GB2408065A

GB2408065A - Safety sheet for scaffolding

Info

Publication number: GB2408065A
Application number: GB0326382A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Siobhan Wolfe; Adam Cooper
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-11-12
Filing date: 2003-11-12
Publication date: 2005-05-18
Also published as: GB0326382D0

Abstract

A safety debris sheet for scaffolding 1 comprises two webs overlying each other and including means to light the scaffolding after dark. The sheets may together provide graphics 5, e.g. advertising, and printing may be by a dot matrix of UV light protective material. Lighting may be provided by fibre optic, LED, liquid crystal or plasma, any cabling being used to replace the warp or web of the sheet, which may be corrugated.

Description

Safety Sheet The present invention relates to a safety sheet and

particularly to an advertising slogan incorporating a safety sheet There are commonly in London alone about 2,5()0 (two thousand, five hundred) building sites in progress each week, debris sheets are erected on almost all large scaffolding adjacent public streets. Such scaffolding is erected on nominal 2 metre by 2 metre Arid (about 7X inches by 78 inches). A waterproof membrane 2 o metros wide consi sting of two layers bonded together with fabric and plastic strengthening in between is used to sheet scaffolding as a safes, measure thereby reducing noise and dust and hiding the works therein. This arrangement, among others, is referred to as debris netting.

One of the problems with debris netting is that if it stops most of the light it is not possible for operatives to see to perform building operations, and where it does not stop most of the light, skin burning rays of the sun for example (often of W light) impinges upon the skin of the operative causing sunburn and hence melanomas.

l his problem gets worse the nearer the equator the scaffolding is erected. Added to this there is a further problem in that advertising signs it is known to print names and addresses on the debris netting. Flowever the safety sheet of the present invention can be converted to an advertising sign in which skeins of debris netting together form an advertising sign while still performing their safety sheet functions. Another problem is that of construction workers, \vorking after dark.

In EPA-A-023 1719 (Baguena Molina Ramon) there is described an advertising sign with pockets for advertising material. Whereas this enables the material to be quickly changed, it does not cover the major portion of the scaffolding, neither does it help in lighting the advertising sign and/or the construction workers after dusk or dark.

0 According to the present invention there is provided a safety debris sheet comprising means to impart the necessary strength to the safety sheet, incorporating at least two webs overlying each other, characterized by means for lighting the scaffolding after dark.

s According to the first aspect of the present invention there is provided a safety debris sheet comprising means to impart the necessary strength to a safety debris sheet, incorporating at least two covers overlying each other characterized by means before filtering out harmful rays of the sun.

In accordance with the embodiments of the present invention, the debris sheet is stretched over the exterior of an erected scaffold. According to a further embodiment of the present invention the debris sheet of the present invention is provided with at least two webs which wlien disposed in abutm' nt and juxtaposed to each other together form an advertising sign. The invention may further be characterized in that means for filtering out the harmful rays of sun are printed thereupon. The printing may be of a dot matrix type which may additionally be coloured.

In accordance with the present invention the debris sheet may comprise a portion of transparent or translucent material to assist operatives in their work. The sheet may be made waterproof or at least shower proof. In an alternative the debris in sheet may be of a layered construction with fabric and/or plastic strengthening layer in between, the layer being adjacent to, or in abutment with, at least one other such layer having a protective clear material coating thereon.

in a further embodiment of the present invention there is provided means whereby an advertising sign can be lit up at dusk or in the dark. This is achieved by fibre optics, LED's, liquid crystals and/or a plasma light source. in the fibre optic mode the safety sheet may be provided with upper and lower sheets which may be of a transparent or translucent material with advertising signs printed thereupon. The fibre optics members replace (or partially replace) warp or web members' the fibre optic members each being operatively attached to a light source. In a preferred embodiment a bus bar runs at right angles to the fibre optics; md is generally vertical or substantially vertical to scaffold tubes. Since there is no electricity involved, fibre optics are a preferred forth of the invention. F urther portions of the sign may be masked over if desired in order that only the advertising portion is lit up.

The here optics mechanism may be replaced by an LED tube and the bus bar may be replaced by a power cable if desired. The LEL) tubes may replace at least partially the warp and web members between the adjacent sheets.

Alternatively the safety sheet may be lenticular that is to say in this instance, corrugated. Although the safety sheet given above is desirable, a further inventive step requires a triangular aspect so that the advertising sign is both lit up in darkness and is viewable in a first aspect from one angle and is viewable from second angle once the viewer pass by it. The plasma light source or LCD (liquid crystal display), may be used both in the lenticular and in the full screen modes.

In the LCD mode a part material may be applied to one or more of the webs. A current may be applied to the 1,CD this converts the molecules which spontaneously line up to a molecule which lines up in a new way, thereby justifying a small charge to change the orientation of the molecules and hence the advertising sign.

In a particular Loran of the last invention, the debris sheet nicer be formed as a plurality of skeins each of which is intended for juxtaposition in abutment with an adjacent skein wherein together they form an advertising slogan or picture.

The invelltiol1 will now be described, by way of illustration only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which are included by way of illustration only: Fig. 1 shows a vertical view of an office block with scaffolding erected there over; Fig.2 shows a vertical cross-section of an office block of Fig. I wherein the debris sheet is partially formed there over with layers ol skeins or webs in abutment; Fig.3 shows a vertical view of an of rice block in accordance avid claim 1 or claim 2. wherein the web of the debris sheet fonns together an advertising slogan or sign; lo Fig.4 shows a diagrammatic view from one side and above of a fibre optics arrangement, liig.5 shows a diagrammatic view from one side and above of LED arrangement; Fig.6 shows a lenticular sheet from one side with a fibre optics or with LED tubes i 5 shown on a lower sheet; lig.7 shows from one side and above a liquid crystal or plasma light source; Fig.8 shows the results of Figs.6 & 7 above; Fig.9 shows a side view in transverse cross-section of a view through LED and ig. 10 shows a dol matrix printer arrangement.

With reference to 1 ig. I particularly there is provided an off ce block of a standard construction (2) which has been erected as scaffolding (1) in accordance with normal procedures. In Fig.2 there is shown skeins of a debris sheet (3) to which a partially founded advertising slogan or sign (4) is imprinted by dot matrix or other form of printing. Dot matrix are shown here as black and white but of course may additionally be coloured if desired.

With reference to l ig.3 the office block of Fig. 1 substantially disappears to be replaced by a fully fonned advertising slogan (5) along with adjacent portions (6) in a debris sheet so that operatives can see clearly, particularly when dark, while the advertising slogan (5) and optionally adjacent portions (6) at least nay comprise a IJV light absorbing material. It is not necessary tier the mask material lo (7) to incorporate a UV light removing matter because it is essentially black and hence will filter out UV rays in any event. Thus the UV light removing particles are only incorporated in the dot matrix printer which prints the advertising slogan in the embodiment.

With reference to Figs.4 & 5 the upper sheets (8) and a lower sheet (9) are in abunent according to a well known practice. The webs (8 & 9) are strengthened by means of fire optics members (10) allied with a here optics bus bar (11).

Alternatively the upper and lower sheets (8 & 9) accommodate an LED (13) which is supplied by means of an electric current member ( 12) (bus bar) which extends at right angles thereto.

This last is used in a side illuminating mode, with the fibre optics members as shown with respect to Fig. 10.

The safety sheet may be adapted such that the LED arrangement provides an illuminated end of the LED (25). This last arrangement goes t'or the optics fibre as well.

With regard to Figs.6, 7 & 8 there is shown a lenticular arrangement which shows a corrugated top sheet (in this case an LCO) overlying a lower sheet (15).

However a fibre optics member may replace the LCD (15) if required.

in l'ig.7 there is shown a liquid crystal or plasma light source disposed on a lower sheet ( 17), the depots of the liquid crystal or plasma light source ( l 8) are in alignment so that the top of the sheet (l 4) can overlay them. The arrangement of Figs.6 & 7 as shows in Fig.8, wherein a view is shown so that the eye balls (20) are seeing a sign for 'safe' and 'seen' as indicated.

With reference to Fig.9, a transverse section through an LED is shown, the said LEI) comprises an active region (23), an e-type substrate (21) and a micro-lens (22). This is suitable for use with the arrangements of Figs.4-8

Claims

Claims A safety debris sheet comprising means to impart the necessary

strength to the safety sheet, incorporating at least two webs overlying each other, characterized by means for lighting the scaffolding after dark.
2. A safety sheet according to claim I wherein the debris sheet is stretched over the exterior of act erected scaffold.
3. A sheet according to claim I or 2 wherein the debris sheet is provided with at least two skeins which when placed in juxtaposition together fond an advertising sign.

o
4. A sheet according to any preceding claim wherein printing is effected by a dot matrix printed UV light protective material.
5. A sheet according to any preceding claim wherein the debris sheet comprises portions of light and shade to assist operatives in building operations.
6. A sheet according to any preceding claim which is waterproof and/or shower proof.
7. A sheet according to any preceding claim wherein the debris sheet is of layered constructions with fabric or plastic strengthening material there between, said layer being bonded with at least one layer being of a protective coating material.
8. A plurality of safety debris sheets of any preceding claim disposed over an erected scaffolding, characterized in that the plurality of debris sheets when seen together have an advertising slogan or picture thereon.
9. A plurality of safety debris sheets according to claim 8 wherein said debris sheets are formed as a plurality of skeins each of which is intended for juxtaposition in abutment with an adjacent skein, wherein together they form an advertising slogan or picture.
1 O. A safety debris sheet according to any preceding claim characterized in that means for lighting is selected from here optic cabling, LED cabling, liquid crystal or plasma light depots.

id
11. A safety debris sheet according to claim 10 wherein the means for lighting is a fibre optics or LED cabling, and wherein the cables thereof are used instead of the web and warp of the sheet.
12. A safety debris sheet substantially as herein before set forth with reference to, and/or as illustrated in, Figs 2-10 of the accompanying drawings.
13. A safety debris sheet according to claim 1 and substantially as herein before set forth with reference tO, and/or as illustrated in, Fig;. 2-10 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A safety debris sheet according to claim 1 and substantially as herein before set forth with reference to' and/or as illustrated in, Figs. 2-10 of the acconpanyng drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows Claims 1. A safety debris sheet comprising means to impact the necessary strength to the safety sheet, incorporating at least two webs overlying each other, characterized by means for lighting the scaffolding after dark.

2. A safety sheet accordingly to claim 1 wherein the debris sheet is stretched over the exterior of an erected scaffold.

3. A sheet according to claim 1 or 2 where in the debris sheet is provided with at least two skeins which when placed in juxtaposition together form an advertising sign.

4. A sheet according to any preceding claim which is waterproof andior shower proof and which includes an LED as a light source.

b. A sheet according to any proceeding claim wherein the debris sheet comprises portions of light and share to assist operatives in building operations.

6. A sheet according to any preceding claim wherein printing is affected by a dot matrix printed UV light protective material.

7. A sheet according to any preceding claim where in the debris sheet is of a layered constructions with fabric or plastic strengthening material there between' said layer being bonded with at least one layer being of a protective coating material.

8. A plurality of safety debris sheets of any preceding claim disposed over an erected scaffolding, characterized that the plurality of debris sheets when seen together have an advertising slogan or picture thereon.

9. A plurality of safety debris sheets according to claim 8 wherein said debris sheets are fc.rmed as a plurality of skeins each of which is intended for juxtaposition in abutment \vith an adjacent skein, wherein together they form an advertising slogan or picture.

1 O. A safety debris sheet according to any preceding claim characterised in that means for lighting is selected from hare optic cabling, LED cabling, liquid crystal or plasma light depots.

l o 1 1. A safety delris sheet according to claim 10 wherein the means for lighting is a fibre optics or LED cabling, and wherein the cables thereof are used instead of the web and warp of the sheet.

12. A safety debris sheet substantially as herein before set forth with reference to, and/or as illustrated in, Figs 2-10 of the accompanying drawings.