GB2453868A

GB2453868A - Shaft gate

Info

Publication number: GB2453868A
Application number: GB0819119A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Robert Cole; Peter Wroblewski
Original assignee: EASI EDGE Ltd
Current assignee: EASI EDGE Ltd
Priority date: 2007-10-16
Filing date: 2008-10-16
Publication date: 2009-04-22
Anticipated expiration: 2028-10-16
Also published as: GB0720190D0; GB2453868B; GB0819119D0

Abstract

A shaft gate 1 for temporary location in the vicinity of a lift or other shaft in the course of high rise building construction comprises a rectangular frame 2 with an upper beam 3 and a parallel lower beam 4 interconnected by parallel, upright side beams 5, 6, and at least one side beam 5, 6 provided with a laterally displaceable abutment strip or pad 7. An adjustment mechanism 8 adjusts the lateral position of the strip or pad 7 whereby the gate 1 may be sprigged or forced, in situ, against the jambs of a rectangular access point to a lift shaft. The gate may have a kickflat or kickstrip 15 on the bottom bar. A gate 9 may be provided within the frame, and the gate may be raised to provide access to the lift shaft, the weight of the gate may be counterbalanced by at least one gas strut 18. The adjustment mechanism may be screw means or a slidable or telescopic mechanism. The gate may also have a mesh covering.

Description

Title of the Invention

Shaft gate.

Field of the invention

This invention relates to a shaft gate particularly, but not exclusively, for temporary location at a rectangular access point to a lift or other shaft in the course of construction of a high rise building, the access point being where the lift doors would later be installed.

Background of the Invention

In the construction of buildings of more than a few floors either of commercial or domestic premises, there is a requirement for installation of a lift, requiring a shaft extending from ground floor or a basement to the upper floors. Clearly, the presence of such a shaft and in particular the rectangular *:*::* access point to the shaft at every floor level presents a safety hazard to workers on all floors, and the installation of rudimentary fencing has provided some degree of protection. However, it is not uncommon for the shaft to be used, before installation of components of the lift, for the supply of building materials to upper floors, and possibly the removal of debris to ground level, I. *S : * * hence requiring access.

Object of the Invention A basic object of the present invention is the provision of an improved gate for temporary location in the vicinity of an access point of a lift, or other shaft, in the course of construction of high rise building.

Summary of the Invention

According to the present invention there is provided a shaft gate for temporary location in the vicinity of a lift, or other shaft in the course of high rise building construction comprising:- (i) a rectangular frame comprising an upper beam and a parallel lower beam interconnected by parallel, upright side beams, and (ii) at least one side beam being provided with a laterally displaceable abutment strip or pad, with means to adjust, within limits, the lateral position of the strip or pad whereby the gate may be spragged, in situ, against the jambs of a rectangular access point to a lift shaft.

Advantages of the Invention The shaft gate in accordance with the invention may be pre-fabricated *.* and delivered on site for ready installation to close off an otherwise open access point to a lift shaft. Similarly, removal of the shaft gate e.g. for * S. j5 installation of lift doors may rapidly be effected by a reverse procedure * releasing the or each abutment strip or pade from the jambs of the access :hh opening. **

* 5 Preferred or optional features of the Invention A hinged door is supported from one of the parallel side beams.

The shaft gate, in addition or as an alternative to its hinged door, has a safety gate.

The safety gate is of openwork construction, whereby operatives may reach through the safety gate to gain access to the shaft e.g. during the raising of building materials and/or the lowering of debris.

The openwork structure is provided by a top bar, a parallel middle bar, and a parallel bottom bar, all connected at each end to common side struts.

The bottom bar is constituted by a kickflat or kickstrip extending upwardly e.g. by 100mm from the floor.

The connection of the bar ends to the side struts is via pivot pins whereby the safety gate comprises a parallelogram linkage structure with a handgrip whereby, by grasping the handgrip the safety gate may be raised to provide unobstructed access to the lift shaft.

The safety gate is counterbalanced by at least one gas strut connected between a portion of the rectangular frame and a portion of the linkage structure.

An abutment strip or pad is provided on one side beam only.

*... An abutment strip or pad is provided on both side beams.

The means to adjust the or each abutment strip comprises a screw t5 means.

*1 S*.

* A screw means is provided at both the top and the bottom of the or *.*...

* * each side beam. S. **

: * Each screw means comprises a hexagonally headed bolt or stud and an associated nut.

The upper and lower beams are of hollow section to slidably or telescopically receive a spigot or stub shaft attached to the or each abutment strip or pad, whereby the latter is slidably carried by the upper and lower beams.

The rectangular frame is of welded steel construction.

The hinged door comprises a rectangular frame with at least one wire mesh panel, whereby an operator may see through the hinged door.

The upper beam is provided with at least one upward projection for location against an upper portion of the access point.

Two spaced-apart upward projections are provided.

The or each upward projection is provided with at least one through hole to receive a fixing bolt or stud passing into concrete etc above the access point, should it be thought necessary to additionally secure the shaft gate by bolting to adjacent concrete etc structure.

The lower beam is provided at each lateral side, with a cleat or other member.

The cleats are each provided with at least one through hole, to receive * I. a fixing bolt or stud passing into concrete etc. adjacent the bottom of the access point whereby should it be thought necessary the lower beam and S...

r5 hence the lower end of the shaft gate may be bolted to a portion of a concrete

S

*SS*S* * floor adjacent the access point.

Description of the Drawings

* One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a front elevation of a lift shaft gate according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a sectional side elevation on the line 4-4 if Figure 1. a a

In the drawings a lift shaft gate 1 has a rectangular frame 2 with an upper beam 3 and a parallel lower beam 4 interconnected by parallel upright side beams 5, 6, the side beams each having a laterally dispacealbe abutment strip or pad 7 with a screw means 8 to adjust the position of the abutment strips, and whereby the gate may be spragged in a rectangular access point to a lift shaft, against the vertical jambs of the access point.

A hinged door 9 is provided, supported on one upright side beam 6, and additional to the hinged door 9, there is provided a safety gate 10. The safety gate 10 is of openwork construction whereby with the door 9 open, operatives can reach through the safety gate to gain access to the shaft during the raising of building materials up the lift shaft and/or the lowering of debris. The safety gate 10 has a top bar 11, a parallel middle bar 12 and a parallel bottom bar 13 each connection at each end to a respective side strut 14. Also illustrated is a bottom bar 13 formed as a kickflat or kickstrip 15 *..J rs extending upwardly from the bottom of the lower beam 4 of the gate 1.

S

*SSSSI The connections of the bars 11, 12, 13 to the side struts 14 is by way of pivot pins 16 such that the safety gate is formed as a parallelogram linkage * structure with a handgrip 17, to allow the safety gate to be raised as and when unobstructed access to the lift shaft is required.

The weight of the safety gate is counterbalanced by a gas strut 18 connection by one end to a point on the safety gate and by the other end to a point on one upright side beam 5.

On the lower 4, the gate I has flanges 19 extending horizontally from the bottom beam, the flanges having drilled holes 28 to allow the gate to be bolted to the floor adjacent the access point to the lift shaft, and the upper beam 3 has flanges 21 extending vertically, the flanges 21 having drilled holes 22 to allow the gate I to be bolted to a wall above the access point to the lift shaft. * I. ** * * ** * a ** .* *S S. * S S'S.

S

S..... * S a S. ** S. S * S

Claims

1. A shaft gate for temporary location in the vicinity of a lift, or other shaft in the course of high rise building construction comprising:-(I) a rectangular frame comprising an upper beam and a parallel lower beam interconnected by parallel, upright side beams, and (ii) at least one side beam being provided with a laterally displaceable abutment strip or pad, with means to adjust, within limits, the lateral position of the strip or pad whereby the gate may be spragged, in situ, against the jambs of a rectangular access point to a lift shaft.

2. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 1, wherein a hinged door is supported from one of the parallel side beams.

3. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, provided with a safety gate. * I. * S S * S. *5*S

....

4. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the safety gate is of *::* openwork construction, whereby operatives may reach through the safety gate to gain access to the shaft e.g. during the raising of building materials *555.

*** O and/or the lowering of debris. S. S * S. * S.

5. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the openwork structure is provided by a top bar, a parallel middle bar, and a parallel bottom bar, all connected at each end to common side struts.

6. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the bottom bar is constituted by a kickflat or kickstrip extending upwardly e.g. by 100mm from the floor.

7. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein the connection of the bar ends to the side struts is via pivot pins whereby the safety gate comprises a parallelogram linkage structure with a handgrip whereby by grasping the handgrip the safety gate may be raised to provide unobstructed access to the lift shaft.

8. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the safety gate is counterbalanced by at least one gas strut connected between a portion of the rectangular frame and a portion of the linkage structure.

9. A shaft gate as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein an abutment *:*::* strip or pad is provided on one side beam only. * *

**

10. A shaft gate as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 8, wherein an abutment strip or pad is provided on both side beams. ****

*.e* 0 *..:

11. A shaft gate as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the means to adjust the or each abutment strip comprises a screw means.

12. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 11, wherein a screw means is provided at both the top and the bottom of the or each side beam.

13. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 11 or Claim 12, wherein each screw means comprises a hexagonally headed bolt or stud and an associated nut.

14. A shaft gate as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the upper and lower beams are of hollow section to slidably or telescopically receive a spigot or stub shaft attached to the or each abutment strip or pad, whereby the tatter is slidably carried by the upper and lower beams.

15. A shaft gate as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the rectangular frame is of welded steel construction.

16. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 2, and any claim appended thereto, *:*::* wherein the hinged door comprises a rectangular frame with at least one wire .... mesh panel, whereby an operator may see through the hinged door. * S ** S*

:w:

17. A shaft gate as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the upper beam is provided with at least one upward projection for location against an upper portion of the access point.

18. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 17, wherein two spaced-apart upward projections are provided.

19 A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 17 or Claim 18, wherein the or each upward projection is provided with at least one through hole to receive a fixing bolt or stud passing into concrete etc above the access point, should it be thought necessary to additionally secure the shaft gate by bolting to adjacent concrete etc structure.

20. A shaft gate as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lower beam is provided at each lateral side, with a cleat or other member.

21. A shaft gate as claimed in Claim 20, wherein the cleats are each provided with at least one through hole, to receive a fixing bolt or stud passing into concrete etc. adjacent the bottom of the access point whereby should it be thought necessary the lower beam and hence the lower end of the shaft gate may be bolted to a portion of a concrete floor adjacent the access point.

22. A shaft gate for temporary location in the vicinity of a lift, or other shaft * *..

in the course of high rise building construction substantially as herein before *5*o. . **** described with reference to the accompanying drawings. aS a. * . 4*.. * S. S. S S. 5 * *. * S.