GB2553560A

GB2553560A - Climbing screen

Info

Publication number: GB2553560A
Application number: GB1615286.0A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Taylor Mark
Original assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Current assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Priority date: 2016-09-08
Filing date: 2016-09-08
Publication date: 2018-03-14
Anticipated expiration: 2036-09-08
Also published as: GB2553560B; GB201615286D0

Abstract

A climbing screen 1 comprises a climbing rail 2, which is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction, and a safety screen 3; and a guard 4, which is slideably mounted to the climbing screen so as to be slideable between an operable position and a retracted position, wherein in the operable position, the guard 4 projects under the edge of a floor of the construction, and in the retracted position, the guard is spaced outwardly from the construction (see Fig 2). Also defined is a guard slidably mountable to a climbing screen.

Description

(71) Applicant(s):

Ischebeck Titan Ltd (Incorporated in the United Kingdom)

John Dean House, Wellington Road, BURTON-UPON-TRENT, Staffordshire, DE14 2TG, United Kingdom (72) Inventor(s):

Mark Taylor (74) Agent and/or Address for Service:

Dol ley mores

Rickmansworth Road, WATFORD, Herts, WD18 0JU, United Kingdom (51) INT CL:

E04G 21/32 (2006.01) (56) Documents Cited:

GB 2510880 A GB 2491193 A

CN 202450762 U CN 104420641 A

US 20130168626 A1 (58) Field of Search:

INT CL E04G

Other: Online: WPI, EPODOC (54) Title of the Invention: Climbing screen

Abstract Title: Climbing screen with retractable guard (57) A climbing screen 1 comprises a climbing rail 2, which is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction, and a safety screen 3; and a guard 4, which is slideably mounted to the climbing screen so as to be slideable between an operable position and a retracted position, wherein in the operable position, the guard 4 projects under the edge of a floor of the construction, and in the retracted position, the guard is spaced outwardly from the construction (see Fig 2). Also defined is a guard slidably mountable to a climbing screen.

Fig. i

At least one drawing originally filed was informal and the print reproduced here is taken from a later filed formal copy.

1/5

11 17

Fig· 1

2/5

11 17

3/5

100

Fig. 3

11 17

100

Fig. 4

5/5

11 17

Fig. 5

Climbing Screen

The present disclosure relates to a climbing screen, in particular to a climbing screen comprising a slideable guard for capturing any tools, equipment, debris or similar that may fall between the climbing screen and the construction.

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 fagade 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 fagade. 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, a safety screen and a plurality of platforms. 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. The platforms support workers on the climbing screen out beyond the perimeter edges of the floors and the screen itself provides perimeter protection.

A problem arises when gaps exist between the platforms and floor edges, since there is a risk that any tools, equipment or debris that drop into these gaps will fall to lower floors, orthe ground, risking injury to those below.

In order to mitigate such risks it has been known to provide guards (or “debris retainers”) that are arranged to capture any tools, equipment or debris that may fall between the climbing screen and the construction. An example of such an arrangement is known from GB 2491193, which discloses a debris retainer that is rotatably mounted to be rotatable between operable and retracted positions. Whilst such an arrangement, in its operable position, is effective in catching any tools, equipment or debris that pass between the climbing screen and the construction, it does suffer from a number of significant drawbacks.

The present invention arose in a bid to provide an improved climbing screen comprising a guard that obviates some of the problems encountered with the prior art.

According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a climbing screen comprising: a climbing rail, a safety screen and a guard. The climbing rail is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction. The guard is slideably mounted to the climbing screen so as to be slideable between an operable position and a retracted position. In the operable position, the guard projects under the edge of a floor of the construction. In the retracted position, the guard is spaced outwardly from the construction.

The guard is preferably slideable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the climbing rail. Movement of the guard is preferably constrained to movement along a single axis. The guard may be substantially planar.

The guard may be mounted to a base portion of the climbing screen, most preferably it is mounted on an underside of the climbing screen. There may be support brackets provided that slidably receive the guard, wherein the brackets may depend from the bottoms of the climbing rails and safety screen.

The guard may comprise at least one support member, which is slideably supported by the climbing screen, and a screen that is supported by the support member. A plurality of the support members may be provided that combine to form a frame, wherein the screen may span the frame. The screen may comprise a flexible mesh. It may be a fabric or plastic mesh.

A movement mechanism is preferably provided for applying a sliding force to the guard, the movement mechanism comprising a handle that is supported by the climbing screen at a vertical distance above the guard in use. The movement mechanism comprises a continuous loop of rope. The rope itself may define the handle.

According to the present invention in a further aspect, there is provided a guard slidably mountable to a climbing screen, the climbing screen mountable on and translatable along a construction, the guard, being slideably mounted to the climbing screen so as to be slideable, in use, between an operable position and a retracted position, wherein in the operable position, the guard projects under the edge of a floor of a construction, and in the retracted position, the guard is spaced outwardly from the construction.

Non-limiting embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a side view of the lower section of a climbing screen comprising a guard, the climbing screen is shown attached to a construction in a first position with the guard in an operable position, underlapping a lower floor;

Figure 2 shows the climbing screen of Figure 1 attached in the first position but with the guard in a retracted position;

Figure 3 shows the climbing screen of Figure 1 in a second position during vertical translation up the construction with the guard in the operable position; and

Figure 4 shows the climbing screen of Figure 1 in third position, following the vertical translation of Figure 3 with the guard in the operable position, underlapping an upper floor; and

Figure 5 shows a partial enlarged view of the guard in the operable position.

The present invention provides a climbing screen 1 comprising a climbing rail 2, a safety screen 3 and a guard 4. The climbing rail is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction, the safety screen 3 provides perimeter protection and the guard 4 is operable to capture any tools, equipment, debris or similar that may fall between the climbing screen 1 and the construction.

The guard 4 is slideably mounted to the climbing screen. It is preferably mounted so as to be slideable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the climbing rail or safety screen between an operable position and a retracted position.

As clearly seen in the figures, when the guard 8 is in the operable position (of Figures 1, 3 and 4) a portion of the guard projects under the edge of a floor 100, 200 of the construction, whereas in the retracted position (of Figure 2), the guard is spaced outwardly from the construction. The arrangement is such that in the operable position the guard underlaps a floor of the construction and entirely closes (in plan view) any gap existing between the edge of that floor and the climbing screen. Typically the gap that is closed will be a gap G between a work surface 10 of the climbing screen and an edge of the floor 100, 200 of the construction, as seen in Figures 1 and 4. This may not always be the case, however. In the retracted position the guard is spaced from the floor edges of the construction such that guard does not hinder vertical travel of the climbing screen up the construction past the floors.

The form of the climbing screen itself is not to be limited (other than by the scope of the claims). Numerous differing forms of climbing screen, to which the guard may be attached, are possible, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, including such climbing screens for use in climbing formwork systems, with suitable shuttering provided, for use simply as edge protection systems, or for mixed use. The climbing screen 1 of Figures 1 to 4, which comprises a preferred climbing screen construction, will however be briefly discussed below.

The climbing screen is a rigid self-supporting structure, which comprises at least two climbing rails 2 and a safety screen 3.

The climbing rails 2 are adapted to engage climbing screen supports 104, which climbing screen supports project outwardly from the edges of the floors 100, 200 of the construction, as shown. The climbing screen 1 may be translated vertically up the construction either by use of a crane or by using a self-climbing mechanism, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The safety screen 3 comprises longitudinally extending screen support members 5, a plurality of screen panel support brackets 6 and a plurality of screen panels 7. Other configurations will, of course, be possible and the safety screen is not to be limited to such construction. For example, the panel support brackets 6 could be omitted with the screen panels 7 fixed directly to the screen support members 5.

Each of the screen support members 5 is paired with a respective one of the climbing rails 2. The paired climbing rails and screen support members are parallel to one another and in alignment with one another, extending substantially vertically in use. It should be appreciated in alternative arrangements, the climbing rails and screen support members may have two or more sections each which are hingedly attached to one another to provide articulation of the climbing screen. The screen support members 5 lie outwardly of the climbing rails in use (in a direction away from the construction) in spaced relation thereto. The paired climbing rails and screen support members are joined to one another by a plurality of support elements 8 that are fixed thereto and extend therebetween. A number of the support elements support platforms 8, which in turn are adapted to support work surfaces 10. Also extending between the paired climbing rails and screen support members are a plurality of tie braces 11, 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.

The number and configuration of support elements 8 and tie braces 11 is not limited. More or less support elements and tie braces may be provided, and in various configurations.

Attached to the vertically extending screen support members 3 are the plurality of screen panel support brackets 6, which support the plurality of screen panels 7, 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 7 may be rigid mesh panels or similar.

Figures 1 to 4 show a movement sequence of the climbing screen ascending one floor of a construction.

In Figure 1, the guard 4 is in the operable position and underlaps the floor 100. The guard 4 (in plan view) closes the gap G between the work surface 10 and the edge of the floor 100. Any item that passes through gap G will land on the guard 4 and be held thereby for subsequent safe removal.

In Figure 2, the guard 4 is in the retracted position and lies outwardly of the construction. Vertical travel of the climbing screen up the construction will not be hindered by the guard 4.

In Figure 3, following vertical travel of the climbing screen 1 (with the guard 4 having travelled past the floor 100), the guard 4 has been returned to the operable position. During vertical travel between the floors 100, 200 with the guard 4 in the operable position, the gap G between the upper floor 200 and the lowermost work platform 10 is closed (in plan view) by the guard 4, which, whilst spaced by some distance from the upper floor 200, underlaps the upper floor 200. Protection is thus additionally provided by the guard 4 during vertical travel of the climbing screen 1.

In Figure 4, the climbing screen 1 is fixed in position, raised from the position of Figure 1 by the height of a single floor of the construction. The guard 4 remains in the operable position and underlaps the floor 200, lying in close proximity thereto. The guard 4 (in plan view) closes the gap G between the work surface 10 and the edge of the floor 200.

The guard 4, according to the non-limiting exemplary arrangement shown, will now be discussed in greater detail. The guard 4 comprises a plurality of support members 12, 13, and a panel 14 that is supported thereby. The support members in the present arrangement combine to form a frame. This need not be the case, however. In dependence on the form of the panel, the support members could be omitted or otherwise arranged such that they do not combine to form a frame.

The panel 14 is preferably a mesh panel. Most preferably it comprises a flexible panel, which may be formed from a suitably strong fabric mesh. A flexible panel, in particular a fabric mesh, is preferred since the guard will tend to act like a net. Items falling on the panel will have less tendency to bounce off the panel and will more reliably remain in the guard during movement of the guard between the deployed and retracted positions. In alternative arrangements, however, the panel 14 could be a rigid panel. It could be a rigid mesh panel. It could be formed from plywood. In any arrangements comprising a rigid panel, the support members/frame could be omitted with the panel directly slidably supported. A frame could be integrally formed as part of the panel itself is some arrangements.

The frame in the present arrangement is rectangular and the panel 14 spans the frame. The frame comprises a pair of spaced parallel front to back members 12 that are joined to one another by a pair of spaced parallel side members that extend perpendicular to the front to back members 12. Most simply these may comprise tubes that are clamped to one another. The front to back members 12 are slidably received by brackets 15 that are attached to the underside of the climbing rails 2 and screen support members 5. The brackets 15 constrain movement to sliding movement along a single axis. The brackets 15 may comprise U-shaped brackets. The guard may have a width substantially equal to the distance between adjacent climbing rails 2, with each of the front to back members 12 received by a bracket 15 provided on a respective one of the climbing rails 2 and on a respective one of the screen support members 5. In dependence on the width of the climbing screen there may be multiple guards provided side by side. The multiple guards being co-planar to one another and closely adjacent to one another.

The sliding arrangement is such that the guard is selectively slideable between the operable and retracted positions. The arrangement may be such that there is sufficient friction between the front to back members 12 and the brackets 15 that no locking mechanism is required. Following movement, the guard will remain in position until a sliding force is applied. However, it is preferable that a movement mechanism is provided, which also includes a locking means. Such a movement/locking mechanism is preferably remotely operable from a level on the climbing screen above the guard. Most preferably from one of the work platforms above the guard. Whilst numerous movement/locking mechanisms will be readily conceived by those skilled in the art, including mechanisms that are powered or manually operable, such as, but not limited to, rack and pinion mechanisms and hydraulic rams, a low cost and simple mechanism is preferred.

According to the present arrangement a continuous loop of rope of suitable length is provided along with a plurality of guide members that are mounted on the climbing screen. The rope is looped around front and rear portions of the guard 8 and then guided vertically upwards to a desired point on the climbing screen, wherein by pulling the rope round in a first direction the guard will be caused to slide in a first direction and by pulling the rope round in an opposed direction the guard will be caused to slide in an opposed direction. The rope is preferably sufficiently taught that by tying the rope to prevent movement, or otherwise locking the rope against movement, the position of the guard is locked. The mechanism could be developed with pulleys or rollers in place of the brackets, as desired. In place of the rope, any other flexible looped element could be implemented, including cords, chains or otherwise.

Such a simple mechanism is highly beneficial not only from a cost standpoint but further from the point that there are no removable elements to the mechanism that could cause a fall hazard.

Instead of the looped movement mechanism, there could instead be a lever mechanism provided for effecting sliding movement of the guard. For example, a lever could be provided, which has its first end pivotally attached to the guard and its second end projecting to a desired level on the climbing screen, with the lever pivotally attached to the climbing screen at a point between its ends. With such an arrangement, the second end of the lever would define the handle and sliding movement of the guard could be effected by suitable pivotal movement of the handle. Numerous suitable alternative manually operable mechanisms will be readily conceived by those skilled in the art.

Whilst in the above described arrangements the guard is slideably moveable in a direction perpendicular to the climbing rails (for horizontal sliding movement is use), which arrangement is preferred, it could instead be arranged at an oblique angle relative to the climbing rails. In such an arrangement, any items landing on the guard would tend to be deflected in towards the construction by the guard to land on the floor below the floor that is underlapped by the guard.

Claims

1. A climbing screen comprising:

a climbing rail, which is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a construction, and a safety screen; and a guard, which is slideably mounted to the climbing screen so as to be slideable between an operable position and a retracted position, wherein in the operable position, the guard projects under the edge of a floor of the construction, and in the retracted position, the guard is spaced outwardly from the construction.

2. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the guard is slideable in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the climbing rail.

3. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein movement of the guard is constrained to movement along a single axis.

4. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guard is substantially planar.

5. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guard is mounted to a base portion of the climbing screen.

6. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guard is mounted on an underside of the climbing screen.

7. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guard is selectively slideable between the operable and retracted positions.

8. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guard comprises at least one support member, which is slideably supported by the climbing screen and a screen that is supported by the support member.

9. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 8, wherein a plurality of support members are provided that combine to form a frame and the screen spans the frame.

10. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, wherein the screen comprises a flexible mesh.

11. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the screen comprises a fabric or plastic mesh.

12. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein support brackets are provided that slidably receive the guard.

13. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the brackets depend from the bottoms of the climbing rails and safety screen.

14. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a movement mechanism for applying a sliding force to the guard, the movement mechanism comprising a handle that is supported by the climbing screen at a vertical distance above the guard in use.

15. A guard slidably mountable to a climbing screen, the climbing screen mountable on and translatable along a construction, the guard, being slideably mounted to the climbing screen and slideable, in use, between an operable position

25 and a retracted position, wherein in the operable position, the guard projects under the edge of a floor of a construction, and in the retracted position, the guard is spaced outwardly from the construction.

Intellectual

Property

Office

Application No: GB1615286.0 Examiner: Mrs Judith Peake

15. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 14, wherein the movement mechanism comprises a continuous loop of rope.

16. A guard slidably mountable to a climbing screen, the climbing screen mountable on and translatable along a construction, the guard, being slideably mounted to the climbing screen so as to be slideable, in use, between an operable position and a retracted position, wherein in the operable position, the guard projects under the edge of a floor of a construction, and in the retracted position, the guard is spaced outwardly from the construction.

17. A climbing screen or guard as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying figures.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows :Claims

20 07 17

1. A climbing screen comprising:

a climbing rail, which is adapted to be mountable on and translatable along a 5 construction, and a safety screen; and a guard, which is slideably mounted to the climbing screen and is slideable between an operable position and a retracted position, wherein, in use, in the operable position, the guard projects under the edge of a floor of the construction, and in the retracted position, the guard is spaced

10 outwardly from the construction.

6. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guard is 25 mounted on an underside of the climbing screen.

7. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the guard comprises at least one support member, which is slideably supported by the climbing screen and a screen that is supported by the support member.

8. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 7, wherein a plurality of support members are provided that combine to form a frame and the screen of the guard spans the frame.

20 07 17

9. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 7 or 8, wherein the screen of the guard comprises a flexible mesh.

5 10. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the screen of the guard comprises a fabric or plastic mesh.

11. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein support brackets are provided that slidably receive the guard.

12. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the brackets depend from the bottoms of the climbing rails and safety screen.

13. A climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a movement mechanism for applying a sliding force to the guard, the movement mechanism comprising a handle that is supported by the climbing screen at a vertical distance above the guard in use.

14. A climbing screen as claimed in Claim 13, wherein the movement mechanism comprises a continuous loop of rope.