AU2022100097B4

AU2022100097B4 - Guardrail stanchion bracket

Info

Publication number: AU2022100097B4
Application number: AU2022100097A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Ian Mclachlan
Original assignee: I Mclachlan Entpr Pty Ltd
Current assignee: I Mclachlan Enterprises Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2015-03-16
Filing date: 2022-07-22
Publication date: 2022-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 2024-03-12
Also published as: AU2022100097A4; AU2016201614A1; AU2016201614B2

Abstract

A bracket for securing a guardrail stanchion relative to a perimeter of a building roof comprises a leg for supporting the guardrail stanchion. The bracket also comprises an attachment means for releasably attaching an upper end of the leg to an eaves purlin of the roof such that the leg extends vertically down a side of the building. At least one spacer is connected to the leg that can bear against a structural member of the building to keep the leg spaced apart from the side of the building. The spacer is configured to bear against a section of wall cladding when the section of wall cladding is upwardly inserted between the leg and the side of the building in use.

Description

GUARDRAIL STANCHION BRACKET

Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of building and construction and, more particularly, to a bracket for securing a guardrail stanchion relative to a perimeter of a building roof.

Background

[0002] Commercial buildings are commonly constructed using a set of elongate structural members assembled together into a frame. The frame members extending longitudinally along the roof of the building are known as purlins. The purlins positioned around the perimeter of the roof are known as eaves purlins. The frame members extending horizontally along the walls of the building are known as girts. Once the frame has been assembled, roofing is fixed down onto the purlins and wall cladding is fastened onto the sides of the girts.

[0003] To comply with health and safety requirements, a temporary guardrail must be erected and remain around the perimeter of the roof at all times when the roofing process is being performed. To install the guardrail, a set of brackets are commonly attached to the sides of the building, typically to the outwardly-facing sides of the eaves purlins. A stanchion upwardly extends from each bracket. A set of steel rails will then be secured to the stanchions so that they extend around the roof perimeter. When the guardrail is erected this way, the brackets prevent wall cladding from being secured to the girts. This results in an inefficient building construction process as the wall cladding phase cannot commence until the roofing phase has been completed and the brackets have all been removed. This requires considerable time, effort and expense.

Summary

[0004] According to the present invention, there is provided a bracket for securing a guardrail stanchion relative to a perimeter of a building roof, wherein the bracket comprises: a leg for supporting the guardrail stanchion; an attachment means for releasably attaching an upper end of the leg to an eaves purlin of the roof such that the leg extends vertically down a side of the building; and at least one spacer connected to the leg, wherein the spacer is configured to bear against a structural member of the building to keep the leg spaced apart from the side of the building, and wherein the spacer is configured to bear against a section of wall cladding when the section of wall cladding is upwardly inserted between the leg and the side of the building in use.

[0005] The spacer may be connected to the leg by an adjustable connection mechanism that allows the spacer to be adjustably vertically positioned relative to the structural member.

[0006] The leg may comprise an upper leg portion and a lower leg portion, wherein the lower leg portion comprises the spacer and is releasably connected to the upper leg portion by the adjustable connection mechanism.

[0007] The spacer may comprise a wheel rotatably connected to a lower end of the leg, wherein the wheel engages a surface of the section of wall cladding in use.

[0008] The adjustable connection mechanism may comprise a first collar provided on the lower leg portion, wherein the first collar slidably receives the upper leg portion, and a fastener for releasably fastening the upper leg portion in the first collar.

[0009] The fastener may comprise a bolt that threadedly engages into the first collar to bear against the upper leg portion in the first collar.

[0010] The adjustable connection mechanism may comprise a second collar provided on the upper leg portion, wherein the second collar slidably receives the lower leg portion.

[0011] The first collar and the second collar maybe vertically spaced apart from each other along the leg.

[0012] The bracket may comprise a pair of further spacers pivotably connected to the leg to bear against a pair of structural members of the building.

[0013] The pair of further spacers may be vertically spaced apart from each other along the leg.

[0014] The leg may comprise a platform extending perpendicular to the leg, wherein the guardrail stanchion is mountable onto the platform.

[0015] The attachment means may comprise a support member extending from the upper end of the leg to rest on an upper surface of the eaves purlin, wherein the support member comprises a fastening means for releasably fastening the support member onto the upper surface.

[0016] The fastening means may comprise one or more apertures provided in the support member and one or more screws received by the apertures to engage threadedly into the upper surface.

[0017] The present invention also provides a method of applying roofing and wall cladding to a building, wherein the method comprises: mounting a plurality of guardrail stanchions to a plurality of brackets respectively, wherein each of the brackets comprises the bracket as described above; attaching the brackets to a plurality of respective eaves purlins of a roof of the building such that the leg of each bracket extends vertically down a side of the building; positioning the leg of each bracket such that the at least one spacer of each bracket bears against a structural member of the building; securing a set of rails to the guardrail stanchions to form a temporary guardrail around a perimeter of the roof; securing roofing to the eaves purlins; inserting a wall cladding sheet between the leg of each bracket and the side of the building such that the at least one spacer of each bracket bears against the wall cladding sheet when the wall cladding sheet moves to a location above the spacer; fastening each wall cladding sheet to the side of the building; and detaching the brackets from the eaves purlins.

Brief Description of Drawings

[0018] Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a bracket for securing a guardrail stanchion relative to a perimeter of a building roof according to an example embodiment of the invention, wherein the bracket is shown attached to an eaves purlin of the roof; Figure 2 is a further side elevation view of the bracket, wherein a section of wall cladding is arranged between a leg of the bracket and a side of the building; Figure 3 is a front elevation view of the bracket; and Figure 4 is a plan view of the building with the bracket attached to the eaves purlin.

Description of Embodiments

[0019] Referring to the Figures, an example embodiment of the present invention provides a bracket 10 for securing a guardrail stanchion 12 relative to a perimeter 14 of a building roof. The bracket 10 comprises a leg 16 for supporting the guardrail stanchion 12 and an attachment means 18 for releasably attaching an upper end of the leg 16 to an eaves purlin 20 of the roof such that the leg 16 extends vertically down a side of the building. The bracket 10 also comprises at least one spacer 44 that is connected to the leg 16. The spacer 44 is configured to bear against a structural member 45 provided on the side of the building to keep the leg 16 spaced apart from the side. In use, the spacer 44 bears against a section of wall cladding 28 when the section of wall cladding 28 is upwardly inserted between the leg 16 and the side of the building.

[0020] In the example depicted, the spacer 44 comprises a wheel that is rotatably connected to a lower end of the leg 16. The wheel 44 bears against a girt 45 of the building frame. The wheel 44 may be made of nylon and operatively engages with a surface of the wall cladding 28 (see Figure 2) when the wall cladding 28 is upwardly inserted between the leg 16 and the side of the building.

[0021] The bracket 10 may also comprise a pair of further spacers 22 that are vertically spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis of the elongate leg 16. Each of these further spacers 22 may be pivotable relative to the leg 16 between a first position and a second position. When each spacer 22 is in its first position, as depicted in Figure 1, each spacer 22 bears against a structural member 24 provided on the side of the building and, therefore, keeps the leg 16 spaced apart from the side. When each spacer 22 is in the second position, as depicted in Figure 2, each spacer 22 provides a gap 26 between the spacer 22 and the side of the building and, therefore, allows the section of wall cladding 28 to be upwardly inserted through the gap 26 to a location above the spacer22.

[0022] The first (lowermost) of the further spacers 22 may bear against a first girt 24 of the building frame when the spacer 22 is in its first position. The second (uppermost) of the further spacers 22' may bear against a C-type eaves purlin 20 of the roof structure when the spacer 22' is in its first position. The wheel 44 and spacer 22 may be connected to the leg 16 by an adjustable connection mechanism 30 that allows the wheel 44 and spacer 22 to be adjustably vertically positioned relative to the side of the building. More particularly, the leg 16 may comprise an upper leg portion 34 and a lower leg portion 36. The wheel 44 and spacer 22 may be connected to the lower leg portion 36. The lower leg portion 36 may be releasably connected to the upper leg portion 34 by the adjustable connection mechanism 30 that allows the vertical position of the lower leg portion 36 (and, therefore, the respective positions of the wheel 44 and spacer 22) to be adjusted relative to the upper leg portion 34.

[0023] The adjustable connection mechanism 30 may comprise a first collar 38 that is provided toward an uppermost end of the lower leg portion 36, wherein the collar 38 slidably receives the upper leg portion 34. The collar 38 may comprise a fastener 40 for releasably fastening the upper leg portion 34 in the collar 38. The fastener 40 may comprise a bolt that threadedly engages into the collar 38. In this configuration, the bolt bears against the portion of the upper leg portion 34 that is inside the collar 38 when the bolt 40 is screwed into the collar 38. The adjustable connection mechanism 30 may also comprise a second collar 42 that is provided toward a lowermost end of the upper leg portion 34. The second collar 42 slidably receives the lower leg portion 36. The two collars 38, 42 are vertically spaced apart from each other and engage the two leg portions 34, 36 so as to allow the leg 16 to be telescopically extended and retracted in length.

[0024] The attachment means 18 may comprise a support member extending from the upper end of the leg 16 to rest on an upper surface of the eaves purlin 20. The support member 18 may comprise a fastening means for releasably fastening the support member 18 down onto the upper surface. For example, the fastening means may comprise one or more apertures provided in the support member 18 that receive one or more screws that threadedly engage into the upper surface of the eaves purlin 20. The bracket 10 may be made of steel, aluminium or a similar resilient material.

[0025] In use, a guardrail stanchion 12 is mounted onto the bracket 10. For example, the stanchion 12 may be mounted onto a platform 50 that extends perpendicular to the leg 16. The bracket 10 may then be offered up to the side of the building such that the support member 18 rests on the uppermost surface of the purlin 20. The support member 18 may then be fastened down onto the purlin 20 such that the leg 16 of the bracket 10 extends vertically down the side of the building spaced apart from the side. The wheel bears against lower girt 45. Spacers 22, 22' may then be pivoted toward the building so that they extend toward and bear against the upper girt 24 and purlin 20 respectively. If required, the vertical position of the lower leg portion 36 may be adjusted relative to the upper leg portion 34 so as to align spacer 22 with the upper girt 24 and to align the nylon wheel spacer 44 with the lower girt 45 of the building frame. A set of the brackets 10 may be attached to the building in a similar manner to provide a set of stanchions 12 around the perimeter of the roof. A set of steel rails may be secured to the stanchions 12 to form a temporary guardrail around the perimeter.

[0026] Once the guardrail has been erected, roofing may then be secured to the purlins 20. The walls of the building may be simultaneously cladded while the roofing phase is being performed. To perform the cladding, a wall cladding sheet 28 may be inserted and lifted into the gap 26 between the leg 16 of each bracket 10 and the building side. The wheel 44 of the bracket 10 engages with the surface of the relevant cladding sheet 28 and advantageously guides the cladding sheet 28 as it upwardly moves without damaging its surface. The nylon wheel 44 prevents the bracket 10 from scratching or damaging the cladding sheet 28 as the sheet is being slid into position and holds the bracket 10 in place relative to the wall. When the cladding sheet 28 makes contact with spacers 22, 22', the cladding sheet 28 pushes the spacers 22, 22' in an upward direction thus causing the spacers 22, 22' to pivot away from the cladding 28. This allows the cladding 28 to be pushed toward the upper end of the building side, as depicted in Figure 2. Once the cladding 28 has been pushed into its final position, the cladding 28 may then be fastened onto the side of the building. Once the cladding phase has been completed, each bracket 10 may then be detached from the building to allow other construction tasks to be performed such as, for example, to allow gutter and barge flashings to be installed.

[0027] The bracket 10 advantageously allows cladding to be secured to the girts 24 while roofing is being applied to the purlins 20. The cladding and roofing phases may, therefore, be performed simultaneously which simplifies and reduces the costs of the building construction process. The bracket 10 allows a more flexible schedule for completion of the roofing and wall cladding phases of large commercial buildings, particularly in cases where the building is fabricated in sections. In the example depicted, spacer 44 comprises a nylon wheel but the skilled person will appreciate that other types of spacer devices may be used, such as skids or pads, provided that the relevant devices do not scratch or damage the surface of the cladding sheet 28 when the sheet is being slid into position between the leg 16 and the side of the building. Similarly, the skilled person will appreciate that spacers 22, 22' may be replaced with alternative types of spacer devices, or they may be removed such that spacer 44 is the only spacer device used by the bracket 10.

[0028] The above embodiments have been described by way of example only and modifications are possible within the scope of the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A bracket for securing a guardrail stanchion relative to a perimeter of a building roof, wherein the bracket comprises: a leg for supporting the guardrail stanchion; an attachment means for releasably attaching an upper end of the leg to an eaves purlin of the roof such that the leg extends vertically down a side of the building; and at least one spacer connected to the leg, wherein the spacer is configured to bear against a structural member of the building to keep the leg spaced apart from the side of the building, and wherein the spacer is configured to bear against a section of wall cladding when the section wall cladding is upwardly inserted between the leg and the side of the building in use.

2. The bracket according to claim 1, wherein the spacer is connected to the leg by an adjustable connection mechanism that allows the spacer to be adjustably vertically positioned relative to the structural member.

3. The bracket according to claim 2, wherein the leg comprises an upper leg portion and a lower leg portion, wherein the lower leg portion comprises the spacer and is releasably connected to the upper leg portion by the adjustable connection mechanism.

4. The bracket according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the spacer comprises a wheel rotatably connected to a lower end of the leg, wherein the wheel engages a surface of the section of wall cladding in use.

5. The bracket according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bracket comprises a pair of further spacers connected to the leg, wherein the pair of further spacers are vertically spaced apart from each other along the leg to bear against a pair of structural members of the building in use.