GB2111585A

GB2111585A - Scaffolding clamp

Info

Publication number: GB2111585A
Application number: GB08233602A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andras Szucs
Original assignee: GKN Mills Building Services Ltd
Current assignee: RMD Kwikform Ltd
Priority date: 1981-11-26
Filing date: 1982-11-25
Publication date: 1983-07-06
Also published as: GB2111585B

Abstract

A scaffolding clamp comprises a body portion 10 having pivotally secured thereto a scaffold tube coupler arm 12 and a flange clamp lever arm 14 tightened by a bolt 30. The lever arm 14 is rotatable through 180 DEG about bolt 30 for permitting the clamp to be secured to different thicknesses of planar member P. The lever arm 14 and the coupler arm 12 are clampable independently of one another facilitating the interconnection of long scaffold tubes T to long planar members such as structural beams. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Scaffolding clamp The present invention relates to a scaffolding clamp of a type permitting a scaffold tube and a planar member to be releasably inter-connected.

A clamp of this general type is disclosed in GB A-i 537257 in which a clamp body is provided with an adjustable scaffold tube coupler to clamp the body to the scaffold tube. An adjustable lever is provided on the clamp body to clamp a flange of a flanged member directly against the scaffold tube. In use of this type of clamp, the clamp must be initially connected to the scaffold tube by the scaffold tube coupler, whereby the flange of the flanged member can then be clamped directly against the tube by means of the adjustable lever.

However, it is often necessary, or preferable, in erecting scaffold structure to secure one or more scaffold clamps to a fixed flange of a flanged member such as, for example, a steel girder forming part of a rigid steel structure, this can be difficuit to achieve if it is necessary to-abut a length of scaffold tube, to which one or more of such scaffolding clamps have been secured, against a fixed flange, prior to tightening the adjustable lever on the or each clamp against the flange.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a scaffolding clamp which is easy to use and which may, if preferred, be rigidly connected to a fixed flange member before a scaffold tube is subsequently secured to the clamp.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a scaffolding clamp for releasably securing together a scaffold tube and a planar member wherein the clamp comprises a clamp body; a scaffold coupler arm pivotally mounted on the clamp body and first tightening means associated therewith for releasably securing a scaffold tube between the coupler arm and the clamp body; a lever arm mounted on the clamp body and second tightening means operable on the lever arm intermediate its end for releasably securing a planar member between one end of the lever arm and the clamp body, the other end of the lever arm being engaged, in the tightened position thereof, with an abutment portion of the clamp body.

Preferably the lever arm is mounted on the clamp body by means of said second tightening means which itself conveniently comprises a threaded bolt pivotally mounted on the clamp body. Preferably also the lever arm is rotably mounted on the clamp body between two operative positions in each of which positions one end of the arm is engagable with a said planar member and the other end of the arm is engagable with the abutment portion of the clamp body.

The lever arm may comprise a central portion and two end portions with the free ends of the end portions being offset from one another whereby different thicknesses of planar member may be secured between the said one end of the lever arm and the clamp body. In one form of the lever arm it comprises a generally L-shaped form having a substantially planar central portion with one free end of the arm being the end of the central portion in the plane thereof and the other free end of the arm being at the end of a projecting limb of the L-shaped arm and offset from the plane of the central portion thereof.The central portion of the lever arm is preferably provided with an aperture of greater internal diameter than the diameter of the bolt upon which it is carried with the face of the aperture remote from the clamp body providing an arcuate bearing for a complimentary washer carried on the bolt, a nut being screw-threadedly carried on the bolt for engagement with said washer and for tightening the lever arm into engagement with a said pianar member.

Each end of the lever arm is conveniently provided with a recess or a projection and the abutment portion of the clamp conveniently comprises a projection or a recess engagable with said end of the lever arm.

The clamp body may comprise a central saddle portion having an arcuate internal profile complimentary to that of the scaffold coupler arm to receive a said scaffold tube therein; the said abutment portion for engagement by said other end of the lever arm may be provided at one side of the saddle portion and a further planar abutment portion may be provided at the other side of the saddle portion for engagement by a said pianar member securable thereto by said one end of the lever arm.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description given herein solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a scaffolding clamp constructed in accordance with the invention showing a scaffold tube secured to the clamp and inter-connected by the clamp to a planar member, the planar member being shown in phantom, Figure 2 is a similar view to that of Figure 1 showing the clamp in use with a different thickness of planar member, and Figure 3 is an end view of the clamp in the position of Figure 1.

The scaffolding clamp of the invention comprises a clamp body 10, which may be a steel forging or casting, to which is attached a scaffold tube coupler arm 12 and a flange clamp lever arm 14. The coupler arm 12 may be of conventional construction comprising an arcuate member pivotally connected to the clamp body 10 by a pivot pin 16 at one end of the arm being engagable with a central saddle portion 1 8 of the clamp body 10 to define a tubular aperture in which a scaffold tube T can be releasably secured.

A first tightening means comprising a bolt 20 extends outwardly from one side of the central saddle portion 1 8 of the clamp body and is pivotable about a pin 22. The bolt 20 is engagable within a slot in the free end of the coupler arm 12 and a nut 24 is screw-threadedly carried on the bolt 20 to clamp the coupler arm 12 against the scaffold tube T and the central saddle portion 1 8 of the clamp body.

The lever arm 14 as shown herein is of generally L-shaped form having a central portion 26 providing an aperture 28 through which passes second tightening means in the form of a bolt 30 pivotally mounted by a pin 32 on the clamp body saddle portion 1 8. The internal diameter of the aperture 28 is greater than the diameter of the bolt 30 and provides a cylindrical or spherical bearing surface 34 for a complimentarily shaped washer 36 carried on the bolt 30. A nut 38 screw-threadedly mounted on the bolt 30 bears upon the washer 36 and thence upon the lever arm 14.

The two free ends 42 and 44 of the lever arm 14 are offset from one another and each such end is provided with a recess 46 and 48 respectively for selective engagement with a projection 50 comprising an abutment portion of the clamp body 10 on one side of the central portion 18 thereof. Alternatively, such abutment portion may comprise a recess for engagement by a corresponding projection at the end of the lever arm.

A further abutment portion comprising one or more planar surfaces 52 is provided on the clamp body 10 at the other side of the central saddle portion 1 8 from the first abutment portion. Thus the lever arm 14 is pivotally and rotatably carried on the clamp body 10 whereby either end 42 or 44 of the lever arm may be selectively engaged with the abutment portion projection 50 for the other end of the lever arm to clamp a planar member P, such as a flange of a flanged member, between said end of the lever arm and the planar abutment surfaces 52 of the clamp body.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3 of the drawings, it will be seen that the scaffold tube T is interconnected by the clamp to a relatively thin planar member P. With such a relatively thin planar member it is appropriate to use the lever arm 14 in the position illustrated with the end 44 thereof in clamping engagement with the planar member P and the recess 46 in the other end 42 of the lever arm engaged by the projection 50. The lever arm 14 is shown in its alternative position in Figure 2 for clamping to a relatively thick planar member P. In this position the lever arm 14 has been rotated through 1 80C so that the end 42 is in clamping engagement with the planar member P and the recess 48 in the end 44 is engaged by the projection 50.

In use the scaffolding clamp of the invention may be clamped either to a planar member P or a scaffold tube T quite independently of one another. This facility is particularly useful in enabling an operative to secure a plurality of clamps in position to for example a flange of a long flanged member such as a structural beam before positioning the scaffold tube or tubes for engagement by the clamp.

Claims

1. A scaffolding clamp for releasably securing together a scaffold tube and a planar member wherein the clamp comprises a clamp body; a scaffold coupler arm pivotally mounted on the clamp body and first tightening means associated therewith for releasably securing a scaffold tube between the coupler arm and the clamp body; a lever arm mounted on the clamp body and second tightening means operable on the lever arm intermediate its ends for releasably securing a planar member between one end of the lever arm and the clamp body, the other end of the lever arm being engaged, in the tightened position thereof, with an abutment portion of the clamp body.

2. A scaffolding clamp as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the lever arm is mounted on the clamp body by means of said second tightening means.

3. A scaffolding clamp as claimed in either one of Claims 1 or 2 wherein said second tightening means comprises a threaded bolt pivotally mounted on the clamp body and said lever arm is carried on said bolt.

4. A scaffolding clamp as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the lever arm is rotatabiy mounted on the clamp body between two operative positions in each of which positions one end of the arm is engagable with a said planar member and the other end of the arm is engagable with the abutment portion of the clamp body.

5. A scaffolding clamp as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the lever arm comprises a central portion and two end portions with the free ends of the end portions being offset from one another whereby different thicknesses of planar member may be secured between the said one end of the lever arm and the clamp body.

6. A scaffolding clamp as claimed in Claim 5 when linked with Claim 3 wherein the central portion of the lever arm is provided with an aperture of greater internal diameter than the diameter of the bolt and the face of said aperture remote from the clamp body provides an arcuate bearing for a complimentary washer carried on the bolt, a nut being screw-threadedly carried on the bolt for engagement with said washer and for tightening the lever arm into engagement with a said planar member.

7. A scaffolding clamp as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 6 wherein the lever arm is of generally L shaped form having a substantially planar central portion with one free end of the arm being at the end of said central portion in the plane thereof and the other free end of the arm being at the end of a projecting limb of the Lshaped arm and offset from the plane of the central portion thereof.

8. A scaffolding clamp as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 7 wherein each end of the lever arm is provided with a recess or a projection and the abutment portion of the clamp body comprises a projection or a recess engagable with said end of the lever arm.

9. A scaffolding clamp as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the clamp body comprises a central saddle portion having an arcuate internal profile complimentary to that of the scaffold coupler arm to receive a said scaffold tube therein; the abutment portion for engagement by said other end of the lever arm being provided at one side of the saddle portion and a further planar abutment portion being provided at the other side of the saddle portion for engagement by a said planar member securable thereto by said one end of the lever arm.

10. A scaffolding clamp constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.