CA3236427A1 - Carrier rail for a cladding system for housing scaffolding, cladding system, scaffold and method for housing a scaffold - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a carrier rail (100) for a cladding system (10) for housing scaffolding, comprising a front side (101) and a rear side (102), wherein the rear side (102) is facing a scaffold (1) in the final installation position of the carrier rail (100) and wherein, on the rear side (102), arranged at an axial distance (a) to one another, are first connecting means (110) for connecting the carrier rail (100) to the scaffold (1), in particular to a console (20) of the scaffold (1), and second connecting means (120) for connecting the carrier rail (100) to panels (200). The invention also relates to a cladding system (10) comprising a carrier rail (100) according to the invention, as well as a scaffold (1) comprising a cladding system (10) according to the invention. The invention further relates to a method for housing a scaffold (1).

Description

CARRIER RAIL FOR A CLADDING SYSTEM FOR HOUSING
SCAFFOLDING, CLADDING SYSTEM, SCAFFOLD AND METHOD FOR
HOUSING A SCAFFOLD
--------------------------------------------------------------Reference to related applications The present application claims priority from German patent application No.
10 2021 212 078.4, filed on October 26, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The invention relates to a support rail for a cladding system for enclosing scaffolds. Furthermore, the invention relates to a cladding system for enclosing scaffolds with a support rail according to the invention and to a scaffold with a cladding system according to the invention. In addition, a method for enclosing scaffolds is disclosed.
Scaffold enclosures serve to protect the surrounding area from soiling and/or falling parts. They also increase the safety of people on the scaffold. In addition, enclosures can provide protection from the weather.
Cladding systems for enclosing scaffolds are known from the state of the art, comprising rigid cladding elements in the form of plates or panels and a substructure for attaching the cladding elements to a scaffold. Substructures with support rails are common, which are hung in front of a scaffold in a vertical and/or horizontal orientation and connected to the scaffold using connecting elements. The cladding elements can then be attached to the support rails, wherein the assembly is usually not carried out from the inside of the scaffolding, but from the outside of the scaffolding or from the "outside".
Installing a cladding system from the outside makes it more difficult to Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 2 -enclose scaffolding, resulting in an increased safety risk. In addition, with the known systems, the assembly sequence is often predetermined, namely from bottom to top, so that the assembly difficulties and thus the safety risks increase with each additional layer. This is particularly true when using plates as cladding elements, which are difficult to hold due to the lack of grip options.
Cladding systems with rigid cladding elements also often prove to be less flexible, as they are designed for specific scaffolding grid dimensions.
Unless cladding elements are available in a variety of dimensions, however, this has a negative impact on costs. The same applies to special elements, for example for forming internal or external corners.
Another disadvantage of curtain-type cladding systems for enclosing scaffolding is that subsequent installations or extensions, for example to erect ballasting scaffolding, are only possible with increased effort or not at all. This is because the load-bearing substructure of the cladding system is usually no longer accessible and the cladding elements themselves are designed as non-load-bearing elements.
The object of the present invention is to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages and to make the enclosure of scaffolds safer, simpler and at the same time more flexible. The primary aim is to use rigid cladding elements in the form of panels which are suspended in front of the scaffold.
The system should enable assembly from the inside of the scaffolding.
Furthermore, the assembly sequence should be freely selectable so that the subsequent removal and installation of individual cladding elements is unproblematic. In addition, it should be possible to attach a ballasting scaffold.
To solve the object, the support rail with the features of claim 1, the cladding Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 3 -system with the features of claim 9 and the scaffold with the features of claim 17 are proposed. Advantageous further embodiments of the invention can be found in the respective dependent claims. Furthermore, a method for enclosing a scaffold is disclosed.
Disclosure of the invention The support rail proposed for a cladding system for enclosing scaffolds has a front side and a rear side, wherein the rear side faces a scaffold in the final installation position of the support rail. On the rear side of the support rail, at an axial distance from each other, there are - first connecting means for connecting the support rail to the scaffold, in particular to a bracket of the scaffold, and - second connecting means for connecting the support rail to panels.
Both the first and second connecting means are therefore arranged at the rear, which allows the cladding system to be installed from the inside of the scaffolding. This is because the necessary connection of the support rail to the scaffold can be made from the scaffold via the first connecting means.
The panels can then be connected to the support rail via the second connecting means - again from the scaffold.
As the panels are arranged at the rear in relation to the support rail, the support rail remains accessible from the outside and can therefore be used for the installation or attachment of further elements. For example, an external ballasting frame can be attached to the support rail, as the support rail forms a load-bearing or statically effective element of the cladding system.
Another advantage of the rear arrangement of the panels in relation to the Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 4 -support rail is that the support rail can be used to cover and, if necessary, seal the joint between two panels, so that further sealing measures may not be necessary.
Advantageously, the proposed support rail is attached to the scaffold in a vertical orientation. The support rail can thus be used to close and cover a vertical joint between two panels. As the longitudinal edges of the support rail run vertically and not horizontally when aligned vertically, it is ensured that no water remains on the longitudinal edges and/or runs behind the support rail.
It is therefore preferable not to install horizontally aligned support rails at all.
If the support rails are only aligned vertically, the cladding system can be easily adapted to different scaffolding grid dimensions using the spacing between the parallel support rails. As the panels are positioned behind the support rails, a certain amount of length compensation can also be created by varying the overlap areas in the horizontal direction. If panels are also provided in different lengths, their number can be significantly reduced.
If the support rails are only aligned vertically, the height of the panels does not have to be adapted to changing scaffolding grid dimensions. The height of the panels can therefore always be the same. In this way, the number of panels to be provided can be further significantly reduced.
In a further embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the first and second connecting means are arranged on the rear side of the support rail so as to be detachable and/or displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the support rail. The detachable arrangement of the connecting means has the advantage that connecting means can be easily removed and replaced if necessary. The displaceable arrangement of the connecting means in the longitudinal direction of the support rail allows the position of the connecting means to be adapted as required, for example to changing scaffolding grid Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 5 -dimensions and/or panel dimensions. If the support rail is aligned vertically, the height of the connecting means can be adjusted in this way. The detachable and/or displaceable arrangement of the connecting means thus increases the flexibility of a cladding system in which the support rail is used.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support rail has a centrally arranged, preferably undercut, longitudinal groove on the rear side.

Via the longitudinal groove, the first and/or second connecting means can be easily arranged on the rear side of the support rail so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the support rail. If the longitudinal groove is undercut, a threaded plate for the reception of a screw can be inserted into it, by means of which the first and/or second connecting means can be fastened to the support rail. As long as the screw is not tightened, the threaded plate -similar to a sliding block - remains displaceable in the longitudinal direction so that the exact position, in particular the height position, of the connecting means can be determined.
Alternatively or additionally, it is proposed that the support rail has two eccentrically arranged longitudinal grooves on the rear side. Seals can be inserted into these grooves, which come into contact with the panels according to how the panels are attached to the support rail. In this way, the seal can be further optimized.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first connecting means comprise a double hook that is open according to to in the final installation position of the support rail. The support rail can be easily connected to the scaffold, preferably to a scaffold element in the form of a bracket, via the double hook. For the reception of the support rail, the bracket can have a head plate at its projecting end, which protrudes on both sides of the bracket. When the support rail is hooked in, the double hook is then guided behind the head plate so that it engages behind it on both sides of the Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 6 -bracket. The support rail is then held securely on the scaffold via the double hook.
The double hook is preferably made from a single profile with a U- or C-shaped cross-section and legs that are partially exposed at the sides. The double hook can therefore be manufactured simply and cost-effectively. In addition, such a double hook has a high degree of rigidity and thus strength, so that secure attachment of the support rail to the scaffold is guaranteed.
To further increase safety, the double hook can be pinned downwards, for example with the help of a pin that runs through the two legs of the double hook and extends below the bracket. In this way, the double hook is secured against lifting, for example due to high wind loads.
It is further proposed that the second connecting means comprise a double bracket for the reception of a first and a second panel. The double bracket can be used to connect two adjacent panels to a support rail. In this respect, the double bracket is preferably arranged and designed axially symmetrically in relation to the central longitudinal axis of the support rail, so that the same connection options are created on both sides of the support rail.
In a preferred embodiment, the double bracket has two parallel bracket arms, each with a link-like recess or guide for the reception of a bearing bolt connected to a panel. The panels can be hooked into the double bracket connected to the support rail via the bearing bolts. To suspend a panel between two support rails, each panel preferably has at least two bearing bolts, which are arranged - preferably at the same height - on two parallel sides of the panel. As the bracket arms of the double bracket have recesses or guides in the shape of a link for the reception of the bearing bolts, the panels can still be moved in the recesses or guides of the bracket arms according to the insertion of the bearing bolts. This allows the panels to be hung in a first position ("park position"), which does not yet correspond to the Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 7 -final position ("end position") of the panels. In the first position or parking position, the panels can be put down for the time being. The panels can then be brought into their final position or end position by moving the bearing bolts within the link-like recesses or guides. The panels are preferably pushed from the inside outwards, i.e. away from the scaffold. Placing the panels in a parking position, which does not yet correspond to the final position, makes handling the panels much easier. This is because the weight of the panels is already absorbed by the substructure when they are moved from the parking position to the respective end position. In addition, the panels are guided over the bracket arm's recesses or guides. The ease of handling in turn increases safety when enclosing scaffolding.
As the panels are not placed on top of each other in the conventional sense, but are pushed or moved horizontally from a preferably internal parking position to a preferably external end position, the assembly sequence can be selected as required. This means that assembling can take place from bottom to top or from top to bottom. Furthermore, individual panels can be easily removed and reinstalled by pushing them back into the parking position.
To secure the panels in their end position, a wedge with a recess can be hinged to each of the bracket arms so that the wedge can be pivoted and/or moved relative to the bracket arm. By pivoting and/or sliding, the wedge can be brought into a position in which the bearing bolt is clamped by the wedge.
The clamping effect can be achieved via the inclined surface of the wedge.
The bracket arms preferably have slot-like recesses for guiding the wedges.
The guide can be used to create a kind of self-locking effect for the wedges.
The wedges are pulled into their final position by their own weight. As an alternative to a slot-like recess in a bracket arm, a wedge can also be guided by an abutment element. This is arranged on the side of the wedge facing away from the bracket arm and connected to the bracket arm so that the Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 8 -wedge is guided between the bracket arm and the abutment element. The wedge can also be articulated to the bracket arm via the connection of the abutment element to the bracket arm.
Preferably, the first and second connecting means have screws and/or threaded plates for connection to the support rail. The screws can be used to create detachable connections. The threaded plates can be inserted into a longitudinal groove of the support rail, which is preferably undercut, so that the threaded plates can be fixed within the longitudinal groove by means of screws. As long as the screws are not firmly tightened, the threaded plates can be moved within the longitudinal groove, i.e. in the longitudinal direction, in the same way as a sliding block. In this way, the height of the fasteners can be adjusted and adapted to the scaffold to be enclosed.
The support rail is preferably made of metal, preferably a light metal such as aluminum. This gives the support rail a high degree of rigidity and low weight at the same time. A further weight saving can be achieved by forming the support rail from a hollow chamber profile. In this case, the weight saving is not at the expense of rigidity.
As a further measure, it is proposed that at least one piping rail running in the longitudinal direction is arranged on the front of the support rail. A piping tarpaulin can be pulled into the front piping rail so that the support rail can also be combined with flexible cladding elements. The piping rail is preferably open to the side so that the piping tarpaulin is inserted from the side. This prevents the piping tarpaulin from running over an edge. Preferably, at least two piping rails are arranged on the front of the support rail so that a piping tarpaulin can be pulled into each piping rail. Both keder rails are preferably open to the side, wherein the sides face away from each other. The keder tarpaulins can be used instead of the panels or in addition to the panels.
Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 9 -Furthermore, a cladding system for enclosing scaffolds is proposed which comprises a support rail according to the invention as well as at least one panel and/or a keder tarpaulin. The advantages of the support rail according to the invention are particularly evident in this application. In particular, the cladding system can be used to enclose a scaffold quickly and easily. When panels are used as cladding elements, they can be mounted from the inside, i.e. from the scaffold. Furthermore, the assembly sequence can be selected as required. The removal and installation of individual panels is also possible, as the panels are pushed from the inside outwards during installation.
Preferably, the cladding system comprises at least one panel as a cladding element. Furthermore, the panel preferably has a front side and a rear side, wherein the rear side faces the scaffold in the final installation position of the panel. At least one, preferably stiffening, profile is arranged on the rear side, which carries at least one bearing bolt projecting laterally beyond the panel.
The panel can be easily connected to the support rail via the bearing bolt.
A bearing bolt connected to a panel can be designed as a simple rod with a preferably circular cross-section. The circular cross-section is easy to manufacture and makes it easier to move the bearing bolt within the recess or guide of a bracket arm. In principle, however, the bearing bolt can have any cross-section, for example a rectangular or elliptical cross-section. In addition, the cross-sectional shape can vary over the length of the bearing bolt.
As an additional measure, it is proposed that the bearing bolt - irrespective of the respective cross-sectional shape - has an end stop with a stop surface facing the panel. In the final installation position of the panel, the stop prevents the bearing bolt from slipping out of the link-like recess or guide of a bracket arm, as the stop surface comes into contact with the wedge connected to the bracket arm. The stop can be designed as an end leg or Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 10 -projection that extends in the direction of the scaffold, preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bearing bolt. The stop can also be formed circumferentially in relation to the bearing pin, for example as a circumferential flange. The stop can also be formed by a head plate arranged at the end of the bearing bolt.
As an alternative or in addition to the stop, the bearing bolt can have a projection pointing in the direction of the support rail, which is used to maintain a defined distance between the panel and the support rail when the panel is installed. If the position of the panel is fixed with the help of a wedge according to installation, the projection ensures that the distance between the panel and the support rail is maintained. The projection is preferably supported by the double bracket connected to the support rail, as this can absorb the clamping force of the wedge better than the support rail itself.
If the bearing bolt has a first projection serving as a stop and a second projection serving as a spacer, these can also be formed by a common head plate arranged at the end of the bearing bolt, which projects beyond the bearing bolt in the direction of the support rail on the one hand and in the direction of the scaffold on the other.
In an advantageous embodiment, the panel has at least two bearing bolts which are arranged - preferably at the same height - on two parallel sides of the panel. The panel can thus be connected to a support rail on both sides by hooking in. The two bearing bolts can be arranged on a common profile, which preferably extends from one side to the other side of the panel. The panel is braced in this way so that the panel itself can have a reduced thickness. The weight of the panel is reduced accordingly. In particular, the profile can have an L-, C-, U- or Z-shaped cross-section so that optimum stiffening is achieved via the profile cross-section.
Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 11 -In addition, a bearing bolt is proposed which is designed as a separate component and has an angle at its end facing the panel or the element for connection to a panel or another element, for example a door element. The bracket preferably has two legs, a first leg running transverse to the bearing bolt, via which the bracket is connected to the bearing bolt, and a second leg running parallel to the bearing bolt. The second leg forms an internal stop surface and an external stop surface so that the bracket can be attached to a panel or other element both internally and externally by rotating the bearing bolt around its longitudinal axis, preferably by 1800. If the bracket is attached on the inside, the distance between the second leg and the panel or element is greater, so that a profile or strip can be arranged between the leg and the panel or element if required. If the bracket is attached externally, the second leg can be brought into direct contact with the panel or element. The bracket arranged at the end of the bearing bolt extends the connection options. For example, the bearing bolt can be used to connect a prefabricated door element to the double bracket of a support rail according to the invention instead of a panel.
The panel can be made of different materials or combinations of materials.
Furthermore, the panel can be assembled in one or more layers. The panel can have a frame that provides additional reinforcement. However, the panel can also be frameless. Depending on the area of application, a panel made of a translucent or opaque material can be used.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plate made of polypropylene, in particular a multilayer or structural chamber plate made of polypropylene, is used as the panel.
Preferably, the panel has at least one longitudinal edge provided with a stepped fold. The stepped rebate enables an overlapping arrangement of the panel with the stepped rebate of another panel, which is arranged above or Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 12 -below the panel. The overlapping arrangement creates a seal so that additional sealing elements are not required. To optimize the seal, a sealing profile can also be attached to the longitudinal edge provided with the stepped rebate.
Alternatively or additionally, it is proposed that the panel has at least one rounded longitudinal edge. The rounding can be concave or convex. In the case of two rounded longitudinal edges, for example, the lower longitudinal side can be concave and the upper longitudinal side convex, so that the longitudinal sides of two panels arranged on top of each other interlock like joints. If a sealing profile is attached to one longitudinal edge of the panel, the other longitudinal edge of the panel can be rounded. If the rounding is concave, the sealing profile of an adjacent panel can engage in the rounding.
If the rounding is convex, the sealing profile can have a concave rounding so that interlocking geometries are created in this way. The flexibility of the sealing profile also allows the panel to be moved from the parking position to the end position or vice versa, for example to remove and reinstall an individual panel.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the cladding system, at least one panel of several panels is divided into at least two parts and the parts are connected via a joint. The two parts of the panel can be pivoted relative to each other via the joint, so that the panel enables the formation of inner and/or outer corners. Advantageously, the joint allows pivoting movements of one part relative to the other over an angular range of at least 1800 , preferably at least 270 or more, so that both inside corners and outside corners can be realized. In this way, the number of special system elements can be reduced.
The proposed cladding system can also be used overhead, so that a scaffold can also be roofed. In this respect, the support rails and the panels, Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 13 -preferably with a slight gradient to drain off surface water, are arranged essentially horizontally above the scaffold and connected to the scaffold. The connection to the scaffold can be achieved using the same scaffold components that are used vertically to connect the cladding system to a scaffold. In particular, these scaffolding components can be vertical posts and brackets connected to the vertical posts. In this respect, the vertical posts are essentially installed horizontally, i.e. parallel to the support rails and the panels. In this way, not only can scaffold roofs be realized, but also pedestrian tunnels or the like.
To form a lower end, the cladding system can also have a connecting plate that can be connected to the scaffold on the one hand and to a cladding element on the other. The cladding element can be a support rail of the cladding system or a panel, a strip or a profile. The cladding element is preferably connected to the connecting plate via a screw connection so that the connection is detachable. At least one opening or hole is provided in the connecting plate for the reception of fastening means, in particular in the form of a screw. This opening can be designed as a slotted hole to compensate for any tolerances. The connection of the connecting plate to the scaffold is preferably also designed as a detachable connection. In this respect, the back of the connecting plate can have a connector element with a recess that is identical to the recesses of a rosette-like connector element of a vertical post. The connecting means usually arranged at the end of a bracket or a horizontal ledger of the scaffold can thus be inserted into this recess.
In addition, a scaffold with a cladding system according to the invention and a bracket is proposed. The bracket is used to connect the cladding system to the scaffold. The cladding system according to the invention can be assembled quickly and easily. In addition, the assembly sequence can be freely selected. Furthermore, a ballasting scaffold can be connected to the external support rail of the cladding system if required.
Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 14 -The bracket of the scaffold is preferably formed from a piece of tube with a rectangular cross-section. Due to the rectangular cross-section of the tubular section, the bracket has a high load-bearing capacity combined with low weight. Preferably, the tubular piece has a head plate at one end for connection to the support rail of the cladding system and at the other end connecting means for connection to a vertical post or to a rosette-like connector element connected to the vertical post. The loads from the cladding system are thus introduced directly or indirectly into the vertical post via the bracket.
To solve the object mentioned at the beginning, a method for enclosing a scaffold using a cladding system according to the invention is further proposed. The method comprises the steps of:
- Mounting the support rail, wherein the first connecting means are placed on a bracket of the scaffold so that the first connecting means engage behind a head plate of the bracket, - mounting the panel, wherein a bearing bolt connected to the panel is inserted into a link-like recess or guide of a bracket arm of the second connecting means and is displaced from a parking position into an end position which corresponds to the final installation position of the panel, - securing the end position of the bearing bolt with the aid of a wedge which is hinged to the bracket arm and/or can be displaced relative to the bracket arm and which is pivoted and/or displaced relative to the bracket arm, wherein preferably the wedge is guided over a slot-like recess of the bracket arm.
By pivoting and/or sliding, the wedge can be moved into a position in which the bearing pin of the panel is clamped within the slotted recess or guide.
The clamping effect is achieved via the inclined surface of the wedge. If the Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 15 -wedge is guided, the wedge can also be self-locking via the guide. In this case, the wedge is pulled by its own weight into the position required to achieve the clamping effect.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying figures. These show:
Fig. 1 a perspective view of a cladding system according to the present invention with a support rail and a panel according to the present invention, Fig. 2 a further perspective view of the cladding system of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 a perspective view of the support rail of the cladding system of Fig. 1 in the area of the first connecting means, Fig. 4 a perspective view of the support rail of the cladding system of Fig. 1 in the area of the second connecting means, Fig. 5 a further perspective view of the cladding system of Fig. 1 with two panels suspended, Fig. 6 a perspective view of the cladding system of Fig. 1 in connection with a bracket of a scaffold, Fig. 7 a sectional view through a first support rail according to the present invention, Fig. 8 a sectional view through a second support rail according to the present invention, Fig. 9 a horizontal section through an outer corner of a cladding system Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 16 -according to the present invention, Fig. 10 a horizontal section through an inner corner of a cladding system according to the present invention, Fig. 11 a perspective view of a panel for a cladding system according to the present invention and enlarged sections of areas A (upper panel end) and B
(lower panel end), Fig. 12 a perspective view of a cladding system according to the present invention with several panels arranged one above the other and enlarged sections of areas A (connection of sealing profile to lower panel) and B
(connection of sealing profile to lower and upper panel), Fig. 13 a perspective view of first connecting means for a support rail according to the present invention, Fig. 14 a) and b) each a perspective view of first connecting means for a support rail according to the present invention, Fig. 15 a vertical section through a scaffold with a cladding system according to the present invention and an external ballasting scaffold, Fig. 16 a) to d) each a perspective view of a support rail according to the present invention, which is being prepared for the connection of a ballasting scaffold, Fig. 17 a perspective view of a scaffold with a cladding system according to the present invention and an external ballasting scaffold, Fig. 18 a perspective view of a cladding system according to the present Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 17 -invention, which forms a roof, Fig. 19 an enlarged section of figure 18, Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a connecting panel of a cladding system according to the present invention, Fig. 21 a perspective view of a connecting plate in its final installation position, Fig. 22 a perspective view of the connecting plate of Figure 21 with support rail attached thereto, Fig. 23 a further perspective view of the connecting plate of Figure 21 with the support rail attached to it, Fig. 24 a perspective view of the connecting plate of Figure 21 with a strip attached thereto, Fig. 25 a perspective view of the connecting plate of Figure 21 with a panel attached thereto, Fig. 26 a perspective view of a modified double bracket for a support rail according to the present invention or a cladding system according to the present invention, Fig. 27 a perspective view of a panel with bearing bolts for a cladding system according to the present invention, Fig. 28 a further perspective view of the double bracket of Figure 26 in conjunction with the panel of Figure 27 on the one hand and in conjunction Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 18 -with a modified bearing bolt on the other hand, Fig. 29 a perspective view of the components of Figure 28 from a different angle, Fig. 30 a perspective view of the components of Figure 28 from another angle, Fig. 31 a perspective view of the components of Figure 28, but with a modified bearing pin that is rotated through 1800, and Fig. 32 a perspective view of the modified bearing pin.
Detailed description of the figures Figure 1 shows a cladding system 10 according to the present invention, which serves to enclose a scaffold 1. Figure 1 shows the rear side of the cladding system 10, i.e. the side facing the scaffold 1.
The cladding system 10 shown comprises a support rail 100, which can be connected to a scaffold 1 via first connecting means 110 (not shown in the figure). The support rail 100 can be connected to a panel 200 via second connecting means 120. The second connecting means 120 form a double bracket 121 with two parallel bracket arms 122, which are arranged and formed axially symmetrically with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the support rail 100. Each of the two bracket arms 122 has a link-like recess or guide 123 for the reception of a bearing bolt 211 connected to a panel 200.

The panel 200 can be suspended in a bracket arm 122 of the double bracket 121 via the bearing bolt 211. Furthermore, a wedge 124 is hinged to each of the bracket arms 122 of the double bracket 121 so that it can be pivoted relative to the bracket arm 122. In this respect, the two wedges 124 each Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 19 -have a recess 125, which is circular in one end section and otherwise designed as a slot, so that the wedges 124 are not only pivotable relative to the respective bracket arm 122, but can also be displaced. By pivoting the wedges 124, they can each be inserted into a slot-like recess 126 of the respective bracket arm 122. If the wedges 124 are then released, they are pulled downwards by their own weight. In this way, a kind of self-locking of the wedges 124 is achieved. In this position, the wedges 124 secure the position of the bearing bolts 211 of the panels 200 inserted in the link-like recesses or guides 123.
As can be seen in particular from Figures 2 and 4, the double bracket 121 of the second connecting means 120 is detachably fastened to the support rail 100 via at least one screw 130. The screw 130 is screwed into a threaded plate 131 , which in turn is inserted into a central longitudinal groove 103 on a rear side 102 of the support rail 100. Since the longitudinal groove 103 is undercut, the threaded plate 131 can be fixed within the longitudinal groove 103 by means of the screw 130. By loosening the screw 130, the threaded plate 131 can be moved within the longitudinal groove 103 so that the height of the double bracket 121 can be adjusted. Figure 2 also shows a sectional view of the first connecting means 110, which are described in more detail in the following with reference to Figures 3 and 13.
The first connecting means 110 comprise a double hook 111, which is made from a U-shaped profile and has two legs 112 that are partially exposed (see in particular Figure 13). The partial release of the two legs 112 leads to the formation of two hook elements which are open downwards in the final installation position of the support rail 100, so that the support rail 100 can be connected to a scaffold 1 by hooking in. Like the double bracket 121, the double hook 111 is arranged and designed axially symmetrically in relation to the central longitudinal axis of the support rail 100 (see Figure 3).
Furthermore, the double hook 111 is detachably attached to the support rail Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 20 -100 via at least one screw 130. In order to adjust the height position of the double hook 111, the screw 130 can be screwed into a further threaded plate 131, which is received longitudinally displaceably in the central longitudinal groove 103 of the support rail 100.
Figure 3 also shows that the support rail 100 has a further longitudinal groove 104 on its rear side 102 to the left and right of the central longitudinal groove 103. Seals (not shown) can be inserted into these if required. According to the assembly of the panels 200, the seals come to rest on the respective front sides 201 of the panels 200, so that an optimum seal is achieved between the panels 200 and the support rail 100.
Figure 5 shows a support rail 100 with a double bracket 121, in each of which a panel 200 is suspended on both sides via a bearing bolt 211. The bearing bolts 211 of the two panels 200 are each connected to the panel 200 via a profile 210, which is arranged on a rear side 202 of the respective panel 200.

The profile 210 carries the bearing bolt 211, which projects laterally beyond the panel 200 for hooking into the double bracket 121. Furthermore, the profile 210 is used to stiffen the panel 200. In this respect, the profile 210 has an essentially Z-shaped cross-section.
When a panel 200 is hung in the double bracket 121, the bearing bolt 211 is initially placed in a first position, the so-called park position. From this position, the panel 200 can then be moved into the end position via the bearing bolt 211, wherein the panel 200 is moved away from the scaffold 1, i.e. from the inside outwards. In Figure 5, the two panels 200 are already in their respective end positions. The end position of the left panel 200 is also already secured by the left wedge 124. This is because a clamping effect is achieved via the wedge 124, which holds the bearing bolt 211 in the position shown. The end position of the right-hand panel 200 must still be secured by pivoting and, if necessary, actively moving the other wedge 124. The Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 21 -illustrated design of the double bracket 121 also enables self-locking of the wedges 124, as will be explained in the following with reference to Figures 14a) and 14b).
In Figure 14a), the left wedge 124 has already been pivoted and inserted into the slot-like recess 126 of the left bracket arm 122. If the wedge 124 is released in this position, its own weight pulls it downwards, wherein a guidance of the wedge 124 is effected via the slot-like recess 126. It then reaches the position shown in Figure 14b), in which the wedge 124 - with the bearing pin 211 inserted (not shown in Figures 14a) and 14b) - clamps the bearing pin 211. The panel 200 is thus fixed in its end position by the wedge 124.
In Figure 5, a double hook 111 is arranged below the double bracket 121, via which the support rail 100 is connected to a scaffold 1 (not shown in Figure 5). Since the support rail 100 can have a certain length, several double hooks 111 are preferably arranged at the rear so that the support rail 100 is held securely on the scaffold 1 over its entire length. A double bracket 121 for the reception of panels 200 is then preferably arranged between two double hooks 111.
Figure 6 shows the connection of the support rail 100 to a scaffold 1 via a double hook 111, wherein in this case the double hook 111 is connected to a bracket 20 of the scaffold 1. The bracket 20 is formed from a piece of tube 21 with a rectangular cross-section, which at one end has a head plate 22 for connection to the support rail 100. At the other end, the bracket 20 has connecting means 23, by means of which the bracket 20 can be indirectly connected to a vertical post 30 of the scaffold 1 via a rosette-like connector element 40. The head plate 22 of the bracket 20 protrudes on both sides, so that when the double hook 111 is placed on the bracket 20, the two legs 112 grip around both sides of the bracket 20 and engage behind the head plate Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 22 -22. The support rail 100 is held securely on the scaffold 1 by this positive fit.
As can be seen by way of example in Figures 7 and 8, the support rail 100 can be designed in different ways. In particular, the support rail 100 can have at least one laterally open piping rail 105 on a front side 101 for the reception of a piping tarpaulin (not shown) (see Figure 7). In order to be able to connect a piping tarpaulin on both sides, two piping rails are preferably provided in a parallel arrangement on the front side 101 (see Figure 7).
Optionally, however, the arrangement of piping rails can also be dispensed with, so that the front side 101 of the support rail 100 is largely flat (see Figure 8).
In addition, special shapes of the panel 200 are possible, which are described in the following with reference to Figures 9 and 10. For example, at least one panel 200 can be designed in several parts and have a joint 205 for connecting two parts 200.1, 200.2. With the aid of this panel 200, inner and/or outer corners of the cladding system 10 can then be realized. Figure 9 shows an example of an outer corner. Figure 10 shows an inner corner. Both the inner corner and the outer corner can be produced with the same panel 200 if the joint allows the two parts 200.1, 200.2 to be pivoted relative to each other by at least 180 or 270 according to the basic position of the two parts 200.1, 200.2 relative to each other.
Furthermore, the panels 200 can differ with respect to their edge formation, namely in the area of their upper and lower longitudinal edges 203, 204.
As shown as an example in Figure 11, the panel 200 can have two longitudinal edges 203 designed as a stepped rebate, which differ only with respect to their orientation (see enlarged areas A and B), so that they can be brought into engagement with the longitudinal edges 203 of similar panels 200. Ideally, the upper longitudinal edge 203 of a panel 200 designed as a Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 23 -stepped rebate should come to lie behind a longitudinal edge 203 of an overlying panel 200 designed as a stepped rebate, so that surface water is safely drained away.
Alternatively or additionally, a sealing profile 300 can also be arranged between two panels 200 arranged one above the other. This embodiment is shown as an example in Figure 12. In this respect, the panel 200 can have an upper first longitudinal edge 203 designed as a stepped rebate, onto which the sealing profile 300 is attached (see the enlarged area A). In contrast, the lower longitudinal edge 204 can be convexly rounded and engage in the sealing profile 300, which in this respect is concavely rounded in some areas. (see enlarged area B).
Figure 15 shows a scaffold 1 enclosed with the aid of a cladding system 10 according to the present invention, in front of which a ballasting scaffold 2 is assembled. The ballasting scaffold 2 is connected to the support rail 100 of the cladding system 10 via another bracket 20. This is possible because the support rail 100 is arranged in front of the panels 200 and is therefore accessible. The bracket 20 of the ballasting scaffold 2 is designed in the same way as the bracket 20 of the scaffold 1, so that only one bracket 20 or one type of bracket needs to be provided. To connect the ballasting scaffold 2 to the support rail 100, the head plate 22 of the bracket 20 is hooked into another double hook 111. This is formed in the same way as the double hook 111 on the rear side 102 of the support rail 100, but is arranged in the opposite orientation, so that the double hook 111 is open upwards. The reversed orientation thus enables the head plate 22 of the bracket 20 to be hooked into the double hook 111.
The further double hook 111 can be mounted if required. As shown by way of example in Figures 16a) to 16d), the support rail 100 can be pre-equipped in this respect. For example, the support rail 100 can have at least one recess Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 24 -106 on its front side 101 for the reception of a mounting means, in particular a screw 130. The recess 106 can be closed with the aid of a plug 107 (see Figure 16a)). To fasten the double hook 111 to the support rail 100, the plug 107 must then first be removed (see Figure 16b)). The double hook 111 can then be screwed onto the front side 101 of the support rail 100 with the aid of at least one screw 130 (see Figure 16c)), so that the two legs 112 of the double hook 111, which are exposed in some areas, point upwards and an upwardly open double hook 111 is formed (see Figure 16d)).
As shown by way of example in Figure 17, a further longitudinal groove 108, in particular an undercut longitudinal groove 108, can be provided on the front side 101 of the support rail 100 for fastening the double hook 111 on the outside of the support rail 100. The further longitudinal groove 108 enables -analogous to the longitudinal groove 103 on the rear side 102 of the support rail 100- a displacement and thus adjustment of the height position of the externally mounted double hook 111.
As can also be seen in Figure 17, the double hook 111 can also be tubular in section. The tubular section increases the rigidity and thus the load-bearing capacity of the double hook 111. This applies to both the internal and the external double hook 111. Depending on whether the double hook 111 is to be arranged internally or externally, it is mounted during assembly in such a way that the tubular section is arranged either at the top or at the bottom.
The cladding system 10 according to the present invention can also be used to form a roof. This is shown by way of example in Figures 18 and 19. In this respect, the support rail 100 and the panels 200 attached thereto are mounted essentially horizontally. To drain surface water, especially rainwater, the installation should be carried out at a slight incline. As in the vertical application of the cladding system 10, installation is carried out with the aid of vertical posts 30 and brackets 20 attached thereto. In this respect, Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 25 -the brackets 20 each have connecting means 23 at a first end, which can be brought into engagement with a rosette-like connector element 40 of a vertical post 30. At the other end, the brackets 20 each have a head plate 22 for connection to a double hook 111 attached to a support rail 100 (concealed by the support rail 100 in Figures 18 and 19 and therefore not visible). The double hook 111 is placed on the bracket 20 in such a way that the two legs 112 of the double hook 111 engage behind the head plate 22 of the bracket 20. The double hook 111 is oriented in such a way that a positive fit is achieved in the direction of the slope of the support rail 100 and the panels 200. The slope also ensures that the double hook 111 cannot slip off the bracket 20. The panels 200 are again attached to the support rail 100 using the second connecting means 120 in the form of the double brackets 121.
Since the installation position of a vertical post 30 is usually not horizontal, mounting aids must be provided. In Figure 18, a sleeve 31, a joint part 32 and a threaded rod 33 serve as such assembly aids. The threaded rod 33 can be connected to another vertical post 30, which is arranged vertically.
The joint element 32 and the cuff 31 can then be used to connect the essentially horizontally oriented vertical post 30 to the vertically arranged vertical post 30, which at the same time allows the slope of the overhead cladding system 10 to be changed.
The roofing produced in Figures 18 and 19 with the aid of the cladding system 10 according to the present invention can represent an upper end of an enclosure of a scaffold 1. To form a lower end, the cladding system 10 can comprise a connecting plate 140, which is shown as an example in Figure 20.
The connection plate 140 shown has a connector element 142 with a recess 143, which is identical to the recesses of a rosette-like connector element 40 Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 26 -of a vertical post 30 (see, for example, Figure 6). The recess 143 is thus suitable for the reception of the connecting means 23 arranged on a bracket 20. In this respect, the bracket 20 has such connecting means 23 at its two ends. In this case, a short horizontal ledger of the scaffold 1 can also be used as the bracket 20, as this is usually equipped with corresponding connecting means at its two ends. A connecting plate 140 mounted on a bracket 20 or a horizontal ledger is shown in Figure 21.
The connecting plate 140 shown in Figure 20 also has several openings 141, some of which are designed as elongated holes. The openings 141 serve for the reception of fastening means, for example screws, with the aid of which a cladding element forming the lower end can be fastened to the connecting plate 140.
As shown by way of example in Figures 22 and 23, the cladding element forming the lower end can be a support rail 100. The support rail 100 shown differs slightly from the vertically arranged support rails 100 and is nevertheless designed according to the present invention. It has piping rails 105 running in the longitudinal direction, which enable a tarpaulin or film (not shown) to be attached if required. In this case, the tarpaulin or film forms the lower end of the cladding system 10.
As shown by way of example in Figures 24 and 25, a simple strip 144 (see Figure 24) or a simple board 145 (see Figure 25) can also be attached to the connecting plate 140 instead of the support rail 100.
Figure 26 shows a slightly modified double bracket 121, by means of which a panel 200 can be connected to a support rail 100. Here too, the double bracket 121 has two parallel bracket arms 122, in each of which a slot-like recess or guide 123 is formed for the reception of a bearing bolt 211. A
wedge 124 is hinged to each bracket arm 122 to secure the position of a Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 27 -received bearing bolt 211, which in the present case is secured in its position and at the same time guided by an abutment element 127 and a pin 128.
Slot-like recesses 126 formed in the bracket arms 122 for guiding the wedges 124 can thus be omitted.
Furthermore, the bearing pin 211 can also have different designs. In Figure 27, for example, a bearing bolt 211 connected to a panel 200 via a rear profile 210 can be seen, which is not designed as a simple round bolt, but as an angular bolt which has several projections.
The bearing bolt 211 shown in Figure 27 has a first projection at its free end, which forms a stop 212 with a stop surface 213 that faces the panel 200. The stop 212 prevents the panel 200 from slipping out of the slot-like recess or guide 123 of the bracket arm 122 of the double bracket 121 attached to the support rail 100, which receives the bearing bolt 211, according to the assembly. This is because when the panel 200 moves relative to the bracket arm 122, the stop surface 213 of the stop 212 would come into contact with the wedge 124 and thus prevent it from slipping out (see Figure 28).
The bearing bolt 211 shown in Figure 27 has a further projection 215 on the side facing away from the stop 212, via which the bearing bolt 211 is supported on the double bracket 121 (see Figure 28). A distance between the panel 200 and the support rail 100 is thus defined via the projection 215.

This is particularly advantageous if a clamping effect is generated via the wedge 124, via which the panel 200 is pressed in the direction of the support rail 100. The projection 215 then prevents damage to the panel 200 and/or the support rail 100.
Figure 28 and Figures 29 to 32 also show a further bearing bolt 211, which is designed as a separate component and is used for the reception of a door element 400 instead of a panel 200. Figure 32 shows the bearing bolt 211 in Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

- 28 -a single illustration. At a first end, the bearing bolt 211 has a head plate 214, which simultaneously serves as a stop 212 and as a projection 215 or spacer. The bearing bolt 211 can be installed in two positions. In this respect, the bearing bolt 211 only needs to be rotated by 1800 around its longitudinal axis. Both projecting sides of the head plate 214 can thus each serve as a stop 212 or as a projection 215. Consequently, the entire inner surface of the head plate 214 forms a stop surface 213. On the other hand, the bearing bolt 211 shown in Figures 28 to 32 has an angle 216 with a first leg 217 and a second leg 218. The bracket 216 is connected to the bearing bolt 211 via the first leg 217. In this respect, the first leg 217 extends transversely to the bearing bolt 211. The second leg 218 is used to attach a panel 200 or another element, for example a door element 400 (see Figures 29 to 31). The element, in this case the door element 400, can be attached directly to the second leg 218 (see Figure 31) or indirectly via an intermediate profile or an intermediate strip 401 (see Figures 29 and 30). In this respect, the bearing bolt 211 is merely rotated by 180 about its longitudinal axis, so that the second leg 218 of the bracket 216 comes to lie closer to the door element 400 or further away from it and space is created for the profile or the strip 401.
The separate bearing bolt 211 shown in Figures 28 to 32 thus extends the connection possibilities, so that not only panels 200 can be connected to a support rail 100 of a cladding system 10 according to the present invention.
Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

Claims (19)

Patent Claims

1. Support rail (100) for a cladding system (10) for enclosing scaffolds, having a front side (101) and a rear side (102), wherein the rear side (102) faces a scaffold (1) in the final installation position of the support rail (100) and wherein, on the rear side (102) at an axial distance (a) from one another - first connecting means (110) for connecting the support rail (100) to the scaffold (1), in particular to a bracket (20) of the scaffold (1), and - second connecting means (120) for connecting the support rail (100) to panels (200).

2. Support rail (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second connecting means (110, 120) are arranged on the rear side (102) of the support rail (100) so as to be releasable and/or displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the support rail (100).

3. Support rail (100) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support rail (100) has a centrally arranged, preferably undercut, longitudinal groove (103) and/or two eccentrically arranged longitudinal grooves (104) on the rear side (102).

4. Support rail (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first connecting means (110) comprise a double hook (111) which is open downwards in the final installation position of the support rail (100) and which is preferably formed from a single profile with a U-shaped or C-shaped cross-section and laterally partially exposed legs (112).

5. Support rail (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24 characterized in that the second connecting means (120) comprise a double bracket (121) for reception of a first and a second panel (200), wherein preferably the double bracket (121) comprises two parallel arranged bracket arms (122) each having a link-like recess or guide (123) for reception of a bearing bolt (211) connected to a panel (200).

6. Support rail (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that a wedge (124) with a recess (125) is hinged to each of the bracket arms (122), so that the wedge (124) is pivotable and/or displaceable relative to the bracket arm (122), wherein preferably the bracket arms (122) have slot-like recesses (126) or abutment elements (127) for guiding the wedges (124).

7. Support rail (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first and second connecting means (110, 120) have screws (130) and/or threaded plates (131) for connection to the support rail (100).

8. Support rail (100) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one piping rail (105) extending in the longitudinal direction is arranged on the front side (101), which rail is preferably open to the side, and/or at least one longitudinal groove (108) extending in the longitudinal direction is formed on the front side, which groove is preferably undercut.

9. Cladding system (10) for enclosing scaffolds, comprising a support rail (100) according to any one of the preceding claims and at least one panel (200) and/or a keder tarpaulin.

10. Cladding system (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that the panel (200) has a front side (201) and a rear side (202), wherein the Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24 rear side (202) faces the scaffold (1) in the final installation position of the panel (200) and wherein at least one, preferably stiffening, profile (210) is arranged on the rear side (202), which profile carries at least one bearing bolt (211) projecting laterally beyond the panel (200).

11. Cladding system (10) according to claim 10, characterized in that the bearing bolt (211) is designed as a simple rod with a preferably circular cross-section.

12. Cladding system (10) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the bearing bolt (211) has an end stop (212) with a stop surface (213) facing the panel (200) and/or a projection (215) pointing in the direction of the support rail (100) in the final installation position.

13. Cladding system (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that the system (10) has at least one bearing bolt (211), which is designed as a separate component and, for connection to a panel (200) or another element, for example a door element (400), has an angle (216) with preferably two legs (217, 218) at its end facing the panel (200) or the element.

14. Cladding system (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the panel (200) has at least one longitudinal edge (203) provided with a stepped fold and/or a rounded longitudinal edge (204), preferably for connection to a sealing profile (300).

15. Cladding system (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 14, characterized in that at least one panel (200) of a plurality of panels (200) is divided into at least two parts (200.1, 200.2) and the parts (200.1, 200.2) are connected via a joint (205).
Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24

16. Cladding system (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 15, characterized in that the system (10) has a connector plate (140) for forming a lower end, wherein preferably the connector plate (140) has on the rear side a connector element (142) with a recess (143) for the reception of connecting means (23) of a scaffolding component, in particular a bracket (20) or a horizontal ledger.

17. Scaffold (1) with a cladding system (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 16 and a bracket (20) for connecting the cladding system (10) to the scaffold (1).

18. Scaffold (1) according to claim 17, characterized in that the bracket (20) is formed from a tubular piece (21) of rectangular cross-section, which has at one end a head plate (22) for connection to the support rail (100) and at the other end connecting means (23) for connection to a vertical post (30) or to a rosette-like connector element (40) connected to the vertical post (30).

19. Method for enclosing a scaffold (1) using a cladding system (10) according to any one of claims 9 to 16, comprising the steps of - mounting the support rail (100), wherein the first connecting means (110) are placed on a bracket (20) of the scaffold (1) so that the first connecting means (110) engage behind a head plate (22) of the bracket (20), - mounting the panel (200), wherein a bearing bolt (211) connected to the panel (200) is inserted into a link-like recess or guide (123) of a bracket arm (122) of the second connecting means (120) and is displaced from a parking position into an end position which corresponds to the final installation position of the panel (200), - securing the end position of the bearing bolt (211) with the aid of a wedge (124) which is articulated on the bracket arm (122) and/or Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24 displaceable relative to the bracket arm (122) and which is pivoted and/or displaced relative to the bracket arm (122), wherein preferably the wedge (124) is guided over a slot-like recess (126) of the bracket arm (122).
Date Recue/Date Received 2024-04-24