GB2516813A

GB2516813A - Working platform locating apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2516813A
Application number: GB1310771.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher John Phillips
Original assignee: Cj Phillips Welding & Fabricating Contractors Ltd
Current assignee: Cj Phillips Welding & Fabricating Contractors Ltd
Priority date: 2013-06-17
Filing date: 2013-06-17
Publication date: 2015-02-11
Also published as: GB201310771D0

Abstract

A method of erecting a working platform 18 in a service shaft 11 of a building 10, where in a doorway 19 provides access to the service shaft 11, and the working platform 18 includes a standing surface 21. The method includes the provision of locating apparatus 22 for connection to the working platform 18 and connecting the locating apparatus 22 to the working platform 18. The working platform 18 is positioned adjacent the doorway 19 in alignment with the doorway 19 and is moved through the doorway 19. The working platform 18 is rotated to orientate the standing surface 21 horizontally, and it is then connected in this orientation to the building 10. Also defined is a working platform locating apparatus 22 which comprises a mobile base 23, and engaging member 41, a vertical lift 29 and rotation means 47 as shown in Figs 3 and 5.

Description

This invention relates to a method of erecting a working platform in a service shaft of a building and also to apparatus for carrying out such a method.

Many commercial and residential buildings, such as tower blocks, have vertically extending service shafts provided internally or on a side of the building and along which utility services, such as gas and water, may be directly fed to each floor. The service shaft thus allows the provision of the services to each floor of the building.

Typically, during construction of a building, scaffolding is erected within the service shaft to allow access to each floor so that the required installation of services may be carried out. Assembly of the scaffolding is a time consuming task and following completion of the installation, the scaffolding is usually disassembled, having served its purpose. An access door is usually provided to the service shaft from each floor of the building. Before the scaffolding is removed the access doors must be secured shut to prevent access into the shaft which otherwise could ultimately result in injury or worse. If access to the shaft is required for maintenance purposes scaffolding must be re-erected.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method which seeks to solve at least some of the above problems.

According to this invention, there is provided a method of erecting a working platform in a service shaft of a building, there being a doorway providing access to the service shaft, and the working platform having a standing surface, the method comprising: -providing locating apparatus for connection to the working platform; -connecting the locating apparatus to the working platform; -positioning the working platform adjacent said doorway so that it is aligned with the doorway; -moving the working platform through the doorway; -rotating the working platform so that the standing surface thereof is disposed generally horizontally; and -connecting the working platform in this orientation to the building.

It should be appreciated that the doorway lies between the service shaft and the building such that the method allows the working platform to be erected in the service shaft from the inside of the building.

Preferably, the locating apparatus facilitates positioning movement and rotation of the working platform. This may be achieved by manual operation of the locating apparatus or the apparatus may be electrically operated.

Alternatively, the locating apparatus may be operated by both manual and electrical operation.

In order to pass through the doorway, the working platform will need to be in appropriate alignment with the doorway. The working platform may have a width greater than the width of the door so that it may extend beyond the door when in position secured in the shaft to the building. Thus to facilitate entry through the doorway, the standing surface of the working platform will need to be orientated away from a generally horizontal disposition. In this case, the locating apparatus may rotate the working platform into a generally vertical disposition prior to positioning thereof adjacent said doorway.

According to a different but closely related invention there is provided working platform locating apparatus for erecting a working platform in a service shaft of a building, the building having a doorway providing access to the service shaft and the working platform having a standing surface, the apparatus comprising: -a mobile base member configured to move along the ground; -an engaging member releasably to hold the working platform; -a vertical lift supported on the base member to move the engaging member and vertical platform in a vertical orientation; and -rotation means to rotate the engaging member and an engaged working platform.

The engaging member may be configured to grip or clamp the working platform. Preferably, the engaging member is configured to engage more than one part of the working platform to ensure a secure connection.

The mobile base member must be configured for movement along the ground. To do this it may be provided with wheels or may run on tracks or oOther suitable means. The base member and vertical lift may be a single unit configured releasably to engage the remainder of the apparatus or may be fixed thereto.

In a preferred arrangement of the present invention, the locating apparatus is disconnected from the working platform after the working platform has been connected to the building. For safety purposes, the apparatus is preferably heavier than a working platform to be engaged therewith so that the vertical lift may elevate the working platform safely. More preferably the apparatus is heavier than a working platform having a person standing thereon so that a person may stand on the working platform when connecting the platform to the building without the risk of the platform, apparatus and person falling down the shaft.

The locating apparatus may include one of more actuator, handle andlor lever to enable manual operation of the apparatus. Alternatively or additionally, the apparatus may include a battery, control circuitry and one or more operating button or lever to allow the apparatus to be electrically operated.

Preferably, the rotation means is capable ot rotating the engaging member about multiple axes. The rotational means preferably allows rotation in both horizontal and vertical planes and may comprise one or more rotational members. The apparatus may further comprise means for finely adjusting the orientation of the engaging member with respect to the base member.

The apparatus may be re-configurable into a compact configuration for ease of storage and transport when not engaged with a working platform.

This invention also extends to working platform locating apparatus as hereinbefore described in combination with a working platform, wherein the working platform is held by the engaging member of the locating apparatus.

The working platform is preferably a balcony type structure having a base standing surface and safety guard rails extending at least partially therearound. The apparatus must engage the platform at a suitable location so that the most efficient orientation and clearance may be achieved for moving the platform through the doorway. Preferably, the engaging means is configured to engage the safety guard rails of the apparatus.

The method and apparatus of the present invention facilitates safe and efficient assembly of working platforms in the service shaft of a building.

Without the need for scaffolding, the working platforms may be erected permanently so that the service shaft may be accessed at any time for maintenance purposes. This not only enhances safety but also saves time.

By way of example only, an embodiment of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a perspective view inside a service shaft of a building; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a working platform; Figure 3 is a view of working platform location apparatus arranged for connection to a working platform; Figure 4 is a view of the location apparatus in use; Figure 5 is a perspective view of part of the location apparatus of Figures 3 and 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the engaging member of the apparatus of Figures 3, 4 and 5; Figure 7 is a perspective view of the rotation means of the apparatus of Figures 3, 4 and 5; and Figure 8 is a view through a doorway from inside the building showing the working platform of Figures 2, 3 and 4 connected inside the shaft.

Referring initially to Figure 1, there is shown a partially cut-away view of a service shaft 11 in part of the building and is defined by walls 10 of the building. The shaft allows the provision of services 14, such as gas and water to each floor 12 of the building. The building has four floors 12 including the ground floor; and a door 13 is provided on each floor 12 between the building and the service shaft 11 to allow access to the shaft 11 from inside the building.

To install services 14 in the service shaft 11 conventionally scaffolding would have to be erected. The scaffolding would extend vertically and provide access to each floor. The scaffolding usually includes a working platform which allows access directly to the door of the building for convenience and safety purposes. The assembly of the scaffolding can be time consuming and dangerous. The scaffolding is not a permanent structure and is disassembled once the services have been installed. In this conventional arrangement the door to each floor must be secured to prevent accidental access through the doorway.

The present invention seeks to solve the problems associated with conventional arrangements by providing a method of installing working platforms and working platform location apparatus 22, as shown in Figure 3 and 4. The location apparatus 22 includes a base member 23 having a generally rectangular cross-section. The base member 23 includes four wheels 26 though only two of those wheels 26 are visible in the Figures. Each wheel 26 is connected adjacent a corner of the base to allow movement of the apparatus 22

and stable support.

A vertical lift 29 is connected to the top of the base member 23 and this includes two arms 30 (only one visible) which extend horizontally therefrom.

The vertical lift 29 is configured to move the arms 30 vertically with respect to the base member 23 and includes control means in the form of a manually operable lever 31. The base member 23 and vertical lift 29 are illustrated as a single unit 33 releasably securable to the remainder of the apparatus 32 for ease of transport and storage. It is important that the apparatus 22 is stable when supporting the working platform 18 and potentially also a person standing thereon. This is not only for the purposes of enabling the vertical lift 29 to operate in order to elevate the working platform 18 but also to ensure safe connection of the platform to a building 10, as explained in more detail below.

Such stability can be achieved by ensuring the base member is of sufficient weight and dimensions to be stable in use.

The portion of the apparatus which is lifted by the vertical lift 29, namely the lifted portion 32, is best illustrated in Figures 5 to 7 and comprises, at one end 35, connecting means 36 having openings 37 formed therein configured to receive the arms 30 of the vertical lift 29 and connected to a longitudinal member 38. Additional securing means and fixings may be provided (not shown) to secure the vertical lift 29 to the connecting means 36.

An engaging member 41 is provided at the opposed end 42 of the lifted portion 32. The engaging member 41 includes three clamp members 43 arranged to grip the guard rails 20 of a working platform 18 to be erected.

Clamping of the clamp members 43 is carried out by tightening the screw threaded bolts 44. The engaging member 41 is connected to rotation means 47 which enables the engaging member 41 to rotate about more than one axis, as follows: Firstly, the engaging member 41 is fixed to a longitudinal shaft 48 which is rotatably carried on a rod 49. A manually operable handle 50 is fixed to the shaft 48 to facilitate rotational movement of the engaging member 41 about the longitudinal axis of the rod 49. The rotation means 47 includes a securing member 51 which is connected to the rod 49 and against which the longitudinal shaft 48 can be tightened to prevent accidental rotation.

Secondly, the securing member 51 includes two supports 52, 53 arranged to clamp the longitudinal member 38 of the connection means 36. The securing member 51 is connected to the longitudinal member 38 by a vertically disposed rod 54, about which the securing member 51 is able to rotate so as to effect rotation of the engaging member 41 in a vertical plane.

The steps required to erect a working platform 18 in the service shaft 11 in accordance with the method of the present invention shall now be described with reference to the drawings.

Initially, the mobile base member and vertical lift unit 33 are connected to the lifted portion 32 by inserting the horizontally extending arms 30 of the vertical lift 29 into the openings 37 provided in the connecting means 36 as shown in Figure 3. The engagement member 41 is then connected to the working platform 18 by securing the clamp members 43 to the guard rails 20.

The vertical lift 29 is then operated to lift the remainder of the apparatus 32 and thus the working platform 18. The handle 50 of the longitudinal shaft 48 is then operated to rotate the engaging member 41 so that the connected working platform 18 is disposed in a generally vertical orientation, as shown in Figure 4. The apparatus 22 is then positioned adjacent a doorway 19 by moving the wheels 26 of the base member 23 along the ground.

To enable the working platform 18 to pass through the doorway 19 it must be appropriately aligned therewith. If necessary the securing member 51 may be rotated relative to the connecting means 36 to ensure proper alignment.

Further fine adjustments may be made including operation of the vertical lift 29 in order to obtain the best alignment possible.

Once aligned, the base member 23 may be operated to pass the engaging member 41 and connected working platform 18 through the doorway 19. It must be appreciated that orientation adjustments may be made during the moving of the platform 18 through the doorway 19 and this does not depart from the scope of the invention. The platform 18 is moved entirely into the service shaft 11.

The rotation means 47 of the apparatus 22 is then operated to move the engaging means 41 so that the standing surface 21 of the working platform 18 is disposed generally horizontally and abuts the building 10 in the required location.

While the apparatus 22 remains connected to the working platform 18, the platform 18 must be securely connected to the building 10. Once the working platform 18 is securely connected to the building 10, the apparatus 22 may be disconnected from the platform 18, as shown in Figure 8. The apparatus 22 may be operated to rotate so as to form a compact configuration for storage.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method of erecting a working platform in a service shaft of a building, there being a doorway providing access to the service shaft, and the working platform having a standing surface, the method comprising: -providing locating apparatus for connection to the working platform; -connecting the locating apparatus to the working platform; -positioning the working platform adjacent said doorway so that it is aligned with the doorway; -moving the working platform through the doorway; -rotating the working platform so that the standing surface thereof is disposed generally horizontally; and -connecting the working platform in this orientation to the building.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the locating apparatus facilitates positioning movement and rotation of the working platform.
3. A method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the locating apparatus is manually operated.
4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the locating apparatus is electrically operated.
5. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the locating apparatus rotates the working platform into a generally vertical disposition prior to positioning thereof adjacent said doorway.
6. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the locating apparatus is disconnected from the working platform after the working platform has been connected to the building.
7. A method as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the working platform is rotated about multiple axes.
8. Working platform locating apparatus for erecting a working platform in a service shaft of a building, the building having a doorway providing access to the service shaft and the working platform having a standing surface, the apparatus comprising: -a mobile base member configured to move along the ground; -an engaging member releasably to hold the working platform; -a vertical lift supported on the base member to move the engaging member in a vertical orientation; and -rotation means to rotate the engaging member and an engaged working platform.
9. Working platform locating apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising means for finely adjusting the orientation of the engaging member with respect to the base member.
10. Working platform locating apparatus as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the rotation means rotates facilitates rotation of the engaging member about multiple axes.
11. Working platform locating apparatus as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10 in combination with a working platform, wherein the working platform is held by the engaging member of the locating apparatus.
12. Working platform locating apparatus as claimed in claim 8 and substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.