GB2469533A

GB2469533A - A support apparatus with slidable engagement member

Info

Publication number: GB2469533A
Application number: GB0906748A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Jon Massey
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-04-18
Filing date: 2009-04-18
Publication date: 2010-10-20
Also published as: GB0906748D0

Abstract

A support apparatus 10 with an elongate member 16 mountable on a surface and upstanding therefrom, an engagement member 22 (figure 3) longitudinally slidably movable within the elongate member 16, the engagement member 22 (figure 3) having an engagement part extendable from the elongate member, and configured to be movable upwardly to engage with a structure or fixture, and means for retaining the engagement part relative to the elongate member in an engaged position. The engagement member may be urged or biased by a spring. A collar 40 may be held in lower and upper positions by virtue of a formation 20 on the tube 16 engaging in a slot 44 (figure 2) with a vertical part 46 (figure 3) extending between upper and lower horizontal parts 48, 50, (figure 3) for retaining the engagement member 22, there may be a hook 38 which may engage with part of a girder 12. The invention may be used as temporary scaffolding during construction, and may provide a safety barrier or railing.

Description

Support Apparatus This invention concerns support apparatus, a barrier system using such support apparatus, and particularly but not exclusively a barrier system for use as temporary scaffolding.

When installing concrete flooring systems, it can be problematic to provide adequate edge protection, i.e. a handrail or other barrier to prevent a person from falling over an edge. It can be time consuming to erect conventional scaffolding to provide such edge protection, and it may be that the edge will move regularly as additional flooring is installed.

A type of flooring which is being used increasingly uses lattice beams, where a precast concrete panel incorporates a lattice girder which partially upstands from the panel. Additional concrete can be provided on the panel at certain points such as where supports are relocated. Otherwise spacing and weight saving arrangements such as hollow spheres can be provided on the panel. The panel will subsequently be provided with a further layer of concrete.

According to the present invention there is provided support apparatus, the apparatus including an elongate member mountable on a surface to be upstanding therefrom, an engagement member longitudinally slideably moveable within the elongate member, the engagement member having an engagement part extendable from the elongate member, and configured so as to be moveable upwardly to engage with a structure or fixture, and means for retaining the engagement part relative to the elongate member in an engaged position.

The apparatus may be configured such that the retaining means can also retain the engagement part in a disengaged position. The engagement part may be spring urged away from the disengaged position. The elongate member may locate a spring engageable against the engagement member.

Adjustment means may be provided for adjusting the engaged position.

The adjustment means may include a threaded mounting on the elongate member.

The retaining means may include a collar member slideably mounted on the elongate member. The collar member may also be rotatably mounted on the elongate member. Cooperable formations may be provided on the elongate member and the collar member for respectively retaining the collar member in an engaged or disengaged position.

The cooperable formations may include a projection on a one of the elongate member or collar member, engageable in a slot in the other of the elongate member or collar member. The slot may include an at least generally vertical section connecting two generally horizontal sections corresponding to the engaged and disengaged positions. The slot may be provided on the collar member.

The retaining means may provide a plurality of engaged positions, and a plurality of generally horizontal slot sections may be provided at different heights.

The adjustment means may include a threaded part on the engagement member which extends upwardly through the collar member, with a threaded member mounted on the threaded part and engageable against the collar member to retain the engaged member in a required position.

The apparatus may include a base member from which the elongate member extends.

The invention also provides a barrier system, the system including a plurality of support apparatus according to any of the preceding eight paragraphs, and one or more elongate barrier members extendable between respective pairs of said support apparatus.

The invention further provides a barrier system for use as temporary scaffolding, the system including a plurality of support apparatus according to any of said preceding eight paragraphs, and one or more elongate barrier members extendable between respective pairs of said support apparatus.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a first support apparatus according to the invention in a disengaged position; Fig. 2 is a similar view to Fig. 1 but in an engaged position; Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a second support apparatus according to the invention in a disengaged position; Fig. 5 is a similar view to Fig. 4 but at a slightly different scale and in an engaged position; Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively diagrammatic partially cutaway views of the apparatus of Fig. 4 respectively in disengaged and engaged positions; and Fig. 8 is a perspective of part of the apparatus of Fig. 4.

Figures Ito 3 of the drawings show a first support apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 is suitable for mounting adjacent an edge on for instance a lattice beam, and part of a lattice girder 12 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The apparatus 10 includes a base 14 locatable on the beam, and an elongate member in the form of a length of tube 16 upstanding from the base 14.

A slot 16 extends upwardly from the bottom of the tube 16 for approximately a fifth of the height of the tube 16. A small projection 20 extends outwardly from the tube 16 spaced a short distance below the top thereof.

An engagement member 22 locates within the tube 16. The engagement member 22 includes a lower downwardly open cylindrical part 24 which locates a spring (not shown) engageable with the base 14 to urge the engagement member 22 upwardly. A pair of parallel spaced elongate bars 26 extends upwardly from the cylindrical part 24 and are connected adjacent the top of the tube 16 by a cross member 28.

A further shorter bar 30 extends upwardly from the cross member 28, and has a greater diameter block 32 part way along the length thereof. Above the block 32 the shorter bar 20 is threaded, and a nut 34 with an elongate handle 36 extending therefrom, is threadably mounted on the upper part of the shorter bar 30. An engagement part in the form of an upwardly facing hook 38 is mounted towards the lower end of the cylindrical part 24, and extends outwardly though the slot 18 in the tube 16.

A retaining means in the form of a collar 40 is mounted on the upper end of the tube 16, and the collar 40 can slide vertically and also be rotated relative to the tube 16. A hole 42 is provided in the top of the collar 40 through which the shorter bar 30 extends, with the top of the collar 40 being located below the block 32, which block is of a greater diameter than the hole 42.

A profiled slot 44 is provided in the collar 40. The slot 44 includes a vertical part 46 with a horizontal upper part 48 extending to one side from just below the top of the vertical part 46, and a lower horizontal part 50 extending from the lower end of the vertical part 46. The slot 44 receives the projection on the tube 16.

In use as shown in Fig. 1, the apparatus 10 can be located adjacent a part of the girder 12, with the hook 38 located beneath the part of the girder 12. The apparatus in Fig. 1 is in a disengaged condition with the projection 20 engaging in the upper horizontal part 48. In this condition the collar 40 urges the engagement member 22 and hence hook 38 downwardly against the force of the spring.

To engage with the girder 12 the collar 40 is twisted until the projection locates in the vertical part 46 of the slot 44 and hence the projection 20 and therefore tube 16 can be urged upwardly by the spring. The collar 40 can then be twisted such that the projection 20 locates in the lower horizontal part 50. The hook 38 can be further tightened onto the girder 22 by rotating the nut 34 downwardly using the handle 46 which thus urges the engagement member 22 and therefore hook 38 upwardly until the girder 12 is firmly engaged. Obviously the support apparatus 10 can be released by reversing these steps.

In this condition the apparatus 10 can be used to rapidly engage with the girder 12 to permit mounting adjacent to an edge. Hand rails or other elongate members can readily be mounted with conventional clamps between adjacent pairs of support apparatus 10. With the hand rails mounted to the collars 40 this will prevent inadvertent turning of the collars 14 and hence release of the hook 38.

Figures 4 to 8 show a second support apparatus 60 which operates in a generally similar manner to the apparatus 10. The support apparatus 60 includes a base 62 from which a length of tube 64 is upstanding. Again a slot 66 is provided in the lower end of the tube 64, but the slot 66 is longer than the slot 18 as the apparatus 60 provides for a greater range of possible engagement heights. In this instance an engagement slot 68 is provided on the tube 64, and the slot includes a vertical part 70 with thirteen horizontally extending side parts 72 extending from one side of the vertical part 70.

An engagement member 74 is located within the tube 64. At the lower of the engagement member 74 a hook 76 extends from a cylindrical part 78.

The top of the cylindrical part 78 is closed by a threaded boss 80. A bar 82 extends from the boss 80 with a lower part 84 of the bar threadably engaging with the boss 80. A plate 86 is provided extending across the interior of the tube 64 spaced from an upper end 88 thereof. The bar 82 is freely moveable through a hole in the plate 86. A manually engageable knob 90 is provided on the upper end of the bar 82, and a compression spring 92 extends around the bar 82 between the knob 90 and the plate 86.

A collar 94 is movably mounted around an upper end of the tube 64.

An inward projection 96 is provided on the inner face of the collar 94, and is engageable in the engagement slot 68.

The apparatus 60 can be used as follows. The projection 90 is located in a lowermost one of the side parts 72 of the engagement slot 68 to retain the hook 76 in a lowermost position as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The apparatus 60 can then be positioned as required. Rotation of the collar 94 releases the projection 90 from the side part 72 and into the vertical part 70 of the engagement slot 68, thereby allowing the collar 94 to move upwardly relative to the tube 64 under the force of the spring 92, and hence allowing the hook 76 to move upwardly.

The collar 94 can then be turned to locate the projection 96 in the uppermost possible side part 72. The hook 76 can then be tightened onto an appropriate fixture or otherwise by rotation of the knob 90 causing the bar 82 to move downwardly and hence the boss 80 to move upwardly relative thereto, pulling the hook 70 upwardly. Again the apparatus 60 can be released by reversing these operations.

The apparatus 60 therefore provides for a significant range of possible different engagement heights for the hook, and allows for movement of the hook between the various different possible positions dictated by the engagement slot.

There are this described support apparatus which can readily be mounted to for instance a lattice beam and readily tightened in place in an operation which is much more straightforward and quicker than mounting of conventional scaffolding components. Support bars such as handrails can readily be mounted onto the apparatus as required. Whilst the apparatus provides significant advantages relative to existing arrangements, the apparatus can be robustly manufactured to provide long term essentially maintenance free operation.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For instance, different locking arrangements to the slots described could be used. A different engagement part to the hooks shown could be used. Whilst a particular situation for use with lattice beams has been described, it is to be realised that apparatus according to the invention can be used in a wide range of different applications.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing specification to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features hereinbefore referred to and/or shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed thereon.

Claims

Claims 1. Support apparatus, the apparatus including an elongate member mountable on a surface to be upstanding therefrom, an engagement member longitudinally slideably moveable within the elongate member, the engagement member having an engagement part extendable from the elongate member, and configured so as to be moveable upwardly to engage with a structure or fixture, and means for retaining the engagement part relative to the elongate member in an engaged position.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the apparatus is configured such that the retaining means can also retain the engagement part in a disengaged position.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which the engagement part is spring urged away from the disengaged position.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, in which the elongate member locates a spring engageable against the engagement member.
5. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which adjustment means is provided for adjusting the engaged position.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5, in which the adjustment means includes a threaded mounting on the elongate member. S... * S *.S*
7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, in which the retaining means includes a collar member slideably mounted on the elongate I...member. 55. * 30
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, in which the collar member is also S...* rotatably mounted on the elongate member.

*5.5.S
9. Apparatus according to claims 7 or 8 when dependent on claim 2, in which cooperable formations are provided on the elongate member and the collar member for respectively retaining the collar member in an engaged or disengaged position.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which the cooperable formations include a projection on a one of the elongate member or collar member, engageable in a slot in the other of the elongate member or collar member.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10, in which the slot includes an at least generally vertical section connecting two generally horizontal sections corresponding to the engaged and disengaged positions.
12. Apparatus according to claims 10 or 11, in which the slot is provided on the collar member.
13. Apparatus according to any of claims 7 to 12, in which the retaining means provides a plurality of engaged positions.
14. Apparatus according to claims 13 when dependent on claims 11 or 12, in which a plurality of generally horizontal slot sections are provided at different heights.
15. Apparatus according to any of claims 7 to 14 when dependent on claim 6, in which the adjustment means includes a threaded part on the *S*.engagement member which extends upwardly through the collar member, with a threaded member mounted on the threaded part and engageable against the collar member to retain the engaged member in a required position. S...

*
16 Apparatus according to any of the preceding c'aims, in which the *..**S apparatus includes a base member from which the elongate member extends.
17. A barrier system, the system including a plurality of support apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, and one or more elongate barrier members extendable between respective pairs of said support apparatus.
18. A barrier system for use as temporary scaffolding, the system including a plurality of support apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 16, and one or more elongate barrier members extendable between respective pairs of said support apparatus.
19. Support apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
20. A barrier system substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
21. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed herein, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding claims. 0 * *0ISS 5**SS S.S * 0.SS * p