AU2019232888B2

AU2019232888B2 - A void platform and a method for providing a platform support across a building void

Info

Publication number: AU2019232888B2
Application number: AU2019232888A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kevin JURY
Original assignee: Voideck Ipco Ltd
Current assignee: Voideck Ipco Ltd
Priority date: 2016-12-19
Filing date: 2019-09-19
Publication date: 2021-11-11
Anticipated expiration: 2037-04-12
Also published as: AU2017202444A1; AU2017202444B2; NZ731013A; US20180171649A1; AU2019232888A1

Abstract

: A support strut is disclosed for supporting a void platform in a void of a building 5 that includes at least one wall frame comprising frame studs and frame plates and a bottom frame plate mounted on a floor of the building. The support strut includes an elongate support member for extending across the void which is made up of two elongate sections and a connector intermediate the elongate sections operatively coupling the two elongate sections. It also includes brackets 10 mounted on the first and the second ends. The elongate sections have open ends and the connector is sized and configured to be received within the open ends. The connector may have a radial outward projecting stop formation for limiting travel of the connector into the ends of the elongate sections. The length of the elongate sections is selected to match the width of the void so that the 15 elongate member extends from one side of the void across to the other. This enables the strut to be adapted to voids of different dimensions. FIGURE 3 for publication 2/15 NN rNN I- C)t N 0 CD

Description

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A VOID PLATFORM AND A METHOD FOR PROVIDING A PLATFORM SUPPORT ACROSS A BUILDING VOID FIELD

This disclosure relates to a void platform for providing a work platform extending across a void in a building. It also extends to a method of providing a void platform extending across a void in a building.

This disclosure relates particularly but not exclusively to a void platform for providing a temporary work platform across a void for a staircase, a lift shaft or an atrium of a building under construction, e.g. a high set detached house. The disclosure also relates particularly to a method of providing a void platform that extends across a void in a building during a construction process. It will therefore be convenient to hereinafter describe the disclosure with reference to this example application. However, at the same time, it must be recognized that the disclosure is capable of broader application. For example, the teaching in the disclosure could also be used in applications other than buildings under construction.

DEFINITIONS

In the specification the term "comprising "shall be understood to have a broad meaning similar to the term "including" and will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. This definition also applies to variations on the term "comprising" such as "comprise" and "comprises".

In the specification, the term "floor mounting bracket" is to be interpreted broadly and shall be understood to mean a bracket that can be mounted on the floor and also be mounted on other components. For example, the bracket can also be mounted on a plate of a wall frame.

In the specification, the term "tube" is to be very broadly interpreted and is not limited to hollow members. For example, it includes within its scope members that are solid and not hollow. It also includes members that are not circular in cross sectional shape.

In the specification, the term "swivel" shall be interpreted broadly and shall include within its scope a pivoting action where a member undergoes an angular movement in a plane relative to a stationary member.

BACKGROUND

A void in a building is a space which occupies more than one level of the building. Voids are created in buildings to accommodate stairwells, atriums and elevators. Very often a void has a substantial vertical height and safety measures are required to resist construction workers from falling into the void and suffering harm. In fact, there are strict workplace health and safety measures in place to make voids safe for workers during building construction.

Some safety systems that are used in voids are scaffolds, hand rails and the like. However, these systems have their shortcomings and do not prevent a tradesman or builder from falling into the void. Further, hand rails around a void do not provide workers with easy access to the walls and ceiling above the void which is a significant limitation because often work has to be done in these areas. For example, plasterboard is often applied to the full height of wall surfaces in the void. Further, once plasterboard is applied to the full height of wall it needs to be plastered and painted. Yet further, services, e.g. electrical and mechanical services, need to be installed on walls and ceilings around the void.

One approach to these challenges has been to provide a temporary void platform extending across the void. This provides a temporary floor support broadly at the same level as an upper level floor that extends across the void which prevents workers from falling through the void. The void platform also provides a working deck to provide workers with access to the walls and ceilings adjacent the void, e.g. to apply plasterboard, paint walls and provide electrical and mechanical services. The additional benefit of providing a useful work platform is the preferred solution by tradesmen and construction workers and this has led to a large uptake of void platforms by builders.

The reference to prior art in the background above is not and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that the referenced prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or in any other country.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

Voids in modern buildings come in different sizes and shapes and Applicant has recognized that it would be beneficial to provide void platforms that can be adapted to different sizes of voids and also different shapes of voids.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a void platform for providing a working deck for construction workers across a void of a building which has a support adjacent the void, the void platform including: a first and second support strut extending across the void of the building, each support strut including: first and second elongate sections and a connector intermediate the elongate sections operatively coupling the first and second elongate sections to each other, wherein the length of each of the first and second elongate sections is selected to match the distance to be spanned across the void; and a first mounting bracket mounted on a free end of the first elongate section remote from the connector, and a second mounting bracket mounted on a free end of the second elongate section remote from the connector, wherein the axial position of each of the first and second mounting brackets on the respective elongate members is adjustable; and at least one decking panel mounted on the first and second support struts forming the working deck for construction workers, wherein each decking panel has a first end and an opposed second end having strut engaging formations thereon which are configured to engage the first and second support struts with retention while also permitting the decking panel to be lifted off the support struts.

Each of the first and second elongate sections may be tubular and have open ends, and the connector may be sized and configured to be received within an open end of the first and second elongate sections.

The connector may include a radial outward projecting stop formation for limiting travel of the connector into the open ends of the tubular elongate sections.

Each of the first and second mounting brackets may include a support formation which is received within an open end of its associated first or second elongate section to operatively connect the mounting bracket to the elongate section.

Each of the first and second elongate sections may include a locking element for locking the mounting bracket on the support member, and the extent to which the support formation is received within the open end of the elongate support member can be selected to provide the desired overall length.

The locking element may lock the support formation received therein in a selected position on the support member. The distance or extent to which each support member is received within the open end of the elongate support member may be selected to match or fit the distance across the void.

Each mounting bracket may further include an angle section projecting from the support formation for mounting on the support adjacent the void. The angle section may include at least one fastening aperture formed therein, through which a fastening element can be passed for fixing the mounting bracket to the support.

The at least one support strut may comprise first and second support struts extending parallel to each other and spaced from each other, and said at least one decking panel may extend between the first and second support struts.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method of building a void platform for construction workers across a void in a building having a support adjacent to the void, the method including: forming first and second elongate support struts by: selecting first and second elongate sections that match the length to be spanned across the void when arranged end to end, providing a connector including first and second coupling formations, mounting the first elongate section on the first coupling formation of the connector and mounting the second elongate section on the second coupling formation, mounting a first mounting bracket on a free end of the first elongate section that is remote from the connector, and mounting a second mounting bracket on a free end of the second elongate section that is remote from the connector, and adjusting the axial position of the first and/or second mounting brackets on the first and second elongate sections respectively to match the distance required for the elongate support strut and locking them in position, and mounting the first and second elongate support struts on the support extending across the void; and mounting at least one decking panel on the first and second elongate support struts, wherein each decking panel has a first end and an opposed second end having strut engaging formations thereon which are configured to engage the first and second support struts respectively with retention while also permitting the decking panel to be lifted off the support struts.

The first and second elongate sections may be tubular and have open ends, and mounting the first and second elongate sections on the first coupling formation of the connector may include receiving the connector within the open end of each elongate section.

According to another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a support strut for supporting a void platform in a void of a building, the support strut including: an elongate support member for extending across the void, wherein the elongate support member comprises two elongate sections and a connector intermediate the elongate sections operatively coupling the two elongate sections to each other; and one mounting bracket mounted on a first end of the elongate support member, and a further mounting bracket mounted on a second end of the elongate support member.

The two elongate sections may be arranged end to end in a line in a linear fashion with the connector sandwiched between them. The length of the elongate sections may be selected to match the width of the void being spanned so that the elongate support member extends from one side of the void across to the other, e.g. it has a length that is selected to span the void or to span the distance between two supports.

The two elongate sections thereby provide a sufficient length, e.g. to span the distance between opposing sides of a void such as a staircase void.

Each elongate section of the support member may be tubular and have open ends, and the connector may be sized and configured to be received within an open end of each elongate section.

The connector may comprise a radial outward projecting stop formation for limiting travel of the connector into the open ends of the tubular elongate sections.

Each mounting bracket may include a support formation that is received within an open end of an elongate section of the elongate support member.

Further, the elongate support member may include a locking element towards each end thereof for locking the support formation received therein in a selected position on the support member. The distance which each support member is received within the open end of the elongate support member may be selected to match or fit the distance across the void.

Each mounting bracket may include an angle section for mounting on the building around the void, and the angle section may include at least one fastening aperture formed therein through which a fastening element can be passed for fixing the floor mounting bracket to the building around the void.

According to another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a connector for connecting two open ended tubular sections to each other to form an elongate support member or a support strut for a void platform, the connector comprising: a connection member having two opposed ends, each end being configured to be received within an open end of a tubular elongate section of a said elongate support member; and a radial outward projecting stop formation formed on the connection member intermediate the ends thereof, for limiting travel of each end of the connection member into the open end of a tubular section.

The outward projecting stop formation may be a ring mounted on the exterior of the tube section that is configured to interfere with the elongate tubular section. The radial outward projecting stop formation may be positioned substantially midway along the length of the connection member.

According to another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a support strut for supporting a void platform in a void of a building, the support strut including: an elongate support member having two ends for extending across at least part of the void; a transverse strut mounting bracket mounted on the support member, the transverse strut mounting bracket comprising a support formation mounted on one end of the support member and a saddle formation extending away from the support formation for removably mounting over an elongate support member of a further support strut extending transverse to said one support strut.

The saddle formation may be configured to complement the elongate support member over which it is mounted and to fit over and around the elongate support member to engage the elongate support member.

The support formation may comprise a tubular section projecting away from the saddle formation, that is received within an end of the elongate support member.

According to another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a support strut for supporting a void platform in a void of a building, the support strut including: an elongate support member having a first end and a second opposed end; and a transverse strut mounting bracket engaged with the first end and a further bracket engaged with the opposed second end of the support member, the transverse strut mounting bracket includes a support formation for engaging one end of the support member and a saddle formation extending away from the tube that can be removably mounted over an elongate support member of another support strut extending transverse to said one strut.

The saddle formation may be configured to complement the elongate support member over which it is mounted, e.g. to fit over and around the support member with a small clearance so as to securely retain the support member therein. Optionally the saddle formation may have a U-shaped configuration. Instead, the saddle formation may have a plurality of facets or straight edges much like half a hexagon or half an octagon.

The further bracket may be a floor mounting bracket, a masonry mounting bracket or a deck joiner bracket. The floor mounting bracket, masonry mounting bracket or a deck joiner bracket may include any one or more of the features of these brackets defined in the other aspects of the disclosure. Conceivably the further bracket mounted over the opposed end of the support member may be a further transverse strut mounting bracket but this is less typical.

According to yet another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a transverse strut mounting bracket including, a support formation for engaging an end of an elongate support member, and a saddle formation extending away from the support formation that can be removably mounted over an elongate support member of an adjacent support strut extending transverse to the support strut associated with the transverse strut mounting bracket, whereby to vertically support the support strut. This enables the support member to be supported by a transverse extending elongate support member instead of the adjacent floor support around a void. This assists an installer to design a void platform to fit a particular void configuration.

The transverse strut mounting bracket may include any one or more of the features of the transverse strut mounting bracket defined in a preceding aspect of the disclosure.

According to another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a transverse strut mounting bracket comprising: a support formation mounted on the end of the support member; and a saddle formation extending away from the support formation for removable mounting over an elongate support member of a further support strut.

Once again, the transverse strut mounting bracket may include any one or more of the features of the transverse strut mounting bracket defined in a preceding aspect of the disclosure.

According to another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a void platform for providing a working deck across a void in a building adjacent to a floor, the void platform including: two spaced first support struts mounted directly or indirectly on the floor around the void, wherein at least one support strut includes, an elongate support member having opposed first and second ends; and a transverse strut mounting bracket comprising a support formation mounted on one end of the elongate support member, and a saddle formation extending away from the support formation that can be removably mounted over an elongate support member of a second support strut extending transverse thereto.

Each first support strut may include a transverse strut mounting bracket mounted on one end of the elongate support member. The transverse strut mounting brackets may be mounted on the associated ends of the two spaced support struts.

The two spaced support struts may include a floor mounting bracket mounted on the other end of the elongate support member thereof.

The void platform may further include at least two spaced second support struts mounted directly or indirectly on the floor around the void, extending transversely to the first support struts may be mounted over the second support struts.

Each of the spaced second support struts may include a floor mounting bracket on at least one of the first end and the opposed second end of the elongate support member. In some applications the spaced second support struts may have floor mounting brackets on both the first and second ends of the elongate support member.

According to yet another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a support strut for supporting a void platform in a void of a building, the support strut including: at least one elongate support member having a first open end and an opposed second open end; one floor mounting bracket mounted on the first end, and a further floor mounting bracket mounted on the second end, each floor mounting bracket including an angle section and a support formation, each angle section including a wall plate from which the support formation projects, and a flange extending transversely away from one end of the wall plate; wherein the support formation of each floor mounting bracket is received within the associated end of the elongate support member, and the flange of the floor mounting bracket can be positioned above the wall plate for extending across an upper surface of a bottom plate of a frame, or the flange of the floor mounting bracket can be inverted so it is positioned below the wall plate for extending across a floor.

One or more of the support formations may be in the form of pipe or tube sections. Optionally the pipe or tube sections may be cylindrical having a circular cross section with a central axis. Further, optionally the tubes may be hollow to save weight.

The central axis of the tube on the wall plate may be positioned halfway up a combined height of the wall plate and the thickness of the flange so that when the floor mounting bracket is inverted and mounted directly on the floor support, the tubes of the two brackets will be positioned at substantially the same vertical height. This causes the elongate support member extending between the two brackets, and thereby the support strut, to be substantially horizontally extending, without any intervention by the installer.

The support formation on each floor support bracket may have a length of 100mm-300mm, and the extent to which the tubes on the floor mounting brackets ends of the elongate support member are received within the ends of the elongate support member is selected to match the width of the void, e.g. so that the support strut spans the void. That is the support formation may be axially displaced into the open end of the support member to an extent appropriate to span the void being covered.

The support strut may include a locking element towards each end thereof for locking the support formation of each floor mounting bracket in a selected position on the support member.

The locking element may include a screw threaded bore formed in the elongate support member and a screw threaded element which is screwed through the screw threaded bore to frictionally engage the support formation received in the end of the support member and lock it, e.g. a terminal end of the threaded element engages the support formation of the floor mounting bracket and frictionally locks it in position.

The elongate support member may comprise two elongate sections arranged end to end, and a connector operatively coupling the two elongate sections to each other, to increase the length of the elongate support member, e.g. to span a building void of greater distance than standard elongate support members.

The connector may have an external configuration that is sized and configured to be received in the open end of the elongate section of the elongate support member with some clearance.

The connector may further include a radial outward projecting stop formation for limiting travel of the connector within the end of the elongate support member.

According to another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a void platform for providing a temporary working deck across a void during building construction, the void platform including at least support strut as defined in any of the preceding aspects of the disclosure, and at least one decking panel mounted on the support strut forming a working deck for construction workers.

Each decking panel may have a first end and an opposed second end, and may further include strut engaging formations at each of the first and second ends for engaging the spaced support struts to support the decking panel. In particular the strut engaging formations may be configured to engage, e.g. with retention, the elongate members on the support struts while also permitting the decking panels to be released from the support struts by lifting.

Each end of the support strut may have a floor mounting bracket thereon and the floor mounting brackets may be mounted on a bottom plate of a wall frame on the floor support adjacent to the void and/or directly on the adjacent floor support.

The support struts may include any of the features of the support struts in the preceding aspects of the disclosure. In particular, the mounting brackets on the support struts may include any of the features of the mounting brackets defined in the preceding aspects of the disclosure. Further, the decking panels may include any of the features of the decking panels in the preceding aspects of the disclosures.

The void platform may further include a hatch formed in a decking panel.

According to yet another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a system for providing a void platform across a void in a building, the system including: at least one floor mounting bracket; at least one elongate support member for being operatively coupled to a bracket at each end thereof; and at least one decking panel for mounting on the support member to form a deck.

The system may include at least one transverse strut mounting bracket, and a masonry wall mounting bracket and the brackets may include any one or more of the features described above in the preceding aspect of the disclosure.

Yet further the system may include at least one connector for operatively coupling two elongate support elements or sections together to form a lengthened elongate support member.

Preferably the system includes a plurality of each of the mounting brackets described above, a plurality of elongate support members, and also a plurality of decking members.

According to yet another aspect of the disclosure there is provided a method of providing a void platform across a void in a building adjacent to a floor support, the method including: selecting two mounting brackets and mounting them on first and second ends of a support member.

The method may include selecting two further mounting brackets, and mounting them on one and opposed ends of a further support member, and then mounting a deck panel on the one and further support members.

The method may include repeating the method steps above to cover a building void.

The step of selecting may include dimensioning the brackets a suitable distance apart from each other so that the support member spans the void and then fixing the brackets in position using a locking arrangement.

The disclosure also extends to a building including a void platform as defined in any of the preceding aspects of the disclosure.

The void platform may include any one or more of the features of the support struts defined in the preceding aspects of the disclosure. In particular, the void platform may include any of the support brackets or support struts described above in the other aspects of the disclosure including the optional features thereof.

The building may include wall and floor structure defining a building void and the void platform may be mounted on the wall and floor structure.

The building may be a high set house and the building void may be a staircase void.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DAWINGS

A support strut, a void platform, and a system for providing a void platform in accordance with this disclosure may manifest itself in a variety of forms. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe several embodiments of the disclosure in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Additionally, a method of constructing a void platform will also be discussed. The purpose of providing this detailed description is to instruct persons having an interest in the subject matter of the disclosure how to carry it into practical effect. However, it is to be clearly understood that the specific nature of this detailed description does not supersede the generality of the preceding broad description. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic illustration of a prior art work platform extending across a building void;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a floor mounting bracket and elongate member for a support strut for a void platform in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure;

FIGURE 3 is an upper perspective view of a connector tube having elongate support members mounted on each end thereof to form a support strut of increased length;

FIGURE 4 is an upper perspective view of two support struts mounted in position extending across a void of a building structure;

FIGURE 5 is a schematic front view of a support strut shown in FIGURE 3 showing its horizontal orientation when extending between a plate member and a floor;

FIGURE 6 is an upper perspective view of the support struts of FIGURE 4 with two decking panels mounted thereon extending across a building void;

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of a horizontal swivel bracket that is a variation on the floor or horizontal mounting bracket in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a plan view of a support strut including the horizontal swivel bracket of FIGURE 7 mounted on one end thereof and extending across the void;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of a deck joiner bracket for joining an elongate strut to an adjacent deck panel;

FIGURE 10 is an upper perspective view of a void platform showing the deck joiner brackets of FIGURE 9joining an elongate strut to the adjacent deck panels;

FIGURE 11 is a transverse strut mounting bracket which is used for mounting a deck panel transversely to an adjacent deck panel;

FIGURE 12 is an upper perspective view of a void platform including two support struts having transverse strut mounting brackets at the ends thereof for mounting the struts on a further perpendicularly extending strut instead of on a support surrounding the void;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of an ACCRO mounting bracket;

FIGURE 14 is a perspective view of a masonry mounting bracket;

FIGURE 15 is an upper perspective view of a void platform extending across a void including an ACCRO support prop and also a masonry mounting bracket;

FIGURE 16 is an upper perspective view of a platform assembly in accordance with the disclosure showing different brackets being used to perform different functions;

FIGURE 17 is an upper perspective view of an example platform assembly in accordance with the disclosure being used to cover a void in a building;

FIGURE 18 is an upper perspective view of a hatch panel with a hatch door in a closed position;

FIGURE 19 is an upper perspective view of the hatch panel of FIGURE 18 with the hatch door in an open position opening from the right side;

FIGURE 20 is an upper perspective view of the hatch panel of FIGURE 18 with the hatch door opening from the left side;

FIGURE 21 is a schematic drawing of an inventory of elongate tubular sections of different lengths together with a connector;

FIGURE 22 is a schematic plan view of two voids showing a support strut made up of two elongate tubular sections joined by an intermediate connector; and

FIGURE 23 is a schematic plan view of a void showing a void platform in accordance with an embodiment of this disclosure extending across it.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGURE 1 illustrates a prior art void platform extending across a building void to provide a safe working platform for building workers. This prior art void platform has been discussed in the background section above and will not be discussed further in the detailed description below.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a floor or horizontal mounting bracket 10 and elongate member 22 for a support strut 20 in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure.

The floor or horizontal mounting bracket 10 comprises an angle section 12 and a tube 14 with an open end extending away from the angle section 12. The tube 14 is sized to be received within an elongate support member 22 with a working clearance so that the support member can be displaced within the tube 14.

The angle section 12 in turn comprises a wall plate 16 on which the tube 14 is located and a flange 18 extending transversely away from an end of the wall plate 16. The angle section 12 further has holes or apertures 19 formed therein on each of the wall plate 16 and flange 18 for receiving fasteners therein in use. The fasteners are used to fix the bracket 10 to an external support structure such as a stud timber or a floor as will be described in more detail below.

The floor or horizontal mounting bracket 10 has left and right hand versions to provide flexibility when installing a void platform to adapt it to suit the configuration of the surrounding building structure. If the clearance on a plate frame member 25 is greater on one side of a support strut than another, then the left or right version of the bracket 10 that suits this can be chosen.

The elongate support member 22 has two ends and the floor or horizontal mounting brackets 10 are mounted on each end thereof. The tubes 14 of the brackets 10 are received within the open ends of the support member 22 with a working clearance that permits displacement relative thereto. This enables the overall length of the support strut 20 to be adjusted or adapted by sliding the brackets 10 out until they match the width of the void being covered. The brackets 10 are then fastened on the elongate member 22 in these positions by fastening a locking nut 24 at each end thereof to lock the floor brackets 10 in a fixed position at each end.

FIGURE 3 also illustrates a connector, e.g. a connector tube 30 for connecting the two elongate support members 22 together. In practice this is done to extend the effective length of the support member 22 in a support strut 20 to enable it to span a void that is longer than the length of one support member 22 and the associated floor or horizontal mounting brackets 10 at its ends.

The connector tube 30 comprises a tube section 32 having two open ends that are sized to receive a said elongate support member 22 thereon with some clearance. Each end of the tube section 32 is received within an end of an adjacent support member 22 as shown in the drawings. This connector tube 30 enables the overall or effective length of the support member 22 to be extended and be tailored to the width of the void, by selecting tube sections of appropriate length, while still providing the appropriate vertical load support. The tube section 32 has an external ring 34 mounted thereon that is centrally positioned that acts as a stop formation. This limits the extent to which each support member 22 can be received over the tube section 32.

FIGURE 4 shows two support struts mounted in position extending across a void of a building structure.

The flange 18 of the horizontal mounting bracket 10 on the left is positioned uppermost and extends across an upper surface of a stud timber forming a plate member 25 of a building frame. The other horizontal mounting bracket 10 on the right side is inverted with its flange 18 positioned lowermost extending across a floor 26 adjacent to the void.

The horizontal mounting brackets 10 are configured and dimensioned so that the elongate support member 22 extends horizontally from said one end to the other end when the bracket 10A is mounted on the plate member 25 and the bracket 10B is inverted and mounted on the floor 26. This is effectively achieved by the specific location of the tube 14 on the wall plate 16 of the angle section 12 when the bracket 10 is fabricated. That is a central axis of the tube 14 is positioned midway up the height of the wall plate 16 when the bracket 10 is mounted on the plate member 25. That way when it is inverted the central axis is at the same height. This is very convenient because it ensures that the support strut 20 is horizontally extending without any effort or skill being required of the installer. It follows that if both the support struts 20 are at the same height and are horizontally extending, a deck mounted on the support struts 20 also be horizontally extending. Importantly the horizontal orientation does not rely on the skill of the installer to mount the brackets 10 so that the strut 20 is horizontally extending. It utilizes the standard dimensions of stud timber used for building timber frames for houses to provide a bracket 10 that positions the tube 14 at the same height whether it is upright or whether it is inverted.

FIGURE 5 shows a piece of stud timber forming a plate member 25 mounted on a slab with the floor or horizontal support bracket 10 at one end mounted on the plate 25. The other floor or horizontal bracket 11 is inverted and mounted on the floor 26 on the other side of the void. As shown in the drawings the support strut 20 extends horizontally without any levelling action being required by an installer. This is due to the design and positioning of the tube on the wall plate of the angle section.

FIGURE 21 is a schematic drawing of a supply or inventory of elongate tubular support members or sections 22 that can be combined and connected by means of a connector 30 to form a support strut of a length that matches the distance to be spanned in any particular void. The connector 30 is a standard component with connecting formations 32 that can be received within the open ends of the tubular sections 22 and an intermediate stop formation or ring 34. The installer selects an appropriate length of tubular sections 22 from the inventory to create or provide an elongate member or strut of the appropriate length in a particular application to a void. The two tubular sections 22 that are connected to each other by means of the connector 30 may be of the same length or they may be of a different length.

FIGURE 22 is a schematic plan view of two voids having a support strut extending across the voids.

Each support strut 20 comprises an elongate support member 22 and floor mounting brackets 10 at each end thereof. Fig 22 shows how the inventory of tubular sections forming the members 22 can be selected to span two different voids of different width. The tubular sections 22 used in the strut 20 shown in the first drawing, are significantly shorter than those used in the strut 20 of the second drawing. This feature enhances the versatility of the void platform system by enabling an installer to adapt a limited inventory of tubular members 22 to match a wide range of void shapes and void sizes.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a part of a void platform which is indicated generally by the reference numeral 40 for providing a temporary floor support across a void 42 during construction. The void platform 40 includes two parallel extending support struts 20 as described above and illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The support struts 20 extend parallel to each other across a width of the void 42 and are spaced apart along the length of the void 42. Each strut 20 comprises an elongate support member 22 having horizontal mounting brackets 10 at each end thereof as described above and illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

The void platform 40 further includes a plurality of decking panels 44 mounted on the support struts 20. The decking panels 44 collectively form a deck surface for builders, tradesmen, certifiers, and engineers (hereinafter referred to as building workers) working on the construction. It provides a continuous working surface that extends across the void and prevents building workers from falling through the void. It also provides a useful work platform enabling building workers to reach work surfaces above the platform that they otherwise could not reach without a ladder or scaffold.

Each decking panel 44 has a first end and a second end, and mounting formations 46 on these ends for engaging the support struts 20. The mounting formations 46 are configured to engage the elongate members 22 in retaining fashion on the support struts 20 by having a curved engagement surface which fits over and around the support member 22.

In use, the void platform 40 is used to extend across a void 42 formed in a building and provide a working platform. In a typical application on a high set or double story home the void platform 40 is mounted at the same height as the upper level floor. A hatch door can be used to facilitate access to the void platform from the ground level by means of a ladder or the like.

The mounting brackets 10 are used to mount spaced pairs of support struts 20 on the building structure around the void 42 and then decking panels 44 are mounted on these support struts 20. The struts 20 and deck panels 44 are formed and arranged, so as to substantially cover the space defined by the void 42. Once the void platform 40 is constructed it can be used by building workers to access wall and ceiling surfaces above the platform without risk of falling through the void onto a lower level. Once building work on the void is complete the void platform can be quickly and easily removed. A staircase or elevator can then be installed in the void 42.

FIGURE 7 illustrates a swivel mounting bracket which is indicated generally by reference numeral 50 for a support strut in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure. The mounting bracket 50 has some similarities with the mounting bracket in FIGURE 2 above and accordingly the following description will focus on the difference between this bracket and that in FIGURE 2. Further unless otherwise indicated the same reference numerals will be used to refer to the same components.

The swivel mounting bracket 50 has a swivel mounting formation 52 projecting out from the wall of the angle section 12 and a similar mounting formation 54 which is a tube received in an adjacent end of the support member 22. These formations 52, 54 have aligned apertures through which a swivel pin 56 is passed. This enables the support member 22 to be pivoted or swiveled relative to the angle section 12 in a horizontal plane while still providing vertical load support. The swivel mounting formation 52 does not permit the height of the tube 22 to be altered and only the angle at which the tube 14 extends horizontally away from the edge or side of the void 42 can be adjusted. This bracket 50 enables the angle at which the elongate support member 22 extends away from the side of the void 42 to be selected to suit a given application.

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the swivel mounting bracket 50 in use mounted on a wall plate 25. For example, as shown in FIGURE 8, the corner of the void has a diagonal edge and the swivel bracket 50 is able to accommodate this feature. In the illustrated embodiment, the support member 22 extends at thirty to sixty degrees, e.g. at about forty-five degrees, to the side of the void 42 on which the associated swivel mounting bracket 50 is mounted. The void platform

40 needs to be able to adapt to the architectural features in place on a building and often a void 42 might have a side that extends at an acute angle to its other sides. The swivel mounting bracket 50 enables the attached support member 22 to extend at any angle between about five degrees and ninety degrees to the adjacent side of the void. This bracket 50 therefore confers significant versatility in enabling a void platform 40 to be provided for different configurations of building voids. The mounting bracket (not shown) used at the other end of the support member 22 to the bracket 50 will typically be a conventional horizontal mounting bracket like that shown in FIGURE 2. However, if required by the particular void configuration another or second swivel mounting bracket 50 can also be used.

FIGURE 9 is an upper perspective view of a deckjoiner bracket 60 in accordance with the disclosure.

The deck joiner bracket 60 is used to receive and support a decking panel 44 therein to vertically hold and support the decking panel in position on the void platform 40.

FIGURE 10 is an upper perspective view of a void platform 40 showing two deck panels 44 that are mounted in position on the void platform 40 using the deck joiner bracket 60. In the drawing, a short stub support member 22 has a deck joiner bracket 60 mounted on each end thereof.

FIGURE 11 is an upper perspective view of a transverse strut mounting bracket 70 used for mounting or hooking one support strut 20 onto a transverse extending support strut 21. This ability can be useful when designing a void platform to cover certain shapes of voids in a building. The transverse saddle mounting bracket 70 includes a hollow tube 72 for engaging an end of a support member 22 like the other brackets 10 described above. It also includes a saddle 74 which has a U-shaped configuration for mounting over an adjacent support member 22 of a transverse support strut 21.

FIGURE 12 is an upper perspective view of a void platform 40 showing two pairs of orthogonally extending deck panels 44 mounted in position on the void platform using the transverse saddle mounting bracket 70. This bracket 70 enables an end of a support strut 22 to be supported by a transverse extending support strut 21 instead of an external structure outside the void. The bracket 70 enhances the versatility of the system because it enables a designer arrange groups of deck panels 44 orthogonally to each other to cover the building void.

FIGURE 23 is a schematic plan view of a void of rectangular shape having no brackets 10 should be mounted along one side of a void 42. Builders sometimes request a void platform 40 without mounting brackets 10 along a specific side of the void 42. A first elongate strut 21 extends longitudinally along the left hand side of the void 42 adjacent thereto being mounted on the ends by the floor mounting brackets 10. A second set of support struts 20 are arranged transverse to the first support strut 21 and are mounted on respectively the right side of the void 42 and the first support strut 21.

Each support strut 20 in the second set is mounted on the first support strut 21 by means of a transverse mounting bracket 70 as shown in the drawings. This enables the installer to avoid mounting any brackets 10 on the second wall. This illustrates how the transverse mounting bracket 70 confers additional versatility on the system disclosed in this application.

FIGURE 13 is an upper perspective view of an ACCRO post mounting bracket 80 which is used for providing post support at an intermediate point along the length of a support strut 20. The ACCRO post mounting bracket 80 includes a hollow tube 82 with an open end for receiving an upper end of a vertically extending support member 22. The tube 82 is sized and configured in a similar way to the tubes for the other brackets 10 described above. Further the bracket 80 includes a U-shaped channel 84 mounted on a closed end of the tube 82. The U-shaped channel 84 is sized and configured for receiving a support member 22 of a strut 20 therein to vertically support the member 22 at that point.

FIGURE 14 is an upper perspective view of a masonry wall support bracket 90 which is used for mounting a support strut 20 directly on a vertically extending masonry wall. The masonry wall mounting bracket 90, comprises a flat wall plate 92 and a tube 94 extending perpendicularly away from the flat wall plate 92. The tube 94 is similar to the tubes 22 described above for the other brackets and is configured to be received in an end of a support member therein with a working clearance. The flat wall plate 92 has two openings 19 formed therein through which fasteners, e.g. DYNABOLTS, are passed to fix the bracket to the masonry wall.

FIGURE 15 is an upper perspective view of part of a void platform 40 showing the brackets 80 and 90 in use. A support bracket 84 with an ACCRO prop 80 is used for supporting an elongate support member 22 at an intermediate point along its length. The prop 80 extends up from a floor support, e.g. a concrete slab, on a level below the void platform 40 and a downward opening tube 82 is mounted on an upper end of the ACCRO prop. This arrangement is typically used where the length of the support strut 20 is longer than a certain distance, e.g. where the void platform is rated for 200kg and the support strut spans a length that is greater than 4m. As the structure and functioning of ACCRO props is well known in the building industry it will not be described in further detail in this description.

Further in FIGURE 15 one of the support struts 20 is mounted directly onto a vertically extending masonry surface using a masonry wall mounting bracket 90. The bracket 90 is mounted directly on the wall with the wall plate 92 lying up against the wall surface and fasteners passed through the openings 19 in the wall plate and into the wall.

A masonry swivel mounting bracket (which has not been shown in the drawings) is very similar to the swivel mounting bracket 50 in Figs. 7 and 8 and is used to directly mount the bracket onto a vertically extending masonry wall. This masonry swivel mounting bracket has a vertically extending wall plate (like the mounting bracket shown in FIGURE 14) instead of the wall plate 16 and flange 18 extending transverse to the wall plate 16 of the timber frame mounting bracket described above with reference to FIGURES 7 and 8. This bracket functions in a similar way to that described above apart from the manner in which it is fixed to its external support.

Figs. 18 to 20 illustrate a hatch panel indicated by numeral 100 in accordance with the disclosure. The hatch panel 100 is configured like the other decking panels 44 and has a hatch door 102 mounted on the hatch panel 100 that can be pivoted between open and closed positions to open and close a hatch opening.

The hatch door 102 is removably mounted on the hatch panel by means of a hinge formation 105 on the hatch door 102 and a complementary hinge formation 106A extending along a side of the hatch opening. The hatch panel 100 has a further complementary hinge formation 106B extending along an opposing side of the hatch opening. The removable hatch door can then be mounted on either side of the hatch panel depending on what side is selected to suit any given application.

Further in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURE 19, the hatch door 102 can be mounted in two different positions on each side of the hatch panel 100. One position is closely adjacent to the side of the hatch panel 100. Another position is spaced inward thereof closely adjacent to the hatch opening in the hatch panel 100.

FIGURES 16 and 17 show two example void platforms using many of the features of this disclosure as described above and shown in the preceding drawings. FIGURE 16 is an exploded upper perspective view of part of an example void platform in accordance with the disclosure. This drawing illustrates how the various mounting brackets described above can be used to form a platform extending across a void for workers.

FIGURE 17 is an exploded upper perspective view of a building void having a void platform in accordance with the disclosure mounted thereon. FIGURE 17 illustrates how the various brackets in the system are used to build a void platform that covers across a building void having a complex shape. Significantly the void platform 40 is able to substantially cover the full void using the brackets and deck panels 44 described above and illustrated in the preceding drawings. As shown in the drawing the deck panels 44 form a continuous deck across the void on which tradesmen and construction workers can safely work.

In the illustrated embodiment the void platform includes a hatch for providing access from a lower level up to the working deck. The hatch is formed by a hatch panel 100 forming part of the void platform 40 which has a hatch door 102 that is pivoted up into an open position. As shown, the hatch door 102 can be lifted up to permit a ladder to be passed there through to provide a ladder access up to the working deck. Further the hatch door 102 can be mounted on either side of the hatch panel 100. This feature enables the hatch door 102 to be positioned so that it lifts up and pivots towards an edge of the void platform 40 thereby opening up access from the hatch door 102 to the platform 40.

A working advantage of the void platform and system for building a void platform in the detailed description described above with a reference to the drawings is that the horizontal mounting brackets provide support struts that extend horizontally across a building void without any effort by the installer to make them level.

Another working advantage is that the system is very versatile and permits a designer and installer of a void platform to substantially cover a complex void with deck panels using the brackets described above and illustrated in the drawings. This largely avoids the need for an installer to measure and cut boards on site and screw them onto the deck panels to fill in spaces between the deck panels to form a complete deck surface. Many prior art systems of which the Applicant is aware still require this.

It will of course be realized that the above has been given only by way of illustrative example of the invention and that all such modifications and variations thereto, as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art, are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is herein set forth.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A void platform for providing a working deck for construction workers across a void of a building which has a support adjacent the void, the void platform including: a first and second support strut extending across the void of the building, each support strut including: first and second elongate sections and a connector intermediate the elongate sections operatively coupling the first and second elongate sections to each other, wherein the length of each of the first and second elongate sections is selected to match the distance to be spanned across the void; and a first mounting bracket mounted on a free end of the first elongate section remote from the connector, and a second mounting bracket mounted on a free end of the second elongate section remote from the connector, wherein the axial position of each of the first and second mounting brackets on the respective elongate members is adjustable; and at least one decking panel mounted on the first and second support struts forming the working deck for construction workers, wherein each decking panel has a first end and an opposed second end having strut engaging formations thereon which are configured to engage the first and second support struts with retention while also permitting the decking panel to be lifted off the support struts.

2. A void platform according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second elongate sections is tubular and has open ends, and the connector is sized and configured to be received within an open end of the first and second elongate sections.

3. A void platform according to claim 2, wherein the connector includes a radial outward projecting stop formation for limiting travel of the connector into the open ends of the tubular elongate sections.

4. A void platform according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each of the first and second mounting brackets includes a support formation which is received within an open end of its associated first or second elongate section to operatively connect the mounting bracket to the elongate section.

5. A void platform according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the first and second elongate sections includes a locking element for locking the mounting bracket on the support member, and wherein the extent to which the support formation is received within the open end of the elongate support member can be selected to provide the desired overall length.

6. A void platform according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein each mounting bracket further includes an angle section projecting from the support formation for mounting on the support adjacent the void, and the angle section includes at least one fastening aperture formed therein through which a fastening element can be passed for fixing the mounting bracket to the support.

7. A void platform according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said at least one support strut comprise first and second support struts extending parallel to each other and spaced from each other, and said at least one decking panel extends between the first and second support struts.

8. A method of building a void platform for construction workers across a void in a building having a support adjacent to the void, the method including: forming first and second elongate support struts by: selecting first and second elongate sections that match the length to be spanned across the void when arranged end to end, providing a connector including first and second coupling formations, mounting the first elongate section on the first coupling formation of the connector and mounting the second elongate section on the second coupling formation, mounting a first mounting bracket on a free end of the first elongate section that is remote from the connector, and mounting a second mounting bracket on a free end of the second elongate section that is remote from the connector, adjusting the axial position of the first and/or second mounting brackets on the first and second elongate sections respectively to match the distance required for the elongate support strut and locking them in position, and mounting the first and second elongate support struts on the support extending across the void; and mounting at least one decking panel on the first and second elongate support struts, wherein each decking panel has a first end and an opposed second end having strut engaging formations thereon which are configured to engage the first and second support struts respectively with retention while also permitting the decking panel to be lifted off the support struts.

9. A method of building a void platform according to claim 8, wherein the first and second elongate sections are tubular and have open ends, and said mounting the first and second elongate sections on the first coupling formation of the connector includes receiving the connector within the open end of each elongate section.

10. A building including a wall and floor structure defining a building void, and a void platform as defined in any one of claims 1 to 7, mounted on the wall and floor structure and extending across the building void to provide a working deck for construction workers.