GB2090316A - Support equipment for use in connection with building maintenance - Google Patents

Abstract

A work platform has clamping means (3, 4, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) adapted to straddle a wall (21) and to clamp onto the straddled wall to support the platform. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Support equipment for use in connection with building maintenance This invention is concerned with equipment used to support workmen and their tools in elevated positions. Such equipment may be used, for example, by men wishing to work on the exterior of multi-storey buildings for the purposes of building maintenance. The support equipment normally used in the United Kingdom comprises a scaffolding framework of steel poles and clamps built up from the ground to a desired height.

A disadvantage of the use of such a scaffolding framework is that a great deal of scaffolding is required to reach to a high point. The scaffolding framework is usually hired out by specialist companies, but is expensive to hire for several reasons. For example, the scaffolding is expensive to transport, and erection and subsequent dismantling of the scaffolding is time consuming and requires skilled labour. As a consequence of the high cost of scaffolding, remedial work on the exterior of buildings is often postponed until major repairs are required.

A factor which has added to the problem is that in recent years, regulations prohibiting the use of ladders for highwork have been more strictly enforced.

In other countries, for example Hong Kong, the custom has been to use bamboo scaffolding poles lashed together by ropes. This type of scaffolding can be erected very quickly and relatively cheaply by skilled teams. However, the use of bamboo pole scaffolding has recently been prohibited in Hong Kong because there is a risk that the scaffolding may collapse.

An object of the present invention is to provide support equipment for use on buildings and elsewhere, which equipment overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages of steel pole scaffolding.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a work platform having clamping means adapted to straddle a wall and to clamp onto the straddled wall to support the platform.

The clamping means may comprise several clamping units, each unit having a main beam which in use of the unit will span the wall and will extend out from the wall which it spans, whereby the main beam may support flooring such as planks.

As will be explained below, the various clamp units, for example six units, are easy to transport, and they can also be easily position from inside a building to support, through window openings at a desired storey, floor planks, and also a "Kick board" and a hand rail to provide a suitable work platform clamped to the wall of the building below window openings.

The clamp units themselves form a part of this invention, and thus according to another aspect of the invention there is provided a clamp unit of a size suitable to straddle a structural wall of a building, and including a main beam to extend transversely of said wall to span the same, a pair of clamp bars extending from the main beam to be disposed one on each side of a straddled wall, and a post connected to one end region of the main beam.

It is not only work platforms that can be clamped to structural walls. Thus, the invention also relates to a hoist support or working cradle support having any suitable type of clamping means adapted to straddle a wall and to clamp onto the straddled wall whereby to support the weight of a cradle or of materials suspended from the device.

The size of the clamp units will depend upon the type of building on which the units will be used. However, the main beam may be about 1.5 metres long, and the clamp bars may be about 75 cms long.

It is believed that work platforms according to the invention can be adapted to meet the safety regulations in most countries, and that small firms of builders and decoraters will be able to purchase the equipment and transport it in small vans.

A work platform according to the invention may not be suitable for use on some types of buildings where it can not be clamped to a structural wall, but it is believed that the working platform will be particularly useful for maintenance work on private houses, hospitals, certain office blocks, ships and churches.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, embodiments of apparatus according to the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a single clamp unit according to the invention and designed to form part of a work platform; FIGURE 2 is a front view showing a work platform according to the invention which is clamped onto a building and includes six of the clamp units shown in Fig. 1; and FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding to Fig 1, showing a single clamp unit similar to that of Fig 1, but designed for use as a hoist.

The clamp unit 1 shown in Fig 1 may be made of any suitably strong material, such as steel. It includes a main beam member 2 which in use will extend horizontally as shown in the drawings. A clamp bar 3 extends generally at right angles to the main beam member 2 and is welded to it. A second clamp bar 4 is arranged parallel to the clamp bar 3, but this second clamp bar 4 is mounted on the main beam member 2 so as to be slidable along it. This is achieved by providing the top of the clamp bar 4 with a rectangular opening of such a size that the bar 4 is a close sliding fit on the beam 2.

In use of the clamp member 1 it will be necessary to secure the clamp bar 4 in a desired position on the beam 2, and this may be achieved in several ways. In the illustrated embodiment the beam 2 is provided with a plurality of throughapertures 5 spaced-apart longitudinally of the beam 2, and the upper end of the clamp bar 4 is provided with at least one aperture 6. Thus, the bar 4 can be secured in a number of positions by sliding the bar 4 to bring an aperture 6 into register with an aperture 5, and by then passing a pin (not shown) through the seiected aligned apertures 5 and 6. Instead of the arrangement shown, clamping means (not shown) could be provided to clamp the bar 4 onto the main beam 2 in any desired position to give stepless adjustment.

At the right hand end of the beam 2 there is secured a post 7. This post 7 could be welded to the main beam 2 in the position shown at right angles to the main beam 2 and at 1800 to the two clamp bars 3 and 4. However, for reasons which will become apparent, it is preferable to mount the post 7 so that it can be pivoted between a stowed position folded bacle to overlie the beam 2, and the upright position illustrated. The wall 8 of the post 7 facing the beam 2 is provided with two hooks 9 and 10.

Four clamp screws 11, 12, 13, 14 are engaged through apertures in the clmap bars 3 and 4, the clamp screws being parallel to the main beam 2.

The lower clamp screws 1 2 and 14 are disposed towards the lower ends of the bars 3 and 4, whereas the upper screws 11 and 13 are disposed about half way up their respective clamp bars 3 and 4. The ends of the clamp screws 11 to 14 which lie between the clamp bars 3,4 are provided with clamp shoes or feet 1 5 which could be rigid with the clamp screws, but are preferably connected to the clamp screws by ball and socket joints 16. The ends of the clamp screws remote from the space between the clamp bars 3 and 4 are provided with apertures to receive tommy bars (not shown) by means of which the clamp screws 11-14 may be tightened.

A counterweight 1 7 is slidably adjustable along that end of the beam 2 which is remote from the post 7. The counterweight can be locked in place at a desired position on beam 2 by means of a screw 1 8 which extends through the counterweight 1 7 and can engage the beam 2 when tightened. If desired, a bracing plate 1 9 may be welded between the beam 2 and the clamp arm 3. The manner in which six of the clamp units 1 co-operate with planks to form a working platform will now be described with reference to Figs 1 and 2.

The work platform is to be secured to the exterior of a building provided with three window openings 20 (Fig 2) disposed above wall portions 21 (Fig. 1). Atthe top of each wall portion 21 there is provided a window sill 22 extending into the interior of the building, and a window ledge 23 extending to the exterior of the building. A workman standing inside the building will measure the distance a, which is the distance by which the ledge 23 overhangs wall 21, and he will adjust the clamp screws 13 and 4 so the clamp feet 1 5 are spaced by the same distance a from the clamp bar 3. The workman will then position the movable clamp bar 4 well back from the fixed clamp bar 3, and will hinge the post 7 into its stowed position in which it overlies the main beam 2.In this condition the clamp unit 1 can be passed partially through one of the window openings 20 and can be manoeuvred into a position in which the clamp unit 1 straddles the wall 21 with the clamp bar 3 outside the building and the clamp bar 4 inside the building. The clamp bar 3 will be tight against the ledge 23, and the feet 1 5 on the clamp screws 13 and 14 will then abut the outside of the wall 21 because they will already have been set to the distance a.

The movable clamp bar 4 can then be slid along the beam 2 in a direction towards the post 7, and will be yocked in a position as close as possible to the interior sill 22. The clamp screws 11 and 12 will be tightened until the feet 1 5 clamp tightly against the interior of the wall 21. The counterweight 1 7 will then be suitably positioned on the beam 2. A second clamp unit 1 will then be clamped in position beside the first clamp unit 1 through the same window opening 20, and two other pairs of clamps units 1 will be clamped in position in the other two window openings 20 as shown in Fig 2. The posts 7 will then be hinged upwardly from their stowed positions to their upright positions illustrated.It is preferable if the posts 7 are spring loaded into their upright positions, and/or if they will automatically latch in their upright positions, for example by means of a spring loaded ball snapping into position in a recess. Planks 24 will then be passed out of the building to rest on the portions of the main beams 2 which extend outside the building, and the planks can be interlocked with one another sideto-side and/or end-to-end if desired.

Workmen can then crawl out onto the planks 24 to slot in position on the hooks 9 and 10 a foot board or "kick board" 25, and a hand rail board 26. The posts 7 can be positively locked in their upright positions at this stage by any suitable means (not shown) such as a pin and hole device.

At each end of the platform, end rails or side rails (not shown) can be secured by any suitable means to prevent workmen from accidently walking off the end of the planks 24 when walking round the building on the work platform.

The purpose of the counterweights is to balance the weight of the workmen, their tools and materials as nearly as possible to reduce bending moments on the wall 21.

Although two clamp units 1 have been shown passing through each window opening 20, a single unit might suffice. If the window opening is very long, one or two clamp units 1 could pass through the opening at each side thereof so that an entire work platform could be mounted through one window opening.

In many cases the platform can be used in place of traditional scaffolding built up from ground level. The clamp units are easily transportable and are light enough to be erected or dismantled quickly by only two workmen. The feet 1 5 can be faced with rubber to prevent them from slipping.

The clamp units 1 could also be used to erect a work platform inside a building, for example in the case of churches. The units 1 could also be clamped over the tops of walls, e.g. coping walls, and in this case, when the bricks at the top of the wall are not stressed, i.e. when there is no weight pressing down from above, counter-balancing is most important.

Fig 3 shows a clamp similar to the clamp of Fig 1, but designed to act as a hoist support or a working cradle support. The clamp unit of Fig 3 differs from that of Fig 1 mainly in that the clamp screws 13 and 14 are not used in the embodiment of Fig 3, and the fixed clamp bar 3 is supported from the main beam 2 by means of stays 30.

Further, the post 7 has been replaced by a hook or a fixing ring 31.

The work platform of Figs 1 and 2, as well as the support of Fig 3, could be used on ships, being clamped to the ships wall through one or more port holes.

Claims (25)

1. A work platform having clamping means adapted to straddle a wall (e.g. via an opening in the wall) and to clamp onto the straddled wall to support the platform.

2. A work platform according to claim 1, wherein the clamping means comprises at least one clamp unit having a main beam which in use of the unit will span the wall and extend out from the wall to support flooring such as planks.

3. A work platform according to claim 2, wherein the main beam carries adjacent an end region thereof a post which is, or can be, disposed in an upright position.

4. A work platform according to claim 3, in which the post serves to mount a hand rail and/or a foot board or "kick board".

5. A work platform according to claim 4, in which the post is mounted on the main beam to be hinged between a stowed position overlying the main beam and an upright position in which it can be secured.

6. A work platform according to any of claims 3 to 5, in which a counterweight is mounted on a region of the main beam remote from the post.

7. A work platform according to claim 6, in which the counterweight is adjustable along the main beam.

8. A work platform according to any of claims 2 to 7, in which the main beam has two clamp bars secured to it, which clamp bars will be disposed one on each side of the straddled wall.

9. A work platform according to claim 8, in which one of the clamp bars is adjustable as to its position along the main beam.

1 0. A work platform according to claim 8 or claim 9, in which one or both of the clamp bars is provided with one or more clamp screws threaded therethrough.

11. A work platform according to any of claims 2 to 10, and including a plurality of said clamp units.

1 2. A work platform substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A clamp unit of a size suitable to straddle a structural wall of a building, and including a main beam to extend transversely of said wall to span the same, a pair of clamp bars extending from the main beam to be disposed one on each side of a straddled wall, and a post connected to one end region of the main beam.

14. A clamp unit according to claim 13, in which the post is pivotally mounted to move between a stowed position in which it overlies the main beam and an upright position generally at right angles to the main beam.

1 5. A clamp unit according to claim 13 or claim 14, in which the post carries hook members for supporting a hand rail and a foot board or "kick board".

16. A clamp unit according to any of claims 13 to 1 5, in which that clamp bar remote from the post can be adjusted in position along the main beam.

1 7. A clamp unit according to any of the claims 13 to 16, including a counterweight mounted on a region of the main beam remote from the post.

1 8. A clamp unit according to claim 17, wherein the counterweight is adjustable as to its position along the main beam.

19. A clamp unit according to any of claims 13 to 18, in which both of the clamp bars carry at least one clamp screw, the clamp screws being adjustable to engage opposite faces of the straddled wall to grip the wall.

20. A clamp unit substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A kit of parts comprising a plurality of clamp units according to any of claims 1 3 to 20, flooring to be supported by said clamp units, and a hand rail and a "kick board" to be supported by posts of the clamp units.

22. A hoist support or a working cradle support having clamping means adapted to straddle a wall and to clamp onto the straddled wall.

23. A hoist support or a working cradle support according to claim 22, in which the clamping means includes a clamp unit having a main beam which in use of the unit will span the wall and extend beyond the wall.

24. A hoist support or working cradle support according to claim 23, in which a hook or a fixing ring is carried by an end of the main beam.

25. A hoist support or a working cradle support substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.