GB2346650A

GB2346650A - Toeboard bracket

Info

Publication number: GB2346650A
Application number: GB9902865A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter James Jones
Original assignee: PRESCO SCAFFOLDING Ltd
Current assignee: PRESCO SCAFFOLDING Ltd
Priority date: 1999-02-10
Filing date: 1999-02-10
Publication date: 2000-08-16
Anticipated expiration: 2019-02-10
Also published as: GB2346650B; GB9902865D0

Abstract

The present invention discloses a toeboard bracket (4) comprising a body and clamping means (26,32,34). The body has first and second regions (20,14) for abutting respective first and second toeboards, (22,24) and a scaffolding pole abutting region (6). The clamping means (26,32,24) is arranged to cooperate with the body to releasably secure a scaffolding pole (21) against the abutting region (6). The arrangement of the first and second regions (20,14) and the scaffolding pole abutting region (6) is such that, in use, the first and second toeboards (22,24) and the scaffolding pole (21) can be held in a mutually perpendicular arrangement.

Description

TOEBOARD BRACKET The present invention relates to a toeboard bracket for use in scaffolding structures.

In scaffolding structures, it is desirable (and in certain jurisdictions mandatory) to provide some safety precaution to reduce the likelihood of personnel or materials falling from elevated platforms. One method of doing this is to arrange a series of planks (commonly known as 'toeboards') on their sides around the periphery of the platform (box toeboarding"). Boards along adjacent sides of the platform meet at a corner where they are each separately secured to a scaffolding pole.

Alternatively, one board is secured to the scaffolding pole and the adjacent board is secured to the first board. Assembly of such toeboarding is time consuming and may not give a very stable structure.

The present invention seeks to provide a toeboard bracket which enables scaffolding platform toeboarding with good stability to be assemble relatively quickly and/or easily.

According to the present invention, there is provided a toeboard bracket comprising: (i) a body having first and second regions for abutting respective first and second toeboards, and a scaffolding pole abutting region, and (ii) clamping means arranged to cooperate with the body to releasably secure a scaffolding pole against the abutting region, wherein the arrangement of the first and second regions and the scaffolding pole abutting region is such that, in use, the first and second toeboards and the scaffolding pole can be held in a mutually perpendicular arrangement.

Preferably, the first region and the scaffolding pole abutting region are juxtaposed so that, in use, a side face of the first toeboard abuts the scaffolding pole.

Preferably, the first and second regions are juxtaposed so that, in use, a side face of the first toeboard abuts an end edge of the second toeboard.

Preferably, said first and second regions are arranged to abut at least one side face and one side edge of the respective first and second toeboards.

Preferably, said clamping means comprises a clamping member which is pivotally mounted on the body on one side of the scaffolding pole abutting region, and means for securing the clamping member to the body on an opposite side of the scaffolding pole abutting region.

Preferably, the body is a rigid plate.

Preferably, the scaffolding pole abutting region is an edge of the plate.

More preferably, the edge is recessed to receive and locate the scaffolding pole.

Preferably, the second region comprises an end region of the plate having spaced apart legs dependent therefrom. More preferably, the legs are mutually spaced by substantially the width of the second toeboard, such that an inner face of each leg abuts a respective opposite side face of the second toeboard and forms part of the second region.

Preferably, the first region comprises a portion of the plate intermediate the scaffolding pole abutting edge and the end region of the plate, such that, in use, a first side face of the first toeboard abuts the scaffolding pole and a side edge of the first toeboard abuts the intermediate portion of the plate. More preferably, the first region also comprises end edges of the legs which are adapted to abut a second side face of the first toeboard.

Most preferably, the distance between the leg end edges and the scaffolding pole abutting edge of the plate is less than the width of the first toeboard such as to enable the first toeboard to be clamped between the scaffolding pole and the leg end edges.

An embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 is a perspective view of part of a bracket in accordance with the present invention, Fig 2 is a perspective view of a bracket in accordance with the present invention positioned on a scaffolding pole and a pair of toeboards, and Fig 3 is a perspective view of toeboarding using the brackets of Fig 2.

Referring to Fig 1, the body of a toeboard bracket 2 is a rigid metal plate 4. A first edge 6 of the plate 4 is recessed to form a scaffolding pole locating region 8. A pair of holes 10 is formed through the plate 4, each hole 10 on a respective different side of the locating region 8. An end region 12 of the plate 4 remote from the first edge 6 has a channel section comprising a narrowed plate portion 14 and a pair of parallel mutually spaced legs 16 dependent therefrom. The channel sectioned region 12 is formed by stamping a pair of slits which extend inwardly from respective opposite sides 4a, 4b of a plate blank and by subsequently deforming the blank to the required shape. The slits are each formed with a part-circular innermost end 18 to prevent unwanted splitting of the blank during the deformation.

An intermediate portion 20 of the plate 4 between the channel sectioned region 12 and the recessed first edge 6 of the plate 4 serves as an abutment region for an upper side edge 22b of a first toeboard 22 (Fig 2).

The narrowed portion 14 and legs 16 serve as respective abutment regions for an upper side edge 24c and side faces 24a, 24b of a second toeboard 24 (Fig 2). End edges 16a of the legs 16 formed by the stamping operation serve as abutment regions for a side face 22c of the first toeboard 22 (Fig 2). The width of the intermediate portion 20 (i. e. the distance from the recessed first edge 6 to the legs 16 of the channel sectioned region 12) is marginally less than the thickness of the first toeboard 22. A standard width of toeboarding in the UK is 11/2 (3.8cm). All sharp edges are radiused (not shown) for safety reasons.

Referring to Fig 2, a scaffolding pole 21 and first and second toeboards 22,24 are held in a mutually perpendicular configuration by a toeboard bracket 2 comprising the rigid plate 4 of Fig 1 and a clamping member.

The clamping member, in the form of a curved metal bar 26, is hinged at a bifurcated first end 26a to the plate 4 and secured thereto by a retaining pivot pin 28 which passes through the first end 26a of the bar 26 and one of the pair of holes 10 provided in the plate 4. A second end 26b of the bar 26 is provided with an elongate recess 30. A screw-threaded bolt 32 having a nut 34 towards its free end is hinged by a retaining pivot pin (not shown) through the other of the pair of holes 10 in the plate 4, and the bar 26 and bolt 32 are pivotable to a position in which the bolt 32 is located in the elongate recess 30 (as shown in Fig 2).

In use, the first toeboard 22 is placed so that a first side face 22a is in abutment with the scaffolding pole 21. The bracket 2 is then hooked over the first toeboard 22 such that the underside of the intermediate region 20 of the plate 4 abuts an upper side edge 22b and the end edges 16a of the legs 16 abut a second side face 22c of the first toeboard 22 and the scaffolding pole 21 is (partially) located in the locating region 8.

Clamping is then effected by action of the nut 34 on the curved bar 26 which urges the end edges 16a of the legs 16 towards the scaffolding pole 21, thereby firmly clamping the first and second side faces 22a, 22c of the first toeboard 22 between the scaffolding pole 21 and the leg end edges 16a. The second toeboard 24 is slotted into the channel sectioned region 12 until an end edge of the second toeboard 24 abuts the second side face 22c of the first toeboard 22. Lateral movement of the second toeboard 24 is prevented by abutment of first and second side faces 24a, 24b of the second toeboard 24 with a respective one of the legs 16. An upper side edge 24c of the second toeboard 22 abuts the narrowed portion 14 of the plate 4.

It will be understood that the immediately preceding paragraph exemplifies only one method of attaching the bracket 2 to the toeboards 22,24 and the scaffolding pole 21. In an alternative method, the first and second toeboards 22,24 are assemble in the desired orientation relative to the scaffolding pole 21, and the bracket 2 presented to the whole assembly.

Referring to Fig 3, a square platform 40 is shown completely surrounded by toeboarding. The brackets 2 are orientated so that at each corner of the platform 40, a first end 42a of a toeboard 42 is secured to the scaffolding pole 21 (as described with reference to the first toeboard 22 of Fig 2) and a second end 42b of each toeboard 42 is located in the channel sectioned region 12 of a bracket 2 at an adjacent corner (as described with reference to the second toeboard 24 of Fig 2). Thus each toeboard 42 is firmly clamped and immobilised in the completed assembly.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A toeboard bracket comprises: (i) a body having first and second regions for abutting respective first and second toeboards, and a scaffolding pole abutting region, and (ii) clamping means arranged to cooperate with the body to releasably secure a scaffolding pole against the abutting region, wherein the arrangement of the first and second regions and the scaffolding pole abutting region is such that, in use, the first and second toeboards and the scaffolding pole can be held in a mutually perpendicular arrangement.
2. A toeboard bracket in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first region and the scaffolding pole abutting region are juxtaposed so that, in use, a side face of the first toeboard abuts the scaffolding pole.
3. A toeboard bracket in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein the first and second regions are juxtaposed so that, in use, a side face of the first toeboard abuts an end edge of the second toeboard.
4. A toeboard bracket in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein said first and second regions are arranged to abut at least one side face and one side edge of the respective first and second toeboards.
5. A toeboard bracket in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein said clamping means comprises a clamping member which is pivotally mounted on the body on one side of the scaffolding pole abutting region, and means for securing the clamping member to the body on an opposite side of the scaffolding pole abutting region.
6. A toeboard bracket in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein the body is a rigid plate.
7. A toeboard bracket in accordance with claim 6, wherein the scaffolding pole abutting region is an edge of the plate.
8. A toeboard bracket in accordance with claim 7, wherein the edge is recessed to receive and locate the scaffolding pole.
9. A toeboard bracket in accordance with any one of claims 6 to 8 wherein the second region comprises an end region of the plate having spaced apart legs dependent therefrom.
10. A toeboard bracket in accordance with claim 9, wherein the legs are mutually spaced by substantially the width of the second toeboard, such that an inner face of each leg abuts a respective opposite side face of the second toeboard and forms part of the second region.
11. A toeboard bracket in accordance with claim 9 or 10, wherein the first region comprises a portion of the plate intermediate the scaffolding pole abutting edge and the end region of the plate, such that, in use, a first side face of the first toeboard abuts the scaffolding pole and a side edge of the first toeboard abuts the intermediate portion of the plate.
12. A toeboard bracket in accordance with claim 11, wherein the first region also comprises end edges of the legs which are adapted to abut a second side face of the first toeboard.
13. A toeboard bracket in accordance with claim 12, wherein the distance between the leg end edges and the scaffolding pole abutting edge of the plate is less than the width of the first toeboard such as to enable the first toeboard to be clamped between the scaffolding pole and the leg end edges.
14. A toeboard bracket substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.
15. Toeboarding comprising at least one toeboard bracket in accordance with any preceding claim.