AU725242B3

AU725242B3 - Improvements in stanchions

Info

Publication number: AU725242B3
Application number: AU65522/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Michael Bourke; Neil Marwick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-12-31
Filing date: 1999-12-30
Publication date: 2000-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 2005-12-30

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: MICHAEL BOURKE NEIL MARWICK Actual Inventor(s): MICHAEL BOURKE NEIL MARWICK Address for Service: CALLINAN LAWRIE, 711 High Street, Kew, Victoria 3101, Australia Invention Title: IMPROVEMENTS IN STANCHIONS The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- IP Australia

CD

Documents received on: .0 3 0 DEC 12£3 3 24/12/99,gcl0293.spe.l Batch No: The present invention relates, in general terms, to an improved form of stanchion assembly. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a form of stanchion assembly for use with timber frame structures, especially timber frame buildings.

Nowadays, during the course of construction of buildings or the like, the relevant building and safety regulations require the erection of a form of safety barrier, to extend substantially around the periphery of the proposed building, such safety barrier intended to prevent, or at least minimise the frequency, of, unwanted accidents and injury, as for example of the type arising from a worker falling from the structure, either accidentally or through inadvertence or misadventure. In accordance with the relevant regulations, in order to provide appropriate support it has become necessary to install a stanchion assembly, to which a safety barrier or barriers of any given type can be fixedly or releasably attached. In practical terms the arrangement is to be such as to allow for ready erection of a suitable safety barrier, as and when desired, and furthermore ready disassembly and removal thereof from the building when construction has been completed.

In accordance with the known art many and various means for 20 achieving the erection of a safety barrier and associated stanchion assembly have been employed. Almost without exception such means have relied on inter-action between particularly and specifically designed clamping means, associated additional supporting members and the like. The krown arrangements as currently in use have not lent themselves to ready erection and/or disassembly as and when required.

The present invention seeks to overcome the problems and disadvantages associated with the prior art by providing a stanchion assembly, especially suited for use with a timber frame building, which is readily attachable to a building structure whereby to allow for the creation of a suitable safety barrier, is sufficiently strong to ensure that it remains in place during normal usage, and is readily removable from the building when the act of construction has been completed.

In accordance with the present invention, therefore, there is provided a stanchion assembly for a timber frame building, said assembly including:, an elongate support member adapted, in use, to receive and releasably retain one or more safety barrier means; means for releasably securing said elongate support RA, member to a timber frame member of said building, wherein said securing means l 07/00.b ap OO.zpc6.2 0 is in the form of a bracket having a base and spaced opposed leg members projecting substantially normally therefrom, one leg member of said bracket being fixedly connected to one end of said elongate support member and wherein said bracket is disposed at an angle to said elongate support member, wherein said base of said bracket provides a first abutment surface for said timber frame member; and means for fixing said securing means and associated elongate support member in place on said timber frame member against unwanted removal thereof, wherein said fixing means includes means for releasably locking said assembly in place relative to said timber frame member, said locking means including at least one member, adapted to extend across said bracket and to protrude through apertures provided in respective opposed leg members of said bracket, the arrangement being such that said at least one member constitutes a further abutment surface for said timber frame member, and wherein said bracket includes adjustable clamping means to clamp said timber frame member between said first and said further abutment surfaces.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect there shall now be described in detail preferred embodiments of a stanchion assembly in accordance with the present invention. The ensuing description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIG. 1 is a'perspective view of a stanchion assembly in accordance with the present invention, adapted for direct attachment to a building element a rafter) as and when required; FIG 2 is a side elevational view of the stanchion assembly of FIG. 1, when positioned on or engaged with a rafter or the like member of a timber-framed building; and FIG. 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2.

With reference firstly to FIG. 1, a stanchion assembly in accordance with the present invention includes a support member 1, in the form of an elongate member of any suitable material, preferably a metallic material; having a plurality (in fact any required number) of means, suitably disposed along the length thereof, adapted in use to receive and releasably retain a suitable barrier member (not shown). In the preferred embodiment illustrated three such barrier receiving 10/07/00,blapplOO.spec6.3 means are associated with the support member 1, each in the form of a substantially U-shaped bracket 2 attached by any suitable means, as for example by welding, to a face 3 of the support member 1. Each of the barrier mounting bracket means 2 is adapted, in use, to receive and releasably retain a rail or the like 4 intended to extend transversely between adjacent support members 1 erected on a given building site, whereby to provide a safety barrier extending around the periphery thereof. In the preferred embodiment illustrated means will 1 OO7/0,blappl O0.spec6,3 -4be provided which allow for affixing of the or each such bar or rail in place relative to the support member 1, such taking the form of a threaded member 5 adapted, in use, to extend through an aperture 6 provided in the U-shaped bracket 2 and to come into abutting contact with a surface of the bar or rail 4, thereby to force that bar or rail 4 into contact with the face 3 of the support member 1 (in a pressure type fit).

At one end of the support member 1 there is provided means, preferably in the form of a substantially C-shaped or U-shaped member disposed at an angle to such support member 1, such C-shaped or U-shaped member 10 being adapted, in use and in a manner to be explained hereinafter in more detail, to be disposed around a rafter or the like frame member 20 and to be affixed in place relative thereto. The clamp or bracket member 10 is made up of a base portion 11 and opposed leg members 12. In the preferred embodiment illustrated a gusset plate 13 extends between the C-shaped member 10 and the support member 1, thereby to afford improved strength to the overall stanchion assembly.

In like manner to the brackets 2 of the support member, the member disposed at the lowermost end of the support member 1 includes, adapted to extend through the base portion 11 thereof, at least one threaded member or clamping bolt 14 which, in use, projects through the base portion 11 to abut a rafter 20. In the preferred embodiment illustrated each leg member 12 of the Cshaped or U-shaped member 10 has an aperture 15 extending therethrough in the vicinity of the free end thereof. In use a bolt or the like member 16 is adapted to be disposed/project through said apertures 15. In the especially preferred embodiment as illustrated, for example in FIG. 1, the bolt or the like member 16 has an aperture 17 extending therethrough. Means 18 are provided to extend through said aperture 17 and to be releasably attached to the bolt or the like member 16, thereby in use to lock that bolt or the like member 16 in place relative to the member 10. The means employed for achieving such locking is not of the essence of the invention. One possible embodiment thereof is particularly illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. In an altemrnative embodiment, not shown, a split pin or the like could be employed, adapted to be extended through the aperture 17 provided in the bolt or the like member 16. The arrangement is such that, when the bolt 16 and associated locking means 18 are disposed between the free ends .24/12/99,mc10293.speci.dc.4 of the leg members 12 of the member 10, and the or each bolt member 14 is brought into engagement with a rafter 20 about which said member 10 is disposed, then the result is that the member 10 and associated support member 1 are fixedly and firmly in juxtaposition with the rafter Referring now to FIG. 3, an adjustable stanchion assembly in accordance with the present invention is secured to a rafter 20 having opposed respective bottom and top surfaces 21 and 22. The rafter 20 may be supported in any suitable manner and by any suitable means relative to a wall frame, and have affixed to it one or more battens 23 intended to support a roof (not shown). In the preferred embodiment illustrated the rafter or the like building element 20 has a substantially parallelepipedal or oblong configuration. However, it should be realised that the actual shape of the rafter 20 is of no relevance to the invention.

As shown, the free end of the rafter 20 is cut vertically and, in accordance with known building techniques, includes a fascia board or the like 24 extending downwardly therefrom, to which can be affixed guttering of any known type (not shown). The fascia board 24 also is connected, again in accordance with known techniques, via an eaves lining 25 to a wall frame 26 of the overall structure.

The present applicants' arrangement, as illustrated in FIG. 3 in particular, lends itself to ready attachment to a rafter or the like building member in turn allowing for ready creation of a stanchi6n and associated safety-rail assembly.

The present applicants' arrangement is self-sufficient, and does not rely for its effectiveness on inter-action with any other member or component, this in marked contrast with prior art arrangements currently in use.

Finally it is to be understood that the aforegoing description refers merely to preferred embodiments of the invention and that further variations and modifications will be possible thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the ambit of which is to be determined from the following claims.

24/1 2/99,mc10293.speci.doc5

Claims

1. A stanchion assembly for a timber frame building, said assembly including: an elongate support member adapted, in use, to receive and releasably retain one or more safety barrier means; means for releasably securing said elongate support member to a timber frame member of said building, wherein said securing means is in the form of a bracket having a base and spaced opposed leg members projecting substantially normally therefrom, one leg member of said bracket being fixedly connected to one end of said elongate support member and wherein said bracket is disposed at an angle to said elongate support member, wherein said base of said bracket provides a first abutment surface for said timber frame member; and means for fixing said securing means and associated elongate support member in place on said timber frame member against unwanted removal thereof, wherein said fixing means includes means for releasably locking said assembly in place relative to said timber frame member, said locking means including at least one member, adapted to extend across said bracket and to protrude through apertures provided in respective opposed leg members of said bracket, the arrangement being such that said at least one member constitutes a further abutment surface for said timber frame member, and wherein said bracket includes adjustable clamping means to clamp said timber frame member between said first and said further abutment surfaces.

2. The stanchion assembly as claimed in Claim 1, including a supporting gusset or the like member extending from said one leg member of said bracket to said elongate support member, said gusset or the like member being fixedly connected to both said one leg member and said elongate support member. Dated this 10 th day of July, 2000. MICHAEL BOURKE NEIL MARWICK By their Patent Attorneys: CALLINAN LAWRIE IO/o/O ,bla/poo.po.6. 6 I