CA2310930A1 - A connecting element for arrangement on a scaffolding rod - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a connecting element for arrangement on a scaffolding rod or pole, which is preferably designed similar to a disk and which may be utilized to form a connection joint in building scaffolding, in which scaffolding rods directed toward each other are connected together. In the connecting element of the invention the wedge sockets present are divided by an structuring or design, preferably in the form of teeth, into wedge receiving compartments.

Description

a f A connecting Element for Arrangement on a Scaffolding Rod The invention relates to a connecting element for arrangement on a scaffolding rod and more particularly on a post which for scaffolding erection is to be set in an upright position, which is preferably generally in the form of a disk and projects from the scaffolding rod as an encircling collar and which - for the attachment of fixrther scaffolding rods such as more particularly runners to be arranged horizontally and/or diagonal braces to be arranged obliquely -possesses wedge sockets, preferably holes or cutouts distributed regularly about its periphery for receiving connecting wedges with a locking action.
Furthermore the invention relates to a scaffolding rod fitted with at least one such connecting element.
Various different connecting elements of this type or, respectively, rods akeady fitted with such connecting elements are now commercially available.
In this case a scaffolding rod, and more especially a scaffolding rod provided as a post to be arranged in an upright manner in the scaffolding, will normally have equally spaced connecting elements, which consequently in the case of a vertical alignment of the corresponding scaffolding rod will project from such scaffolding rod as a surrounding collar or rosette in a horizontal plane.
With the aid of such scaffolding rods a system scaffolding structure may be erected by connecting spaced apart vertically placed scaffolding rods by fixrther horizontally arranged, scaffolding rods.
For this purpose such ledgers or runners possess connecting heads at their ends, which like forks normally fit around the disk-like connecting element on the associated post, that is to say they can fit over and under same. In this case the connecting head and also the connecting element possess wedge sockets in mutually corresponding positions, that is to say holes or cutouts, through which for the locking and connection of the two scaffolding rods a connecting wedge may be driven, which extends through the top side of the connecting head of the runner then through the connecting element and after this through the lower part of the connecting head of the runner.
Furthermore adjacently placed upright posts are usually connected together by means of diagonal braces, which accordingly connect the connecting element of a post at a higher level with a connecting element of another post at a lower level. The connecting heads of such diagonal braces

-2-may in principle be designed in a similar fashion to the connecting heads of the runners, such connecting heads of the diagonal braces being or being able to be set at an angle owing to the oblique alignment to the plane of the connecting element in relation to the scaffolding rods in the form of the diagonal braces. For the arrangement of such a diagonal brace on a connecting element, on which the connecting head of a horizontal runner has already attached in the same vertical plane, the connecting head of the diagonal brace is normally attached in a different wedge socket of the connecting element which is adjacent to the wedge socket for the runner.
For this purpose it is possible for a connecting element to be designed like a spoked wheel or rosette, that is to say as a sort of hub with a central opening, through which the rod constituting the post is fitted, radially outwardly extending ribs or spokes being present which separate mutually adjacent wedge sockets from each other and connect the hub with an encircling hoop or a rim concentric to the hub. It is in this manner that generally equally large and more especially congruent wedge sockets are arranged evenly around the hub, there frequently being eight wedge sockets so that as related to the center of the connecting element they have an angular spacing apart of 45 degrees. This permits not only the adjacent placing of a runner and a diagonal brace on the same connecting element but also there is the further advantage that the possibility of such angular spacing allows, for example, the erection of a round scaffold, that is to say for instance in the form of a tower or the like. With the aid of 45 degree settings of the horizontal plane around the building or the like about which the scaffolding is erected, it is possible to erect a closed octagon using suitable scaffolding.
To a certain extent the connecting elements which are commercially available are not of equal size as regards the wedge sockets and for instance there is an alternating succession of a smaller and a larger, that is to say elongated wedge sockets. An elongated wedge socket, which consequently comes after a larger or longer section of a circular arc around the center of the connecting element, may for example serve to ensure a more continuous or regular alignment of a runner at the connecting head in relation to a preceding runner. Therefore in the case of round scaffolding it will be possible to have not only octagons but also polygons with a larger number of corners on scaffolding so that the outline of the scaffolding will fit a circular form in a horizontal plane more snugly and more continuously.
The disadvantage of the more elongated wedge sockets is however that the wedge inserted

-3-through them will have more play for movement and accordingly the corresponding runner will not, owing to adaptation of the wedge socket in size to the extent of the wedge, be forced into a preset, desired alignment. This is more particularly a disadvantage, when no round scaffolding but rather a rectangular one is to be erected, because in this case the design and arrangement of its wedge socket may not set and define a right angle.
Even if the more elongated wedge socket is employed for the arrangement of a diagonal brace, the resulting play allowing movement is disadvantageous.
In other words the less restricted choice of alignment of a scaffolding rod at a connecting element is achieved with a corresponding reduction in reliable locking and alignment of such scaffolding rod.
Furthermore as regards the design of the wedge sockets it is to be borne in mind that the width of the wedge socket, that is to say the dimension of the wedge socket on the arcuate section around the center of the connecting element may not be too exactly adapted to the width of the connecting wedge itself, since the connecting wedges are usually provided with a sort of heel or pin and are thus arranged in a movable manner on the connecting heads of the scaffolding rods without there being any danger of loss. This means that during erection of scaffolding there is the advantage that the respective connecting wedge is always to hand and cannot be lost in the course of such assembly, the loss of such a connecting at a great height involving considerable danger of injury.
The heels or pins, respectively, do however extend somewhat past the sides of the connecting wedge and for making a wedged joint must be slipped through the wedge socket of the connecting element. For this purpose it is necessary for the wedge socket to provide enough space so that for instance the wedge socket may essentially have the radially widening cross section of a segment of an orange, although the radially extending lateral borders of such wedge socket should be slightly barreled outward in order to leave the necessary space for the said heel or pin in this part. The ribs separating the wedge sockets from one another may consequently taper (become thinner) in this region. On the other hand such ribs must have sufficient thickness of their material even in the thinnest parts thereof to guarantee the strength of the connecting element.
This means that in the prior art the number of wedge sockets to be accommodated on the periphery of the connecting element is ultimately restricted to eight wedge sockets at a maximum.
The slightly barreled configuration of the wedge socket does not impair reliable locking of

-4-the connecting wedge during connection, for example of a runner to a post, because the runner is in fact braced between two posts and as a result the connecting wedge is essentially or even exclusively in contact with the radially outer side of the wedge socket, whereas the limit of the wedge socket on the hub side may possibly be clear of the connecting wedge.
One object of the invention is to provide a connecting element of the type initially mentioned, which in the context of a robust design, which is economic in the use of material, presets a greater number of set possibilities of alignment for the connection of scaffolding rods with such connecting element, that is to say simultaneously permits more varied possibilities of alignment or orientation; while nevertheless locking of alignment.
In accordance with the invention such object is to be achieved by a connecting element, which is characterized in that in the case of at least one of the wedge sockets, by means of a structuring or design of its shape acting in the radial direction, at least one (further) wedge receiving compartment is formed or respectively delimited.
Therefore in accordance with the invention a wedge socket is divided up into a plurality of equally sized or not equally sized, and preferably two or three wedge receiving compartments, such division being achieved with the advantage of not involving the provision of more continuous ribs, which would require additional thickness of the material and corresponding space, which, more particularly because of the design of the wedges indicated and more especially because of the pins, is not available, and instead involves structuring or design of the shape of the wedge socket.
In this respect, as akeady explained, more particularly the radially outer lateral limit of the wedge socket is significant, against which the wedge is braced or jammed in the connected condition. In accordance with the invention it is more particularly in this region of the side wall of the wedge socket that a structuring or design is respectively provided which on the one hand preset lateral compartment limits for the connecting wedge so that a predetermined and ultimately, because of the bracing forces, also a locked alignment of the connecting wedges and of the scaffolding rods connected by means of same is possible and simultaneously on the other hand however more possibilities of alignment are given, because for instance eight wedge sockets present may be respectively divided up owing to the configuration into, for example, respectively three wedge receiving compartments so that ultimately twenty-four predetermined possibilities of alignment are preset, which essentially have an angular spacing of merely 15 degrees between them

-5-so that more particularly the erection of round scaffolding is facilitated without loss of reliable alignment as necessary for the erection of a rectangular scaffold.
The structuring or design in accordance with the invention may only apply for one compartment. In this respect the cutout may itself constitute a wedge receiving compartment, that is to say for instance by being in the form of a groove, which corresponds to the width of the compartment.
It however is question of a relatively shallow concavity, which at least furthermore restricts and checks any tendency to drift of the connecting wedge, which as noted is subject to radially directed bracing forces. More particularly, such a shallow concavity could additionally act as a positioning or centering means, for instance for the alignment of a diagonal brace, and be provided in a relatively wider residual wedge receiving compartment, whereas a narrower wedge receiving compartment, adjacent to it, would be adapted for a tighter fit in order to receive the connecting wedge of a runner.
In the case of a preferred further development of the invention the said structuring or design comprises a tooth, which projects inward into the wedge socket, and which may form a sort of rib stub, as it were, for the division and separation of two adjacent wedge receiving compartment within a wedge socket.
It would be feasible also to provide combinations of tooth structures and socket structures for the structuring or design of the wedge socket, the terminology here in any case being relative, since the intermediate space between two teeth could be considered as the base, from which the teeth extend or as an alternative the intermediate space between two teeth could also be considered as a cutout in the initially present material between the teeth.
However combinations are also possible in such a manner that sharper teeth, which project further, are combined with flatter teeth or convex surfaces, being provided as an alternative to a shallow concavity. This means that structuring or designs is/are possible which nevertheless render possible the use of wedges in any position without being limited to steps.
Put differently, a structuring or design can be understood as any measure leading to a departure from the strictly circular form of the limit of the wedge socket centered on the axis of the connecting element.
In this connection it is to be noted that possibly taking into account static considerations, a

-6-connecting element in accordance with the invention does not necessarily have to have a disk or wheel form and for instance in the horizontal plane could have the form of a clover leaf or the like.
Furthermore, the connecting element could depart from a disk form in the vertical direction, that is to say be more like a cushion.
In accordance with a further development of the invention from mutually opposite sides of the wedge socket or, respectively, of a wedge socket, oppositely placed teeth project inward toward each other.
As has been stated already it is more especially the radially inner limit of the wedge socket which is functionally important for engagement with, and alignment of, the connecting wedge so that a corresponding structuring or design of the radially inner side of the wedge socket is no longer necessary. However, such an adaptive structuring or design could also be useful on the radially inner side of the wedge socket for the introduction of the connecting wedge during the connection operation, because then the corresponding wedge receiving compartment would be better defined and more especially skew running or jamming of the wedge into or in a undesired, and possibly unstable, intermediate position is prevented, because for example the intermediate space left between two teeth projecting toward each other is so short as to prevent skew positioning of the wedge in the intermediate space. In this respect it is to be considered that such connecting operations are performed extremely rapidly and in part with the application of a fair degree of force so that there would in any case be the real danger of a connecting wedge being driven home in the wrong position.
In the case of the connecting element of the invention also the element may be designed to resemble a spoked wheel and to possess wedge sockets of equal or different size.
It is more particularly in the case of more elongated wedge sockets that it may be advantageous to divide them up into a relatively narrow wedge receiving compartment and a relatively wide wedge receiving compartment, the narrower wedge receiving comparhnent possibly forming a terminal section of the elongated wedge socket. The wider wedge receiving compartment may for example be provided for the attachment of a diagonal brace and the narrower wedge receiving compartment may be provided for the attachment of a runner. If the narrower wedge receiving compartments are arranged opposite each other in pairs, an alignment at a right angle of runners at such connecting element is preset and reliably produced even in the case of the exclusive presence of such more elongated wedge sockets.
Independent protection is claimed for a scaffolding rod with at least one connecting element in accordance with the invention.
The external peripheral configuration of the connecting element does not have to be circular and may for economy in material have bays in the radial direction, which for static reasons will be more particularly adjacent to the ribs. Such bays are furthermore of assistance as regards stacking scaffolding rods with such connecting elements and restrict rolling of such scaffolding rods, when for example they are arranged on scaffolding planks at a great height.
Working examples of the invention are illustrated in drawings, from which further features thereof will appear.
Figure 1 diagrammatically shows in partial section a cut away, separate view of a connecting element on a scaffolding rod.
Figure 2 shows, in fashion similar to that of figure 1, a connecting element with different possible positions of connecting wedges in a wedge socket in the connecting element.
Figure 3 is a plan view on a larger scale of a connecting element.
Figures 4a through 4b and Figures 12a and 12b show various different embodiments of connecting elements, respectively in a perspective view and in plan view.
Figure 1 shows a connecting joint 1 of a building scaffold in a partially sectioned side elevation, the joint essentially comprising a disk- or dinner plate-like connecting element 3 on a scaffolding rod or, respectively, a scaffolding tube 2. The scaffolding rod 2 is a post to be arranged vertically in building scaffolding, such post bearing several equally spaced apart connecting elements 3. These connecting elements 3 serve for the attachment of horizontally arranged, further scaffolding rods, namely so-called runners or ledgers, as referenced 4.
Furthermore, the connecting element serves for the attachment of so-called diagonal braces, same extending at an angle between _$_ vertical and horizontal and being attached to the runner 4 indicated at 4 in a similar fashion to the connecting element. It is in this manner that the connecting element 3 and, respectively, the joint depicted in figure 1 constitute a nodal point at which different scaffolding rods of a scaffold meet, more particularly in the case of system scaffolding converge.
At the end 5 of the runner 4 a wedge connection 6 is located, which is in principle, as noted, the same for all runners 4 in a uniform manner and for all diagonal braces.
The connecting elements 3 are thus standardized in design for this reason are more particularly congruent. They are, as indicated at 7 in figure 2, recessed for receiving connecting wedges 8 so that they have holes or, respectively, cutouts distributed about their periphery as wedge sockets for connecting wedges 8.
For the attachment for runners 4 or diagonal braces in the form of tubes, on the post 2 or, respectively, its connecting element 3, the connecting wedges 8 are placed in heads 9, which are welded to the ends 5 of the runners 4. The heads 9 are forked and each possess two prongs 10 and 11, between which the connecting element 3 can be introduced or is introduced.
In the prongs 10 and 11 there is a respective guide for the connecting wedge 8. Once the connecting wedge 8 has been driven downward as in figure 1, the head 9 and (therefore the ruruzer 4) is braced between the wedge face 13, the connecting element 3 and the outer face 14 of the vertically extending post 2.
For this purpose the ends 15 and 16 of the fork prongs 10 and 11 bear against the outer tube face 14. The connecting wedge 8 engages the radially outer side of the wedge socket of the connecting element 3 and applies a bracing force to it which is directed radially outward.
From figure 3 it will be clear that the connecting elements 3 are designed like spoked wheels or rosettes. They possess and inner pitch circle, which can be considered to be a hub 17 and which surrounds the post 2 as indicated in figure 1. The outer pitch circle of the connecting element 3 constitutes the rim or, respectively, the wheel hoop 18. On its inner peripheral face 19 this hoop 18 forms a abutment for the connecting wedge 8 of the wedge connection 6, which, as already noted, is drawn against this inner peripheral face 19 under the action of the radially outwardly acting bracing force, such peripheral face simultaneously constituting the radially outer limit of the wedge socket, through which the connecting wedge 8 is driven.
It will be clear from figure 2 that the center lines 20 and 21 of the spokes or also ribs are 45 degrees apart. This also means that there are the spokes or ribs, referenced 22 through 29, distributed about the wheel periphery 8 and between the ribs the above mentioned eight wedge sockets 30 through 37.
Figure 3 indicates the axes 38 through 45 of symmetry of the wedge sockets.
Since in the working example of figure 3 all wedge sockets are congruent, the axes of symmetry coincide with the mutually opposite wedge sockets. The rectangularly intersecting axes 39, 43, 41, 45 and, respectively, 40, 44, 38, 42 of symmetry constitute two crosses on the axis, which are offset in angle by 45 degrees. Accordingly there are eight wedge sockets each with three wedge receiving comparhnents and eight ribs separating the wedge sockets.
The connecting elements 3 (figure 1) are for example manufactured by stamping out the wedge sockets 30 through 37. Accordingly they possess even parallel limiting faces 46 and 47 in the working example of figures 1 through 3, which are connected together via the cylindrical face 48. The connecting elements 3 may however be also be manufactured by casting.
They do not have to have plane-parallel faces and a cylindrical periphery. More particularly, they could possess bays in the outer periphery, which would facilitate stacking of the scaffolding rods or poles and reduce the risk of rolling of the scaffolding rods when stacked.
The spokes 22 through 29 extend ra.dially from the center M of the cross section of the post 2.
In the working example of figures 1 through 3 three grooves 49 through 51 are formed in each wedge socket in the annular face of the inner side of the wheel 18, which are produced because teeth having flanks 53 and 54 radially extend inward from the inner side or, respectively, annular face 19. At the bottom of these relative grooves there is the abutment face for the connecting wedge 8. The two outer grooves 49 and 51 are, taking into account the play allowed for motion of the connecting wedge 8, so narrow that there will be a predetermined wedge position, which will necessarily align the runner 4 or the diagonal brace to be connected with this connecting wedge on driving home the connecting wedge 18. This alignment is more particularly necessary in the case of the runners 4, more especially when scaffolding is to be erected in which it is necessary for the runners extending toward the connecting element 3 in the horizontal plane to be at a right angle to one another. The alignment of the diagonal braces is not quite so important. The diagonal braces may therefore be attached adjacent to a runner 4 in the following groove, and more particularly in a wider groove 50, which permits a certain degree of play.
The number of grooves 49 through 51 present or, respectively, the teeth extending into the wedge sockets 30 through 37 divides the wedge sockets 30 through 37 into a corresponding number, here 24, of wedge receiving compartments. Accordingly this number of wedge receiving compartments more particularly also offers the possibility of the erection of a round scaffold, for instance around a cylindrical container or tower to whose convex surface the scaffolding may be suitably adapted.
In the working example in accordance with figure 2 the outer grooves are wider in design, in this special case with a width of 8 mm, whereas the center groove has a width of only 6 mm. In the case of this working example it would be more particularly possible for the center grooves to be utilized for the positive exact alignment at a right angle of the horizontal runners 4, that is to say for the erection of a scaffold which is rectangular in plan.
As will be best seem from figure 3, the grooves are made with a pitch, whose circle is denoted 52 in figure 3. The guide face for the wedge face is constituted by the bottom of the gap between teeth. The teeth flanks 53 and 54 diverge outwardly and constitute sliding faces, on which the edges of the connecting wedge 8 slide so that it is automatically positioned in the gap between teeth.
In this connection it is to be yet again emphasized that such a division of the wedge sockets 30 through 37 into, as indicated by way of example, three wedge receiving compartments with further continuous ribs would not be possible, because each rib 22 through 29 must, for reasons of strength, possess a sufficient thickness and width of its material, for which within the wedge sockets there would be no certain space available, which in addition would provide sufficient space or, respectively, sufficient width for the connecting wedges 8 in the wedge receiving compartments.
In this respect it is to be borne in mind that the connecting wedges are usually provided with transversely extending heels or pins, which extend proud of the wedges sides in order to prevent the wedges 8 slipping out of the connecting heads 9 and thus tether the connecting wedges 8 to such connecting heads although they can be moved therein to a sufficient extent.
Such projecting pins consequently also require sufficient space for passing through the wedge sockets or, respectively, the compartments formed.
Owing to the form of teeth as incomplete stubs of ribs there is adjacent to such truncated ribs sufficient space, both the teeth and also the main ribs 22 through 29 still present being sufficiently robust and endowing the connecting elements 3 with sufficient strength.
Figures 4a through 12b respectively indicate further working examples of connecting elements 3 in accordance with the invention. Here the respective the part marked a of each set of figures the working embodiment of the connecting element in perspective view and the part b of a figure shows the same working example in plan. No reference numerals have been included in order to render the drawings of such various examples more straightforward.
All working embodiments possess the common feature that wedge sockets are distributed about the periphery of the connecting elements, at least some of such wedge sockets having grooves and/or teeth for forming wedge receiving compartments in such divided wedge sockets.
In this respect there are working example, in which the wedge sockets are of equal size.
There are however also examples, in the case of which there is an alternation of wedge sockets of different size or extending differently over circular segments.
In this respect it is possible for the smaller wedge sockets to be utilized for the attachment of runners 4 and/or diagonal braces, whereas the more elongated wedge sockets can be employed for the attachment of diagonal braces, more especially during the erection of a scaffold which is rectangular in plan.
In the working examples the wedge sockets provided with teeth are in part divided into wedge receiving compartments of equal size and partly however also into wedge receiving compartments of different size. Here also it is possible for the smaller wedge receiving compartment to be preferentially employed for the attachment of the runners, whose alignment is more critical, whereas the more elongated wedge receiving compartments are preferentially used for the attachment of the diagonal braces. For a round scaffold it is however also possible for the larger wedge sockets or, respectively, wedge receiving compartments to be employed for an attachment of runners to achieve a larger range of variation in the case of such a round building scaffold.
In connection with, more particularly the more elongated wedge sockets or, respectively, wedge receiving compartments it is to be noted that same may be even further changed in their design and structure, for instance by having small tooth-like knobs or other departures for the circular form of the outer face, indicated in figures 1 through 19, of these wedge sockets or, respectively, wedge receiving compartments. By having such a change in structure it is possible to restrict any possible tendency of the wedge connection 6 to slip out of place especially during attachment of a diagonal brace in this more elongated area, since the smaller additional teeth serve as restricting means or shallow reinforced bays constitute potential lowest points in the faces 19, in whose middle part a connecting wedge 8 engaging the face 19 will drift out of position under the effect of the radially outwardly directed bracing force.
Furthermore, it will be seen from the working example in figures 4 through 12 that not necessarily all wedge sockets are divided by tooth into wedge receiving compartments. More particularly, it is possible for each second wedge socket to be divided into compartments.
As indicated in figures 7 and 8, it is possible for more elongated wedge sockets to have a compartment structure either at one end or at both ends. In the example of figure 8 such compartment structures are formed in the, respectively, same end of the respective wedge socket as considered in a direction around the axis.
Furthermore, it will be seen from figures 9 and 10 that teeth provided on the outer faces 19 may also have opposing teeth on the outer side of the wedge sockets so that such teeth extend toward each other in a radial direction in pairs. This means that the transition between respective compartment structures is additionally narrowed so that it is more particularly possible to prevent a connecting wedge 8 being driven in on the skew at such transition, such wedge 8 instead being slipped in place while guided by the additional guide means reliably into the intended wedge receiving compartment.
From a consideration of figures 12a and 12b it will be clear that sharper and lower or shorter teeth may be present in the wedge sockets to adapt the structuring or design thereof.

Claims (15)

Claims

1. A connecting element for arrangement on a scaffolding rod and more particularly on a post which for scaffolding erection is to be set in an upright position, which is preferably generally in the form of a disk and projects from the scaffolding rod as an encircling collar and which - for the attachment of further scaffolding rods such as more particularly runners to be arranged horizontally and/or diagonal braces to be arranged obliquely - possesses wedge socket means, preferably holes or cutouts distributed about its periphery for receiving connecting wedges, characterized in that in the case of at least one of the wedge socket means (30 through 37) at least one (further) wedge receiving compartment is formed or delimited by means of a structuring or design, of its outline which is effective in radial direction.

2. The connecting element as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the structuring or design is provided on the radially outer side (19) of the wedge socket (30 through 37).

3. The connecting element as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the design is defined by a recess (49 through 51).

4. The connecting element as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the recess itself forms a wedge receiving compartment.

5. The connecting element as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the recess comprises a shallow concavity.

6. The connecting element as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the structuring or design comprises a tooth which extends inward into the wedge socket (30 through 37).

7. The connecting element as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that mutually opposite sides of the wedge socket (30 through 37) of mutually oppositely arranged teeth protrude toward one another.

8. The connecting element as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, characterized in that respectively one wedge socket (30 through 37) is divided by teeth, which are equally spaced in relation to each other and to the radial limits (ribs 22 through 29) of the wedge socket (30 through 37) into several and preferably three equally wide wedge receiving compartments.

9. The connecting element as claimed in one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that same is similar to a spoked wheel, ribs (22 through 29) extending between a hub-like central zone (17), which receives the scaffolding rod (2), and an outer wheel tire or hoop (18), such ribs respectively separating two consecutive wedge sockets (30 through 37), which are distributed about the periphery of the connecting (3).

10. The connecting element as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that about the periphery of the connecting element (3) wedge sockets (30 through 37) of equal size are arranged with an even distribution apart, there being preferably eight wedge sockets (30 through 37) corresponding to an angular spacing of 45 degrees between two alignments or wedge sockets (30 through 37).

11. The connecting element as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that two sizes of wedge socket (30 through 37) alternate about the periphery of the connecting element (3).

12. The connecting element as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the larger wedge sockets are provided preferentially for the attachment of diagonal braces.

13. The connecting element as claimed in claim 6 or claim 11 or claim 12, characterized in that at least one of the larger, more elongated wedge sockets, which are aligned with a segment of a circular arc about the center (M) of the connecting element (3), possesses a wedge receiving compartment in at least one end region of such segment, such compartment being separated from the rest of such wedge socket.

14. The connecting element as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the larger wedge sockets, considered in the same direction about the center (M) of the connecting element (3) have a divided off wedge receiving compartment on the respectively same side, two of such wedge receiving compartments being opposite to each other in pairs about the center (M) of the connecting element (3).

15. A scaffolding rod, characterized by at least one connecting element (3) as claimed in any one or more of the preceding claims.