GB2133726A - A device for straightening or embossing scaffolding elements - Google Patents

Abstract

The device comprises a frame chassis 1 and a carriage 3 which can be driven linearly to and fro between guide rails 2 of the chassis 1 by pneumatic, hydraulic or electro-mechanical means. The frame chassis 1 and the carriage 3 are provided with exchangeable inserts which are located in bores 15, 16, 17 and act on a scaffolding element disposed therebetween to straighten or emboss same when the carriage 3 is moved. For the reception of frame- shaped scaffolding elements an elongate adjoint-piece 9 provided with an insert-locating bore 18 may be connected to the frame chassis 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A device for straightening scaffolding elements This invention relates to a device primarily for straightening buckled or warped scaffolding elements made of metal, for example tubular uprights, vertical or adjusting frames, horizontal frames, allmetal gangplanks and the like.

In the building industry it is inevitable that scaffolding elements, for instance individual upright tubes or the posts of adjusting frames, occasionally become buckled, and that adjusting and horizontal frames sometimes undergo deformation in the diagonal direction. In the past scaffolding elements deformed in such a way have been straightened laboriously by hand, insofar as this was possible. If this was not successful, these elements had to be discarded, which naturally meant considerable loss in economic terms. The object of the invention is to provide a device which makes it possible to straighten such scaffolding elements again in a simple and satisfactory manner, insofar as no changes in the metal structure which might impair safety have occurred (as for example may often happen in the event of kinking).More particularly the object is to provide a device whereby the original shape may be re-produced even in the case of plate-shaped gangplanks and flooring elements made of metal and diagonally-deformed scaffolding frames.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by provision of a device comprising a carriage which is mounted between two guide rails arranged parallel to one another in a frame chassis and which is driven linearly to and fro along said rails by pneumatic, hydraulic or electromechanical means, the frame chassis or the guide rails on the one hand and the carriage on the other hand being provided with exchangeable inserts which are adapted to the scaffolding element to be straightened and which act on this to cause transmission of pressure thereto. These inserts which transmit the pressure may advantageously either be designed in the form of pegs or pins which are shaped in accordance with their respective task and which are insertable in suitably arranged recesses (for example bores), or special abutment and pressure members may be provided.

In accordance with a further development of the invention, the frame chassis which contains the carriage and the carriage guide as well as the drive mechanism also includes an elongate adjoint-piece extending in the direction of the central longitudinal axis of the carriage guide, said adjoint piece also being provided with exchangeable inserts which act on the scaffolding element to cause transmission of pressure thereto. In this way it is possible on the one hand to keep the dimensions of the frame chassis small in relation to the actuation mechanism and on the other hand to take into account the dimensions of adjusting and horizontal frames that may have to be inserted diagonally.

The device of the invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, and various design possibilities of the pressure-transmitting inserts and their use when straightening scaffolding elements will be explained. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a preferred practical embodiment of the device of the invention; Figure2 is a partial plan view, to an enlarged scale, of carriage guide and carriage drive of the same embodiment; Figure 3 is a plan view illustrating the straightening of a buckled scaffolding tube of an adjusting frame using the device shown in Figure 1 and 2; Figure 3a and Figure 3b are a side view and plan view respectively of a peg-shaped insert used in the device for the operation illustrated in Figure 3.

Figure 4 is a plan view illustrating the straightening of a bent scaffolding tube provided with connecting flanges using the device shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4a, Figure 4b and Figure 4c are views of the inserts additionally necessary for the operation illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 5 is a plan view illustrating the diagonal alignment of a warped adjusting frame using the same device; Figure 5a and Figure Sb are a side view and plan view respectively of the insert, used for this; Figure 6 is a plan view illustrating the diagonal alignment of a warped horizontal frame using the same device; Figure 7 is a plan view illustrating the straightening of the bent side flange of an all-metal gangplank using the same device; Figure 8 and Figure 9 are a plan view and a view in the direction of arrow IX of Figure 8 respectively of the tool necessaryforthis; Figure 10 is a plan view illustrating the use of the same device for the impressing of letters and numbers into scaffolding tubes; and Figure lOa and Figure lob are a side view and plan view respectively of the insert used for this which carries the embossing symbols.

A preferred practical embodiment of the device of the invention is shown in Figure 1. This device comprises a frame chassis 1 which contains a carriage guide 2 on which a carriage 3 is mounted.

The feet of the chassis 1 are designated by reference numeral 1'. In this particular example, the drive of the carriage is effected hydraulically by means of a pump 4which is driven by an electric motor.

Associated with the motor is an electrical switching installation 5 which also serves for reversing the direction of movement of the carriage 3. The oil necessary for the hydraulic installation is held in a container 6 and the operation of the entire mechanism is effected by way of a foot-actuated control device 7. For transmitting the pressure from the carriage 3 onto the scaffolding elements that are to be straightened, or as an abutment for these, there are exchangeable inserts 8 which are insertable into recesses in the carriage 3, or respectively in the frame chassis 1 or in the carriage guide 2. The shape of the inserts 8 is adapted in each case to their special purposes. The use of these inserts 8 and their respective specific designs will be described in detail hereinunder.Of course, the movement to be carried out by the carriage 3 for straightening a scaffolding tube or for diagonally aligning or levelling up a frame is limited, so that the dimensions of the frame chassis 1 containing the carriage guide 2 can be kept small. However, there is a need for support means of considerable length to support the diagonal dimensioning of the scaffolding frames and for this reason a narrow and elongate adjoint-piece 9, which is similarly provided with recesses for the reception of inserts 8, is provided on the frame chassis 1, as shown in Figure 1.

As shown in Figure 2, a pressure cylinder 11 is arranged between two lateral frame limbs 14 and is hinged by means of a hinge 12 to a transverse limb 14' of the frame, whilst the free end of a piston rod 13 of the cylinder 11 is hinged to the carriage 3. The carriage 3 slides along guide rails 21 which are respectively welded to the inside of the two lateral frame limbs 14. For insertion of the exchangeable inserts 8, which in each case have cylindrical insertion plugs, recesses in the form of bores 15 are provided in the lateral frame limbs 14, a bore 17 is provided in the carriage 3 and a number of bores 18 are introduced into the adjoint-piece 9 serving as an extension. The pressure cylinder 11 is reversible so that the piston 13 can exert the necessary force (pressure) selectively in the one or other direction.

Various examples of the use of the abovedescribed device in accordance with the invention are shown in a highly schematised representation in Figures 3 to 7 and 10 omitting all the individual items which are superfluous and might detract from their clarity.

An arrangement for straightening a buckled smooth upright tube 31', in the illustrated example one of the two upright tubes of a vertical or adjusting frame 31, is shown in Figure 3. In this respect it is supposed that this upright tube 31', is buckled in such a way that it has, related to the adjusting frame, a shape which is curved convexly outwards. In other words a pressure directed towards the interior of the adjusting frame 31 has to be applied to straighten same. To carry out the straightening procedure, inserts 81,the special shape of which can be gathered from Figures 3a and 3b, are inserted into the two bores 15 (see Figure 2) of the lateral frame limbs 14 as well as into the bore 17 of the carriage 3.

Each insert 81 has a bolt-shaped upper part 81', the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the bores 15, 16, 17, 18 and extending downwardly therefrom is a cylindrical insertable plug 8a which fits into these bores. As abutment for the upright tube 31' the bolt-shaped upper part 81' has at each side a respective recess 81b which is adapted to fit to the outer walling of the upright tube 31'.

For straightening of the tube 31', the adjusting frame 31 is inserted into the device in the manner evident from Figure 3. The pump 4 is switched on by actuation of the control device 7 and, as a result of the hydraulic pressure acting on the piston 13 of the pressure cylinder 11 the carriage 3 moves in the direction indicated by the arrow, whereby the deformation of the upright tube 31 ' is slowly reduced. The person operating the device interrupts the procedure at short intervals by way of the control device 7 in order to supervise the progress of the straightening procedure and continues this until the upright tube 31' has again reached its original straight shape.

Apart from smooth scaffolding tubes, as are used for example in adjusting frames, there are certain scaffolding tubes in which means, for instance in the form of circular-disc-shaped fastening flanges, for the fastening of horizontal or diagonal scaffolding elements are mounted at intervals determined by the scaffolding system. Figure 4 shows an arrangement for straightening such a scaffolding tube 32 on which fastening flanges 32' are provided at intervals.

In this case, depending on the position of the deformation that is to be straightened out, the necessary space for accommodation of the flanges 32' must be available. For this purpose parallelepipedic inserts 80, as shown in Figure 4c are provided. These are, in each case, insertable by means of two plug-in pegs 80' into the bores 19 (Figure 2) provided in the carriage 3 and serve as support for the scaffolding tube 32. The inserts 80 are so dimensioned that in the relevant circumstances the flanges 32' are not hindered by the lateral frame limbs 14 or the carriage 3.

To provide for accommodation of the flanges 32' whenever necessary, the three inserts to be inserted into the bores 15 and 17 have a special shape. Two of them 81" are shaped similarly to the inserts 81, the only difference being that the upper part 81' is of greater height corresponding to the higher mounting of the scaffolding tube 32 caused by the inserts 80, so that a greater spacing exists between the recesses 81b and the bearing surface of the shoulder 81 C. The third insert 82, as shown in Figures 4a and 4b, similarly has an upper part 82' which is adapted in its height to the higher position of the upright tube 32.Apart from the recesses 82b intended for abutment against the tube, the upper part 82' has a perpendicular continuous slot 82d, the central plane of which stands at a right angle to the axes of the recesses 82b and which, if necessary, serves to receive a connection flange 32'. As before a plug-in peg 8a is provided underneath the upper part 82'. It will be understood that the insert 82 is always inserted in that one of the bores 15, 16 where it is necessary to accommodate a flange 32' by reason of the positioning of the connection flanges 32', whilst the two inserts 81N are inserted into the two other bores.

An arrangement for straightening a diagonally warped frame is shown in Figures 5 and 6, Figure 5 illustrating straightening of an adjusting frame 31 and Figure 6 illustrating straightening of a horizontal frame 33. In both instances the frame 31 or 33 that is to be straightened is introduced between two similarly-shaped special inserts 83, which will be described with reference to Figures 5b and Sb. One of the inserts 83 is inserted into the bore 17 of the carriage 3 and the other is inserted, in accordance with the dimensions of the frame, into a suitable bore 18 of the adjoint-piece 9 in such a way that in each case those of the diagonally-opposed corners at which the angle is less than 900 (as a result of the deformation from a right angle) are disposed adjacent the respective inserts 83.

As shown in Figures 5a and Sb, each special insert 83 consists of a bolt-shaped under part 83' separated from a plug-in peg 8a by a collar the lower surface 83c of which serves as bearing surface for the insert 83. The upper part 83' is at one side slightly flattened and provided with a spike 83fwhich serves, in the case of an adjusting frame 31, to engage into the lower, or respectively the upper, opening of the upright tube 31' or the tubular plug-in bolt 31" serving for the insertion of an adjacent adjusting frame, and thus to secure the adjusting frame 31 for the straightening operation (Figure 5).

A vertically-extending non-continuous slot 83e is disposed on that side of the upper part 83' which lies opposite the spike 83f. When straightening a horizontal frame 33, the suspension claws 33' provided at the corners thereof engage in each case into this slot 83e and thus ensure the correct position of the frame during the straightening operation (Figure 6).

Of course, depending on the scaffolding elements that are to be straightened, the inserts may have to be quite differently designed. Such an example will now be described. In the case of the horizontal frame 33 which is taken as the basis for Figure 6, wooden planks may be inserted into the metal frame to produce a tread surface and working surface.

However, all metal gang planks are also known in which the tread and working surface consists of a sheet-metal plate the lateral edges of which are U-shaped, that is to say doubly overturned, to form a reinforcing flange extending along the full length of the tread and working surface.

It will now be supposed that such a lateral reinforcing flange has been slightly buckled by one-sided overloading and is to be straightened.

Figure 7 shows how such an all-metal gangplank 34 may be inserted into the device for straightening, whilst Figures 8 and 9 show the inserts 40 and 50/60 which are necessary in this case. The all-metal gangplank 34 to be straightened is indicated in Figure 9 in cross-section by dot-dash lines. The tread and working surface is designated by reference numeral 34a and the lateral reinforcing flange which has arisen by double overturning is designated by reference numeral 34b.

The inserts 40 consists of a cross-beam 41 which is formed as a square tube and is inserted by means of plug-in pegs 42 into the bores 15 of the frame limbs 14. The plug-in pegs 42 are tubes which, for strength reasons, engage through the square tube forming the cross-beam 41 and are welded to this. Situated at each end ofthe cross-beam 41 is an upwardlydirected square tube 43 which serves during the straightening procedure as an abutmentforthe all-metal gangplank 34 which is applied with its treading surface against these two square tubes 43.

Moreover, provided on that side of the cross-beam 41 which points away from the square tubes 43 are the two square-tube-sockets 44 on which the longitudinal edge of the all-metal gangplank 34 rests.

The insert 50 is removeably connected to the special plug-in device 60 which is insertable by means of a plug-in peg 62 into the bore 17 of the carriage 3. Above the plug-in peg 62 there is a supporting body in the form of a vertically-arranged square prism 61 which carries, on its upper horizontal surface, an adjoint-piece 63 also of rectangular cross-section into which the insert 50 fits by means of a guide 54. The insert 50 consists of a plate 51 on whose front edge directed towards the cross-beam 41 there is disposed a pressure jaw 52 stiffened by supports 53. The guide 54 consisting of two parallel flat-metal parts ensures the satisfactory seating of the plate 51 on the prism-shaped supporting part 61.

Since, during straightening of the doubly-bent flange 34b (see Figure 9), the device has to act at two places, namely the treading surface 34a and the under edge of the flange 34b, there is additionally provided, apart from the pressure jaw 52 which act on the treading surface 34a, a second pressure jaw 65 which is inserted exchangeably into a corresponding recess 64 of the prism-shaped part 61 of the plug-in device 60 and is secured by bolting. The thickness of the pressure pin 65 is governed in each case by the dimensions of the all-metal gangplank 34 that is to be straightened.

In orderto straighten an all-metal gangplank 34, this is introduced into the device in the manner evident from Figure 7. To allow introduction of the flange 34b the insert 50 is removed from the plug-in device 60 which is already located in the carriage 3, and is inserted over the flange 34b into the adjointpiece 63 only after the all-metal gangplank 34 is in the necessary position. The carriage 3 then moves in the direction of the arrow so that the pressure jaw 52 acts on the underside of the treading surface 34a and the pressure jaw 65 acts on the underside of the flange 34b.

As will be clear from the foregoing, the inserts can be given very different shapes depending on the scaffolding elements to be straightened and the above-described embodiments do not, of course, preclude the possibility of a different adaptation of the inserts to the relevant scaffolding elements to be processed. Additionally, the device in accordance with the invention can be used for other work relating to scaffolding elements. In Figure 10, for example, the device is shown being used for impressing letters or numerals into scaffolding elements, for example into upright tubes. The insert 84 necessary for this is shown in side view in Figure 1 Oa and in plan view in Figure 106. It includes parallelepipedic upper part 84' having on one side a horizontal slot-shaped recess 84g, into which individual steel stamp dies for letters, numerals or symbols may be inserted 'ad libitum'. A plug-in peg 8a is inserted into the upper part 84' by means of a peg-shaped adjoint-piece 8a'.

To carry out the impressing operation, the insert 84 is inserted into the bore 16 of the frame transverse limb 14", the symbols to be impressed being directed towards the carriage 3, in the bore 17 of which there is an insert 81. The tube 35 that is to be provided with the impression lies between the inserts 84 and 81. To bring about the impression, the carriage 3 exerts a pressure in the direction of the arrow.

Claims (13)

1. A device primarily for straightening buckled or warped scaffolding elements comprising a carriage which is mounted between two guide rails arranged parallel to one another in a frame chassis and which is driven linearly to and fro along said rails by pneumatic, hydraulic or electromechanical means, the frame chassis or the guide rails on the one hand and the carriage on the other hand being provided with exchangeable inserts which are adapted to the scaffolding element to be straightened and which act on this to cause transmission of pressure thereto.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame chassis further includes an elongate adjointpiece extending in the direction of the central longitudinal axis of the carriage guide, said adjointpiece being provided with similar exchangeable inserts which act on the scaffolding element to cause transmission of pressure thereto.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein recesses, such as cylindrical bores, into which the inserts are insertable are provided on the carriage, and/or on the limbs of the frame chassis and/or on the adjoint-piece.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein, in each case, the inserts are inserted by means of a plug into the recesses provided in the carriage and/or the limbs of the frame chassis and/or the adjoint-piece.

5. A device as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the upper part of each insert has the shape of an upwardly-pointing bolt which is designed in accordance with the respective scaffolding element that is to be straightened.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the bolt-shaped upper part of an insert intended for use in the straightening of buckled smooth scaffolding tubes has at least one recess corresponding to the outer surface of the scaffolding tube.

7. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the bolt-shaped upper part of an insert intended for use in the straightening of buckled scaffolding tubes provided with connection flanges is provided on the one hand with at least one recess corresponding to the outer surface of the scaffolding tube and, on the other hand, a vertically-extending continuous slot arranged at right angles to the recess.

8. A device as claimed in claim 3 and 4, characterised in that, for the straightening of a scaffolding tube which is provided with connection flanges, two parallelepipedic inserts are inserted in respective lateral recesses in the carriage to enable a higher mounting of the scaffolding tube above said carriage.

9. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the bolt-shaped upper part of an insert intended for use in the straightening of a diagonally-warped adjusting or horizontal frame has one side flattened and provided with a laterally-projecting spike whilst at the diametrically opposite side it has a verticallyextending slot.

10. A device as claimed in claims 1 and 4, characterised in that, for use in the straightening of an all-metal gangplank having doubly-bent reinforcing flanges extending along its length, a cross-beam is inserted in the two bores of the frame limbs, a vertically upwardly-directed square tube being provided at each end of said cross-beam support for the all-metal plank.

11. A device as claimed in claim 10, characterised in that provided on the carriage as pressure member is a two-part insert consisting of a special plug-in device which is inserted into the carriage bore and an insert which is removably connected thereto and carries a first pressure jaw intended to act on the reverse side of the treading surface of the all-metal plank, a second pressure jaw intended to act on the flange being inserted exchangeably into the special plug-in device.

12. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that, for the purpose of embossing any desired scaffolding tube, an insert is provided having a parallelepipedic upper part with a horizontal slot for the reception of stamp dies.

13. A device primarily for straightening buckled or warped scaffolding elements substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.