GB2447082A

GB2447082A - Tie apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2447082A
Application number: GB0703986A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Anthony Cheetham
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-03-01
Filing date: 2007-03-01
Publication date: 2008-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 2027-03-01
Also published as: GB0703986D0; GB2447082B

Abstract

The invention relates to a tie apparatus e.g. for erecting scaffolding to a metal clad wall and comprises a hollow at least partially threaded tube (3 figure 1) having a cross bore (13 figure 2) at one end. A plurality of pins (15 figure 2) are slidably located in the bore and able to move to an extended or retracted position. A spring biasing means 17 is provided to maintain the pins in a retracted position. A threaded actuating rod 21 is provided to force the pins 15 away from each other against the biasing means to an extended position proud of the tube. A nut 11 is also provided to force the pins against the cladding. An internal thread 33 is formed in the tube for attachments such as a scaffolding hook 35. In use a hole is bored in the cladding of sufficient size to enable the tube to be inserted with the pins in the retracted position, until the pins are located on the far side of the cladding 37. A suitable key is then inserted into the tube to engage the actuating rod 19 which is then screwed inwards, forcing the pins to an extended locked position. Once in position, the nut 11 is tightened up against the front of the cladding pulling the tube back and engaging the pins against the inside of the cladding to hold it in position. A suitable scaffolding hook 35 may then be screwed into the tread so that scaffolding can then be secured to the hook.

Description

* 2447082

TIE APPARATUS

This invention relates to a tie apparatus.

When erecting scaffolding to a metal clad wall, there is a difficulty in holding the scaffolding in place since there is nowhere for the scaffolding to be attached to the wall. In the past, scaffolders have had to rely on the use of buttressing which increases the amount of scaffolding used and also involves a larger base area for the scaffolding.

The present invention seeks, among other things, to reduce or overcome the above problems by providing a tie apparatus which is suitable for attachment of scaffolding to a metal clad wall. The tie apparatus of the invention is intended to be usable in many different situations and is not limited to use with scaffolding. S.

According to the invention, a tie apparatus comprises a hollow at least partially threaded tube having a cross bore at one end, a plurality of pins located in the : ,* bore and slidable radially of the tube in the bore, biasing means for biasing the *SS.

pins towards each other, actuating means for forcing the pins away from each other against the biasing means so as to stand proud of the tube, a nut screwed onto the screw thread of the tube and movable axially towards and away from the location of the pins and means on the tube for securing attachments thereto.

The biasing means for the pins may comprise a spring and the spring may comprise a circular spring passing over the outer ends of the pins and around the circumference of the tube.

The outer ends of the pins may be grooved to receive the spring and,. between the pins, the tube may nave a circumferential groove to receive the spring.

The actuating means may comprise an insert, movable axially within the tube, and having one or more inclined surfaces adapted to engage the inner ends of the pins and force them radially outward of the tube against the action of the biasing means.

The insert may comprise a rod having an external screw thread which cooperates with an internal screw thread in the tube such that rotation of the rod causes the rod to move axially within the tube.

The rod may have a conical part at its end whereby the conical part acts as an inclined surface up which the inner ends of the pins can be forced, against the action of the biasing means, to ride by axial movement of the rod in the tube.

The rod may have a constant diameter part behind the conical part and on which the inner ends of the pins seat in their outermost position.

Stop means may be provided for preventing movement of the rod past the position in which the pins are seated on the constant diameter portion and this : ** stop means may comprise a shoulder on the rod which is engageable with the sides of the pins.

The rod may be provided at its end opposite to the conical part with a key recess which enables it to be rotated by a key inserted from outside the tube.

The tube may be internally threaded away from the cross bore end to receive attachments for use with the apparatus.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention in a state ready for use., Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II -II of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional view similar to figure 2 but with the tie apparatus in position secured in an aperture formed in a wall cladding, and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the embodiment of figures 1 to 3 secured in the aperture in the wall cladding with the wall cladding partly cut away and showing the attachment of a scaffolding hook to the tie apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the tie apparatus 1 comprises a hollow tube 3 having an external screw thread 9 (more clearly seen in figures 2 and 3 onto which is screwed a nut 11. The screw thread 9 is shown as extending the full length of the tube 3 for easy manufacturing, but the screw thread 9 may extend only for the distance the nut 11 needs to move. Towards the right hand end of the apparatus,, the tube 3 has a cross bore 13 in which are located a pair of cylindrical pins 15 slidable radially in the bore 13 and retained in the bore 13 by means of a generally circular spring 17 which biases the two pins 15 towards ** each other. To this end, the outer ends of the pins 15 are provided with a groove 19 to receive the spring 17. Outside of the area of the pins 15, the spring lies in a : ***. circumferential groove 20 (figure 1) Inside the tube 3 at this end is located a pin *S..

:. actuator 19 which comprises a rod 21 having an external screw thread 23 which mates with an internal screw thread 25 by means of which the rod 21, on rotation can move axially along the inside of the tube 3 in a direction depending on the sense of rotation and the hand of the screw threads 23 and 25. The right hand end of the rod has a reduced diameter part 27 forming a shoulder 29. which cooperates with the pins 15 as will be explained later. The reduced diameter part of the rod 19 ends in a conical part 31. In order to rotate the rod 19, the left hand end of the rod 19 is fitted with a shaped recess into which a key can be inserted so as to enable the rotation, the shaped recess can be of any suitable form such as a Phillips or posi-drive screw head recess, an Allen key recess or a custom designed recess only operable with a matching key. the key is provided on the end of a long rod so that it can be turned easily from without the left hand end of the hollow tube 3. The left hand end of the hollow tube 3 has an internal thread 33 into which can be screwed attachment members such as a scaffolding hook as shown in figures 3 and 4.

The operation of the tie apparatus will now be described:-The apparatus starts off in the situation shown in figure 2. In this state, the rod 19 is screwed fully back to the left so that conical part 31 is clear of the pins 15 which are pushed towards each other by means of the spring 17 so that they lie within the circumference of the hollow tube 3.

The use of the tie apparatus will be described in connection with a metallic wall cladding of a wall against which scaffolding needs to be placed. However, it is to be understood that the tie apparatus of the invention is applicable in general as a fixing for hollow steel It can also be used with suitable attachments for fixing safety lines, for fixing hanging safety nets, securing heavy objects exhibiting a downward force fixing marquees and canopies into steelwork as a permanent or temporary bolt fixing for hollow steel, fixing advertising banners or signs to metal : ,.*, clad buildings, as an anchor point for lifting gear, for fixing pipe work internally or SI..

externally to steel clad buildings and for holding air conditioning units and extractor units to steelwork.

I..... * S

The first thing to do is to bore a hole in the cladding, which cladding is shown at 37 in figure 3, of a dimension sufficient to take the tube 3 in its state shown in figure 2 while being small enough to not allow passage of the tube 3 with the pins extended (figure 3). The tube 3 is then offered up to the hole in the cladding and pushed in until the pins 15 are located on the far side of the cladding 37.

A key is then inserted into the tube 3 from its open end and is engaged with the key recess located at the left hand end of the rod 19. the key is then rotated in a direction to move the rod 19 axially towards the pins 15. The conical part 31 of the rod 21 engages the bottoms of the pins 15 and, on further movement of the rod 19 to the right, will cause the pins to slide up the slant sides of the conical portion 31 of the rod 19, forcing them outwards against the action of the spring 17. The bottoms of the pins 15 will eventually seat on the narrower diameter portion 27 of the rod 19 locking the pins 15 in their outermost position. Further movement of the rod to the right is prevented by engagement of the shoulder 29 on the sides of the pins 15. Once in this position, the nut 11 is tightened up against the front of the cladding, pulling the tube 3 back and engaging the pins against the inside of the cladding 37 as shown in figure 3.

In this position a suitable scaffolding hook 37 (figure 4) can be screwed into the thread 33 at the open end of the tube 3 and the scaffolding hook can then be attached to the scaffolding to hold it securely in place.

When the scaffolding is being removed, the tie apparatus I can also be removed by reversing the above described operation. In this situation, the hole left in the cladding may be covered by a suitable plug, pushed into the hole. *S..

: ,** Because of the various uses to which the apparatus can be put (see above), a *S..

number of different attachments can be screwed into the tube 3. For example, attachments could include eye bolts, hooks of various sizes and shapes, clamps of any suitable type and size.

S..... S *

Claims

CLAIMS:- 1. A tie apparatus comprising a hollow at least partially

threaded tube having a cross bore at one end, a plurality of pins located in the bore and slidable radially of the tube in the bore, biasing means for biasing the pins towards each other, actuating means for forcing the pins away from each other against the biasing means so as to stand proud of the tube, a nut screwed onto the screw thread of the tube and movable axially towards and away from the location of the pins and means on the tube for securing attachments thereto.
2. A tie apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the biasing means for the pins comprises a spring.
3. A tie apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the spring comprises a circular spring passing over the outer ends of the pins and around the circumference of the tube.
4. A tie apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the outer ends of the pins are grooved to receive the spring.
5. A tie apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein, between the pins, the tube has a circumferential groove to receive the spring.
6. A tie apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the actuating means comprises an insert, movable axially within the tube, and having one or more inclined surfaces adapted to engage the inner ends of the pins and force them radially outward of the tube against the action of the biasing means.
7. A tie apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the insert comprises a rod having an external screw thread which cooperates with an internal screw thread in the tube such that rotation of the rod causes the rod to move axially within the tube.
8. A tie apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the rod has a conical part at its end whereby the conical part acts as an inclined surface up which the inner ends of the pins can be forced, against the action of the biasing means, to ride by axial movement of the rod in the tube.
9. A tie apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rod has a constant diameter part behind the conical part and on which the inner ends of the pins seat in their outermost position.
10. A tie apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein stop means are provided for preventing movement of the rod past the position in which the pins are seated on the constant diameter portion.
11. A tie apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the stop means comprises a shoulder on the rod which is engageable with the sides of the pins.
12. A tie apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the rod is provided at its end opposite to the conical part with a key recess which enables it to be rotated by a key inserted from outside the tube.
13. A tie apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the tube is internally threaded away from the cross bore end to receive attachments for use with the apparatus.
14. A tie apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to the drawings.