GB2336177A

GB2336177A - A device for securing standard length toeboards to scaffolds

Info

Publication number: GB2336177A
Application number: GB9807495A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Worswick; Gerald Wallett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-04-08
Filing date: 1998-04-08
Publication date: 1999-10-13
Anticipated expiration: 2018-04-08
Also published as: GB9807495D0; GB2336177B

Abstract

A device for securely connecting standard length scaffold boards to vertical scaffold tubes on the corner of a working platform of a scaffold without the need to cut the scaffold boards to suitable lengths and without the need to use additional scaffold tubes and fittings to provide toeboards, has formations or flanges 4,5 able to either hold a board 3b with its general plane in a vertical orientation or alternatively to hold two boards 3a and 3b, each with their general planes in vertical orientation but also with their respective longitudinal axes at an angle or orthogonal to each other and also to provide the said connection to a scaffold tube 10. A raised formation 7 on the body of the device bears against the scaffold tube 10 on clamping the device to the tube so as to urge the device into secure engagement with the board or boards.

Description

page 1 Device for securing Standard length Toeboards to scaffolds

Background

2336177 Wfth reference to attached drawings. In the construction Industry, temporary access Is provided for workers by Scaffolding, which is typically in the form of various lengths of scaffold tube connected together with Industry standard fittings and decked with standard length scaffold boards to form a rectangular, elevated platform to a required height, this platform 16 would be surrounded by additional scaffold tubes set at a suitable helc, t known as hand rails 18 which are designed to prevent workers gh 1 from falling from the platform 16. These platforms are for the use of workers, their tools and any materials needed to perform their task. In order to prevent such tools and materials ftom falling from these platforms and thus possibly injuring another person who may be in the area below the platform, there is a requirement under Health and Safety laws in the United Kingdom and elsewhere to provide adequate edge protection in the form of Toeboards which would surround the platform at deck level and thus prevent any tools or materials from being knocked or kicked over the platform edge. This edge protection, which shall be known as Toeboards 33a, 3b, 3c In this document,,xith reference to the attached drawing, (FICT 1), is provided by the use of standard length scaffold boards turned on edge and secured to the scaffold vertical tubes by a standard scaffold fitting known as a putlog: coupler 15. The putlog coupler 15, although designed primarily for a different use, is the industry accepted fitting for securing Toeboards. Standard leneth scaffold boards in the construction Industry are of lengths of 1.52 meters, 1. 8 ^) meters, ") meters and 4 meters. These boards are protected from damage to the ends by means of strip steel bands which are usually nailed to the ends of the boards and are thus not able to be cut, which if they were, would render them as no longer of standard length As a result of this the accepted method of attaching Toeboards is to attach one end of the toeboard 3)a, with a putlog coupler, to a vertical scaffold tube, known as a 'standard', which is an inherent part of the scaffold structure, and the other end is attached to an additional scaffold tube 13, with a putlog coupler 15, that is usually connected to the hand railin..18 by use of standard scaffold fittings 14. In order to protect all four edges of a platform, this method requires the use of four additional -erti cal scaffold tubes and additional scaffold fittings. The aim of the invention is to eliminate the need for additional scaffold tubes and additional scaffold fittings, thus reducing the time and materials use in order to 'de toeboard edge protection provi Z7 page 2 Descripii-Qn The invention is a devise for connecting two standard length scaffold boards 3a and 'b. or 'b and 'c to the vertical scaffold tubes 10 on a working platform 16 of a scaffold in order to provide edge protection commonly known as toeboards. The device may be used in a right hand (fig 4) or left hani(fig 5) configuration This device as seen in fig 4 right hand configuration, allows one scaffold toeboard 3b to pass below and through the body of the device 1 with no restriction to the length of the toeboard 3b, a second toeboard 3a will insert at a ninety degrees angle to the first toeboard 3b, below the body of the device 1 and between flange 2 and flange 4 of the device where upon the device kvill be secured by suitable means as described herein to a scaffold vertical tube 10 thus securing said toeboards. This device as seen in fic, 5 left hand confi2uration, allows one scaffold toeboard to pass below and through the body. of the device 1 with no restriction to the len h of 9t the toeboard 3b, a second toeboard 3c will insert at a ninen., degrees an(,le to the first toeboard ')b, belosv the bodx. of the device 1 and between flange 3 and flange 5 of the device where upon the device VVill be secured by suitable means as described herein to a scaffold vertical tube 10 thus securinu said toeboards. The device, as shown in (FIG 2), is of pressed steel plate 1, formed as to provide a central flante 2, angled at approximately 45 degrees from the horizontal, which will act as a stop, restraining a toeboard 3a or toeboard 3c from moving outwards from a scaffold platform, a second flange 4 angled at 90 degrees frorn the horizontal is formed to one side of the device which xvill restrain a toeboard 3a from moving inwards to a scaffold platform when the device is used in a right hand configuration as shown in (fig4). A third flange 5 angled at 90 degrees from the horizontal, is formed to the opposite side of the pressed steel plate 1 and xvill restrain a toeboard.3c from moving when the device is used in a left handed configuration as shown in (fig 5). A semi-circular recess 6 with a central raised crox\,n 7, in the pressed steel plate 1 opposite to the central anUed flange 2 with a semicircular hinged cap 8 located to one side of the semi- circular recess 6 by means of a rivet 12 and a hinúed bolt with washer and nut 9 located at the other side of the semi-circular recess 6 by means of rivet 1 L The semi-circular hinged cap 8 having a slot 17 within its end to receive the hinsed bolt with washer and nut 9 which when wrapped around 1he vertical scaffold tube 10 and tightened by the nut on the htnged bolt, will force the central raised crown. 7 to be pressed against the,-ei-t;-,ical scaffold tube 10 thus forcing the body of the device doi\-n,,%,ards and onto the said toeboards and secureh; aripping, the said toeboards.

page 1 j The device., when used to secure two toeboards placed at 90 degrees angle to each other at the corner of the scaffold platform, will grip one toeboard that passes through the device b-,,r means of the edges of the two 90 de ing grees flanges 4 and 5 be' forced against the toeboard thus securing the toeboard which is In turn forced against the vertical scaffold tube 10, the other toeboard being griped by the downward force of the main body. 1 of the device. The device may be used to secure a single toeboard by means of the downward force exerted when the nut on the hin ed bolt is tightened thus forcing the edges of two 90 9 c degrees flanges 4 and 5 ag inst the toeboard 3 which in turn forces the toeboard 3 ai j 1 aeminst the scaffold standard 10 thus securing said toeboard.

Fig 1 Fig 2 Fig 33 Fig 4 Fig 5 page 4 Shows a typical arrangement for the present method of securing toeboards using additional scaffold vertical tube and additional fittings.

Shows the invention.

Shows the invention in a plan view.

Shows the invention in place when used in a right hand configuration.

Shows the invention in place when used in a left hand configuration.

i 111)

Claims

1 A device for securel\f connecti. rig standard length scaffold boards to the vertical scaffold tubes on the corner of a working platform of a scaffold without the need to cut said scaffold boards to suitable length and without the need to use additional vertical scaffold tubes and fittings in order to provide edge protection, commonly, known as toeboards A device as claimed "n claim 1 wherein flanges are provided to prevent sidewavs movement of said toeboards when secured 1.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 wherein flanges are provided so as to allow the device to be used in a left hand configuration or a night hand configuration 4.. A device as claimed in claim 1 and claim 2 and claim 3 wherein a recess with a raised crown is provided in order to provide leverage of the said device giving down ward movement thus securing said toeboards A device as claimed in claim 1, claim 2, claim 3 and claim 4 wherein a hinged 1 cap and hinged bolt with washer and nut is provided in order to secure said device to said scaffold tubes Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 6 CLAIMS 1. A corner fitting for attaching protective toe boards to a working platform of a scaffold structure, comprising:

means adapted to locate first and second scaffold boards orthogonally and a clamp for attaching a scaffold board locating means to a scaffold pole, the scaffold board locating means being adapted to position the scaffold boards with their major transverse dimension parallel to a scaffold pole to which the corner fitting is attached.

2. A corner fitting according to Claim 1, wherein scaffold board locating means includes a channel member having two longitudinal housings formed therein each equal in width to the thickness of a scaffold board and separated by distance equal to the width of a scaffold pole with which the fitting is to be used, an extension of the web of the channel member which terminates in an arcuate recess having a radius at least equal to that of the said scaffold pole, an arcuate clamping member adapted to co-operate with the said recess when closed to receive and hold tightly a said scaffold pole, the distance between a line joining the end web of the channel member and the base of the said recess being equal to the thickness of the scaf fold board so that a scaffold board inserted between the ends of the web of -7 the channel member and the said scaffold pole will be positioned orthogonal to a scaffold board inserted into either housings in the channel member.

3. A corner fitting according to Claim 2, wherein there are included means for urging a scaffold board inserted into either of the said housing against the decking of a work platform forming part of a scaffold structure with which the corner fitting is used.

4. A corner fitting according to Claim 3, wherein the means for urging the scaffold board inserted into either of the housings in the channel member comprises a region of the extension of the web of the channel member at the base of the arcuate recess which is raised above the remainder of the extension of the web channel member such that when the clamp is tightened against a scaffold pole a downward rotary thrust is generated.

5. A corner fitting for attaching protective toe boards to a working platform for a scaffold structure substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.