GB2510879A

GB2510879A - Climbing screen system

Info

Publication number: GB2510879A
Application number: GB201302747A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stuart Bamford
Original assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Current assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Priority date: 2013-02-18
Filing date: 2013-02-18
Publication date: 2014-08-20
Anticipated expiration: 2033-02-18
Also published as: GB2510879B; GB201302747D0

Abstract

A climbing screen system 1 includes a climbing screen 2 made up of a safety screen 4 and a climbing rail 3, which is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction. The system also includes a support 5. The support comprises at least one base 12 that is removably attached to the climbing screen and is adapted to maintain the climbing screen in a vertical orientation, prior to mounting the climbing rail to the construction, such that the climbing screen is freestanding. Also provided is a method of using the system including fixing the base to the ground, mounting the screen to the base, and then once it is possible to mount the climbing rail to the edges of one or more floors of a construction, detaching the screen from the base.

Description

Climbing Screen System The present disclosure relates to a climbing screen system. More particularly to a climbing screen system which is freestanding. It further relates to a method of using the climbing screen system.

In modern construction, particularly in the construction of high rise buildings it is common to have a central core, which houses lift shafts and stair wells and which provides support to the floors of the construction, wherein the central core and floors are formed by poured concrete. Such structures commonly have no external walls. During large periods of construction therefore, the floors remain open at their edges. It is only when a façade is introduced that the perimeter of the building is enclosed. Such open floors cause numerous health and safety risks. Workers operating on the exposed floors of the construction are at risk of falling from the construction. Workers or members of the public on the ground are at risk from tools, equipment or debris falling from the exposed floors.

It is known to provide safety screens, which extend around at least a portion of the perimeter of constructions, which effectively provide a temporary façade, and advantageously provide safe working platforms spaced outwardly from the floors. These safety screens are advantageously moveable vertically to protect the perimeter of any required floor as the construction progresses. Such screens are commonly referred to as "climbing screens". Movement of the climbing screens up the construction may be effected either by crane or by hydraulic lifting equipment located on floors of the construction.

These climbing screens typically comprise a climbing rail and a safety screen. The climbing rail is engaged, in use, by floor guides, which project outwardly from the edges of the floors. The floor guides allow translation of the climbing screen along the construction and are further operable to lock the position of the climbing screen adjacent appropriate floors during use. Due to the size and mass of climbing screens, they may generally only be mounted on a construction when there is adequate support in place to hold the climbing rail. Generally support will be required, at all times, by the floor guides on two floors at once.

The requirement to support climbing screens with the floor guides on two floors at once introduces a limitation to the use of climbing screens. As will be appreciated, conventional climbing screens may not be used until at least the first and second floors (above ground) have been constructed, since before this point there is not adequate means for supporting the climbing screen available.

Accordingly, there is either no perimeter screen provided until such time as a conventional climbing screen may be used or an additional screen or façade is required during construction of the lower floors before a conventional climbing screen may be used.

There is a requirement for improved safety on a construction before the point at which conventional climbing screens may be used.

The present invention arose in a bid to provide a climbing screen that is suitable for use from the very start of construction.

According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a climbing screen system, comprising: a climbing screen having a climbing rail, which is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction, and a safety screen; and a support, which comprises a base that is removably attached to the climbing screen and is adapted to maintain the climbing screen in a vertical orientation, prior to mounting the climbing rail to the construction above ground level, such that the climbing screen is freestanding.

The support may be arranged to maintain the climbing screen in a vertical orientation prior to mounting the climbing rail to the construction at any level.

By virtue of such an arrangement, the climbing screen may be used even before any floors (above ground) have been constructed and without any requirement for the engagement of the climbing rail with a floor guide or other support element on the construction. This offers safety, and security, from the start of the construction and moreover, provides a solution that may be used throughout the course of the construction, from start to finish. This is not possible with any prior art climbing screen.

Advantageously, the support provides the only support to the climbing screen prior to mounting the climbing rail to the construction.

The center of mass of the climbing screen preferably lies over the base when the climbing screen is attached to the support.

The safety screen preferably comprises a screen support member, which extends parallel to the climbing rail, and the screen support member has a bottom end that extends to substantially the same level as a bottom end of the climbing rail. By "extends to substantially the same level" it is meant that these elements may extend to almost the same level as one another or be such that there is no significant difference in the levels to which they extend. The screen support member and the climbing rail may be substantially the same length as one another. The screen support member and the climbing rail may be axially aligned with one another. Most preferably, the bottom ends of the screen support member and the climbing rail lie flush with one another. With the bottom ends flush with one another, the safety screen may advantageously stand vertically on a level surface without any external support.

By virtue of such configurations, and in contrast to prior art screens that feature a climbing rail and safety screen that are axially offset, or extend to substantially different levels, the climbing screen of the present application is inherently stable and/or easier to support. The support may therefore be less obtrusive, since the forces it has to balance are limited. The principal purpose of the support is to counter external shock forces acting on the climbing screen such as by impact or from strong winds.

The base may engage the climbing rail only or engage the safety screen only. Most preferably, however, the base engages both the climbing rail and the safety screen, and may, in particular engage the climbing rail and the safety screen support member.

The base may comprise an upper surface, which is adapted to support the climbing rail, wherein the climbing rail stands on the upper surface of the base. A bracket is preferably provided, which is upstanding from the upper surface, with the climbing rail fixed to the bracket. A second bracket may be provided on the upper surface of the base, which is upstanding from the upper surface, with the safety screen support member fixed to the second bracket.

Advantageously, the base comprises a plurality of height adjustable feet, which are adapted to alter the orientation of the climbing screen when it is supported by the base.

The feet may comprise screw threads for altering their heights.

By virtue of such an arrangement the base may be leveled on uneven terrain.

The base may be adapted such that it can be secured to the ground. The base may be secured to a concrete floor using concrete anchors.

It is preferable that the climbing screen system comprises a plurality of bases that are spaced from one another. The climbing screen may comprise two or more paired climbing rails and screen support members, and a base may be provided that is connected to each of the paired climbing rail and screen support member.

According to the present invention in a further aspect, there is provided a method of using a climbing screen system as described in any of the above statements, comprising: fixing the base of the support to the ground at the base of a construction, or to the ground floor; mounting the climbing screen to the base, such that it is supported by the base and is maintained in a vertical orientation; only once the construction has reached a predetermined height above ground, mounting the climbing rail to one or more floor guides that are attached to the edges of floors of the construction; and detaching the climbing screen from the base of the support.

Non-limiting embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a rear isometric view of the climbing screen system of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a side view of the climbing screen system of the present invention; Figure 3 shows a side view of the base; and Figure 4 shows a top view of the base.

Figure 1 shows a climbing screen system 1 embodying the present invention. The climbing screen system comprises, broadly, a climbing screen 2 and a support 5. The climbing screen system is shown from the side that will face a construction in use. The support 5 is adapted to engage the ground (or a slab or floor provided at ground level) and to support the climbing screen in a vertical orientation, prior to mounting the climbing rail to the construction (as described below), such that the climbing screen is freestanding.

By freestanding, it is meant that the climbing screen system is self-supporting. No engagement with any further element is required to stably maintain the climbing screen in the vertical orientation shown in Figure 1.

The climbing screen 2 comprises a pair of climbing rails 3 and a safety screen 4.

The climbing rails 3 extend vertically in use, as shown. The climbing rails are adapted to engage floor guides that project outwardly from the edges of the floors of a construction so that the climbing screen may be mounted on and translated along the construction.

When the climbing screen is being translated along such a construction it is detached from the support 5. The climbing screen 2 may be translated vertically up the building being constructed either by use of a crane or by using a self-climbing mechanism, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Whilst a pair of climbing rails is shown it should be appreciated that there need not specifically be two such rails. For example, further climbing rails may be provided.

The safety screen 4 comprises a pair of vertically extending screen support members 6, a plurality of screen panel support brackets 10 and a plurality of screen panels 11.

S

Each of the screen support members 6 is paired with a respective one of the climbing rails. The paired climbing rails and screen support members are parallel to one another and in alignment with one another. The screen support members lie outwardly of the climbing rails in use (in a direction away from the construction). The paired climbing rails and screen support members are joined to one another by a plurality of support elements] that are fixed thereto and extend therebetween. A number of the support elements support platforms 8, which are adapted to support work surfaces. Also extending between the paired climbing rails and screen support members are a plurality of tie braces 9, which provide increased rigidity to the climbing screen 2. Each tie brace extends at an oblique angle relative to the climbing rails and screen support members. The tie braces are preferably provided in pairs that cross with one another and combine to form an X-shape, as seen most clearly in the side view of Figure 2.

Again, whilst a pair of screen support members is shown, it should be appreciated that there need not specifically be two such screen support members. There will be one screen support member provided per climbing rail.

The number of support elements] and tie braces 9 is not limited. More or less support elements and tie braces may be provided.

Attached to the vertically extending screen support members 6 are the plurality of screen panel support brackets 10, which support the plurality of screen panels 11, which panels close off the open perimeter of the floors of the construction and prevent injury to workers on the floors or those on the ground. The screen panels 11 are preferably rigid mesh panels.

As shown most clearly in Figure 2, the climbing rails 3 and the screen support members 6 have bottom ends that extend to the same level as one another. The bottom faces of the climbing rails and screen support members are parallel to one another and lie flush with one another. The bottom faces of the climbing rails and screen support members are perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the climbing rails and the screen support members. The bottom ends of the climbing rails and screen support members extend to the line A-A shown in Figure 2. It is preferable, as shown in the present embodiment, that the climbing rails and the screen support members have the same length as one another and are axially aligned with one another.

The safety screen 2 is arranged such that it may stand vertically on a level surface without any external support.

The support 5 comprises two bases 12, which are removably attached to the climbing screen. Each base 12 is adapted to be detachably fixed to one of the climbing rails 3 and to the safety screen 4, specifically, to one of the climbing rails 3 and to its paired screen support member 6.

As is clear from the side view of Figure 2, the centre of mass of the climbing screen 2 lies over the base 12 of the support when the climbing screen 2 is attached to the support 5.

The bases each comprise a support beam 13, which is provided with an extendable foot 14 at each of its opposed ends. The support beam comprises a substantially planar upper surface 15 from which a pair of brackets upwardly protrudes. The brackets 16, 17 are adapted to be fixed to one of the climbing rails and to one of the screen support members respectively. The extendable feet have a longitudinal axis that lies perpendicular to the upper surface 15.

The upper surface 15 may support the bottom end of the climbing rail 3 by the climbing rail 3 standing on the upper surface 15. The climbing rail 3 has a longitudinally extending channel, which receives the bracket 16, as shown most clearly in Figure 1. The bracket 17 comprises a pair of spaced plates and the panel support member 6 is received between the plates. The climbing rail 3 and the panel support member 6 are fixed to the base 12 using bolts, or similar fasteners. As seen in Figure 3, both the brackets 16,17 have a substantially trapezoidal profile.

As mentioned, the feet 14 are extendable, which allows the upper surface 15 to be maintained horizontal on uneven ground. The extendable feet provide a leveling function.

The feet may be provided with screw threads to allow their extension and retraction, as desired. Numerous other means of extending and retracting the feet will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

In use the bases 12 will preferably be fixed to the ground using suitable fixing means.

If a concrete floor or platform is available then suitable concrete anchors may be used. As seen in the figures, and labeled in Figure 4, a longitudinally extending through channel 18 is provided in each of the bases 12, wherein the fixings may pass through this channel and into the ground, with an enlarged head of the fixing engaging the upper surface 15 of the base and anchoring the base to the ground.

Again, whilst a pair of bases 12 is shown, it should be appreciated that there need not specifically be two such bases. There will preferably be one base provided per climbing rail.

In an alternative arrangement to that shown, the bases 12 may comprise cantilevers secured to the ground floor of a construction and extending outwardly beyond the perimeter of the floor. Further alternative configurations for the bases 12 will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. Moreover, whilst in the arrangement discussed above, the support comprises the bases only, which is preferred, the support could include additional support elements that engage the climbing screen.

In use, the bases are fixed to the ground at the base of a construction, or to the ground floor, and the climbing screen is then mounted to the bases, in accordance with the description above, for example, such that the climbing screen is supported by the bases and is maintained in a vertical orientation, as shown, for example, in Figure 1.

Subsequently, and only once the construction has reached a predetermined height above ground, of the second or third floor, for example, the climbing rail is mounted to floor guides on one or more floors, which are attached to the edges of floors of the construction, whilst being simultaneously supported by the support.

Once floor guides on two floors or more floors are usable and it is no longer desired to provide a perimeter screen at ground level, the climbing screen is detached from the base of the support and is then supported solely by the floor guides of two or more adjacent floors of the construction at a time and is translated along the building in the manner known to those skilled in the art.

Claims

Claims 1. A climbing screen system, comprising: a climbing screen having a climbing rail, which is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction, and a safety screen; and a support, which comprises a base that is removably attached to the climbing screen and is adapted to maintain the climbing screen in a vertical orientation, prior to mounting the climbing rail to the construction above ground level, such that the climbing screen is freestanding.
2. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the support provides the only support to the climbing screen prior to mounting the climbing rail to the construction.
3. A system as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the center of mass of the climbing screen lies over the base when the climbing screen is attached to the support.
4. A system as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the safety screen comprises a screen support member, which extends parallel to the climbing rail, and the screen support member has a bottom end that extends to substantially the same level as a bottom end of the climbing rail.
5. A system as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the bottom ends of the screen support member and the climbing rail lie flush with one another.
6. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base engages the climbing rail only, or engages the safety screen only, or engages both the climbing rail and the safety screen.
7. A system as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 6, wherein the base engages the climbing rail and the safety screen support member.
8. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base comprises an upper surface, which is adapted to support the climbing rail, wherein the climbing rail stands on the upper surface of the base.
9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a bracket is provided, which is upstanding from the upper surface, and the climbing rail is fixed to the bracket.
10. A system as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, when dependent on any of Claims 4 to 7, wherein a second bracket is provided on the upper surface of the base, which is upstanding from the upper surface, and the safety screen support member is fixed to the second bracket.
11. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base comprises a plurality of height adjustable feet, which are adapted to alter the orientation of the climbing screen when it is supported by the base.
12. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the base is adapted to be secured to the ground.
13. A system as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the base is secured to a concrete floor using concrete anchors.
14. A system as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising a plurality of bases that are spaced from one another.
15. A system as claimed in Claim 14, when dependent on any of Claims 4 to 14, wherein the climbing screen comprises two or more paired climbing rails and screen support members, and a base is provided that is connected to each of the paired climbing rail and screen support member.
16. A method of using a climbing screen system as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising: fixing the base of the support to the ground at the base of a construction, or to the ground floor; mounting the climbing screen to the base, such that it is supported by the base and is maintained in a vertical orientation; only once the construction has reached a predetermined height above ground level, mounting the climbing rail to one or more floor guides that are attached to the edges of floors of the construction; and detaching the climbing screen from the base of the support.
17. A climbing screen system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.
18. A method of using a climbing screen system as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.