GB2525795A

GB2525795A - Safety screen

Info

Publication number: GB2525795A
Application number: GB1514013.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Radoslaw Slezak
Original assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Current assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Priority date: 2013-02-18
Filing date: 2013-02-18
Publication date: 2015-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 2033-02-18
Also published as: GB2510881B8; GB2510881A; GB201302751D0; GB2525795B; GB201514013D0; GB2525795B8; GB2510881B; GB2525795A8; GB2510881A8

Abstract

A safety screen 2 for a climbing screen 1 includes fixed panels 7a and moveable panels 7b. The safety screen is configured to have a retracted state and an extended state, each of the moveable panels being adapted to at least partially overlap with one or more of the fixed panels in the retracted state and being adapted such that in the extended state the degree of overlap is less than in the retracted state or there is no overlap. The fixed panels are joined together to form a fixed screen. Preferably, the moveable panels are slidably received between a pair of panel support brackets 6 that also support the fixed panels (see fig 4). Also provided is a climbing screen including the safety screen and a climbing rail 4.

Description

Safety Screen The present disclosure relates to a safety screen for a climbing screen and to a climbing screen comprising the safety screen.

In modern construction, particularly in the construction of high rise buildings it is common to have a central core, which houses lift shafts and stairs 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. 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, byfloorguides, 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.

Climbing screens are bulky items when assembled. However, it is desirable that the climbing screens arrive on site at a construction in a fully or at least substantially assembled state. It is therefore beneficial if means are provided for reducing the size of an assembled climbing screen for transport.

Prior art climbing screens have been proposed which feature mechanisms for reducing the widths of the safety screens for transport, however, these have suffered from drawbacks, including the generation of gaps between adjacent screen panels by the mechanisms used.

The present invention arose in a bid to provide an improved safety screen for a climbing screen, which may be reduced in size for transport.

According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a safety screen for a climbing screen, comprising: a plurality of fixed panels; and a plurality of moveable panels, wherein the safety screen is configured to have a retracted state and an extended state, each of the moveable panels being adapted to at least partially overlap with one or more of the fixed panels in the retracted state and being adapted such that in the extended state the degree of overlap is less than in the retracted state or there is no overlap, and the plurality of fixed panels are joined together to form a fixed screen.

Preferably, the moveable panels lie inwardly of the fixed panels. The safety screen may comprise a frame to which the fixed panels are fixed, and each moveable panel may lie between one of the fixed panels and the frame. Each moveable panel is preferably sandwiched between one of the fixed panels and the frame.

Each of the plurality of moveable panels may be arranged such that it is moveable independently of the remaining moveable panels.

The moveable panels may be adapted such that they are separate to one another in the retracted state and joinable to one another in the extended state.

Preferably, there is substantially no gap between adjacent moveable panels.

Preferably, there is a gap of 20mm or less between adjacent moveable panels. Most preferably, a gap of 15mm or less between adjacent moveable panels. The gap between adjacent moveable panels may be as small as 8mm.

Advantageously, each of the fixed panels is supported by a pair of panel support members, and a moveable panel is slidably received between each adjacent pair of panel support members.

The fixed panels are advantageously fixed to the panel support members. Adjacent fixed panels are preferably fixed to one another through the panel support members. The gap between adjacent moveable panels is advantageously equal to the thickness of the portion of the panel support member that lies between the adjacent moveable panels.

By such a configuration, the safety screen has excellent structural rigidity whilst a minimal gap is provided between adjacent moveable panels.

The portion of the panel support member to which the fixed panels are fixed and which lies between adjacent moveable panels is advantageously substantially planar.

Advantageously, the panel support members extend in the horizontal direction.

The uppermost and lowermost panel support members may have a substantially L-shaped or U-shaped profile. The panel support members lying between adjacent fixed panels may have a substantially T-shaped profile.

The fixed and moveable panels may comprise mesh panels. The fixed and moveable panels preferably comprise rigid panels.

The fixed and moveable panels preferably have an identical height, i.e. they have the same vertical dimension in use. The fixed and moveable panels are most preferably identical.

The moveable panels are, advantageously, independent to the fixed panels. In other words, the moveable panels are preferably not connected to the fixed panels.

According to the present invention in a further aspect, there is provided a climbing screen comprising: a climbing rail, which is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction; and a safety screen as recited in any of the statements above.

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 comprising a safety screen in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a side view of the climbing screen of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows an enlarged side view of a screen panel support bracket; and Figure 4 shows an enlarged side view of the uppermost screen panel support bracket.

Figure 1 shows a climbing screen 1, which comprises a safety screen 2. The climbing screen 1 is shown from the side that will face a construction in use.

The climbing screen 1 is shown attached to a support 3, which maintains the climbing screen in a vertical orientation on the ground, before it is attached to a construction. The support is detached when the climbing screen is attached to a construction for translation along the construction.

The climbing screen 1 comprises a plurality of climbing rails 4, which extend vertically in use as shown. The climbing rails 4 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. The climbing screen 1 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 2 comprises a pair of vertically extending screen support members 5,a plurality of screen panel support brackets (members) 6 and a plurality of screen panels 7, which, as discussed below, include fixed panels 7a and moveable panels 7b. The vertically extending screen support member 5 and the screen panel support brackets form a frame to which a plurality of the fixed panels 7a are fixed.

Each of the screen support members 5 is paired with a respective one of the climbing rails 4. 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 8, which are fixed thereto and extend therebetween. A number of the support elements 8 are arranged to support platforms 9, which are adapted to support work surfaces. Also, preferably, extending between the paired climbing rails and screen support members are a plurality of tie braces 10, which provide increased rigidity to the climbing screen 1. 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 5 is shown, it should be appreciated that there need not specifically be two such screen support members. There will preferably be one screen support member provided per climbing rail.

The number of support elements 8, platforms 9 and tie braces 10 is not limited.

More or less support elements, platforms and tie braces may be provided.

As mentioned briefly above, the safety screen 2 comprises a plurality of fixed panels 7a and a plurality of moveable panels 7b. The fixed panels and the moveable panels are preferably identical to one another, as shown. In any event, it is preferred that the fixed panels and the moveable panels have the same vertical dimension (height), as seen most clearly in Figure 2.

The screen panels 7 preferably each comprise a rectangular frame 11 and a screen 12 that is fixed to the frame. The screen 12 is preferably perforated to limit the forces imposed on the climbing screen 1 by the wind during use. The panels are preferably rigid mesh panels.

The fixed panels 7a are joined together to form a fixed screen. In the present arrangement, as shown, this fixed screen is two panels wide and three panels high. It will be readily appreciated, however, that the fixed screen may comprise more or less panels in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

The fixed panels 7a all lie in the same plane and the moveable panels 7b all lie in the same plane, wherein the fixed panels 7a and moveable panels 7b lie in different planes that are parallel to one another. The moveable panels 7b preferably lie inwardly of the fixed panels 7a, as seen most clearly in Figure 2, such that the moveable panels 7b lie between the fixed panels 7a and the construction during use. The moveable panels 7a of the present arrangement lie between the frame of the safety screen and the fixed panels 7b and are sandwiched therebetween. The moveable panels 7b are not connected to the fixed panels 7a, they are entirely separate thereto.

Each of the fixed panels 7a is preferably supported by a pair of panel support brackets 6, which panel support brackets extend horizontally in use. The fixed panels are preferably fixed to the panel support brackets 6 using bolts or other fixing means. Adjacent panels in the vertical direction are preferably fixed to one another through the panel support brackets 6, as seem most clearly in Figure 3 and discussed below. By such an arrangement, it is possible to form a rigid structure even when the panel support brackets have a small vertical dimension and would otherwise be susceptible to flexing. Adjacent fixed panels 7a in the horizontal direction may be fixed to one another using bolts or other suitable fixing means.

Each of the moveable panels is preferably slidably received between an adjacent pair of the panel support brackets 6. The moveable panels are not attached to the panel support brackets 6. By such an arrangement, adjacent moveable panels 7b in the vertical direction are separated from one another only by the portion of the panel support bracket that lies therebetween. With a panel support member having a small vertical dimension, as mentioned above, a small (minimal) gap is provided between adjacent moveable panels in the vertical direction.

The panel support brackets 6, as shown in Figure 1, preferably extend across the entire width of the fixed panels 7a. The panel support brackets 6 preferably have a greater length than the combined widths of the adjacent fixed panels Ja and may thereby offer support to the portions of the moveable panels 7b that extend outwardly of the fixed panels 7a in the width (horizontal) direction when the screen 2 is in an extended state.

The panel support brackets 6 are shown in detail in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 shows an enlarged side view of one of the intermediate panel support brackets to which pairs of vertically adjacent fixed panels 7a are fixed. Figure 4 shown an enlarged side view of the uppermost panel support bracket to which the uppermost fixed panels 7a are fixed. It should be noted that the lowermost panel support bracket represents a mirror image of the uppermost panel support bracket, as shown in Figure 4.

As seen in Figure 3, the intermediate panel support bracket 6, is preferably substantially T-shaped. Here the T is formed by a pair of [-shaped brackets that are placed back to back. It should be appreciated however that this bracket could, alternatively, be unitarily formed, or indeed take other forms. The support bracket is fixed to the screen support members 5. In the present arrangement it is fixed using brackets 13, wherein a pair of brackets 13 are provided on each of the screen support members for supporting the intermediate panel support bracket. It will be readily appreciated, however, that the intermediate panel support bracket may be fixed to the screen support members using alternatively configured brackets, by welding or otherwise.

The intermediate panel support bracket 6 comprises a substantially planar support element 14, which, in effect, comprises a horizontal plate. The adjacent fixed panels 7a in the vertical direction that engage the upper and lower surfaces of the planar support element 14 are fixed to one another through the planar support element 14 using bolts 15, as shown, or by other suitable fixing means.

The moveable panels 7b, which lie adjacent to one another in the vertical direction and, as discussed, are separate to the fixed panels 7a, are separated from one another by the portion of the planar support element 14 that lies therebetween. It is thereby the thickness of the planar support element that defines the horizontally extending gap between adjacent moveable panels in the vertical direction. The thickness of the planar support element 14 is preferably 15mm or less, such that the horizontally extending gap between moveable panels 7b that lie adjacent to one another in the vertical direction is 15mm or less.

As seen in Figure 4, the uppermost panel support bracket 6, is preferably substantially [-shaped. The support bracket 6 is fixed to the screen support members 5. In the present arrangement it is fixed using brackets 13, wherein a pair of brackets 13 are provided on each of the screen support members for supporting the uppermost panel support bracket 6. It will be readily appreciated, however, that the uppermost panel support bracket 6 may be fixed to the screen support members using alternatively configured brackets, by welding or otherwise.

The uppermost panel support bracket again comprises a substantially planar support element 14, which, in effect, comprises a horizontal plate. The uppermost fixed panels 7a in the vertical direction that engage the lower surface of the planar support element 14 are fixed to the planar support element 14 using bolts 15 or other suitable fixing means, as clearly shown.

The overlap of the moveable panels 7b with the fixed panels 7a (and thereby the overlap with the fixed screen and the overall width of the screen 2) may be varied by sliding each of the panels, which is retained between adjacent panel support brackets 6 in the vertical direction, in the horizontal direction. Each of the moveable panels lb is slidable independently of the remaining moveable panels lb. In a retracted state each moveable panel lb may overlap entirely with a respective one of the fixed panels 7a.

The moveable panels 7b may be retracted for the transport of the climbing screen 1 and then extended to provide a desired screen width for use. Adjacent moveable panels lb in the vertical direction may be joined to one another using bolts or otherwise when the panel is in the extended state.

It is preferred that there is always some degree of overlap between the fixed and moveable panels, such that vertically extending gaps are not introduced between adjacent fixed and moveable panels, however, it is possible that the screen may be configured such that in the extended state the overlap will be reduced to zero, such that there is no overlap.

Numerous alternative arrangements will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the claims that follow. The specifically described arrangements are not limiting. For example, whilst in the described arrangements, all of the moveable panels lie in the same plane, there may be arrangements in which a number of the moveable panels lie in different planes, such that in the retracted state they partially or entirely overlap one another. In such an arrangement, there may be two or more moveable panels 7b provided between the fixed panels 7a and the frame by extending the planar support element 14 outwardly further (horizontally) in a direction away from the construction. Here the innermost moveable panel 7b would be sandwiched between another moveable panel 7b and the frame rather than between a fixed panel 7a and the frame as in the arrangement described in detail above.

Claims

Claims 1. A safety screen for a climbing screen, comprising: a plurality of fixed panels; and a plurality of moveable panels, wherein the safety screen is configured to have a retracted state and an extended state, each of the moveable panels being adapted to at least partially overlap with one or more of the fixed panels in the retracted state and being adapted such that in the extended state the degree of overlap is less than in the retracted state or there is no overlap, and the plurality of fixed panels are joined together to form a fixed screen.
2. A safety screen as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the moveable panels lie inwardly of the fixed panels.
3. A safety screen as claimed in Claim 1 012, wherein the safety screen comprises a frame to which the fixed panels are fixed, and each moveable panel lies between one of the fixed panels and the frame.
4. A safety screen as claimed in Claim 3, wherein each moveable panel is sandwiched between one of the fixed panels and the frame.
5. A safety screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the plurality of moveable panels is arranged such that it is moveable independently of the remaining moveable panels.
6. A safety screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the moveable panels are adapted such that they are separate to one another in the retracted state and joinable to one another in the extended state.
7. A safety screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there is substantially no gap between adjacent moveable panels.
8. A safety screen as claimed in any of Claims ito 7, wherein there is a gap of 15mm or less between adjacent moveable panels.
9. A safety screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of the fixed panels is supported by a pair of panel support members, and a moveable panel is slidably received between each adjacent pair of panel support members.
10. A safety screen as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the fixed panels are fixed to the panel support members.
11. A safety screen as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, wherein adjacent fixed panels are fixed to one another through the panel support members.
12. A safety screen as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 11, wherein a gap between adjacent moveable panels is equal to the thickness of the portion of the panel support member that lies between the adjacent moveable panels.
13. A safety screen as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 12, wherein the portion of the panel support member that lies between adjacent moveable panels is substantially planar.
14. A safety screen as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 13, wherein, in use, the panel support members extend in the horizontal direction.
15. A safety screen as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 14, wherein the uppermost and lowermost panel support members have a substantially L-shaped or U-shaped profile.
16. A safety screen as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 15, wherein the panel support members lying between adjacent fixed panels have a substantially T-shaped profile.
17. A safety screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fixed and moveable panels comprise mesh panels.
18. A safety screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fixed and moveable panels comprise rigid panels.
19. A safety screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fixed and moveable panels have an identical height.
20. A safety screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein, in the retracted state, each moveable panel overlaps entirely with a respective one of the fixed panels.
21. A safety screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the moveable panels are independent of the fixed panels.
22. A climbing screen comprising: a climbing rail, which is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction; and a safety screen as recited in any preceding claim.
23. A safety screen for a climbing screen substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.
24. A climbing screen substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated by, the accompanying drawings.