GB2283045A

GB2283045A - Scaffold construction elements and kits

Info

Publication number: GB2283045A
Application number: GB9421170A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Christopher Roberts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1993-10-21
Filing date: 1994-10-20
Publication date: 1995-04-26
Anticipated expiration: 2014-10-20
Also published as: GB9421170D0; GB2308614B; GB9705737D0; GB2308614A; GB2283045B

Abstract

A construction element 10/12 comprises two spaced leg members 14, connected by cross bars 16, one leg member having a socket fitting 18 which fits over the upper part of the leg member 14 of the next lower construction element and the other leg member 14 having an open socket 20 which has an upper, closed, portion 22 and a transverse opening 24 sized to allow the upper portion of a leg to pass through transversely, into registration with the upper closed portion 22 into which it may then be slid. The opening 24 may be closed by a sliding collar 26. Also described are bracing elements for bracing a structure made up of the construction elements. <IMAGE>

Description

CONSTRUCTION ELEMENT AND KITS This invention relates to construction elements for making up structures such as tower scaffolds, to the structures themselves, to bracing elements for such structures, and to kits incorporating said elements.

Conventional tower scaffold systems are made up of storeys of alternate pairs of vertical frames directed at 90". Typically the frames may be of two sizes 6' wide x 3' high (1.83m x .91m) and 4' wide x 3' high (1.22m x .91m), so that a rectangular tower of section 6' x 4'(1.83m x 1.22m) is built up, with a lift of 3'(.91m).

The frames are made up of two spaced parallel leg members interconnected by two or more cross members. The lower portion of each leg member is formed as a socket capable of receiving the upper portion of the leg member of an adjacent frame. The tower is built up by setting two similar sized frame elements on the ground spaced apart and parallel and then connecting these by two vertical frames extending in the perpendicular direction, and continuing until the tower is of the required height.

A problem often encountered in such towers is the difficulty of accurately positioning the sockets of a frame over the two legs of the two frames below it, and also sliding the frame into engagement equally with the two lower frames to prevent "crabbing" and thus jamming. This problem of jamming also occurs on dismantling. If jamming occurs, the usual remedy is a blow from a hammer on the cross members, but over the life of the frame this can severely damage and weaken the cross-members. Furthermore if a stuck frame suddenly frees, the dismantler may overbalance with disastrous consequences.

Thus a need exists for a tower scaffold system in which the problems associated with twin parallel engagement between a pair of sockets and a pair of legs are reduced.

Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides a construction element for assembly with other like elements to form a structure such as a tower scaffold, said element comprising two generally parallel socket means for engaging the upper portions of respective male members of the adjacent structure, with one of said socket means being at least partially transversely open, whereby in use the construction element may be assembled and disassembled by engaging the other socket means with its associated male member of the adjacent structure and rotating the frame about said other socket means to swing said one socket means into and out of engagement with its associated male member.

Said one socket means preferably has a lower portion transversely open and an upper generally closed portion for receiving the uppermost part of the associated male member, and preferably includes closure means movable to close said one socket means. The closure means may comprise a collar encircling said one socket means and moveable vertically to allow or prevent transverse access to said socket means.

The construction element preferably comprises two generally parallel spaced leg members connected together, each leg member defining or having attached at opposite ends one of said male members and one of said socket means.

The invention also extends to a kit for building a structure, comprising a plurality of construction elements as previously defined.

The kit preferably further comprises one or more brace means, each including an elongate member having attachment means at opposite end regions for attaching the brace means in use to spaced portions of said structure, and means defining a step element spaced above or below said elongate member in use.

The kit may also include one or more bracing elements, each having an elongate portion with attachment means at opposite ends, whereby in an assembled or part-assembled structure, the bracing element may be connected between the lower portion of one of the lowermost construction elements and the lower portion of one of the leg members of one of the construction elements in the next storey, to provide diagonal bracing.

The invention also extends to a brace element for use in structures such as tower scaffolds to brace the structure at vertically spaced sections, said brace including an elongate member having attachment means at opposite end regions for attaching the brace in use to spaced vertical members of said structure, and means defining a step element spaced above or below said elongate member, whereby in an assembled structure, a plurality of vertically arranged brace elements define a series of steps through the structure.

This may be used for structures made up as defined above or in conventional tower scaffolds.

The attachment means may comprise generally cylindrical collars for passing around said vertical members.

In a further aspect, this invention provides a composite scaffold structure made up of a plurality of construction elements each having two interconnected and spaced parallel leg members with complementary engaging means at opposite ends of each of said leg members, with the structure comprising a plurality of storeys of alternately directed pairs of construction elements, and a bracing element having an elongate portion with attachment means at opposite ends, whereby the element may be connected between the lower portion of one of the leg members of one of the lowermost construction elements and the lower portion of one of the leg members of one of the construction elements in the next storey, to provide diagonal bracing.

Whilst the invention has been described above, it extends to any inventive combination of the features set out above or in the following description.

The invention may be performed in various ways and an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example only, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a typical tower scaffold structure; Figure 2 is a side view of a construction element or frame in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 is a detailed view of the open socket of the arrangement of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side view of a tower scaffold incorporating the stepped brace element of the invention, and Figure 5 is a side view of a brace stay of this invention.

Referring to Figure 1, a typical tower scaffold is made up of alternately directed pairs of frames 10, 12. Each frame is made up of two parallel legs 14 interconnected by cross bars 16, and the lower portion of each leg is formed as a socket which is a sliding fit with the upper part of the next lower leg.

Referring now to Figure 2, in this embodiment each frame has two different sockets, a generally conventional tubular socket 18 but of greater length, and an open socket 20, which can be seen in more detail in Figure 3. The open socket 20 has an upper, closed portion 22 to provide secondary security, and at its lower end has a transverse opening 24 through which a leg member may pass. A generally D-shaped collar 26 surrounds the lower portion to prevent inadvertent escape of the leg, and has a lifting handle 27.

The collar may be lifted to unblock the opening 24 and rotated through about 25 to sit on the haunch 28 of the open socket whilst the frame is assembled, and then slid down to secure the frame. At the lower end of the socket is a collar stop 29 which also serves as a strengthening band.

For assembly of a tower, the lowermost elements are held vertically and the closed socket 18 of the next frame is passed over one of the projecting upper portions of the legs to provide initial location, and the frame is then swung so that the lower portion of the open socket surrounds the associated leg, and then pushed downwardly so that the leg projects into the upper closed portion 22 of the open socket. The collar 26 may then be lowered. As the tower is built, frames are always engaged within the confines of the tower and then swung outwardly to bring the open socket into engagement with the leg member, and then the next frame holds the previous frame in place, in addition to the collar 26. The height or "lift" of the frames is preferably 2' (0.61m) although many other lifts are possible.A 2' (0.61m) lift provides a strong frame element and means that the maximum difference between the actual and desired tower height need only be 1' (.30m). Also, where the step arrangement of Figure 4 is used a 2' (.61m) lift means that the steps are at 1' (.30m) centres which is believed to be within reasonable limits.

Where a rectangular tower (e.g. 4'x 6' - 1.22m x 1.83m) is to be erected, the platform boards at the top should be the smaller length (e.g. 4' - 1.22m) and so before erecting the tower, the erector must determine the desired height of the tower and start with a 4'(1.22m) or 6'(1.83m) frame accordingly. That is, heights of multiples of 4'(1.22m) should be started with a 4'(1.22m) frame, but intermediate heights of 2' (0.61m), 6'(1.83m), 10'(3.05m) etc, should start with a 6'(1.83m) frame.

Referring to Figure 4, the brace element 30 shown there extends horizontally between diagonally opposed legs of the structure. The brace includes a step 32 formed below the brace at a distance roughly midway from the next lower brace, to give a series of equally spaced steps through the structure. At each end, the brace is provided with a collar 34 which fits around the leg member. To prevent jamming, at least one of the collars may be a ring with a convexly curved inner surface. Also, the ring may be stepped upwardly for at least the uppermost brace, so that the brace does not interfere with the boards which make up the platform.

Referring now to Figure 5, to prevent or reduce sway of the assembled tower, the lowermost frame elements may be braced by a further brace element 40, which extends between the lowermost portion of the leg member of one of the lowermost frames and a portion on a leg of one of the upper frame members.

Claims

1. A construction element for assembly with other like elements to form a structure such as a tower scaffold, said element comprising two generally parallel socket means for engaging the upper portions of respective male members of the adjacent structure, with one of said socket means being at least partially transversely open, whereby in use the construction element may be assembled and disassembled by engaging the other socket means with its associated male member of the adjacent structure and rotating the frame about said other socket means to swing said one socket means into and out of engagement with its associated male member.

2. A construction element according to claim 1, wherein said one socket means has a lower portion transversely open and an upper generally closed portion for receiving the uppermost part of the associated male member.

3. A construction element according to claim 2, wherein said one socket means includes closure means moveable to close said one socket means.

4. A construction element according to claim 3, wherein said closure means comprises a collar encircling said one socket means and moveable vertically to allow or prevent transverse access to said socket means.

5. A construction element according to any preceding claim comprising two generally parallel spaced leg members connected together, each leg member defining or having attached at opposite ends one of said male members and one of said socket means.

6. A kit for building a structure, comprising a plurality of construction elements according to any of the preceding claims.

7. A kit according to claim 6, further comprising a brace means including an elongate member having attachment means at opposite end regions for attaching the brace means in use to spaced portions of said structure, and means defining a step element spaced above or below said elongate member in use.

8. A kit according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a bracing element having an elongate portion with attachment means at opposite ends, whereby in an assembled or part-assembled structure, the bracing element may be connected between the lower portion of one of the lowermost construction elements and the lower portion of one of the leg members of one of the construction elements in the next storey, to provide diagonal bracing.

9. A brace element for use in structures such as tower scaffolds to brace the structure at vertically spaced sections, said brace including an elongate member having attachment means at opposite end regions for attaching the brace in use to spaced vertical members of said structure, and means defining a step element spaced above or below said elongate member, whereby in an assembled structure, a plurality of vertically arranged brace elements define a series of steps through the structure.

10. A brace element according to claim 9, wherein each attachment means comprises a generally cylindrical collar for passing around said vertical members.

11. A composite scaffold structure made up of a plurality of construction elements each having two interconnected and spaced parallel leg members with complementary engaging means at opposite ends of each of said leg members, with the structure comprising a plurality of storeys of alternately directed pairs of construction elements, and a bracing element having an elongate portion with attachment means at opposite ends, whereby the element may be connected between the lower portion of one of the leg members of one of the lowermost construction elements and the lower portion of one of the leg members of one of the construction elements in the next storey, to provide diagonal bracing.

12. A structure made up of a plurality of construction elements according to any of claims 1 to 5.

13. A construction element substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.

14. A kit for building a structure, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.