AU717882B2 - Mounting arrangement - Google Patents

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: r r r Actual Inventor(s): Address for service is: Invention Title: ROOF SAFE PTY LTD DONALD WILLIAM HAYMAN and JAMES DONALD HAYMAN WRAY ASSOCIATES 239 Adelaide Terrace Perth, WA 6000 Attorney code: WR "Mounting Arrangement" Details of Associated Provisional Application No(s): PN5089 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- THIS INVENTION relates to a mounting arrangement. In particular, the mounting arrangement of the present invention is intended for use in the attachment and location of guard or safety rail support members, post or stanchions on framed buildings.

It is known to use guard rails at the perimeter of a working area in an effort to increase safety on building sites. This is particularly so when the working area is elevated. Typical guard rail systems are supported fromstanchions which are in turn fixed to the building.

It is desirable that any guard rail system be readily mountable and demountable on the building structure in question. A guard rail system easily erected is more likely to be utilised. However, the guard rail system must also be erected in a manner conferring strength and rigidity to the subsequent guard rail system. As such, the desirable mounting arrangement is one that is easy to assemble and disassemble and one that is also strong.

.o.o 15 Framed buildings, being those buildings in which there is provided at least one frame member able to have attached thereto a mounting arrangement, typically Shave a number of purlins of which the roof is, at least in part comprised. Any guard rail system for use on such roofs needs to have a mounting arrangement for their support members that is attachable to such purlins. These purlins are 20 generally formed of steel and are often of either a C-profile or a Z-profile.

Presently, mounting arrangements for the support members of guard rail systems appropriate for use on purlins comprise an elongate member which may be clamped to the purlin in one or more positions. Such clamping has involved only i a normal clamping whereby a bracket of some type attached to the elongate member may be used to clamp the elongate member to the purlin. The bracket employed in this manner in turn has needed to be clamped to the elongate member. The support member would in turn be clamped to the elongate member.

-3- The clamping means employed in present arrangements typically rely on the manner in which one or more releasable fastening means are utilised by users and the strength of such clamping. Such prior clamping means act through a fastening means being tightened so as to hold the clamped member or a portion thereof against an opposite member or portion of the clamping means.

Consequently, the strength of the clamping action is directly dependant upon the strength of the individual tightening the fastening means. This prior arrangement of the clamping means and fastening means has not utilised any mechanical mechanism for increasing the strength of the clamping action.

The mounting arrangement of the present invention has as one object thereof to overcome the above problems associated with the prior art.

The present invention provides a mounting arrangement for locating guard or safety rail support members on a frame member of a framed building, the mounting arrangement comprising in part two opposed surfaces and a fastening 15 means able to be operated to either draw together or release the opposed surfaces, the opposed surfaces being provided such that same are not parallel, whereby upon operation of the fastening means to draw the surfaces together one surface pivots with respect to the other, such pivotal action accentuating a clamping action on the frame member.

S 20 The mounting arrangement preferably comprises a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being provided at or adjacent a lower end of a support ,member or stanchion. The second portion is preferably proportioned to be received in part in a channel defined by a flange and flange lip of the frame such that upon operation of the fastening means to draw the surfaces together the second portion is urged into the channel.

Still preferably, the second portion is further proportioned such that whilst it is in part received in the channel of the frame member it at the same time abuts a web of the frame member. Operation of the fastening means to draw the surfaces -4together accentuates the engagement of the second portion, the web and the first portion.

The first portion preferably has provided thereon projecting from the support member a pivot member bearing at a remote end thereof one of the opposed surfaces, the operation of the fastening means to draw the surfaces together causing the second portion to pivot about the pivot member accentuating engagement of the second portion with the frame member. An additional clamping device may be provided about the pivot member and a part of the second portion once the frame member is engaged thereby. Preferably, the additional clamping device is provided in the form of a U-bolt and end plate.

The mounting arrangement of the present invention generally provides a mounting arrangement for locating a support member of a guard or safety rail system. The mounting arrangement of the present invention comprises first and second portions, the first portion in one embodiment being formed integrally with 15 a lower end of the support member of the guard or safety rail system. However, it is to be noted that such integral formation of the first portion with the support *...*member is not essential to the present invention and it is envisaged that the support member may be otherwise located on or in relation to the mounting arrangement of the present invention.

The first portion of the mounting arrangement comprises a pivot member projecting from the support member. The pivot member having a remote end provided with an angled surface. This surface is angled with respect to the support member such that same are not parallel despite the pivot member extending at a substantially right angle to the support member.

The second portion comprises in part a spine member from which a foot member extends at a substantially right angle. The foot member has an upper surface on which a raised portion is provided. The foot member projects from the spine member at a lower end thereof. A pair of locating flanges are provided at the remote end of the pivot member projecting therefrom. The flanges define between them a slot proportioned to receive the spine member in part therein.

The fastening means is able to be received through. the support member, the pivot member and the spine member such that the first and second portions may be drawn together by tightening ofthe fastening means. The foot member and its raised portion provided thereon are able to be received within a channel- defined by a portion of a purlin to which the mounting arrangement is to be attached. The tightening of the fastening means causes the second portion to pivot about the tapered surface of the pivot member accentuating the clamping of the purlin between the first and second portions.

The present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to one embodiment thereof and the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is an upper perspective view of a mounting arrangement in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention shown provided at a lower end of a support member; Fig. 2 is an upper perspective exploded view of the mounting arrangement of Fig. 1 showing a first portion and a section portion exploded apart; Fig. 3 is an upper perspective view of the mounting arrangement of Fig. 1 shown mounted on a Z-purlin; Fig. 4 is an exploded side view of the mounting arrangement of Fig. 1 shown as about to be positioned on a Z-purlin; Fig. 5 is a side view of the mounting arrangement and Z-purlin of Fig. 3; S. and Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional side view of the mounting arrangement of Fig. 1 showing the movement of the first portion with respect to the second portion.

In Figs. 1 to 6 there is shown a mounting arrangement 10 for locating guard or safety rail support members on a frame member of a framed building, the mounting arrangement 10 comprising a first portion 12 and a second portion 14.

The first portion 12 is shown in this embodiment as provided at a lower end 16 of an elongate support member 18.

The support member 18 further comprises an upper end 20 and two apertures 22.

The apertures 22 are spaced along the length of the support member 18 and allow the fixing of guard or hand rails thereto in the construction of a guard or safety rail system. The support member 18 is of a hollow rectangular section.

The first portion 12 further comprises a pivot member 24 projecting from the support member 18 at a substantially right angle thereto. The pivot member 24 has an end 26 located remotely with respect to the support member 18 and at which is provided an angled surface 28, as can be best seen in Fig. 6. The surface 28 is angled with respect to the support member 18, and as such same are not parallel despite the manner in which the pivot member 24 projects from the support member 18 at a substantially right angle. The pivot member 24 is S spaced apart from the lower end 16 of the elongate member 18 thereby defining thereon a first clamping surface 30, as is best seen in Figs. 2 and 6.

A pair of locating flanges 32 are provided at the remote end 26 of the pivot member 24. The flanges 32 are fixed to the pivot member 24 and project away from the support member 18 and define therebetween a slot 34. As such, the slot .434 is bordered by the pair of flanges 32 and the angled surface 28.

4ooo The pivot member 24 is of a hollow rectangular section having a lower surface Sothereof forming a second clamping surface 36. An aperture (not shown) is 000oo: 0 25 provided extending through the support member 18 to open into the hollow pivot member 24 such that an elongate portion of a fastening means, for example the shaft 38 of a bolt 40, may extend through the aperture and through the pivot member 24.

The second portion 14 comprises a spine member 42 having an upper end 44 and a lower end 46. The spine member 42 is of a hollow rectangular section. A foot member 48 projects from the lower end 46 of the spine member 36 at substantially right angles thereto. The foot member 48 has a remote end which in turn has a terminal surface defining a third clamping surface 52. The foot member 48 further has an upper surface 54 and a raised portion 56 provided thereon. The raised portion 56 is provided substantially adjacent the third clamping surface 52. An upper surface of the raised portion 56 defines a fourth clamping surface 58.

The spine member 42 defines a contact surface 60 thereon, best seen in Figs. 4 and 6. The contact surface 60 is located intermediate the ends 44 and 46 of the "..spine member 42. The contact surface 60 is substantially parallel with the third clamping surface 52 and is at substantially right angles to the fourth clamping surface 58. An aperture 62 is provided in the spine member 42, the aperture 62 passing from the contact surface 60 thereof through to an opposite wall, as can be best seen in Figs. 2 and 6. The shaft 38 of the bolt 40 may be received o*°9° through the aperture 62 and is provided with one or more washers 64 and a nut which further comprise the fastening means.

A brace member 68 is located at the upper end 44 of the spine member 42 and 20 projects therefrom at a substantially right angle. The brace member 68 is similar in form to the foot member 48 but does not have the raised portion 56 provided thereon.

In Figs. 3 to 5 there is shown a purlin 70 of a Z-configuration comprising a web 72, an upper flange 74 and a lower flange 76. The upper and lower flanges project from respective upper and lower longitudinal edges of the web 72 at substantially right angles with respect thereto but in opposite directions with respect to each other, thereby forming the Z-configuration of known type.

The flanges 74 and 76 each have provided thereon a flange lip, 78 and respectively. The web 72, flanges 74 and 76 and lips 78 and 80 combine to form 8a pair of channels. It is to be understood that the Z-purlin 70 may be replaced by a C-purlin or another purlin of a configuration that will accept the mounting arrangement 10 of the present invention.

The contact surface 60 and the angled surface 28 provide opposed surfaces on the second and first portions respectively.

In use, a user (not shown) wishing to attach the mounting arrangement 10 to the purlin 70 would begin with the two portions 12 and 14 separated and the fastening means undone, as can be seen in Figs. 2 and 4. The raised portion 56 of the second portion 14 is firstly positioned within the channel defined by the web •10 72, flange 74 and lip 78 of the purlin 70. This process is illustrated through Figs.

4 and 5. As such, it is preferable that the form of the raised portion 56 substantially match the size and shape of the channel in which it is received. The 4 o. first portion 12 may then be positioned so that the spine member 42 is received within the slot 34 defined by the flanges 32. In this position the second clamping 15 surface 36 rests upon or is located against an upper surface of the flange 74. Still further, in this position the first clamping surface 30 of the elongate member 18 abuts the web 72, as is shown in Fig. The user may then pass the shaft 38 of the bolt 40 through the aperture provided in the elongate member 18, through the hollow pivot member 24 and through the aperture 62 to receive the washer 64 and nut 66 thereon. Tightening of the nut 66 on the threaded portion of the shaft 38 causes the first portion 12 and the second portion 14 to be drawn together. During this process the angled surface 28 abuts the contact surface 60 of the spine member 42, as best seen in Fig. 6.

As the surface 28 is angled with respect to the support member 18 such that an upper edge thereof is spaced further from the elongate member 18 than a lower edge thereof, the second portion 14 pivots about the upper edge of the angled surface 28. This action is best seen with reference to Fig. 6 and arrows A, B and C. Arrow A indicates the general movement of portion 14 towards portion 12 whilst arrows B and C indicate the pivoting action induced in the second portion 14 about the upper edge of the angled surface 28 and pivot member 24.

This pivoting action causes an accentuation of the clamping action provided by the tightening of the nut 66 about the shaft 38 of the bolt 40. The pivotal action accentuates the force applied by the third clamping surface 52 against the web 72 introducing a rotational component to the clamping action in addition to the typical opposed nature or vice-like nature of other clamping arrangements. The rotational component is indicated by arrows B and C in Fig. 6. In addition, the rotational component of the clamping mechanism accentuates clamping of the flange 74 of the purlin 70 between the fourth clamping surface 58 and the second clamping surface 36.

The brace member 68 provides additional stability to the positive location of the portions 12 and 14 with respect to each other. In particular, the foot member 48 and brace member 68 act to prevent too much flexible in the engagement of the 15 portions 12 and 14 and prevent oscillation of the spine member 42 with respect to the pivot member 24. It is envisaged that an additional clamping device, preferably in the form of a U-bolt may be provided about the pivot member 24 and foot member 48 once the purlin 70 is in position therebetween. An end plate member received on the exposed ends of the U-bolt may be tightened to still i 20 further accentuate the engagement between the fourth clamping surface 58, the web 74 of the purlin 70 and the second clamping surface 36. It is expected that the engagement of the third clamping surface 52 with the web 72 of the purlin and the first clamping surface 30 will also be accentuated further in such an arrangement.

If the user wishes to remove the mounting arrangement 10 from the purlin 70 the above process may simply be reversed and the portions 12 and 14 separated. It is envisaged that a further mechanism to accentuate the positive location of the mounting arrangement 10 on the purlin 70 a tab may be provided projecting laterally from the pivot member 24 thereby allowing a further fastening means to be provided through same and projecting into the flange 70. Such fastening means may take the form of a screw or bolt for example.

As the purlins of the roof of a framed building typically extend transversely across such a structure the manner of attachment of the mounting arrangement requires that the apertures 22 in the elongate or support member 18 be provided such that fittings may be attached thereto. The fittings attached to the support member 18 allow hand rails and the like to be attached thereto. This accounts for the manner in which the apertures 22 are provided in the support member 18, as can be seen in Fig. 1 10 Modifications and variations such as would be apparent to the skilled addressee are considered to fall within the scope of the present invention.

*o* o o°

Claims (19)

1. A mounting arrangement for locating guard or safety rail support members on a frame member of a framed building, the mounting arrangement comprising in part two opposed surfaces and a fastening means able to be operated to either draw together or release the opposed surfaces, the opposed surfaces being provided such that same are not parallel, whereby upon operation of the fastening means to draw the surfaces together one surface pivots with respect to the other, such pivotal action accentuating a clamping action on the frame member.

2. A mounting arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the opposed 10 surfaces are provided on a first portion and second portion respectively.

S3. A mounting arrangement according to claim 2, wherein the first portion is provided at or adjacent a lower end of a support member or stanchion.

4. A mounting arrangement to claim 2 or 3, wherein the second portion is proportioned to be received in part in a channel defined in the frame member 15 such that upon operation of the fastening means to draw the surfaces together the second portion is urged in part into the channel.

5. A mounting arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the second portion further abuts a web of the frame member when the apparatus is in position on the frame member, such that operation of the fastening means to draw the portions together accentuates the engagement of the second portion, the web and the first portion.

6. A mounting arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first portion has provided thereon a pivot member projecting from the support member, the pivot member having one of the opposed surfaces provided at a remote end thereof, whereby the operation of the fastening means to draw the surfaces together causes the second portion to pivot about the pivot member thereby accentuating engagement of the second portion with the frame member. -12-

7. A mounting arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the remote end of the pivot member forms one of the opposed surfaces and is angled with respect to the support member or stanchion.

8. A mounting arrangement according to claim 6 or 7, wherein a pair of flanges are located at the remote end of the pivot member thereby defining a slot in which the second portion may be in part received.

9. A mounting arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the part of the second portion received in the slot is that part thereof forming the remaining opposed surface. 69 o999 .9.

10 10. A mounting arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the second portion comprises a spine member and a foot member, the foot o• 9 S•member projecting from the spine member at a substantially right angle and being oO.o arranged to engage the frame member.

11. A mounting arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the foot member has a raised portion provided thereon, the raised portion being proportioned so as to be received in the channel of the frame member such that tightening of the second portion with respect to the pivot member of the first portion causes the S* foot member and raised portion provided thereon to tighten against the frame member and in turn against a portion of the support member or stanchion and a clamping surface defined by the pivot member.

12. A mounting arrangement according to claim 10 or 11, wherein a brace member is provided extending from the spine member at a substantially right angle, the brace member being arranged such that the opposed surface of the spine member is located intermediate the brace member and the foot member, the brace and foot members preventing oscillating movement in the spine member once the first and second portions are fastened together. -13-

13. A mounting arrangement according to any one of claims 2 to 12, wherein the fastening means is provided in the form of a nut and bolt combination, a shaft of the bolt being able to be received through both the first and second portions.

14. A mounting arrangement according to claim 13, wherein the bolt shaft passes through the pivot member, the opposed surfaces and the spine member.

A mounting arrangement according to any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein an additional removable fastening means is provided to urge the foot member and pivot member together and to thereby accentuate clamping of the web and flange of the frame member thereby. 10

16. A mounting arrangement according to claim 15, wherein the additional too, fastening means comprises a U-bolt and end plate combination. to: 0 *.ii *6 9.o

17. A mounting arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frame member comprises a Z-purlin. to 0 9*°

18. A mounting arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein 15 the frame member comprises a C-purlin.

19. A mounting arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with Soreference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this twelfth day of August 1996 ROOF SAFE PTY LTD Applicant Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant