GB2437603A

GB2437603A - Hoarding

Info

Publication number: GB2437603A
Application number: GB0608479A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Edward Bowman
Original assignee: S & B Building Equipment Ltd
Current assignee: S & B Building Equipment Ltd
Priority date: 2006-04-28
Filing date: 2006-04-28
Publication date: 2007-10-31
Anticipated expiration: 2026-04-28
Also published as: GB2437603B; GB0608479D0

Abstract

A hoarding for use as a temporary barrier around construction sites comprises two vertical members 12, 14, a horizontal member 16 fixed between the vertical members 12, 14 at or adjacent their upper ends and a lower channel member 18 fixed between the vertical members 12, 14 towards their lower ends. An upper channel member 20 is located horizontally between the horizontal member 16 and the lower channel member and extends between the vertical members 12, 14. The channels of the upper channel member 20 and the lower channel member 18 are open towards each other. The upper channel member has an opening at each end through which the vertical members 12, 14 fit allowing the upper channel member 20 to slide vertically between the lower channel member 18 and the horizontal member 16. Locking means 28 are provided for locking the upper channel member 20 in a desired vertical position. An infill panel 30 may be provided having a lower edge fitted in the lower channel 18 and an upper edge fitted in the upper channel 20. The vertical members 12, 14 and the horizontal member may be formed from a continuous piece of material. The channel members may be of metal. The lower channel may be fixed by welding. The locking means 28 may comprise components fitting through holes in the vertical members 12, 14 and in the upper channel member. The infill panel 30 may be a mesh, wooden or steel panel. Two or more such hoardings may be connected to form a hoarding system using a coupler immediately above the upper channel of each hoarding.

Description

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IMPROVED HOARDING PANEL

The present invention relates to hoardings of the type used as a temporary barrier around construction sites and the like.

Hoarding panels are known which comprise a frame and an infill panel. The frame comprises two vertical posts and two horizontal channels that are fixed together so as to form a quadrilateral that encloses the infill panel. The frame is usually fixed together by either welding or bolting the joints. Various types of infill panel are used and they are chosen based on the application of the hoarding panel. For example, a heavy-duty galvanised steel infill panel may be used for a hoarding panel on a construction site whereas a mesh infill panel may be used when it is desirable to have a hoarding panel of low wind resistance.

With a welded hoarding panel it is not possible to change the type of infill panel within the frame. This means that a complete new hoarding panel is required when the type of infill panel needs to be changed. Further, if the infill panel gets damaged then again, the whole hoarding panel must be replaced.

With bolted hoarding panels it is possible to change the infill panel but it is a time-consuming process. In addition to this, since the frame members can be detached from each other they are easily lost. Further, bolted panels suffer from the fact that the joints are not very rigid and hence the hoarding panel is flimsy and twists easily. This results in the hoarding panel moving in the wind which can cause the bolts to vibrate and become loose, hence rendering the hoarding panel unsafe.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hoarding panel comprising two parallel vertical members, a horizontal member fixed between the vertical members at or adjacent their upper ends, a lower channel fixed horizontally between the vertical members towards their lower ends, the lower channel providing an upwards-facing recess substantially along its whole length, an upper channel horizontally located in between the horizontal member and the lower channel facing the lower channel, the upper channel providing a downwards-facing recess substantially along its whole length and having openings at either end through which the vertical members fit allowing the upper channel to slide vertically in between the lower channel and the horizontal member and a means for locking the upper channel in a desired vertical position.

Preferably, the hoarding panel further includes an infill panel which has a lower horizontal edge located in the recess of the lower channel and an upper horizontal edge located in the recess of the upper channel. The vertical members and the horizontal member may be made from a continuous U-shaped piece of strip material or tubing.

The lower and upper channels may be made of metal, and the lower channel may be made from heavier gauge metal than the upper channel. The vertical members may be made of metal and the lower channel may be fixed by welding.

The locking means is preferably a security coupler located on each vertical member immediately above the upper channel. Alternatively the locking means may comprise coach bolts, self-tapping screws or lock pins arranged to fit through holes in both the upper channel and in the vertical members.

The infill panel may be a mesh panel, a wooden panel or a heavy-duty galvanised steel panel.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a hoarding system comprising two or more hoarding panels as described herein, wherein the vertical members of adjacent hoarding panels are fixed together using a coupler located directly above the upper channel of each panel.

Reference will now be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of a hoarding panel of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a perspective view of a hoarding panel of the present invention; and, Figure 3 shows a front view of a hoarding system of the present invention.

Figure 1 and Figure 2 show a hoarding panel 10 having two parallel vertical members 12, 14 a horizontal member 16, a lower channel, 18 an upper channel 20 and an infill panel 30. The vertical members 12, 14 and the horizontal member 16 are made from a continuous U-shaped piece of galvanised steel tubing. This continuous structure makes the panel very stiff, thus increasing the rigidity of the panel and reducing the tendency of the panel to twist. The lower channel 18 has an upwards-facing recess and the ends have a semi-circular cut-out 19 in the horizontal plane.

The lower channel 18 is located horizontally in between the vertical members 12, 14 towards the bottom of the vertical members. The vertical members 12, 14 are located within the semi-circular ends 19 of the lower channel 18 and are welded to it. Welding the lower channel 18 provides yet more rigidity to the hoarding panel 10. The upper channel 20 is slightly longer than the horizontal member 16 and has a downwards-facing recess. At each end of the upper channel there is a through-hole 22, 24 in the vertical direction. The upper channel 20 is located in between the horizontal member 16 and the lower channel 18 and one of the vertical members 12, 14 passes through each through-hole. Thus the upper channel 20 is free to move up and down the frame vertically in between the horizontal member 16 and the lower channel 18. The upper channel may have cut-outs, grooves or slots in the ends that cooperate with the vertical members so that the upper channel is free to move vertically up and down without becoming detached from the frame. Since the upper channel can only move in between the horizontal member and the lower channel it is not possible for it to become detached from the frame and lost. There are horizontal holes in the vertical members 12, 14 that correspond with horizontal holes in the upper channel 20. The upper channel can be locked in place by fitting coach bolts 28 through the holes in the upper channel and vertical members. Alternatively, self-tapping screws or lock-pins may be fitted through the holes.

An infill panel 30 of the desired type, such as galvanised steel, wooden or mesh panel, can be fitted into the hoarding panel frame. To do this the upper channel 20 is raised, the lower edge of the infill panel is located within the recess of the lower channel 18 and the upper channel 20 is moved downwards until the upper edge of the infill panel is located within the recess of the upper channel. The upper channel is then locked in place using coach bolts 28 as described above. It is possible to change the infill panel simply and quickly when required.

Figure 3 shows a hoarding system 32 comprising a first hoarding panel 10 and a second hoarding panel 10' . In reality many more hoarding panels would be provided to form a continuous length of hoarding panels but for illustration purposes only two are shown in the Figure. The panels are connected together by means of a security coupler 34. The security coupler is attached to the adjacent vertical members 14, 12' of adjacent panels 10, 10' immediately above the upper channel 20. The security coupler 34 in this position acts as the locking means 28 for the upper channel 20.

Claims

CLAIMS

1. A hoarding panel (10) comprising two parallel vertical members (12, 14), a horizontal member fixed between the vertical members (16) at or adjacent their upper ends, a lower channel (18) fixed horizontally between the vertical members towards their lower ends, the lower channel providing an upwards-facing recess substantially along its whole length, an upper channel (20) horizontally located in between the horizontal member (16) and the lower channel (18) facing the lower channel, the upper channel providing a downwards-facing recess substantially along its whole length and having openings at either end (22, 24) through which the vertical members (12, 14) fit allowing the upper channel to slide vertically (26) in between the lower channel (18) and the horizontal member (16), and a means for locking the upper channel (28) in a desired vertical position.

2. A hoarding panel (10) according to claim 1, further including an infill panel (30) which has a lower horizontal edge located in the recess of the lower channel (18) and an upper horizontal edge located in the recess of the upper channel (20) 3. A hoarding panel (10) according to any preceding claim, wherein the vertical members (12, 14) and the horizontal member (16) are made from a continuous U-shaped piece of strip material or tubing.

4. A hoarding panel (10) according to any preceding claim, wherein the lower and upper channels are made of metal, and the lower channel (18) is made from heavier gauge metal than the upper channel (20) 5. A hoarding panel (10) according to claim 4, wherein the vertical members (12, 14) are made of metal and the lower channel (18) is fixed by welding.

6. A hoarding panel (10) according to any preceding claim, wherein the locking means (28) comprises a security coupler (34) attached to each vertical member (12, 14) immediately above the upper channel (20) 7. A hoarding panel (10) according to any preceding claim, wherein the locking means (28) comprises coach bolts arranged to fit through holes in the upper channel and in the vertical members.

8. A hoarding panel (10) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the locking means (28) comprises self-tapping screws arranged to fit through holes in the upper channel and in the vertical members.

9. A hoarding panel (10) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the locking means (28) comprises lock pins arranged to fit through holes in the upper channel and in the vertical members.

10. A hoarding panel (10) according to any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the infill panel (30) is a mesh panel.

11. A hoarding panel (10) according to any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the infill panel (30) is a wooden panel.

12. A hoarding panel (10) according to any of claims 2 to 8, wherein the infill panel (30) is a heavy-duty galvanised steel panel.

13. A hoarding system (32) comprising two or more hoarding panels (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the vertical members (14, 12') of adjacent hoarding panels (10) are fixed together using a coupler (34) located directly above the upper channel (20) of each panel.