GB2320050A - Scaffolding bracket for supporting safety rails - Google Patents

Abstract

A scaffolding bracket comprises an elongate spacer member 10, a first clamp 11 positioned in between the ends of the member 10 for clamping the member 10 to a scaffolding upright (23, Fig 2) and second and third clamps, 12 and 13, respectively positioned at the ends of the member 10, and arrangeable to support horizontal guard rails (21,22) spaced apart by a distance determined by the length of the member 10. Each of the three clamps 11,12,13 are connected to the spacer member 10 by a swivel pin 20.

Description

SCAFFOLDING BRACKET The invention relates to scaffolding brackets.

The invention provides a scaffolding bracket comprising an elongate spacer member, a first clamp positioned in between the ends of the spacer member for clamping a spacer member to a scaffolding upright, and second and third clamps respectively positioned at the ends of the spacer member, and arrangeable to support horizontal guard rails spaced apart by a distance determined by the length of the spacer.

Preferably each clamp is pivotally connected to the spacer member.

The invention includes a scaffolding assembly comprising a plurality of scaffolding brackets as described above, arrangeable to connect a pair of guard rails to a plurality of uprights.

Preferably the guard rails are parallel and extend in a horizontal direction.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Figure 1 is a side view of an embodiment of scaffolding bracket according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of scaffolding assembly having scaffolding brackets according to the invention.

The scaffolding bracket shown in Figure 1 comprises a spacer in the form of an elongate steel plate 10 and three scaffolding clamps 11, 12 and 13.

The clamping action of each clamp is identical and so only clamp 11 will be described in detail.

The clamp has a base member 14 to which is pivotally connected an arm 15 and a bolt 16. The bolt 16 can pass into a forked end 17 of the arm 15 and then be tightened using a nut 18 and washer 19.

To clamp the clamp around a length of scaffolding the bolt 16 and the arm 15 are pivoted away from one another, the scaffolding is then positioned against the base 14, between the arm 15 and bolt 16. The arm 15 and bolt 16 are then returned to the position shown in Figure 1 and the nut 18 is tightened to grip the scaffolding.

Each of the clamps is connected to the spacer 10 by a swivel 20.

A device shown in Figure 1 is designed to facilitate the wrapid and accurate erection of a scaffolding assembly such as that shown in Figure 2, with lengths of scaffolding providing two, parallel, guard rails 21, 22 spaced apart by a predetermined distance which i controlled by the length of the spacers 10.

The intermediate clamps 11 are used to clamp the spacer 10 to upright scaffolding members 23. Clamps 12 are used to clamp the upper guard rail 21 and clamps 13 are used to clamp the lower guard rail 22.

Horizontal portions 24 of the assembly support a walkway 25 and there is also a towboard 26 fastened against the uprights 23.

Although the scaffolding bracket shown in the drawings is manufactured from steel, for example, stainless steel, alloys may also be used.

The scaffolding brackets may be such that maximum distance between the guard rails 21 and 22 is 18 inches.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims (6)

1. A scaffolding bracket comprising an elongate spacer member, a first clamp positioned in between the ends of the spacer member for clamping the spacer member to a scaffolding upright, and second and third clamps respectively positioned at the ends of the spacer member, and arrangeable to support horizontal guard rails spaced apart by a distance determined by the length of the spacer.

2. A scaffolding bracket as claimed in claim 1, in which each clamp is pivotally connected to the spacer member.

3. A scaffolding bracket constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 A scaffolding assembly comprising a plurality of scaffolding brackets each as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, arranged to connect a pair of guard rails to a plurality of uprights.

5. A scaffolding assembly as claimed in claim 4, in which the guard rails are parallel and extend in a horizontal direction.

6. A scaffolding assembly constructed and arranged substantially as herein described, with reference to figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.