GB2364733A

GB2364733A - Improvements in and relating to builders trestles

Info

Publication number: GB2364733A
Application number: GB0011359A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Michael Kelk
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-05-12
Filing date: 2000-05-12
Publication date: 2002-02-06
Anticipated expiration: 2020-05-12
Also published as: GB2364733C; GB0011359D0; GB2364733B

Abstract

A safety rail is provided for use with two or more builders' trestles 1, 2 each of the type comprising a frame having a pair of vertical legs 3, 4 between which one or more horizontal crossbars 5, 6 extend. The safety rail 9 comprises one or more horizontally extending bars 12, 13 each of which is connected to and between two or more vertically extending legs 10, 11. Each leg is provided with means 14, 15 to secure it to one of the uprights 4 of a builders' trestle. Alternatively the horizontal safety bars may be connected directly between vertical legs of two builders' trestles each having at least one vertical leg which extends above the uppermost of the trestle crossbars and has attachment means for horizontal safety bars.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> DESCRIPTION IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO BUILDERIS'TRESTLES The present invention relates to builders trestles such as are placed at intervals before an elevated work area and between which planks or boards are supported to provide a raised working platform giving access to the elevated work area. More specifically the present invention relates to a handrail or guard for use with the trestles.

It is, of course, know to provide scaffolding to provide access to elevated work areas such as, for example, a vertical wall. Scaffolding is typically used to provide access to relatively high work areas, above say 3 to 4 metres, and considerable care and attention to safety must be given to prevent accidents during erection and whilst in use.

An alternative to scaffolding which can be used to give access to relatively low raised work areas in the region of 1.5 to 3 metres above the ground is trestles. Essentially a builders trestle comprises a metal frame having a pair of vertical legs between which one or more horizontal crossbars extend. The frame is essentially flat except for feet or struts at the lowermost end of each vertical leg which support the two or more trestles are positioned side by side before an elevated work area and planks or boards are supported on the cross bars thereof to provide a raised working platform.

Builders trestles come in a range of sizes and may even have telescopic sections in the lowermost ends of the vertical legs to allow the height of the raised working platform formed thereby to be varied. However, because the maximum height of the raised working platform formed is still relatively close to the ground, little or no attention has been given to safety. In particular no consideration has been given to preventing a worker from stepping off the raised working platform formed by using builders trestles. Yet a person can be seriously injured or even killed falling from a height of less than I metre.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety rail for use with a builders trestle.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a builders trestle which incorporates integral means for the assembly of a safety rail.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a safety rail comprising two or more horizontally extending bars each of which is connected to and between two or more vertically extending legs, each of which legs is provided with securing means whereby it can be secured to an upright of a builders trestle.

Preferably, the safety rail comprises a hook or sleeve which is adapted, in use, to engage with a lip of the trestle which lip serves to retain the planks or boards.

The securing means may comprise clamps or hooks or any other suitable means for securing the vertical leg of the safety rail to the vertical leg of the trestle.

In one embodiment of the present invention each vertical leg of the safety rail is of such a length that the lowermost end thereof is supported on the ground when in use with a trestle. To facilitate this the vertical leg may comprise a telescopic portion which allows the length to be adjusted. The lowermost end of the vertical leg may be provided with feet or bracing struts to give the safety rail and the trestle to which it is attached in use, added stability on the ground.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a builders trestle comprising two vertical legs and one or more horizontal crossbars connected therebetween, wherein at least one of the two vertical legs extends above the uppermost of the said at least one cross bars and is provided with means for the attachment of a safety rail thereto.

In use, the builders trestles are positioned in the usual way before an elevated work area and boards or planks are positioned between them on the cross bars to give a raised working platform at the required height. One or more safety rails are then connect between the vertically upwardly extending extensions of the trestles.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, each of the vertically upwardly extending extensions comprises a receiving socket into which a peg carried by the safety rail is received to secure the safety rail in position. However, alternative securing means can equally be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of

example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig I shows a pair of builders trestles between which are supported several planks to form a raised working platform and having a detachable safety rail according to a first embodiment of the present invention; Fig 2 shows a detail of the securing means employed to secure the safety rail to trestles in the embodiment of Fig 1; Fig 3 shows a pair of builders trestles providing a raised working platform as in Fig I and having a detachable safety rail according to a second embodiment of the present invention: Fig 4 shows a pair of builders trestles providing a raised working platform as in Fig I and having a detachable safety rail according to a third embodiment of the present invention; and, Fig 5 shows a detail of the means for attaching the safety rail to the trestles in the embodiment of Fig 4.

Referring to Fig I of the drawings there is shown a pair of builders trestles I and 2, each comprising a pair of vertical legs 3 and 4 and three crossbars 5, 6 and 7 extending therebetween. The uppermost of the crossbars 7 defines a shallow U- shaped trough and between the sides thereof a plurality of planks 8 are retained. The planks 8 form a raised working platform at the height of the uppermost crossbar 7.

Secured to and between the front vertical leg of both trestles I and 2 is a detachable safety rail 9. The safety rail comprises a pair of vertical legs 10 and I I

and a pair of horizontal bars 12 and 13 extending between the legs 10 and I I at the uppermost ends thereof. At the lowermost end of each leg 10 and I I there are provided two hooks 14 and 15 each of which is adapted to be attached to the vertical leg of a trestle. It will be apparent that the horizontal bars 12 and 13 supported between the legs 10 and I I are positioned at such a height relative to the raised working platform as to prevent a worker from falling.

Referring to Fig 2 it can be seen that the hooks 14 and 15 which secure each vertical leg of the safety rail to a respective vertical leg of a trestle face in opposite directions to facilitate securement. Moreover, in each case an optional screw 16 is provided which can be screwed into the hook immediately behind the leg of the trestle to prevent the hook inadvertently disengaging therewith.

Fig 3 shows an alternative embodiment of a safety rail 9 for use with builders trestles. In this embodiment the vertical legs 10 and 11 supporting the horizontal bars 12 and 13 are telespopic and can be adjusted in length to match the height of the trestles I and 2. At the lowermost end of each leg 10 and I I there is provided a strut or brace 31 which gives the safety rail 9 and the trestles I and 2 to which it is attached added stability. In this embodiment a pair of clamps 17 and 18 is used to secure each vertical leg 10 and I I to the vertical leg of a respective trestle.

In both of the embodiments of the present invention described with reference to Figs 1 and 3, the horizontal bars may be detachably connected to the vertical legs to facilitate assembly, storage and transport, such as is shown in Fig.

5. To this end the horizontal bars are provided with a peg at each end which plugs into a respective socket carried by a vertical leg.

Referring finally to Figs 4 and 5 together, there is shown a pair of modified builders trestles 20 and 21. As with the trestles described with reference to the previous drawings, planks 22 are supported between the uppermost crossbars 23 thereof to form a raised working platform. However, in this embodiment one of the vertical legs 24 of each trestle extends above the uppermost crossbar 23 and is provided with a pair of sockets 25 and 26, each at a respective position on the extension of the vertical leg 24. A pair of safety rails 27 and 28 extend between the extensions to the vertical legs 24, each safety rail having at the end thereof a peg 29 which is received in a respective one of the said sockets.

Whilst the embodiments of the present invention described with reference to the drawings show only adjacent pairs of trestles with safety rails connected therebetween, it will be understood that the present invention can be applied to any number of adjacent trestles. Typically, builders trestles are assembled in groupings of 4 which are equidistantly spaced to support standard length planks of 3.65 metres. This is taken account of in the present invention by matching the length of the horizontal bars forming the safety rails to the desired spacings of the trestles.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A safety rail for use with two or more builder's trestles of the type each comprising a frame having a pair of vertical legs or uprights between which one or more horizontal crossbars extend, the safety rail comprising two or more horizontally extending bars each of which is connected to and between two or more vertically extending legs, each of which legs is provided with securing means whereby it can be secured to the upright of a builder's trestle.
2. A safety rail according to claim 1, wherein each leg comprises engagement means adapted in use to engage with a retaining lip of the trestle which lip serves to retain planks or boards supported on the uppermost of the horizontally extending bars.
3. A safety rail according to claim 2, wherein the engagement means comprises a hook or sleeve.
4. A safety rail according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein securing means comprises clamps or hooks.
5. A safety rail according to any preceding claim, wherein each vertical leg of the safety rail is of such a length that the lowermost end thereof is supported on the ground when in use with a trestle.
6. A safety rail according to claim 5, wherein each vertical leg comprises a telescopic portion which allows the length to be adjusted.
7. A safety rail according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the lowermost end

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of each vertical leg is provided with a foot or bracing strut to give added stability on the ground.
8. A builder's trestle comprising two vertical legs or uprights and one or more horizontal crossbars connected therebetween, wherein at least one of the two uprights extends above the uppermost of the said at least one crossbars and is provided with means for the attachment of one end of a safety rail thereto.
9. A builder's trestle according to claim 8, wherein the extended portion of the upright comprises a receiving socket into which a peg carried by the safety rail is received to secure the safety rail in position.
10. A safety rail substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
11. A builder's trestle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.