transverse element comprises a tubular spanning element welded between inward facing side surfaces of 15 said RHS steel stringers. Preferably, said angled bracing element extends from proximate a midpoint of said tubular spanning element to a vertical scaffold standard element supporting said transom element at said upper end of said stair section. 20 Preferably, said angled bracing element is connected by a swivel scaffold coupler at a first end to said tubular spanning element and connected by a swivel scaffold coupler at a second end to a said vertical scaffold standard element. Preferably, each said stair section is provided with a pair of 25 steel rings; each of said pair of steel rings welded to one of said RHS steel stringers respectively; said rings located proximate mid points of said stringers and adjacent a riser; said rings having an internal diameter accepting as a sliding fit a tubular steel scaffold element. Preferably, two or more said stair sections are located side 5 by side to form a wider stair access; said two or more stair sections locked together by a tubular steel scaffold element passing through respective steel rings of said stair sections; outer ends of said tubular steel scaffold element extending beyond outward facing surfaces of each outermost RHS steel 10 stringer of said stair sections; a right-angle scaffolding coupler clamped to said outer ends and abutting said outward facing surfaces. In another broad form of the invention, there is provided a method of bracing a scaffold stair section; said method 15 including the steps of: (a) welding a tubular spanning element between rectangular hollow section (RHS) steel stringers of said stair section, (b) attaching an angled bracing element between said tubular 20 spanning element and a vertical standard scaffold element supporting an upper end of said stair element, Preferably, said angled bracing element comprises a tubular steel scaffold element; said angled bracing element connected at a first end by a swivel scaffold coupler to said tubular 25 spanning element, and connected at a second end to said vertical scaffold element, Another broad form of the invention provides a method of increasing stair access width in a scaffolding structure; said method including the steps of: (a) welding a steel ring to each rectangular hollow section 5 (RHS) steel stringer of a said stair section, (b) placing two or more said stair sections side by side supported by scaffold transom elements at respective upper and lower ends of said stair elements, (c) passing a tubular steel scaffold element through said 10 steel rings; opposing outer ends of said tubular steel scaffold element projecting past the outermost stringers of said two or more stair sections, (d) clamping a scaffold coupler to each outer end of said tubular steel scaffold element; each said scaffold 15 coupler abutting a respective outward facing surface of said outermost stringers, (e) attaching a first end of an angled brace to a transverse element affixed between adjacent stringers of each of said stair sections; a second end of said angled brace of 20 each said stair section attached to a respective vertical scaffolding element. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Embodiments of the present invention will now be described 25 with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stair section for use in the scaffold stair bracing system according to the invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the stair section of 5 Figure 1 with the bracing system in place, Figure 3 is a front elevation view of two of the stair sections of Figures 1 and 2 locked into a side by side abutting position, Figure 4 is a perspective view of the two side by side 10 stair sections of Figure 3 when viewed from behind. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The scaffold stair bracing system of the present invention includes a brace located proximate a mid point of 15 a stair section. The bracing system may be applied to a single stair section or to two or more stair sections placed side by side to provide access between levels of a scaffolding structure. Figure 1 shows a single stair section 10 according to 20 the present invention, comprised of a pair of rectangular hollow section (RHS) spaced apart steel stringers 12 and 14 linked at their respective lower and upper ends by RHS steel cross members 16 and 18 respectively. Steps 20, fabricated of aluminium checker plate, are attached to 25 angle sections 22 welded between the RHS steel stringers 12 and 14.

With reference now to Eigure 2, stair sections 10 are supported at their lower and upper ends by horizontal steel transoms 24 and 26, which in turn are supported between vertical scaffold standard elements 28. 5 A section of a tubular steel scaffold element is welded between inward facing side surfaces 32 and 34 of the RHS steel stringers 12 and 14, to form a horizontal tubular spanning element 30 at the approximate midpoints of the stringers. An angled bracing element 36 extends from 10 proximate a midpoint of the tubular spanning element 30 to one of the vertical scaffold standard elements 28 supporting the transom element 26 at the upper end of the stair section 10. The angled bracing element 36 is connected by a swivel scaffold coupler 38 at a first end to 15 the tubular spanning element 30, and is connected by another swivel scaffold coupler 40 at a second end to the vertical scaffold standard element 28. Turning now to Figure 3, a pair of stair sections 10A and 10B have been placed side by side, supported on double 20 length transoms (only the lower one 42, is visible in Figure 3) supported between vertical scaffold standard elements 28. As can best be seen in Figures 1 and 2, each stair section 10 of the present invention, is provided with a pair of steel rings 44, one of each pair welded to one of 25 the RHS steel stringers 12 and 14 and located near the - 8 midpoints of the stringers and adjacent a riser of a step 20. To lock two (as shown in Figures 3 and 4) or more stair sections together to form a wider stair access, a 5 tubular steel scaffold element 46 is passed through the respective steel rings 44 of the abutting stair sections 10. The length of the tubular steel scaffold element is sufficient for outer ends 48 and 50 of the scaffold element 46 to extend beyond the outward facing surfaces 52 and 54 10 of each outermost RHS steel stringers 12 and 14 of the stair sections 10A and 10B. Right-angle scaffold couplers 56 and 58 are clamped to the outer ends 48 and 50 respectively, so that the clamps abut the outward facing surfaces 52 and 54, thereby locking 15 the side by side stair elements 10A and 10B together. In Use The bracing system of the present invention allows for the use of more lightly constructed and more easily handled 20 stair sections. Typically, the stringers of prior art scaffold stair sections are comprised of 100 X 50 X 3mm RHS, whereas the bracing arrangement of the invention meets equivalent loading standards using only 75 X 25 X 3mm RHS. This constitutes a very considerable weight saving of the 25 order of 40% or more. Since stair sections are usually carried and placed manually, such a weight saving provides - 9 important health and safety benefits as well as economies in materials. . Furthermore, the bracing arrangement of the present invention secures stair sections to the scaffolding, 5 preventing movement or dislodgement due to use or high wind loading. The arrangement whereby two or more stair sections can be coupled together and braced allows safer wider access to the levels of a scaffolding structure, where required at a 10 building under construction or for temporary platforms and spectator stands at sporting and other events for example. The above describes only some embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those 15 skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A scaffold stair section bracing system; said system providing for braced support proximate a mid point of at least a single said stair section; said system including 5 an angled bracing element between said proximate mid point and adjacent scaffolding elements; a first end of said angled brace connected to a midpoint of a transverse element affixed between stringers of said stair section proximate said midpoint; a second end of said angled 10 brace connected to a vertical element of said adjacent scaffolding elements,

2. The system of claim 1 wherein a said stair section includes a pair of rectangular hollow section (RHS) steel stringers with RHS steel cross members linking lower ends 15 and upper ends of said stringers respectively; said stair section further including aluminium risers and treads.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said cross members of a said stair section are supported by transom elements at each upper end and lower end of said stair section; said 20 transom elements supported between vertical standard elements of a scaffolding assembly.

4. The system of claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said transverse element comprises a tubular spanning element welded between inward facing side surfaces of said RHS steel 25 stringers. -11

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said angled bracing element extends from proximate a midpoint of said tubular spanning element to a vertical scaffold standard element supporting said transom element at said upper end of said 5 stair section.

6. The system of claim 4 or claim 5 wherein said angled bracing element is connected by a swivel scaffold coupler at a first end to said tubular spanning element and connected by a swivel scaffold coupler at a second end to 10 a said vertical scaffold standard element.

7. The system of any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein each said stair section is provided with a pair of steel rings; each of said pair of steel rings welded to one of said RHS steel stringers respectively; said rings located 15 proximate mid points of said stringers and adjacent a riser; said rings having an internal diameter accepting as a sliding fit a tubular steel scaffold element.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein two or more said stair sections are located side by side to form a wider stair 20 access; said two or more stair sections locked together by a tubular steel scaffold element passing through respective steel rings of said stair sections; outer ends of said tubular steel scaffold element extending beyond outward facing surfaces of each outermost RHS steel 25 stringer of said stair sections; a right-angle -12 scaffolding coupler clamped to said outer ends and abutting said outward facing surfaces.

9. A method of bracing a scaffold stair section; said method including the steps of: 5 (a) welding a tubular spanning element between rectangular hollow section (RHS) steel stringers of said stair section, (b) attaching an angled bracing element between said tubular spanning element and a vertical standard 10 scaffold element supporting an upper end of said stair element.

10, The method of claim 9 wherein said angled bracing element comprises a tubular steel scaffold element; said angled bracing element connected at a first end by a 15 swivel scaffold coupler to said tubular spanning element, and connected at a second end to said vertical scaffold element.

11. A method of providing an increased stair access width in a scaffolding structure; said method including the steps 20 of; (a) welding a steel ring to each rectangular hollow section (RHS) steel stringer of a said stair section, (b) placing two or more said stair sections side by side 25 supported by scaffold transom elements at respective upper and lower ends of said stair elements, - 13 (c) passing a tubular steel scaffold element through said steel rings; opposing outer ends of said tubular steel scaffold element projecting past the outermost stringers of said two or more stair 5 sections, (d) clamping a scaffold coupler to each outer end of said tubular steel scaffold element; each said scaffold coupler abutting a respective outward facing surface of said outermost stringers, 10 (e) attaching a first end of an angled brace to a transverse element affixed between adjacent stringers of each of said stair sections; a second end of said angled brace of each said stair section attached to a respective vertical scaffolding 15 element.