GB2369853A

GB2369853A - A safety mechanism for aerial scaffolding

Info

Publication number: GB2369853A
Application number: GB0029005A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bernard Robert Clark
Original assignee: AERIAL SCAFFOLDING Ltd
Current assignee: AERIAL SCAFFOLDING Ltd
Priority date: 2000-11-28
Filing date: 2000-11-28
Publication date: 2002-06-12
Also published as: GB0029005D0

Abstract

A safety mechanism for aerial scaffolding comprising and elongate track 2 which is connected to a hollow tube 12. The tube 12 is secured to a scaffold pole 16 with securing means 18. The track 2 has an anchor point 20 which is slidable along the length of the track 2. In use, a construction worker is able to connect a safety harness to the rolling anchor point so as to freely work on the scaffolding while being continually secured thereto. Stopping means (fig.8) are provided to stop the rolling anchor point 20 running off the end of the track 2.

Description

Safety Mechanism for Aerial Scaffolding

The present invention relates to a safety mechanism for aerial scaffolding.

There are currently legal requirements for people in the construction industry to wear fall arrest equipment when working two meters or more above the ground. This applies to all personnel in trades such as demolition, construction and building maintenance.

The construction of scaffolding is highly technical and dangerous as, more often than not, work is carried out at heights well above two meters as the scaffolding is gradually being built up around a building. Presently, a construction worker wears a safety harness which is attached to a two-meter long lead line or inertia line using a caribian hook. The safety line is then secured to a suitable anchorage. Such equipment has proven extremely cumbersome, time consuming and impractical to use. Workers must continually attach and detach themselves to the scaffolding on which they are working or constructing to allow them to carry materials and to build the next level of scaffolding. Furthermore, while the scaffolding is being built the only anchorage points to which the workers are able to secure themselves are on the bottom ledger (a horizontal timber in scaffolding), at around ankle height, as the next ledger of scaffolding, above waist height, will not yet have been constructed. Consequently, when workers are secured to the scaffolding there is very little flexibility and their movement is severely restricted.

The present invention seeks to alleviate the problems and disadvantages associated with fall arrest equipment currently being used, particularly in the scaffolding trade.

Accordingly there is provided, a safety mechanism for aerial scaffolding, the mechanism comprising an elongate track and means to secure the track to a scaffolding pole, the track having a rolling anchor point which is slidable along the length of the track.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which : Yi 1 : 1 I' Figure I is a perspective view of a safety mechanism for aerial scaffolding constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross taken along the line X-X of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view of a first component of the safety mechanism of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a cross section taken along the line Y-Y of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side view of a second component of the safety mechanism of Figure 1 ; Figure 6 is a plan view of the component of Figure 5; and Figure 7 is a cross section taken along the line Z-Z of Figure 5; Figure 8 is a side view of a stop-end of the safety mechanism ; Figure 9 is an end elevation of the stop-end of Figure 8; and Figure 10 is a underside plan view of the top-end of Figures 8 and 9.

The safety mechanism consists primarily of two component parts. The overall safety mechanism is shown in Figures I and 2. The first component part is shown in Figures 3 and 4, and comprises a track and means for securing the track to a scaffolding pole.

The second component part is shown in Figures 4 to 7, and comprises means for providing a rolling anchor point.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 4, the first component part of the safety mechanism comprises an elongate"I"shaped aluminium track 2, having a stem 6 extending

between two perpendicular flanges 8, 10, and a hollow aluminium tube 12. The dimensions of the aluminium track 2 are preferably around 76 mm (stem) by 38 mm (flanges). The track is made up of a number of sections, 5 meters in length.

The aluminium tube 12 has a longitudinal slot 14 cut along which the middle portion of the track 2 can be located such that the top flange 8 of the track is securely located within the tube (see Figure 3). A clamping screw (not shown) may be threaded through the aluminium tube 12, to engage with the top surface of the top flange 8 of the track 2 so to secure it in position. Each end of the track 2 may extend beyond the respective end of the tube 12, as shown in Figure 4. In use, the tube 12 is securely clamped to a vertical scaffolding post 16, using a standard clamp means 18. This can be clearly seen in Figure 1.

With reference to Figures 5 to 7, the second component of the safety mechanism comprises a bogie trolley 20 that is able to run along the track 2. The trolley 20 comprises a"U-shaped"main body 22 which has two wheels 24,26 attached respectively to the inner surfaces of the arms 28,30 of the U-shaped main body 22. A space 32 is left between the wheels of each pair of each wheels 24,26 (only the wheels 24 being shown in Figure 7), in which space the stem 6 of the track 2 is capable of being received. A gap 34 is provided under each wheel 24,26, in which gap the bottom flange 10 of the track 2 is capable of being received.

In use, the trolley 20 is able to run smoothly along the length of the track 2, the wheels 24,26 of the trolley running along the top surface of the bottom flange 10 of the track.

Stops (not shown) may be provided at each end of the track 2 to prevent the trolley 20 from extending beyond the end of the track.

The trolley 20 has a flange 36 formed integral with, and extending downwards from, its bottom surface (see Figure 5). The flange 36 has an aperture 38 through which a caribian hook (not shown) can be attached. The caribian hook can, in turn, be attached to a safety harness worn by a construction worker working on the scaffolding.

In use, the construction worker is able to move freely along the entire length of the track 2 across the scaffolding, while continually being secured thereto by the safety mechanism. The location of the track 2 can be simply altered, when required, by releasing the clamp means 18 and re-clamping the tube 12 of the track 2 in a new place within the scaffolding. Consequently, the height and length of the safety mechanism can be changed simply and effectively to allow the construction worker to work across any part of the scaffolding while being continually secured thereto.

Although the embodiment refers to the trolley 20 having wheels, it is envisaged that the trolley could alternatively have ball bearings or the like.

Figures 8 to 10 illustrate a stop-end which is slidably located on the end of the track 2 in order to prevent the trolley 20 from sliding off the end during use. The stop-end comprises a pair of elongate lever arms 40 that are pivotally mounted on a frame 42 and extend substantially perpendicularly therefrom. The arms 40 lie parallel to one another and are distanced apart to such an extent that they lie along the flange 10 of the track 2, either side of the stem 6. A second pair of elongate arms 44 extend substantially perpendicularly from the frame 42 and grip either side of the stem 6 of the track 2. An elongate support member 46 extends perpendicularly from the frame 42 along the top surface of the nange of the track 2 and is held against the track 2 by means of a threaded screw and bolt 48. Consequently, the stop-end is held against the end of the track 2.

The weight of the lever arms 40 is such that they are biased slightly downward so to lie against the surface of the flange 10 of the track 2. Therefore, in use, when the trolley 20 approaches the end of the track 2, it slides up the lever arms 40 and is stopped from sliding off the track by the frame 42. The lever arms 40 can be pivoted upwards and away from the flange 10 surface so as to allow the trolley 20 to be slid onto, and off of, the track 2.

The lever arms 40 are pivotably mounted on the frame by means of a nut and bolt arrangement 50 (see Figure 10).

Claims

1. A safety mechanism for aerial scaffolding, the mechanism comprising an 0 elongate track and means to secure the track to a scaffolding pole, the track having an ZD anchor point which is slidable along the length of the track.

2. A safety mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the anchor point comprises a bogie trolley attached to, and slidable along, the length of the track.

3. A safety mechanism according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the track t comprises a stem having a perpendicular flange formed at each end.

4. A safety mechanism according to claim 3, wherein one flange is securely located within a hollow tube, the hollow tube being clamped to the scaffolding pole.

5. A safety mechanism according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the bogie trolley slides along the top surface of one of the flanges.

6. A safety mechanism according to any one of claims 2 to 5, further comprising means for connecting a safety harness to the bogie trolley.

7. A safety mechanism according to any preceding claim, further comprising means to prevent the anchor point from detaching from an end of the track, in use.

8. A safety mechanism as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying Figures.