GB2222429A

GB2222429A - Mobile scaffold for building or construction work

Info

Publication number: GB2222429A
Application number: GB8820655A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Joseph Corbett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-09-01
Filing date: 1988-09-01
Publication date: 1990-03-07
Anticipated expiration: 2008-09-01
Also published as: GB8820655D0; GB2222429B

Abstract

In place of extensive scaffolding on a building or construction site, the invention proposes the provision of a mobile scaffold tower 16 mounted on tracks 12 so that the scaffold tower can be moved along the tracks as desired. The tracks are supported at intervals by a series of transom supports 14 which are capable of adjustment to accommodate variations in ground level. <IMAGE>

Description

Improvement in or relating to building or construction work This invention relates to apparatus for use in building or construction work, and to a method of building or construction on a site.

This includes refurbishment and repair, as well as new building or construction.

It is usual to erect scaffolding, extending a considerable distance along a site, at considerable cost, even though workers only use a relatively small part of the scaffolding at any given time. Modern building work and construction work on a site is quite fast, so that workers move quickly from place to place on the site as the work progresses.

Whilst mobile scaffold towers and mobile scaffolds are known, they are not often used on a building or construction site because it is often not level enough for them to be easily moved.

The object of the present invention is to enable use of a mobile scaffold tower or mobile scaffold on a building site or construction site, obviating the need for extensive scaffolding.

The present invention provides apparatus as claimed in each of claims 1 to 13 and a method of building or construction as claimed in each of claims 14 to 16.

The present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 illustrates apparatus embodying the invention; Fig. 2 illustrates one of several supports for a pair of tracks in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side view of the support and part of track; Fig. 4 is a section on 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 shows a join between two lengths of track; and Fig. 6 shows a modified part of a transom support.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the illustrated apparatus 10 is for use in building or construction work and comprises a pair of tracks 12, 12, laid on a building site or construction side (not shown). The tracks 12, 12 are supported at intervals therealong by a series of transom supports 14. A mobile scaffold tower 16, having four wheels 18 at its four corners respectively, can be moved along the tracks 12, 12 as desired. It is believed that building or construction site workers will be able to move the scaffold tower 16 along the tracks 12, 12 manually, but power of some kind may be provided for the purpose if desired.

The tracks 12, 12 are each of rectangular U-section. Individual lengths of track, each short enough to be brought to the site by lorry and taken away by lorry after use, are joined end-to-end to form the tracks 12. For this purpose, each track length has an apertured flange 13 at each end, for bolting by means of a bolt 15 and nut 17 (Fig. 5) to the corresponding flange 13 of the next adjacent track length; Each transom support 14 comprises a crosspiece 20 supported by two end-stands 22, 22 at its two ends.

Each end-stand 22 comprises a baseplate 24, on the ground, and an upright post 26 welded at its bottom end to the baseplate 24. The post 26 extends through a box-section bracket 28 which is part of the crosspiece 20. The post 26 is formed with a series of holes 30 along its length, and a bolt 32, fitted with a wing nut 34, extends through a hole in the bracket 28 and a selected hole 30 in the post 26 to connect the corresponding end of the cross-piece 20 to the end-stand 22 at a selected height above the level of the ground at where the end-stand 22 is placed. Hence the transom support 14 can accommodate variations in ground level and can support the tracks 12, 12 at a substantially constant height.

The spacing from each transom support 14 to the next is sufficiently lose to give adequate support to the scaffold tower 16.

The tracks 12, 12 are fixed to the transom supports 14 by screw-clamps 36 which clamp the tracks 12, 12 against the insides of the box-section brackets 28.

Each screw-clamp 36 comprises an angle-piece 38 welded to the crosspiece 20, a nut 40 welded to the angle-piece 38 and a bolt 42 threaded through the nut 40 with the end of the bolt 42 bearing on the track 12.

Referring to Fig. 6, a modified end-stand 221 comprises a baseplate 241 to which a central socket 44 is welded. An upright post 26(, which is screw-threaded along most of its length, is rotatably supported in the socket 44, and has a toggle-bar 46 at its top end for rotating it. The post 261 screw-threadedly engages an internal screw-thread of a modified bracket 28 of the crosspiece (not otherwise shown). Hence stepless height adjustment is possible.

Claims

Claims:

1. Apparatus for use in building or construction work, comprising a pair of tracks to be laid on a building site or construction site, supports for supporting the pair of tracks at intervals therealong, each support comprising means for accommodating variations in the level of the site, and a mobile scaffold tower or mobile scaffold adapted and arranged to be moved from one position to another position along the pair of tracks.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tracks are in sections connected, or adapted to be connected, disconnectably together.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein each track section includes a downwardly-dependent flange at each end of the track section for use in the disconnectable connection thereof to another said track section.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the tracks are of U-section.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each support is in the form of a transom.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each support comprises a crosspiece supported on two end-stands of independently adjustable height.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein a pin or bolt in a selected one of a series of holes in an upstanding post of each end-stand determines its height.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the height of each end-stand is screw-threadedly adjustable.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, 7 or 8 wherein the crosspiece includes means for laterally locating the pair of tracks.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein each support includes means for fixing the pair of tracks thereto.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the last-mentioned means comprises screw-threaded bolts which can be tightened onto the tracks.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the bolts have wing-nut ends for tightening thereof by hand.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the apparatus is adapted for dismantling of the tracks and for capability of transport of the tracks and the supports to and from the site by lorry.

14. A method of building or construction on a site, using a mobile scaffold tower or mobile scaffold, characterised in that a pair of tracks are laid on the site and are supported at intervals therealong, in that the scaffold tower or scaffold is arranged for movement thereof along the pair of tracks, and in that the scaffold tower or scaffold is moved from time to time from one position to another position along the tracks as the building or construction progresses.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein supports for the tracks are adjusted to accommodate variations in site level.

16. A method as claimed in claim 14 or 15 wherein the tracks and track-supports are brought to the site by lorry, assembled on site, dismantled after use and taken away by lorry.