AU698446B2

AU698446B2 - Gantry systems

Info

Publication number: AU698446B2
Application number: AU64354/96A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Derek Martin Rynenberg
Original assignee: AUSTRALIAN FENCING HIRE Pty LT
Current assignee: AUSTRALIAN FENCING HIRE Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1995-08-30
Filing date: 1996-08-30
Publication date: 1998-10-29
Anticipated expiration: 2016-08-30
Also published as: AU6435496A

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "GANTRY SYSTEMS" ~ore rt F E

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I (LI i (rlr rr ~1 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: krr 19 :-LBa s 2 THIS INVENTION relates to improvements to gantry systems for scaffolding. The invention is particularly suitable for, but not limited to, improved gantry systems for scaffolding, for erection on a footpath to allow pedestrian passage thereunder, but to protect pedestrians from possible falling debris associated with building construction and demolition.

Commonly, scaffolding gantries are formed from a plurality of scaffolding elements, including a number of upright pipe members and a plurality of ledgers, which are interconnected in such a fashion as to form on a footpath a passageway or tunnel through which pedestrians may pass. Modular gantry systems have been proposed and are 41 disclosed in, inter alia, AU-B-69125/87 (578176) and AU-B-24921/88 (621838), both in the name of Speedy Gantry Hire Pty Ltd. While those modular gantry systems avoid on-site assembly of the gantries, they require expensive machinery (eg. low loaders and cranes) to transport the gantry modules to and from the building site and to erect and collapse the modules on-site.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a gantry system which is designed for erection and dis-assembly on site.

It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide a gantry system which simplifies the interconnection between the components of the system.

It is a still further preferred object of the present invention to provide a system where a plurality of the components are interconnected by i an interlocking arrangement.

h: I i -d Other preferred objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description.

In one aspect, the present invention resides in a gantry system for scaffolding, having, when erected, longitudinal beams and lateral beams in a substantially horizontal, grid-like assembly, supported by a plurality of substantially vertical legs or stanchions, wherein, at a primary node: adjacent ends of a pair of longitudinal beams are engaged in a substantially channel section connector; a hole in an end of one of the longitudinal beams is aligned with a hole in the connector; a spigot on a leg or stanchion passes through the respective holes to lock the one longitudinal beam to the connector plate; and fastening means interconnect the adjacent end of the other longitudinal beam to the connector.

Preferably, the channel section connector has a pair of substantially vertical side flanges connected by a substantially horizontal web, and the hole for the connector plate is provided (preferably centrally) in the web.

Preferably, the fastening means further interconnect the end 20 of the one longitudinal beam to the connector plate.

Preferably, at least one lateral beam is welded orfastened to the connector.

In a modified embodiment, the leg or stanchion has a pair of spigots, each passing through a respective hole in the connector and an C C C t t C I0 C tor Ctt tell, t(k.

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In a second aspect, the present invention resides in a gantry system for scaffolding having, when erected, longitudinal beams and lateral beams in a substantially horizontal, grid-like assembly, supported by a plurality of substantially vertical legs or stanchions, wherein, at a secondary node: a longitudinal beam is engaged in a substantially channel section support; a hole in the longitudinal beam is aligned with a hole in the support; a spigot on a leg or stanchion passes through the respective holes to lock the longitudinal beam to the support; (optional) fastening means connect the longitudinal beam to the support.

Preferably, the support is of the same construction as the connector.

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Preferably, at least one lateral beam is welded or fastened to the support.

Preferably, the or each spigot is tubular and is closed at its lower end (within the leg) by a plate.

Preferably, a supporting post or stanchion for a safety fence is releasably engageable in the spigot.

Preferably, a safety fence has a pair of vertical stiles connected by top and bottom rails and a support post passes through at Or' least a pair of brackets extending from the adjacent stile(s) of the safety fence.

Preferably, each leg or stanchion has an adjustable jack with a foot received in a recess in a locating house on a base plate.

To enable the invention to be fully understood, preferred embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG 1 is a perspective view of a pair of gantry modules as assembled for use; FIG 2 is a perspective view of a section of gantry system in accordance with the present invention; FIG 3 is an "exploded" perspective view of the components at a primary node throughout the system; FIG 4 is a front elevational view of the gantry system provided 15 with safety fences; FIG 5 is an end view corresponding to FIG 3; FIG 6 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, showing the mounting of a safety fence at the primary node used in the system; FIG 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 on FIG 6; 20 FIG 8 is a plan view of a bracket for the safety fence; FIG 9 is a part-sectional view of a screw jack for a leg; FIG 10 is a sectional plan view of the base end of the leg; and FIG 11 is a part-sectional side view taken on line 11-11 on FIG c tc

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i; r I~ J 6 Referring to FIG 1, this shows an example of the gantry system to be hereinafter described in more detail, as assembled in a typical installation on the perimeter of a building site.

Referring to FIGS 2 and 3, the gantry system 10 has a rectangular grid-like structure, with longitudinal beams 11 interconnected by primary lateral beams 12 and secondary lateral beams 13, supported on legs 14 having suitable feet not shown.

Intermediate beams 15 interconnect the mid-points of adjacent lateral beams 12, 13, the intermediate beams 15 having plates 16 to interconnect beams 15 to the lateral beams 12, 13.

Preferably, the beams 11, 12, 13 and 15, and the legs 14, are formed of hollow steel sections of suitable dimensions and wall thicknesses to safely support the required loads.

t For example, the longitudinal beams 11, primary lateral beams 12 and legs 14 may be manufactured from 100 x 4.0 square hollow section (SHS) steel, the secondary lateral beams 13 from 100 x 50 x 4.0 rectangular hollow section (RHS) steel, and the intermediate beams 15 from 75 x 50 x 4 RHS steel.

The longitudinal beams 11, primary lateral beams 12, and legs 14, are connected at primary nodes 20; while the longitudinal beams 11, "i'o secondary lateral beams 13 and legs 14 are interconnected at secondary nodes Preferably, diagonal braces 17 are provided adjacent the nodes 20, 40 to provide stability against racking forces in the system Each end of the longitudinal beams 11 is provided with a spigot hole 18 and two pairs of bolt holes 19.

Referring now to FIG 3, at a primary node 20, a U- (or channel section) connector 21 is welded at each end of the primary lateral beams 12 and has side flanges 22, 23 connected by a web 24 with a central hole (not shown).

The hole in the web 24 is aligned with the tubular spigot 25 on the leg 14 and the connector 21 is located on the leg 14. The spigot hole 18 in one of the longitudinal beams 11 is aligned with the spigot 25 and the end of the longitudinal beam 11 is laid in, supported by, and connected to, the connector 21 by the spigot 25. Bolts may be passed through the bolt holes 19 in the longitudinal beam 11 and aligned bolt holes 26 in the flanges 22, 23 of the connector 21. The adjacent end of the other longitudinal beam 11 is laid in the connector 21 and is bolted thereto.

At a secondary node 40, a channel section support 41, of similar construction to the connector 21, is bolted at each end of a secondary lateral beam 13 and is engaged with a spigot 25 on a leg 14 as hereinbefore described. The spigot 25 passes through a spigot hole centrally of the longitudinal beam 11. As shown in FIG 2, each spigot 25 is 20 tubular, with a bore 26 (eg. of 50mm diameter) closed at its lower end by a base plate 27.

Referring now to FIGS 4 and 5, the gantry system 10 has a safety fence 50 with rectangular panels 51 supported by support posts 52 and brackets 53.

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I I L- 8 8 Each panel has a pair of vertical stiles 54 connected by top and bottom rails 55, 56.

As shown in FIGS 6 and 7, each support post 52 (eg. of external diameter 48.3mm) is engaged in the bore 26 of a respective spigot 25 and the frames 51 are secured thereto by brackets 53.

Each bracket 53 may interconnect a pair of frames 51; or, as shown in FIG 8, at the corners of the gantry system 10, a bracket 53A connects a stile 54 of a single frame 51 to a support post 52.

To accommodate uneven or sloping ground, each leg 14 has a screw threaded jack assembly 60 which has a screw-threaded shaft 61 engaged in an ACME nut 62 which bears against an end plate 63 welded to the lower end of the leg 14. A plate 64 stabilises the upper end of the shaft 61 and a compression spring 65 is interposed between the end plate 63 and an abutment plate 66 on the shaft.

15 A foot member 67 is secured to the lower end of the shaft 61 by a universal joint 68 and is received in a recess 71 in a locating housing 72 on a base plate 70, with holes 73 to receive bolts or pins to locate the base plate 70 on the supporting surface, eg., a footpath. The universal joint 68 enables the foot member 67 to be inclined to the leg 14 to accommodate any unevenness or incline on the supporting surface.

It will be readily apparent to the skilled addressee that the interlocking of the longitudinal beams 11 and legs 14 to the connectors 21 or supports 41 on the lateral beams 12, 13 enables quick assembly/disassembly of the basic gantry system 10, while the engagement of the

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Claims

4.4, 4s S 4 4 .4 .I The claims defining the invention are as follows: 1. A gantry system for scaffolding having, when erected, longitudinal beams and lateral beams in a substantially horizontal, grid- like assembly, supported by a plurality of substantially vertical legs or stanchions, wherein, at a primary node: adjacent ends of a pair of longitudinal beams are engaged in a substantially channel section connector; a hole in an end of one of the longitudinal beams is aligned with a hole in the connector; a spigot on a leg or stanchion passes through the respective holes to lock the one longitudinal beam to the connector plate; and fastening means interconnect the adjacent end of the other longitudinal beam to the connector. 2. A system as claimed in Claim 1 wherein: the connector has a pair of substantially vertical side flanges connected by a substantially horizontal web, and the hole for the connector plate is provided (optionally centrally) in the web. 3. A system as claimed in Claim 2 wherein: the fastening means further interconnects the end of the one longitudinal beam to the connector plate. 4. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein: at least one lateral beam is welded or fastened to the I U~-c- connector. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein: the leg or stanchion has a pair of spigots, each passing through a respective hole in the connector and an aligned hole in an end of a respective one of the longitudinal beams.
6. A gantry system for scaffolding having, when erected, longitudinal beams and lateral beams in a substantially horizontal, grid- assembly, supported by a plurality of substantially vertical legs or stanchions wherein, at a secondary node: a longitudinal beam is engaged in a substantially channel 10 section support; a hole in the longitudinal beam is aligned with a hole in the support; S. a spigot on a leg or stanchion passes through the respective holes to lock the longitudinal beam to the support; and C 15 (optional) fastening means connect the longitudinal beam to the support.
7. A system as claimed in Claim 6 wherein: the support is of the same construction as the connector defined in Claim 2.
8. A system as claimed in Claim 6 or Claim 7 wherein: at least one lateral beam is welded or fastened to the t .support. 1 H 7 'LIAA, 9. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 6 to 8 wherein: Au K 11a the or each spigot is tubular and is closed at its lower end (within the leg) by a plate. A system as claimed in Claim 9 wherein: a supporting post or stanchion for a safety fence is realisably .ttt 9% 9 9 9 0 999 S. to S S S 0 0Q S S 0 .55, S. 5 S S S S. *595 *9 *559
9. 4 5* 55 5* 5* 9 9 j V A ~-ii 12 engageable in the spigot.
11. A system as claimed in Claim 10 wherein: a safety fence has a pair of vertical stiles connected by top and bottom rails and a support post passes through at least a pair of brackets extending from the adjacent stile(s) of the safety fence.
12. A system as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 11 wherein: each leg or stanchion has an adjustable jack with a foot member received in a recess in a locating housing on a base plate.
13. A system as claimed in Claim 12 wherein: the jack has a screw-threaded shaft screw threadably engaged in a nut fixed to the lower end of the leg or stanchion; and the foot member is connected to the shaft by a universal joint. DATED this thirtieth day of August 1996. iAuIQQn FE PI O\ L d a. a a be.,. h 'I %IV L.a a.. C, p t '1 FENCING PY ILTD- By its Patent Attorneys FISHER ADAMS KELLY. A 13 ABSTRACT A gantry system (10) has longitudinal beams (11) a.id lateral beams (12, 13) in a grid-like structure, supported by legs Spigots on the legs (14) pass through connectors (21, 41) on the lateral beams (12, 13) and engage in holes (18) at the ends of the longitudinal beams (11) to interconnect the beams (11, 12, 13) and legs (14) at primary and secondary nodes (20, St..