GB2406130A

GB2406130A - Safety panel for scaffolding

Info

Publication number: GB2406130A
Application number: GB0420714A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William O'connor
Original assignee: UNIVERSAL SCAFFOLDING SERVICES
Current assignee: UNIVERSAL SCAFFOLDING SERVICES
Priority date: 2003-09-17
Filing date: 2004-09-17
Publication date: 2005-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 2024-09-17
Also published as: GB0321745D0; GB2406130B; GB0420714D0

Abstract

A scaffolding safety panel comprises a hand rail 3, a kick plate 4, and one or more integral connectors 5 adapted to incorporate the panel into a standard scaffolding system. The panel may incorporate a grille (Fig 2, not shown), and integral welded frame members 2. The connectors 5 are designed to co-operate with the known types of scaffolding available under the Registered Trade Marks CUPLOK and KWIKSTAGE.

Description

2406 1 30 1 Safety Panel 3 This invention is in the field of scaffolding

as is 4 typically used to provide access and support structures around buildings, erections, towers and the like. In 6 particular it relates to a safety panel that can be 7 readily employed with standard scaffolding.

9 Scaffolding is generally made of tubular longitudinal lengths, which are connected together by various fixing 11 methods. One well known method is known as the Cuplok 12 method which inter-links tubular members without the use 13 of nuts, bolts or wedges. The locking device is formed 14 by two cups, a fixed lower cup which is welded on the under side of the connection of two tubes and a sliding 16 upper cup. The tubes are provided with forged blade ends 17 which are shaped in a concave manner with a radius which 18 corresponds to the outer radius of the tubes. The blade 19 end of the tubes are located into the lower cup fixed on a second tube and the upper cup is then moved down and 21 rotated to secure the component in place. The upper cup 22 may be tightened by a hammer blow to give a positive and 23 rigid connection.

ë.. e e e e e . e . . . . . e ee e e e 2 In an alternative scaffolding system known as Rr^J 3 Kwikstage 4, the tubular members are inter-linked through 4 the employment of a pin and wedge system. The pin is located in an aperture provided externally on an adjacent 6 tube to be connected and the wedge is then hammered into 7 the aperture to locate the pins securely.

9 Both of the Cuplok and Kwikstage systems are known and accepted internationally and considered to be fast 11 and safe means for securing scaffolding.

13 Scaffolding systems generally comprise additional 14 components in the form of flooring sections, hand rails, safety grilles, kick plates and access gates to name but 16 a few. All of these individual components are employed 17 with the safety of workers on a scaffolding system in 18 mind. As these components are provided in isolation they 19 each require to be individually secured to the scaffolding. This is normally achieved by a user 21 manually integrating Cuplok or Kwikstage systems with 22 the design of the various components.

24 Securing all of these individual components to the scaffolding results in significant increases in the 26 construction time, and ultimately the cost, of erecting 27 and dismantling scaffolding systems. Therefore, it is an 28 object of an aspect of the present invention to provide a 29 safety panel that circumvents the problematic features

inherent with the prior art.

32 According to the present invention there is a provided 33 safety panel for use with scaffolding comprising a hand I- . . . . . . 1 rail a kick plate and one or more connectors wherein the 2 one or more connectors provide a means for incorporating 3 the safety panel with a standard scaffolding system.

Preferably the safety panel further comprises one or more 6 safety grilles.

8 Optionally the one or more connectors provide a means for 9 incorporating the safety panel with a Cuplok scaffolding system. Alternatively, the one or more 11 connectors provide a means for incorporating the safety 12 panel with a Kwikstage scaffolding system.

14 Example embodiments of aspects of the present invention will now be illustrated with reference to the following 16 figures: 18 Figure 1 presents a perspective view a first embodiment 19 of a safety panel in accordance with an aspect of the present invention; and 22 Figure 2 shows a perspective view a second embodiment of 23 the safety panel.

A perspective view of a safety panel 1 in accordance with 26 an aspect of the present invention is presented in Figure 27 1. The safety panel 1 can be seen to comprise a frame 2 28 on which is mounted a hand rail 3, a kick plate 4 and 29 four inherent scaffolding connectors 5. In this particular embodiment the connectors 5 are suitable for 31 incorporating the safety panel 1 with a Cuplok 32 scaffolding system (not shown).

: . . .: :e . I. e. . . . . . . 1 The hand rail 3 serve its normal function of providing 2 security to any person working on the associated 3 scaffolding system. Likewise, the kick plate 4 is 4 employed to serve as a barrier to prevent items, such as tools or building materials, placed on an associated 6 flooring section from being accidentally ejected from the 7 scaffolding system.

9 In an alternative embodiment shown in Figure 2 the safety panel 1 can be seen to further comprise a safety grille 11 6. The function of the safety grille 6 is to further 12 enclose an area of the scaffolding system so as to 13 prevent unauthorized or accidental access to this area.

14 In particular, the safety grille 6 prevents workers from taking a short cut onto or from of the scaffolding system 16 by moving between the hand rail 3 and the kick plate 4.

17 In addition, the safety grille 6 further reduces the 18 likelihood of any item being accidentally ejected from 19 the scaffolding system.

21 In a further alternative embodiment (not shown) the 22 connectors of the safety panel are designed so as to be 23 suitable for incorporating the safety panel 1 with a 24 Kwikstage scaffolding system.

26 The present safety panel described above has several 27 advantages over the teachings of the prior art. In the 28 first instance the safety panels can be readily 29 integrated with standard scaffolding systems.

31 Furthermore, the incorporation of several standard 32 components, known to those skilled in the art, within the 33 safety panel simplifies the overall process of . . e e - e * . . . 1 constructing a scaffolding system. As a direct result 2 the employment of the safety panels significantly reduce 3 the time, effort and costs involved in erecting and 4 dismantling scaffolding systems.

6 Further modifications and improvements may be 7 incorporated without departing from the scope of the 8 invention as defined by the appended claims.

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Claims

1 Claims 3 1) A safety panel for use with scaffolding comprising a 4 hard

rail, a kick plate and one or more connectors wherein the one or more connectors provide a means 6 for incorporating the safety panel with a standard 7 scaffolding system.

9 2) A safety panel as claimed in Claim 1 further comprising one or more safety grills.

12 3) A safety panel as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 13 wherein the connectors are of a Cuplok type.

4) A safety panel as claimed in Claims 1 or 2 wherein 16 the connectors are of a Kwikstage type.

18 5) A safety panel as claimed in any one of the preceding 19 Claims, wherein the handrail, kick plate and connectors are all welded together as a single unit.

22 6) A safety panel substantially as herein described and 23 illustrated in the accompanying figures.

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