GB2304277A

GB2304277A - Rigid trestle support

Info

Publication number: GB2304277A
Application number: GB9517127A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Lacey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1995-08-22
Filing date: 1995-08-22
Publication date: 1997-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2015-08-22
Also published as: GB9517127D0; GB2304277B

Abstract

A pair of trestle supports (2) each comprising two legs (3), and connections (4,5) adjacent to and connecting upper ends of the legs (3). Each connection (4,5) includes an upper (4) and lower (5) cross member, and also a clamping member (7). This clamp (7) is adapted to be moveable to entrap a board (1) between it and one of the cross members (4). The clamp (7) may be moved by a locking lever (8) screw threadedly engaged with the lower cross member (5).

Description

RIGID TRESTLE SUPPORT The present invention relates to a trestle support and to a working surface formed by two of said trestle supports and a board. More particularly, but not exclusively, it relates to a trestle support which allows a rigid working surface to be constructed.

It is known in the building and decorating industries that it is necessary to work from a working surface elevated above the ground or floor. In some cases, a simple step ladder will be enough, but when the area to be worked on is elongate, it is usually more useful to support a flat stout plank such as a scaffold board between two trestles. In one form, this may take the relatively easy expedient of erecting a pair of step ladders and resting the stout plank on a step of each. This has the advantage of utilising readily available articles, but suffers from several disadvantages. One is that the board simply rests on a step of the step ladders at each end. It is not impossible for it to slip from one end resulting in an accident and a possible injury to the user.Another is that step ladders or even purpose made trestles are quadruped and are therefore usable easily only on level ground.

Another alternative often used in the building and decorating industries is for the user to stand on a saw-horse type structure. This has the advantage of being rigid, but suffers the disadvantages again of being quadruped and generally only providing a narrow supporting surface. It is also a very bulky object which is difficult to transport and consumes a large amount of valuable space when materials are being transported to a site of operations.

with facility ai0 elevated working surface which is relatively rigid, but which nay be transported as a flat item taking very little space.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a trestle support adapted to accommodate one or more boards, the trestle support comprising two legs, connecting means adjacent to and connecting upper ends of said legs, said connecting means comprising an upper, in use, and lower, in use, cross member, and a clamping member adapted to be substantially vertically movable to entrap the board between it and one of said cross members, and a means journalled to the other of said cross members to move said clamping member.

The means to move the clamping member may be a locking lever screw threadedly engaged with said lower cross member.

Alternatively, the means to move the clamping member may be a rotatable knob screw threaded to engage with said lower cross member.

Each of the legs may be of angle section or tubular section. In either case, the length of the leg may be varied by providing a telescopically extendable leg section.

In this case, a plurality of holes may be provided in either the leg extension or the leg itself any of which may co-operate with a hole in the other, whereby the leg may be independently varied to be any desired length.

The pair of legs may be connected at a median point by a strengthening cross member, which may also serve as a step to allow access to the working surface.

The trestle support may be adapted to support one end of a single board. In this case, there may be provided a single means to move the clamping member.

Alternatively, the trestle support may be adapted to support an end of two or more boards, located side by side, in which case there is preferably a corresponding number of means to IllOVC citlcr t)llC or 'I corrcsl,olltlllll: cm .

At the lower end of each leg, there is provided a foot.

In this case, the foot may be provided with a hole for attachment of the trestle support to a floor for rigidity. Alternatively, the hole may be used to allow fitment of a caster, to allow easy movement.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an elevated working surface comprising at least one board held and supported adjacent each end thereof by a trestle support as described in the first aspect above.

Preferably the at least one board is a scaffold board.

Embodiments of the invention will now be more particularly described by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable height double board width working surface; Figure 2 is an end elevation of the working surface and a trestle support as shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side view of one trestle support at one end of the working surface as shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view of a variant which has only one board but is otherwise similar to the embodiments above; Figure 5 is a side elevation of one support at one end of the working surface as shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a variant of Figure 4, where the legs are not adjustable in height; and Figure 7 is a side view of a trestle support as shown in Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in Figure 1 a working surface comprising a pair of scaffold boards 1, of any desired length, arranged side by side and supported adjacent their ends by a pair of trestle supports 2. Each of the trestle supports 2 is substantially identical and will be dsecribed by way reference to Figures 2 and 3.

Each trestle support comprises two legs 3 set at a divergent angle in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the boards. At their upper, in use, end, the legs 3 are connected by an upper cross member 4 and a lower cross member 5. There is also provided, at a median point of the legs 3 a further stiffening cross member 6, which being preferably of angled section, may serve as a step to enable a user to obtain easy access to the working platform.

The boards 1 are, while in use, held clamped between the upper connecting member 4 and a respective clamping member 7. The clamping member 7 is a U shaped channel, facing downwardly, so that the base of the U faces upwardly to contact the lower face of the board 1. Each clamping member 7 may be moved upwardly or downwardly by operation of a key or lever 8 which screw threadedly engages a nut 9 fixed to the lower cross member 5. The key 8 may be replaced by a knurled wheel or some other knob, as desired.

The clamping member 7 is retained in place around the lower cross member 5 by means of a pair of screws 10 which protrude sufficiently far into the U shaped channel as to prevent it becoming detached from the lower cross member 5.

In use, the keys or levers 8 are rotated anti clockwisely allow the clamping member 7 to become lower, and a respective board is inserted between the clamping member and the upper cross member 4. Once it is satisfactorily in place, with the trestle support adjacent an end, the key or lever 8 may be turned clockwisely to force the clamping member 7 into engagement with the lower face of the board, which thereby becomes clamped between the member 7 and the upper cross member 4. This procedure is followed for each board at each end thereof to form a rigid trestle structure. As can be seen from Figure 3, the cross members 4 and 5, and the clamping member 7 are arranged to be parallel to the longitudinal general plane of the boards, which is usually intended to be substantially horizontal in use.

However, the legs 3 are divergently angled with respect to that horizontal plane to give stability to the working platform.

In the embodiment show Figures 1 to 3, cxtcIIIoII II aic PIt)Vldcd? ulit: lui ctclt Ic In the embodiment illustrated, where the legs 3 are of angled section, the extensions 11 are also of angled section and are nestled within the angle of the leg 3 itself. However, where the legs are of tubular cross section (not shown), it will be possible to make the extensions 11 similarly tubular but of reduced cross sectional area to fit in a telescoping manner within the leg 3 itself.

In either case, the extension 11 is provided with a variety of holes 12 spaced at predetermined intervals along the length of one face. The leg 3 is provided with a single hole 13 which may be locked to any one of holes 12 by means of a nut and bolt, pin or other suitable connecting means.

In use, each leg 3 is individually extendable. This allows the trestle to be used on uneven surfaces, such as slopes, ramps, and stairways. Obviously, if all of these legs 3 are extended equally, a more elevated working platform can be obtained.

Each leg 3 or extension 11 may be provided with a foot plate 14 which may be provided with a hole 15 by means of which the trestle may be attached to a surface for additional rigidity, or to a caster (not shown) to allow easy movement.

The upper cross members 4 are formed as flat section so that they do not produce a substantially upstanding obstacle to any user of the working platform.

A further embodiment illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 shows a trestle support adapted to accommodate a single board. In all cases, like parts are identified by like numerals.

However, in these figures, the mechanism for moving the clamping member 7 into engagement is shown in more detail. As stated above, the embodiment shown utilises a handle, lever or key 8, but this may be replaced by some other turnable screw threaded device such as a knurled knob.

Referring now to Figures 6 and 7, there is shown an embodiment which is identical to that shown in Figures 4 and 5, except that it is not provided with extensions 11 to the legs 3.

As may be seen, the invention provides a stable elevated working surface, which in some embodiments may be variably adjustable in height. It finds use in the building and decorating industries both as a working platform to enable an user to reach more elevated areas of work, and also a surface on which work may be carried out. When in use, the trestle supports enable the work surface to be rigid and unencumbered, but when out of use, each support may be laid flat and stored and transported without substantial loss of space.

The width of the trestle supports may be such as to accommodate one, two, three or even more boards (which are preferably scaffolding boards) and the legs (especially when provided with extensions) may be of any suitable length.

The invention has been described by way of its use as a working surface, possibly for use in the building and decorating industries. However, many other uses can be foreseen.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A trestle support adapted to accommodate one or more boards, the trestle support comprising two legs, connecting means adjacent to and connecting upper, in use, ends of said legs, said connecting means comprising an upper, in use, and lower, in use, cross member, and a clamping member adapted to be substantially vertically movable to entrap the one or more boards between it and one of said cross members, and a means journalled to the other of said cross members to move said clamping member.

2. A trestle support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means to move the clamping member is a locking lever, screw threadedly engaged with said lower cross member.

3. A trestle support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the means to move the clamping member is a rotatable knob screw threaded to engage with said lower cross member.

4. A trestle support as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the length of any one or more of said legs may be varied by providing a leg extension section telescopically extendable therefrom.

5. A trestle support as claimed in claim 4, wherein a plurality of holes are provided in either the leg extension section or the leg itself, any one of which may co-operate with a hole in the other to maintain the leg at any desired length independently of the length of other legs.

6. A trestle support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the two legs are connected at a median point by a strengthening cross member, which may also serve as a step to allow access to a working surface provided by the one or more boards.

7. A trestle support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which is adapted to support one end of a single board, and which comprises a single means to move the clamping member.

8. A trestle support as claimed iii any one ol claiiiis I to (), which is adapted sug Nupporl an end of two or more boards, located side by side, and which comprises a corresponding number of means to move either one or a corresponding plurality of clamping members.

9. A trestle support, as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a foot is provided at the lower end of each leg, said foot being provided with a hole for attachment of the trestle support to a floor or to allow fitment of a caster.

10. A trestle support substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. An elevated working surface comprising at least one board held and supported adjacent each end thereof by a trestle support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.

12. An elevated working surface as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one board is a scaffold board.

13. An elevated working surface substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.