GB2073309A - Connecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

A connecting device, primarily for connecting together parts of scaffolding and similar structures has clamp means 6 operable to form a rigid clamping connection with a support member 3, and a coupling device 12 secured to the clamp means and operable to form a connection with a bracing or similar member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Connecting device This invention relates to a connecting device, primarily for use in connecting together com ponents of supporting structures used in the civil engineering industry during construction operations. The invention is particularly useful in the connection to main supports of bracing and similar members to increase the rigidity of the supports and/or of structures incorporat ing a plurality of such supports.

An object of the invention is to provide a connecting device of simple construction which. may be readily used in a wide variety of situations arising in the building industry.

According to the invention, a connecting device comprises clamp means operable to form a rigid clamping connection with a sup port member, and a coupling device secured to the clamp means and operable to form a connection with a bracing or similar member.

The device of the invention finds particular application in arrangements in which the support member is in the form of a standard soldier composed of a pair of generally channel-shaped elements disposed in back-to-back relationship and it is desired to connect one or more bracing members so as to extend from respective mutually perpendicular sides of such a support. For this purpose, the clamp means, in one of its forms, may conveniently be in the general form of a G-clamp adapted to embrace a side portion of one of the channel-shaped elements and incorporating force-applying means, such as a screw, arranged to bear upon an internal surface of that element. A coupling device may be secured to the G-clamp on either or both of two mutually generally perpendicular faces of the clamp to enable bracing or similar members to be coupled to both of said support members.

When the clamp is in the general form of a G-clamp, it preferably has a first straight portion from the respective ends of which extend transverse portions, a further portion extending from the free end of one of the transverse portions to lie in spaced relationship to said straight portion and incorporating a forceapplying means, conveniently in the form of a screw extending towards said straight portion.

When the bracing or similar member is in the form of a tube, the coupling device may conveniently be in the form of a pair of arms hinged together at one of their pairs of adjacent end portions and include securing means acting between the other pair of adjacent end portions, enabling the device to embrace the tube and be locked thereto at any convenient location therealong.

One form of standard soldier is provided along its length with spaced, usually circular openings, the openings being formed in the bases of the channel elements and the openings in one element being aligned with the corresponding openings of the other element.

An alternative form of the connecting device of the invention is such as to form a rigid clamping connection with theçsupport member using the openings thereof.

Such an alternative form of clamp means may conveniently comprises a pair of clamp ing elements and force-applying means cooperating with at least one of the elements, the arrangement being such that at least one of the clamping elements may co-operate with the periphery of an opening of the support member and the force-applying means operated to effect a clamping action via said element in order to form a rigid clamping connection with the support member.

In one mode of use of this clamp member, the clamping elements are disposed respectively at either side of an opening of the support member and the force-applying means, conveniently in the form of a bolt, extends through the opening to co-operate with both elements to effect a clamping action.

The clamp member may alternatively be arranged so that one clamping element thereof extends, in use, through a pair of aligned openings to bridge adjacent respective edges of the openings, the force-applying means, in this case, extending in a direction parallel to the planes of said openings to effect a clamping action between said one element and reaction means bridging between adjacent sides of the channels. In this mode of use, the other clamping element lies perpendicularly to said one element and takes no part in the clamping action.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of the connecting device of the invention in various modes of use; Figure 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of an alternative form of the connecting device of the invention in a first mode of use; Figure 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the connecting device of Figure 2 in a second mode of use, and Figure 4 is an enlarged view of part of the connecting device in position on a support.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, these show part of a supporting structure for use during a building operation for example, and comprising a support member, indicated generally at 1, in the form of a standard steel soldier including a pair of channel-shaped elements 2 arranged in back-to-back parallel relationship and rigidly joined together, at least at their upper and lower ends, by end plates (not shown) welded or otherwisese- cured thereto. Each of the elements 2 is provided with a series of spaced circular openings 3 along its length, each opening in each element being aligned with a corresponding opening in the other element.The supporting structure includes a number of bracing elements 4, which may be arranged to extend in a variety of directions for connection to further support members in order to impart rigidity to the structure. The bracing elements are connected to the support member 1 by means of the connecting device of the invention indicated generally at 5.

In its form as illustrated, for use specifically with support members in the form of soldiers, the connecting device includes a clamp means in the form of a generally G-shaped clamping member 6 which is shaped and dimensioned so as to embrace a channel element 2 of the soldier in a direction transversely thereof, such that a straight intermediate portion 6A engages the side 7 of the element 2, an end portion 6B extending generally at right angles to the portion 6A engages the external surface 8 of the base of the element, and a further portion 6C extending generally parallel to the portion 6A faces an internal surface 7A of the side 7 of the element 2. The portion 6C has a threaded bore housing a screw 9 which can be screwed into engagement with the internal surface 7A and, by reaction thereagainst, to produce a clamping action of the G-clamp onto the element 2.

As will be seen more clearly from Fig. 4, in order to place the clamp in the clamping position shown, it is necessary to insert the inturned portion 10 of the element 2 through the mouth of the clamp and rotate the latter about an imaginary centre C to enable the portion 6B of the clamp to move around the external surface of the element 2 and assume the position shown in which the side 7 of the element is effectively trapped between the portion 6B and the junction 6D between the portions 6B and 6C. This action prevents the clamp from being easily removed from the element 2 in the event, for example, of the bolt 9 not being securely tightened, and thus contributes to the safety of the device in use.

The clamp junction forms a true circular arc about the centre C such as to enable the clamp to be rotated in the manner described for installation and removal.

The connecting device 5 is shown provided with a pair of coupling devices 11 and 1 2 spaced around the G-clamp by approximately 90 and each secured to the clamp by means of a respective rivet 13, or similar device which may either be such as to hold the coupling device rigidly in position or to allow the coupling device to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the rivet. Although the coupling devices are both shown extending at right angles to the plane of the G-clamp, they may be arranged in any desired orientation, permitting braces 4 to extend in any desired direction. Each coupling device includes a pair of arms 14 and 1 5 hinged together at one of their adjacent pairs of end portions by a pin or similar device 16.The arms are interconnected at their other end portions by a pin 1 7 hinged to the arm 14-at 18 and engaging, in conventional manner, in an open-ended longitudinal slot (not shown) in the end portion of the arm 1 5. The free end portion 1 9 of the pin is threaded to receive a nut 20 which may be tightened to produce the desired clamping force around the bracing member 4.

It will be understood that the connecting device may include only one of the coupling devices 11 and 1 2 permitting a bracing element to be connected to either one of the mutually perpendicular sides 7, 8 of the element 2.

An alternative form of connecting device is indicated at 21. It includes a G-clamp 6 identical with that described above, but in this case, the G-clamp is provided with a tube 23 rigidly secured, as by welding, to the portion 6A of the clamp, the tube being of dimensions such as to enable a coupling device 24 similar to those described above to be clamped thereon, the coupling device 24 being rigidly or pivotally secured to a further similar coupling device 25 for forming a connection to a tubular bracing element as described above. The connecting device may be provided, as shown, additionally or alternatively with a tube 26 extending at right angles to the tube 23, for use in the same manner as the latter.

In a further alternative form of the connecting device illustrated at 27, the coupling device consists of a single member 28 having an arcuate end portion 29 curved so as tightly to receive a tubular bracing member 4 and an opposed straight portion 30 having a threaded bore receiving a screw device 31 which can be tightened onto the bracing member to form a rigid connection therewith.

The member 28 is either pinned to the Gclamp 6 in fixed or pivotal manner, as described previously, or may be secured directly to the G-clamp, without the intermediary of a pin or other means, such securement being effected by welding, for example, at the location 32.

A further alternative form of the connecting device is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. Referring first to Fig. 2, the support member is again illustrated as a standard soldier and the connecting device is designed to form a connection at the opening 3 of the soldier. The device includes an arm 33, to which is rigidly or pivotally secured a coupler 34 of the type described above. The clamp means comprises a pair of clamping jaws 35 and 36 disposed respectively at either sides of the aperture 3.

The aperture is defined by an inclined lip 37 and the jaws 35 and 36 are provided respectively with correspondingly inclined surfaces 35A and 36A for engagement respectively with the two sides of the lip. The jaw 36 is provided with a nut 38, or similar threaded device, welded or otherwise secured thereto and a bolt 39 passed through the arm 33 engages the nut and pulls the jaws 35 and 36 in opposite directions against the rim 37 surrounding the aperture 3 so as to form a secure clamping connection between the element 2 and, via the arm 33, the coupling device 34.

The device of Figure 2 can be used in an alternative mode, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In this case, the jaw 36 is used to bridge between the edges of aligned apertures 3 of the two elements 2 of a soldier, and is provided with spaced notches 40 in which these edges engage for location. The bolt 39 effects a clamping action between the jaw 36 and the arm 33 which bridges across the space 41 between the two elements 2. In this case, the jaw 35 takes no part in the clamping action but merely rests in the space between the elements 2.

It will be appreciated that, in the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3, the spacing of individual connecting devices along the soldier is governed by the spacing of the apertures 3.

In a particularly convenient arrangement, the distance between the pin 39 and the connection point 42 of the coupler 34 on the arm 33 is approximately equal to half the distance between successive apertures 3 of the strut element, so that the areas swept by 360 rotation of adjacent couplers 34 are closely adjacent. The couplers can be locked in any angular position, to provide for the connection of braces at any desired angle and the aforesaid arrangement of the arms enables such bracing connections to be made at substantially any point along the soldier.

Claims (8)

1. A connecting device comprising clamp means operable to form a rigid clamping connection with a support member, and a coupling device secured to the clamp means and operable to form a connection with a bracing or similar member.

2. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the clamp means is in the general form of a G-clamp adapted to embrace at least a part of the support member and incorporating forceapplying means arranged to bear upon a surface of the support.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein coupling devices are secured to the G-clamp on both of two mutually generally perpendicular faces of the clamp to enable bracing or similar members to be coupled to both of said support members.

4. A device according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the G-clamp has a first straight portion from the respective ends of which extend transverse portions, a further portion extending from the free end of one of the transverse portions to lie in spaced relationship to said straight portion and incorporating a force-applying means.

5. A device according to Claim 4, wherein the force-applying means is a screw extending towards said straight portion.

6: A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the coupling device is in the form of a pair of arms hinged together at one of their pairs of adjacent end portions and including securing means acting between the other pair of adjacent end portions, enabling the device to embrace a tube and be locked thereto at any convenient location therealong.

7. A device according to Claim 1, wherein the clamp means comprises a pair of clamping elements and force-applying means cooperating with at least one of the elements, the arrangement being such that at least one of the clamping elements may co-operate with the periphery of an opening in the support member and the force-applying means operated to effect a clamping action via said element in order to form the rigid clamping connection with the support member.

8. A connecting device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig.

1, or Figs. 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.