FR2887907A1 - Temporary balustrade for scaffolding of building, has frame made of aluminum, and fixation pins for positioning frame in one vertical plane situated in front of another vertical plane passing through posts during utilization of balustrade - Google Patents

Abstract

The balustrade (2) has a rectangular frame (3) extending in a vertical plane and whose lower part is provided with coaxial fixation pins (14, 15) staggered on same side with respect to the plane. The fixation pins temporarily connect the balustrade with posts (24) of vertical frames (22) of a scaffolding structure. The fixation pins position the frame in another vertical plane situated in front of a third vertical plane passing through the posts during the utilization of the balustrade.

Description

The present invention relates generally to scaffolds and,

  more particularly, the devices that allow safe mounting of scaffolds at their different levels of floors.

  According to the regulations in force, the scaffolding must be equipped with guardrails and skirting boards at each floor level, to provide protection against falls, vis-à-vis staff working at height, at least on the outside of scaffolding (in the case of a scaffold installed in front of a building facade or other building).

  Scaffolding railings usually include a top rail and a sub-rail, which form the real protection against falling operators. In the older railing designs, the top rail and the sub-rail are separate elements, separately attached to the scaffold structure. The scaffolding railings of more recent design are monoblocs, that is to say that the upper rail and the sub-rail are rigidly connected to one another permanently, by amounts or bars vertical, and if necessary by oblique elements, welded on the one hand to the upper rail and on the other hand to the sub-smooth.

  The installation of guardrails, whether monobloc or composed of separate elements, is traditionally carried out from the scaffolding floor to be protected, the successive stages of mounting a scaffolding from a level finished floor being the following: - installation of an immediately higher floor, - access of the operator to the upper floor, - installation of the railings and skirting associated with the upper floor, - installation of vertical frames upper prefabricated or assembled, rectangular closed or H, above the two ends of this floor.

  When the operator accesses the upper floor that has just been put in place, and during the installation phase of the guardrails and skirting boards, the operator is not protected against falling to outside as long as he has not set up and fixed the guardrail.

  In order to mitigate the risks of falling outwards during the erection of a scaffold, various solutions have already been proposed.

  A particular solution consists of guardrails designed in such a way that their implementation can be carried out from the lower floor (relative to the said upper floor to be protected by the gardparorps considered). Thus, after setting up the upper floor, the operator can access the upper floor and take place there, being immediately protected against falls by the guardrail already set up previously from the lower floor. The operator can then set up the vertical frames, then fix on these frames a new railing for the next floor level, and so on, this allowing in principle a safe assembly of the scaffolding, whatever its height.

  However, the design of railing that can be set up from a lower floor leads to complex, heavy and cumbersome railings, so difficult to handle, store and transport, and relatively expensive, especially that all scaffoldingbodies must be made according to the same design, since they are so-called permanent guardrails, in the sense that they remain embedded in the scaffolding structure as soon as it is erected, and until to its final disassembly.

  Another solution also known for the secure mounting of scaffolds is the provision of special temporary or mobile guardrails, due to their temporary intervention. Indeed, the specificity of these railings lies in the fact that they are set up to protect the operator at the level of the upper floor, while the operator sets up the ordinary guardrails of this floor level superior whether it is monobloc railings or individual smooth. Then, the temporary railing can be removed and reused for safe mounting of the next floor level, and so on ...

  As can be understood, such a system is advantageous in that it makes it possible to keep, for all levels of floors, permanent guardrails of ordinary structure, which are simple and light and compact, and that it does not require only a limited number of special guardrails, reusable successively at each floor level, to secure the scaffold assembly.

  The present invention relates to this type of railing said temporary, and it aims to perfect such railing guard, so as to facilitate its grip and handling, while maintaining a simple and lightweight structure, and this without changing the structure of the scaffolding.

  For this purpose, the subject of the invention is essentially a temporary railing for the secure mounting of scaffolding, this railing being intended to be placed temporarily at a floor level of a scaffolding, during the implementation of place of the ordinary railing or rails of this floor level, said temporary railing consisting of a generally rectangular outline frame, extending in a vertical plane, whose lower part is provided at its ends with fixing means staggered on the same side relative to the plane of the frame and provided for the temporary connection of the temporary railing with uprights of the vertical frames of the structure of the scaffolding, these means being designed for, when using the guard - Provisional body, position it in a vertical plane located in front of a vertical plane passing through the uprights of the vertical frames of the structure of the scaffolding.

  In a preferred embodiment of this temporary railing, the fixing means comprise, at each end of the guardrail in the lower part thereof, two superimposed coaxial fixing fingers whose common axis is parallel. to the plane of the frame and offset from the plane thereof, the two fastening fingers being provided to be introduced into two superimposed sleeves uprights of the vertical frames of the structure of the scaffolding.

  Thus, the temporary railing, object of the present invention, comprises a fastening system, in particular by means of fingers engaged in the usual sockets of the vertical frames of the scaffolding, fastening system which is designed to deport to the outside the frame of this railing, in relation to the vertical plane passing through the outer amounts of the frames between which is fixed the temporary railing. This vertical plane remains clear, and it is in this vertical plane that will be fixed permanent guardrails of the scaffolding, while enjoying the protection provided by the temporary guardrail. The permanent guardrails, whether they are in separate elements or "monoblocs", do not have to be modified, and thus the provisional railing, object of the invention, remains compatible with existing scaffolds, including their permanent railing, scaffolding that can constitute a large stock in a user.

  The provisional railing has a one-piece structure, resulting from the assembly of horizontal and vertical elements, which form at least one upper rail, one sub-rail and two end posts provided with fixing means, such as fixing fingers, the end uprights extending below the sub-smooth. Advantageously, said end uprights are respectively part of two rectangular parts, which extend below the sub-smooth and which constitute, in particular by their lower cross members, respectively two gripping handles. The latter allow a gripping of the temporary railing from below, by one or two operators, to hoist this temporary railing at the upper floor, from a lower floor level (or from the ground if it is at the beginning of the erection of the scaffolding, to protect the first floor level).

  To obtain the desired offset, the two fastening fingers, provided at each end of the temporary guardrail, are connected to the corresponding end posts of this railing by oblique connecting lugs, that is to say which s' extend in vertical planes forming an acute angle to the vertical plane of the frame of the temporary railing.

  The temporary railing, which is the subject of the invention, is preferably made essentially of aluminum, especially as regards its frame, to obtain a light construction, which facilitates its handling particularly by a single operator. In fact, the handling of the temporary railing necessarily takes place outside the volume of the scaffold, cantilever, which strongly solicits the body of the operator.

  In any case, the invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing showing, by way of example, an embodiment of this temporary railing, and illustrating its use. when mounting a scaffold: Figure 1 is a front view of a temporary railing according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a bottom view of the guardrail of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged view of detail A of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an enlarged view of detail B of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a perspective view, illustrating the use of the temporary railing according to Figures 1 to 4, during the assembly of a scaffold; Figure 6 shows, on an enlarged scale, a detail (left part) of Figure 5.

  The temporary railing, object of the present invention, is designated by the general reference 2 and it is shown alone in Figures 1 to 4. To locate its various parts, this railing 2 is assumed placed in a vertical plane , as if in the use position.

  The main part of the railing 2 is constituted by a frame 3, of substantially rectangular contour, resulting from the assembly of horizontal and vertical elements, advantageously constituted by aluminum profiles.

  The frame 3 comprises in particular an upper rail 4 and a sub-rail 5, whose ends are connected to opposite end posts 6 and 7, which extend below the sub-rail 5. The upper rail 4 is still connected here to the sub-smooth 5 by an intermediate reinforcing bar 8, located halfway length of the railing 2.

  The end uprights 6 and 7 are respectively part of two rectangular parts 9 and 10, symmetrical to each other, which extend below the sub-smooth 5. The respective lower crosspieces 11 and 12 of the two rectangular portions 9 These two crosspieces 11 and 12 can be connected to each other by an intermediate portion 13, forming in this case a single lower bar connecting the lower ends of the two. terminal amounts 6 and 7.

  The upper crosspieces of the two rectangular parts 9 and 10, which merge with the end sections of the sub-rail 5, constitute two other handles of the railing 2.

  The set of horizontal and vertical elements previously described, which constitute the frame 3, extends in a vertical plane P see FIG.

  Referring to the detail view of Figure 3, the end post 6 of the frame 3 carries, in its lower part, two fixing fingers 14 and 15 coaxial, superimposed, directed one and the other downwards. The upper fixing pin 14 is connected to the end upright 6 by a connecting lug 16, oriented obliquely, that is to say a lug which extends in a vertical plane forming an acute angle with respect to the vertical plane P 3. Similarly, the lower fixing finger is connected to the end post 6 by a connecting lug 17 which is oriented obliquely. The two fixing fingers 14 and 15 are thus offset, on the same side, relative to the plane P of the frame 3.

  Referring to the other detail view of FIG. 4, the end upright 7 of the frame 3 opposite to the end upright 6, also carries in its lower part two fingers of the coaxial fasteners 18 and 19, superimposed, directed one and the other down. The two fixing fingers 18 and 19 are connected to the end upright 7 by respective connecting lugs 20 and 21, oriented obliquely. These two fixing fingers 18 and 19 are thus offset, with respect to the plane P of the frame 3, on the same side as the two first fixing fingers 14 and 15.

  Figures 5 and 16 illustrate the use of provisional guardrails 2 such as that described above, during the assembly of a scaffold. For this purpose, Figure 5 shows some bays of a scaffolding during assembly. The structure of this scaffold comprises in particular vertical frames 22, in particular H-shaped, which are superimposed and rest on the floor of the feet 23. In known manner, the uprights 24 of the vertical frames 22 comprise, at different levels, bushings 25 of vertical axis, allowing the assembly of components of the scaffold, such as horizontal tubes 26 and diagonals 27.

  The vertical frames 22 support floor elements 28 of the scaffolding, each floor member 28 being provided at its ends with hooks 29 for attachment to the horizontal crosspieces 30 of the vertical frames 22. Some floor elements 28 are provided. an access hatch 31, allowing access from the ground (or from a lower level) by a ladder 32.

  In the example illustrated in Figure 5, the floor elements 28 already in place form a first floor level, already completely installed, and a second floor level being installed. The first floor level is already secured by permanent railings, resulting from upper rails 33 and sub-rails 34 mounted horizontally between the vertical frames 22, using the sockets 25. Assuming that it is here a scaffolding installed in front of a facade, the railings consisting of smooth 33 and sub-smooth 34 are at least present on the outer side of the scaffold, to provide protection against falls vis-à-vis staff working on floor elements 28.

  The temporary guardrails 2 are intended to be put in place, from a lower floor level (here the first floor level), facing a higher floor level (here the second floor level), in order to protect the operator 35 while it sets up the permanent guardrails of the upper floor level.

  The operator 35 posted at the lower floor level grasps a provisional guard 2 by its two rectangular portions 9 and 10, for example by the lower sleepers 11 and 12, and he lifts the provisional guardrail 2, before lowering it according to the arrows F, so that, as shown more particularly in Figure 6: - the two fixing fingers 14 and 15 respectively engage in two sockets 25 superimposed a vertical frame 22 at the end 15 of a span; the two other fixing fingers 18 and 19 respectively engage in two superimposed sockets 25 of a vertical frame 22 situated at the opposite end of the same span.

  The frame 3 of the temporary railing 2 is thus positioned (as for the other two guardrails 2 visible in the center and on the right in FIG. 5) in a vertical plane, situated in front of the vertical plane passing through the uprights 24. the vertical frames 22, this offset resulting from the oblique arrangement of the respective connecting lugs 16, 17, 20, 21 of the different fastening fingers 14, 15, 18, 19.

  This offset of the frame 3 of the temporary guardrail 2 allows the establishment, at the upper floor level, permanent guardrails (upper smooth 33 and sub-smooth 34). After placing permanent guardrails on the entire upper floor level, the structure of the scaffolding is extended upwards, and the temporary guardrails 2 are released from the bushes 25 by pulling up, each guard -body 2 can be grasped by its sub-smooth 5 by the operator who took place on the upper floor level. The temporary guardrails 2 can then be reused in the same way, being nested on sockets 25, for the temporary protection of the next floor level (here the third floor level), and so on, whatever the total number of floor levels of the scaffold.

  It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment of this provisional railing which has been described above, for example; it embraces the contrary, all variants of implementation and application respecting the principle. It is thus, in particular, that one would not move away from the scope of the invention: - by modifying the forms of detail of the provisional railing, for example the arrangement and the number of the horizontal and vertical elements of its frame; - by applying the invention not only to scaffolds whose structure comprises prefabricated or assembled H-shaped vertical frames, but also to scaffolds with closed, prefabricated or assembled vertical frames of generally rectangular shape, in other words frames two amounts interconnected by an upper cross and a lower cross; - using the temporary railing, object of the invention, not only on one (outside) side of the scaffold, but on both sides, in cases where similar protection is desired or necessary on both sides ; - by using this temporary railing not only for the secure mounting of permanent railings consisting of a separate upper rail and sub-rail, but also for the secure mounting of permanent monoblock guardrails.

Claims (6)

  1. Provisional railing for the secure mounting of scaffolding, this railing (2) being intended to be placed temporarily at a floor level of a scaffold, during the establishment of the railing or rails common (33, 34) of this floor level, characterized in that it consists of a frame (3) of substantially rectangular contour, extending in a vertical plane (P), the lower portion is provided with its ends of fastening means (14, 15; 18, 19) staggered on the same side with respect to the plane (P) of the frame (3) and provided for the temporary connection of the temporary guardrail (2) with uprights ( 24) vertical frames (22) of the scaffolding, these fastening means (14, 15; 18, 19) being adapted to position it in a vertical plane when using the provisional guardrail (2) located in front of a vertical plane passing through the uprights (24) of the vertical frames (22) of the structure of the scaffolding.   2. Provisional railing according to claim 1, characterized in that the fastening means comprise, at each end of the railing (2) in the lower part thereof, two superposed coaxial fastening fingers (14, 15, 18, 19), whose common axis is parallel to the plane (P) of the frame (3), the two fixing fingers (14, 15; 18, 19) being intended to be introduced into two sockets (25). superposed uprights (24) of vertical frames (22) of the structure of the scaffolding.   3. Provisional railing according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it has a one-piece structure, resulting from the assembly of horizontal and vertical elements, which form at least one upper rail (4), a sub-base smooth (5) and two end posts (6, 7) provided with fixing means, such as fixing fingers (14, 15; 18, 19), the end posts (6, 7) extending below the sub-smooth (5).   4. Temporary guardrail according to claim 3, characterized in that the end posts (6, 7) are respectively part of two rectangular parts (9, 10), which extend below the sub-rail (5). and which constitute, in particular by their lower rails (11, 12), respectively two gripping handles.   5. Provisional guardrail according to the set of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the two fastening fingers (14, 15; 18, 19) provided at each end of the provisional railing (2), are connected to the corresponding end posts (6, 7) of this railing by connecting lugs (16, 17; 20, 21), oblique, that is to say which extend in vertical planes forming an acute angle (a) in relation to the vertical plane (P) of the frame (3) of the temporary guardrail (2).   6. Provisional guardrail according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it is made essentially of aluminum, particularly with regard to its frame (3).