GB2359847A - Scaffold system for use in an atrium or forecourt - Google Patents

Description

2359847 1 SCAFFOLD SYSTEM The invention relates to scaffold systems of a

kind used in building construction and building maintenance. More particularly, it relates to a scaffold system which provides for a reduction in scaffold system design time, assembly and complexity, whilst having good structural integrity.

Scaffold systems have long been used on buildings and other structures as a platform from which to perform construction and maintenance tasks. For example, in the construction of a building, roof components are often required to be installed over an atrium within the building or over a forecourt at a peripheral part of the building. Alternatively, the maintenance of an atrium or forecourt in a building, in particular the upper parts of the atrium or forecourt, or the washing of the transparent roof of an atrium or forecourt might require a scaffold. Scaffold systems for such construction and maintenance activities are conventionally of a type that isbuilt-up from ground level to provide a work platform at the required location and level within the atrium or forecourt.

The basic structure of a conventional scaffold system is shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 is a sectional representation of an atrium formed within building 10 by means of an enclosed or partially enclosed space formed by the side portions 12 of the building. A roof 16 is positioned over the atrium, which roof can often be substantially of some transparent material such as glass. The roof 16 of the building 10 of Figure 1 is under construction or is undergoing maintenance. Access to the roof 16 of the building 10 is gained from a temporary scaffold unit 20 which is positioned proximate the roof to permit work to be carried out. In such a conventional scaffold system, support for the scaffold unit 20 is provided by several vertical support columns or members, which are supported on the ground or the floor 14 of the atrium. The vertical support columns are represented by the left-hand and right-hand vertical supports 22 in Figure 1.

2 A conventional scaffold system, such as that shown in Figure 1, presents the problem that the vertical columns 22 obstruct access at or around ground level. Furthermore, the roofs of many atriums or forecourts can be a considerable distance above ground level requiring long and/or many components to construct the vertical columns. Thus, much material and assembly time is required to provide support for what may be a comparatively small scaffold unit. Safety considerations may require the provision of side-wall brackets 26 for securing the vertical columns 22 to the side portions 12 of the building to improve the lateral stability of the scaffold system, as is shown in Figure 1. Such a measure further complicates the scaffold system design process and increases the time required for scaffold system assembly and installation. In addition, the lack of appropriate points on the building side portions for affixing the brackets 26 or the need to avoid damage to the internal fabric of the building may make the providing of such brackets difficult. Cross braces 28, as shown in Figure 1, might also be required for the stability of the scaffold system. Inclusion of cross braces 28 in a scaffold system complicates the design, assembly and installation processes yet further. Another disadvantage of conventional scaffold systems is the requirement to store and transport large quantities of components.

A further quite separate problem can arise when an atrium or forecourt is large in the horizontal direction, i.e. in width or length. A wide or long atrium or forecourt requires a scaffold unit 20 with a large span. Moreover, it is generally desirable to provide a scaffold unit with a large area for most maintenance and construction tasks. Therefore, the need to move a smaller scaffold unit from one position to the next is reduced and maintenance and construction tasks can be carried out with greater efficiency. However, a scaffold unit with a large surface area or a scaffold unit with a large span, which is supported towards its outer periphery, can lack rigidity, i.e. the scaffold unit can flex and distort. The lack of rigidity and strength of such an outer periphery supported scaffold unit is a particular problem when the scaffold unit is required to support a heavy load. Rigidity and strength is provided in a conventional scaffold system by means of additional vertical columns between the scaffold unit and ground, as is represented by the central column 24 in Figure 1. However, the conventional solution to lack of rigidity and strength in scaffold units has 3 the significant disadvantage of impeding access at ground level in the building, complicating the scaffold system design and assembly time and increasing the component requirements.

Another disadvantage of the conventional scaffold system is that features within the atrium or forecourt, e.g. escalators, can make installation of support colunms for a scaffold system difficult or even impossible.

A further disadvantage of the conventional scaffold system is the difficulty in moving the scaffold system from one position within the atrium or forecourt to another without disassembling at least part of the scaffold system.

Thus, there is a requirement for a scaffold system which is comprised of a minimum number andlor size of components and which does not restrict access within,an atrium or forecourt of a building or structure. Furthermore, there is a requirement for a scaffold system which involves minimal design and assembly time, whilst providing a scaffold system with good structural integrity and stability.

In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a scaffold system comprising a scaffold unit and at least two attachments: said at least two attachments for disposal on at least two vertical portions of a structure; and said scaffold unit can be mechanically linked to said at least two attachments such that said scaffold unit is spaced from a ground plane of said structure.

In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method of use of a scaffold system comprising a scaffold unit and at least two attachments, the method comprising:

disposing said at least two attachments on at least two vertical portions of a structure; and mechanically linking said scaffold unit to said at least two attachments such that said scaffold unit is spaced from a ground plane of said structure.

Ernbodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of further example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a representation of a conventional supported scaffold system; 4 Fig. 2 is a representation of a first embodiment of the scaffold system of the present invention; Fig. 3 is a representation of a second embodiment of the scaffold system of the present invention; Fig. 4 is a representation of an alternative embodiment of a scaffold unit; Fig. 5 is a detailed cutaway view of a scaffold unit; Fig. 6 is a view of a scaffold unit; Fig. 7 is detailed end section of a scaffold unit; Fig. 8 is a representation of an alternative means of use of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a top view of an alternative means of supporting the scaffold unit according to the present invention.

Figure 2 shows a building 10 with vertical side portions 12 enclosing an atrium within the building which is covered by a roof 16, as is described above with reference to Figure 1. According to the present invention, as shown in Figure 2, a scaffold unit 30 is positioned proximate the roof 16 by means of attachments 32 disposed at or towards the top of the vertical side portions 12 of the building. As is evident from Figure 2, despite being some considerable height above the ground plane 14, the scaffold unit 30 is supported such that there is no requirement for support columns extending from the ground 14. Thus, there is no restriction of access at or around ground level, or indeed at any level, in the atrium. Furthermore, the number of components andlor the size of the components required for the scaffold system of Figure 2 is much less than for conventional scaffold systems. Therefore, the design, assembly and installation time and cost is significantly reduced. Moreover, the reduction in number of components and/or the size of components affords a corresponding reduction in the operator's storage and transportation requirements.

The scaffold unit 30 of Figure 2 is supported by attachments 32, which are shown positioned on top of the vertical side portions 12 of the building 10. The attachments 32 can be mechanically bonded, e.g. riveted, or chemically bonded, e.g. glued or cemented, to the top of vertical side portions 12. The attachments 32 can be installed temporarily or permanently. The scaffold unit 30 is positioned on top of the attachments 32, and may be secured to the attachments if required. At least two attachments 32 are provided for support of the scaffold unit 30, one on each of the two vertical side portions 12, as shown in Figure 2. More than two attachments 32 can be provided if required. Instead of providing the attachments 32 on top of the vertical side portions 12, as shown in Figure 2, the attachments can be provided on the atrium side face of the vertical side portions. Where work is required at some level below the roof 16 but above ground level 14 the attachments can be provided at the appropriate level on the atrium side face of the vertical side portions 12. Indeed, the attachments can be provided at any level on the side portions above ground level. A scaffold can be positioned over or underneath an atrium or forecourt roof or partition, which roof or partition is located below the top of the building, by providing the attachments at lower positions on the side portions of the building.

The attachments 32 can compromise some means of moving the installed scaffold unit. For example, the attachments 32 might comprise a rail that runs at least along part of the length of the side portion 12,.and the scaffold unit 30 might comprise components, e.g. rollers, to permit the scaffold unit to move along the rails. Referring to Figure 2, such an arrangement would permit the scaffold unit 30 to move in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the representation. Thus, a scaffold unit of a particular surface area would be able to support work over a considerably greater area of the roof without requiring disassembly and re-assembly of the scaffold system.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 3. Figure 3 is a partial side view of a building, without the floor and lower side portions of the building shown in Figure 2. The scaffold unit 30 of Figure 3 is supported by attachments 34, which are of a suspension type. The attachments 34 can be attached to the side portions 12 at the various points and by the various means described above with reference to the first embodiment. The suspension type attachments 34 of the embodiment shown in Figure 3 comprise attachment elements, which are secured to the side portions 12 and which can extend into the atrium. Cables, or some other appropriate means of suspension, are used to connect the scaffold unit 30 to the attachment elements. The cables, or other means of 6 suspension, can be of fixed length or of variable length. Where the cables are of variable length, the vertical position of the scaffold unit 30 can be changed in relation to the roof 16 and the ground. The length of the cables and vertical position of the scaffold unit can be controlled manually or by a motor driven apparatus, such as a winch.

Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of the scaffold unit 30 of Figure 2. The scaffold unit 40 is comprised of at least two tiered platforms as shown in Figure 4. It is preferred that the height of each platform within the tiered arrangement is chosen to provide an appropriate working distance between the platform surface and the roof 16. Such an arrangement is particularly useful where the roof 16 is not flat, e.g. where it is domed as is shown in Figure 4 or where it has any other non-planar profile. The scaffold system 32 and 40 of Figure 4 comprising the tiered platforms can be suspended or supported, as described above with reference to the first and second embodiments. In addition, the scaffold system 32 and 40 of Figure 4 can be configured or structurally altered as discussed above with reference to the first embodiment.

Atriums and forecourts in buildings are frequently large in area. In addition, as indicated above it is preferable to carry out building construction and maintenance tasks from a scaffold unit with as large a work surface area as possible. A scaffold unit with a large work surface area permits tasks to be carried on a correspondingly large roof area without the need to move or disassemble and re-assemble the scaffold unit or system. Furthermore, atriums and forecourts often have a wide span, i. e. the separation between the side portions 12 of a building 10 is large, requiring scaffold units to be long. Scaffold units are often required to support heavy loads, which loads may include material and machinery in addition to personnel. However, a compromise exists between the length or the work surface area of a scaffold unit and the weight of the load that can be supported by the scaffold unit. Figure 5 is a cutaway section of a preferred embodiment of a scaffold unit 30, which includes means of increasing the load bearing capability of a scaffold unit of a particular length or work surface area. The scaffold unit 30 of Figure 5 comprises a boom 54 with a support 56 at either end. Each of the supports 56 can be positioned on top of the side portions 12 of a building 10, as shown in Figure 2. The scaffold unit 30 can comprise 7 additional booms 54 as shown in Figure 6, which booms are substantially parallel to the boom 54 of Figure 5. A platform support structure is provided on the boom 54, which platform support structure rrdght comprise at least two beams 52 positioned in a direction perpendicular to the boom 54. The platform support structure is represented by the solid three- dimensional box 60 in Figure 6. One or more additional beams 52, which additional beams are positioned in a direction parallel to the boom 54 as illustrated in Figure 5, can be provided to increase the rigidity of the platform support structure. As shown in Figure 6, a platform 62 is positioned on top of the platform support structure 60. In addition, smaller platforms 64 can be positioned directly on the booms 54 between the platform support structure 60 and the ends of the booms 54. The platforms 62 and 64 can be replaced by or be in addition to any other work platform, for example a cage, a solid box or some more complex scaffold arrangement. If the scaffold unit is required to provide a span between two widely spaced side portions, or if a scaffold unit is required to support a heavy load, the overall structure of the scaffold unit might be insufficiently rigid to provide a safe work platform. The rigidity and strength of the scaffold unit can be significantly increased by inclusion of a truss system. Figure 5 is a representation of a preferred embodiment of a scaffold unit 30 including a bowstring truss system 58, which bowstring truss system causes only a minimal increase in the complexity and size of the scaffold unit. As shown in Figure 5, the truss system 58 is combined with one boom 54. The truss system can be used with some or all of the booms within a scaffold unit. Furthermore, the truss system can be combined with some other component of the scaffold system, for example one or more of the beams 52 of the platform support structure 60. It is preferred that the truss system 58 comprises a length of cable or wire which is attached at or towards both ends of the boom 54. One or more spacers 66 are positioned between the cable and the boom 54. The spacers can be of any hard material, e.g. a metal such as aluminium, and can be attached to the underside of the boom 54 as shown in Figure 5. The cable of the truss system 58 can be moveably coupled to the lower ends of the spacers, for example by means of a loop provided in the end of each spacer 66. The cable of the truss system is tightened by means of an appropriate mechanism, for example a threaded coupling, which shortens the length of 8 the cable thus creating a tension in the cable. The cable, which is under tension, exerts an upward force on the spacers 66 of the truss system 58, thereby exerting an upward force on the platform support structure 60 and the platform 62. Thus, the required rigidity and additional load bearing capability can be provided. The tensioning of the cable of the truss system can be carried out on the ground, before the installation of the scaffold system, or when the scaffold unit is in-situ. The cable of the truss system can be tensioned to the extent that a camber is imparted to the platform 62 of the scaffold unit. The position, number and length of the spacers 66 of the truss system 58 can be selected to provide the required force along the length of the scaffold unit 30 and to provide the necessary load distribution along the length of the scaffold unit. It should be noted that alternative configurations of the truss system can be adopted. For example, the cable of the truss system can be replaced with non-flexible metal elements. Such alternative configurations of the truss system are capable of being put under tension and of transmitting that tension as an upward force to the scaffold unit.

A truss system, as described above, can be applied to the conventional scaffold system shown in Figure 1. By incorporating a truss system into the scaffold unit 20 of Figure 1 the requirement for the additional vertical support column 24 is removed. Thus, the truss system confers the benefit of reducing the size and/or number of components required for the scaffold system and minimises the restriction of access at and around ground level in the building.

It is preferred in the scaffold unit shown in Figure 6 that the booms 54 are at a separation of between 6 metres and 12 metres. The separation depends on the required payload. Furthermore, it is preferred that the scaffold systems described herein are made of a lightweight material, such as aluminium.

Figure 7 is a detailed representation of a side view of a scaffold unit 30. In Figure 7, a platform support structure 60 is provided on booms 54, and a platform 62 is shown as being lowered onto the platform support structure 62. Means of securing or fixing the platform 62 to the platform support structure is shown in Figure 7. For example, such means can include a projection 70 on the upper surface of the platform support structure 60 9 and a corresponding recess on the platform 62 to thereby prevent the platform moving in relation to the platform support structure. Alternatively, the platform can be fixed to the Platform support structure with an interlocking arrangement.

Figure 8 is a representation of an alternative means of use of the present invention. The scaffold unit 30 and the attachments 34 are as described herein. The two side portions 12 extend down below ground level 14, rather than extending above ground level as shown in Figure 2. The building arrangement of Figure 8 is representative of an underground car park or some other such subterranean structure.

Figure 9 is a representation of a top view of an alternative means of supporting a scaffold unit according to the present invention. The side portions 12 of the building are perpendicular to each other, as might be the case for a forecourt at the outer periphery of a building. Of course, the side portions 12 can be at an acute or obtuse angle in relation to each other. The scaffold unit comprises two sets of booms 54 which are perpendicular to each other. Each set of booms 54 is secured to the side portions 12 as described herein with reference to the first and second embodiments. Should additional rigidity be required of the scaffold unit of Figure 9, a truss system of the kind described herein with reference to the arrangement of Figure 5 can be incorporated to provide the required rigidity and load distribution.

The aforegoing description has been given by way of example only and it will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (23)

1. A scaffold system comprising a scaffold unit and at least two attachments: said at least two attachments for disposal on at least two vertical portions of a structure; and said scaffold unit can be mechanically linked to said at least two attachments such that said scaffold unit is spaced from a ground plane of said structure.

2. A scaffold system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a first of said at least two attachments is for disposal on a first vertical portion and a second of said, at least two attachments is for disposal on a second vertical portion.

3. A scaffold system as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said scaffold unit comprises at least one truss unit for strengthening said scaffold unit.

4. A scaffold system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said at least one truss unit is a bowstring truss.

5. A scaffold system as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said scaffold unit comprises at least one beam unit and/or at least one boom.

6. A scaffold system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least one truss unit is coupled to said at least one boom.

7. A scaffold system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said scaffold unit comprises at least one platform.

8. A scaffold system as claimed in claim 7 when dependant on claim 5 or claim 6, wherein said at least one beam unit is provided on said at least one boom and said platform is provided on said at least one beam unit.

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9. A scaffold system as claimed in claim 8, wherein said at least one truss unit is under tension so as to impart a camber on the platform when said platform is in an unloaded condition.

10. A scaffold system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said at least two attachments are mechanically linked to said at least one boom.

11. A scaffold system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least two attachments are supports.

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12. A scaffold system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least two attachments are suspension systems.

13. A scaffold system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said scaffold unit comprises one or more of a platform, a cage or a box unit.

14. A scaffold system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the scaffold unit comprises a tiered upper surface.

15. A scaffold system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a first of said at least two attachments is for disposal on a first vertical portion and a second of said at least two attachments is for disposal on a second vertical portion, said second vertical portion being opposite said first vertical portion.

16. A scaffold system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein a first of said at least two attachments is for disposal on a first vertical portion and a second of said at least two attachments is for disposal on a second vertical portion, said second vertical portion being substantially perpendicular to, at an acute angle to, or at an obtuse angle to said first vertical portion.

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17. A method of use of a scaffold system comprising a scaffold unit and at least two attachments, the method comprising: disposing said at least two attachments on at least two vertical portions of a structure; and mechanically linking said scaffold unit to said at least two attachments such that said scaffold unit is spaced from a ground plane of said structure.

18. A method of use of a scaffold system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising spacing the scaffold unit substantially along a direction between the ground plane and the top of the structure.

19. A method of use of a scaffold system as claimed in claim 17, further comprising spacing the scaffold unit substantially along a direction between the ground plane and the bottom of the structure.

20. A method of use of a scaffold system as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 19, further comprising disposing the scaffold unit at or towards the top of the structure.

21. A method of use of a scaffold system as claimed in any one of claims 17 to 20, further comprising attaching said at least two attachments fixedly to said at least two vertical portions.

22. A method of use of a scaffold system as claimed in any one claims 17 to 20, further comprising attaching said at least two attachments flexibly or moveably to said at least two vertical portions.

23. A scaffold system substantially as described herein and with reference to any one of figures 1 to 9.