GB2572014A

GB2572014A - Climbing screen support

Info

Publication number: GB2572014A
Application number: GB1804288.7A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Taylor Mark
Original assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Current assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Priority date: 2018-03-16
Filing date: 2018-03-16
Publication date: 2019-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 2038-03-16
Also published as: GB2572014B; GB201804288D0

Abstract

The climbing screen support 3 comprises a support member. The support member includes a first coupling for rotatably attaching the support to a structure 2 and a rotating second coupling for attaching the support member to a climbing screen 100. The couplings being spaced apart. Also claimed is a climbing screen system such that the rotation allows the screen to move and be fixed between two horizontal positions. Also claimed is a method of adjusting a climbing screen support system which comprises a fixed support and the rotating support where the screen is attached to the fixed and rotating supports and detached from the fixed support.

Description

The present disclosure relates to a climbing screen support, to a climbing screen support system and a climbing screen system, which comprise one or more of the climbing screen supports, and to a method of using the climbing screen support.

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 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, 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 (climbing screen support members), which project outwardly from the edges of the floors. The floor guides allow translation of the climbing screen along the construction and/or are operable to lock the position of the climbing screen adjacent appropriate floors during use.

A problem arises, however, during the construction of unusually shaped buildings, particularly those which twist, or otherwise change profile, as they rise vertically. Conventional climbing screen support systems, which allow for the guided vertical translation of a climbing screen along a straight line, will not allow the climbing screen to follow the profile of the building to provide a suitable fagade adjacent the floors of the building without the use of a crane for supporting and manouevring the climbing screen. Due to problems associated with the use of cranes, including high costs and downtime due to poor weather, it is highly advantageous if the use of cranes on construction sites can be minimised. Significant time and cost savings can be achieved.

The present invention arose in a bid to provide an improved climbing screen support system capable of dealing with the problems associated with complex construction forms without the use of a crane.

According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a rotating climbing screen support comprising: a support member, wherein a rotating first coupling is provided for rotatably attaching the support member to a construction and a rotating second coupling is provided for rotatably attaching the support member to a climbing screen, the first and second couplings being spaced from one another.

By the use of a rotating climbing screen support, a climbing screen may have its position adjusted to conform to the changing profile of a building in situ and without requiring the use of a crane. By virtue of the provision of spaced rotating couplings complex rotations of a supported climbing screen are made possible.

According to the present invention in a further aspect, there is provided a climbing screen support system comprising one, two or more of the rotating climbing screen supports as defined above. The climbing screen support system preferably further comprises a climbing screen support fixable to the construction and a climbing shoe attached to the fixed climbing screen support, which is engageable with the climbing screen.

According to the present invention in a further aspect, there is provided a climbing screen support system comprising a rotating climbing screen support and a fixed climbing screen support, the fixed climbing screen support is fixable to the construction, in use, in first and second positions, wherein a fixing angle of the fixed climbing screen support in a horizontal plane is different in the first and second positions, and the rotating climbing screen support is rotatable between the first and second positions.

Preferably, the climbing screen support comprises first and second fixing means that are fixed to the construction, the support member being fixable to one of the first and second fixing means at a time.

According to the present invention in a further aspect, there is provided a climbing screen system comprising a climbing screen and either a climbing screen support or a climbing screen support system in accordance with those detailed above.

According to a yet further aspect, there is provided a method of adjusting a climbing screen support system, which comprises: a rotating climbing screen support; and a fixed climbing screen support, the method comprising: fixing the fixed climbing screen support to a construction in a first position; attaching the climbing screen to the fixed climbing screen support; detaching the climbing screen from the fixed climbing screen support; attaching the climbing screen to the rotating climbing screen support; and rotating the climbing screen by rotation of the rotating climbing screen support.

Following attachment of the climbing screen to the rotating climbing screen support, the fixed climbing screen support is preferably unfixed from the construction, moved and fixed to the construction in a second position.

Following the rotation of the climbing screen, the climbing screen is preferably detached from the rotating climbing screen support and attached to the fixed climbing screen support in the second position.

Further, preferred, features are provided in the dependent claims.

Non4imiting embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows three side views of a climbing screen system fixed to a construction, which illustrate part of an operation sequence of the climbing screen system: Figure 1a showing a climbing screen fixed to a construction using fixed climbing screen supports; Figure 1b shows the introduction of rotating climbing screen supports; and Figure 1c shows the removal of the fixed climbing screen supports to permit rotation of the climbing screen using the rotating climbing screen supports; and

Figure 2 shows two schematic plan views of the climbing screen system of Figure 1, which illustrate exemplary start and finish positions of the climbing screen system: Figure 2a shows a start position of the climbing screen fixed using the fixed climbing screen supports; and Figure 2b shows a finish position of the climbing screen following removal of the rotating climbing screen supports and the reintroduction of the fixed climbing screen supports in a second position; and

Figure 3 shows a partial side view of the climbing screen system of Figures 1 and 2 showing a fixed climbing screen support and a ram for moving the climbing screen vertically.

The climbing screen system of Figures 1 and 2 comprises a climbing screen support system 1 and a climbing screen 100. The climbing screen 100 is shown mounted to a construction 200 using the climbing screen support system 1. The climbing screen support system 1 comprises a fixed climbing screen support 3 and a rotating climbing screen support 4. It preferably further comprises a ram or jack (a ram 10 is shown in Figure 3) for vertically moving the climbing screen.

As mentioned above, and discussed in greater detail below, Figures 1a to 1c show different configurations of the climbing screen support system during different stages of a movement operation of the climbing screen 100 in which the climbing screen is rotated (as shown, for example, in the plan views of Figures 2a and 2b). In Figure 1a two fixed climbing screen supports 3 are shown. The position/orientation of the climbing screen is fixed. The vertical load of the climbing screen is supported by the fixed climbing screen supports 3. In Figure 1b two rotating climbing screen supports 4 have been introduced. In Figure 1c the two fixed climbing screen supports 3 have been removed. The rotating climbing screen supports support the vertical load of the climbing screen. The climbing screen may be rotated using the rotating climbing screen supports.

A single one of the rotating climbing screen supports 4 will now be considered in greater detail. The rotating climbing screen support 4 comprises a support member 5. A rotating first coupling 6 is provided for rotatably attaching the support member 5 to the construction 100. A rotating second coupling 7 is provided for rotatably attaching the support member 5 to the climbing screen. The first and second couplings 6, 7 are spaced from one another. The rotating couplings may take any conventional form. Their form is not critical as long as they allow for attachment of the support member 5 to the construction 200 and the climbing screen 100 as well as rotation between the support member 5 and the both the construction 200 and the climbing screen 100. In the present exemplary arrangement, however, the first rotating coupling 6 comprises a bracket that is bolted to an upper surface of the floor of the construction and the second rotating coupling 7 comprises a clamp that is bolted to the climbing screen. The clamp may attach to a climbing rail of the climbing screen. A first hinged connection is provided between a first end of the support member 5 and the bracket fixed to the construction and a second hinged connection is provided between a second end of the support member 5 and the climbing screen 100. The hinged connections may take any conventional form. It is also possible that the first and second coupling may comprise universal joints, or otherwise.

Whilst the first and second couplings 6, 7 are provided at opposed ends of the support member this need not be the case with alternative configurations of support member. The support member 5 is rigid between the first and second couplings. In the present arrangement with the couplings provided at its ends, it is rigid along its entire length. The support member may take any conventional form of rigid elongate member. In the present arrangement it comprises a cylindrical strut. The support member 5, whatever its form, may be of fixed length or may be extendable.

The support member 5 extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein, in use, the longitudinal axis lies at an oblique angle to the horizontal as shown. It is supported at the oblique angle by a tie 8. By the angling of the support member 5 it may swing without contacting the floor. There is no frictional resistance to movement from the floor. It should be appreciated that alternative arrangements are possible where the longitudinal axis is parallel to the floor. Moreover, the tie may be omitted with alternative forms of support member/first coupling.

The tie 8 has first and second ends, the first end of the tie is attached to the climbing screen support adjacent the second coupling and the second end of the tie is attachable to the construction. Tie 8 is a tension tie, which may take any suitable form so long as it has sufficient tensional strength. In the present exemplary example it comprises a tie rod. It could, alternatively, comprise a cable or a chain, or otherwise. Means may be provided for altering the length of the tie 8 whatever its form. With a tie rod, a threaded tie rod arrangement may be used, as shown in the figures. A rotating third coupling 9 is provided for rotatably fixing the second end of the tie to the construction. The rotating third coupling in the present exemplary arrangement comprises a bracket that is secured to the immediately adjacent upper floor from the support member 5 and comprises a universal joint. As indicated in Figure 1b by the dashed line and arrows, the first and third couplings are aligned such that they are rotatable about a common axis, which extends vertically. The tie 8 extends at an oblique angle to the horizontal in use, as shown.

Whilst the first and third couplings are mounted to the upper surface of one floor and the underside of the immediately adjacent upper floor respectively, the arrangement could be flipped in alternative arrangements.

The fixed climbing screen support 3 may be largely conventional in form/structure, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. It may, for example comprise an I-beam or similar. The support 3 may be fixed to the floor in any conventional manner. In the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2, as shown in the plan view of Figure 2, first and second fixing means 11, 12, are cast (or otherwise fixed) into the floor and the support 3 is bolted thereto in the first and second positions, respectively. It is bolted to one only of the first and second fixing means at a time. It is detached from both the first and second fixing means for movement between the first and second positions. Numerous fixings suitable for attachment of the support 3 to the floor will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. A fixing angle of the fixed climbing screen support in a horizontal plane is different in the first and second positions, as exemplarily indicated in Figures 2a and 2b. The form of the support 3 is not to be particularly limited and may be varied in dependence on constraints imposed by any specific construction project.

The fixed climbing screen support 3 is provided with a shoe 13, which may take any conventional form, as again will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. It may comprise, for example, a pair of pivotable claws arranged to grasp a climbing rail of the climbing screen. It may comprise a latch box, as described in GB 2533142 A.

A ram or jack is preferably provided for vertically moving the climbing screen in use. Figure 3 shows an exemplary ram arrangement, which may be in accordance with that described in GB 2533141 A. The ram 14 is hydraulic. In alternative arrangements it may be electric and operate using a screw thread, or otherwise. A first (lower) end of the ram 14 may be detachably mounted to the shoe 13. At a second (upper) end of the ram 1, there is provided a fixing means 15, which is arranged to detachably engage the climbing rail 101 of the climbing screen. The fixing means 15 in the present arrangement comprises a hook but may take numerous alternative forms as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

With extension of the ram 14, the vertical spacing between the first and second ends of the ram 14 is increased, which raises the climbing rail 100 along the construction. The climbing rail 101 will have its horizontal movement constrained by the fixed floor guides 3.

Whilst the rotating climbing screen support/climbing screen support system of the present arrangement may be used with numerous forms of climbing screen, and the present invention is not to be limited in this regard, an exemplary suitable climbing screen 100 will briefly be discussed below.

The climbing screen is a rigid self-supporting structure, which comprises at least two climbing rails 101 and a safety screen 102. The climbing rails will be engaged by the shoes 13 of the fixed climbing screen supports 3 and also by the rotating second couplings 7, both of which project outwardly from the edges of the floors 2 of the construction 200, as shown. The climbing screen 100 is moved vertically up the construction 200 by use of rams/jacks, as described above.

The safety screen 2 comprises longitudinally extending screen support members and a plurality of screen panels. One or more platform supports 103 extend between the climbing rails and screen support members for supporting working platforms 104. Other configurations will, of course, be possible and the safety screen is not to be limited to such construction.

The climbing screen support system will typically comprise a plurality of the rotating climbing screen supports 4 and a plurality of the fixed climbing screen supports 3. In consideration of Figure 1, four floors 2 of the construction 200 are shown, which may be at any level along the vertical height of the construction. There will be a number of further floors 2 (above and/or below the floors shown), which are omitted from Figure 1 for clarity.

The climbing screen 100 is supported on two floors by the climbing screen support system in Figure 1a. This will be the normal arrangement when the climbing screen is fixed in place (prior to further movement up the construction/rotational movement). However, the climbing screen could be supported by additional floors. Whilst the fixed climbing screen supports are provided on immediately adjacent floors 2, this need not be the case. On both floors provided with the fixed climbing screen supports 3 (as seen in Figure 2) there will be multiple fixed climbing screen supports 3. There will typically be a fixed climbing screen support 3 provided for every climbing rail present. There may be two, three or more climbing rails on the climbing screen. In Figure 3, there are three climbing rails shown and therefore three fixed climbing screen supports but this is not to be limiting.

The rotating climbing screen supports 3 will typically be provided in pairs on any floors that are provided with them. They may be provided in equal number to the climbing rails, as with the fixed climbing screen supports 4. The rotating climbing screen supports 3 will be Figures 2a and 2b do not show the rotating climbing screen supports but show their rotational movements. There are two rotating climbing screen supports 4 per floor in the arrangement of Figures 1 and 2. It should be noted that the fixed climbing screen supports and the rotating climbing screen supports may be provided on different floors to one another.

A method of adjusting the climbing screen support system will now be described. The method comprises the steps of:

i. fixing the fixed climbing screen supports 3 to the construction 200 in a first position (as seen in Figure 2a);

ii attaching the climbing screen 100 to the fixed climbing screen supports 3 when they are in the first position (as seen in Figures 1a and 2a);

iii attaching the rotating climbing screen supports 4 to the construction (this step can be before or after any of steps i, ii or iii - Figure 2a shows both the fixed and rotating climbing screen supports in situ);

iv. detaching the climbing screen from the fixed climbing screen supports (in the present arrangement the ram 14 will be used to lift the climbing screen to allow for detachment - the climbing shoe 13 will preferably continue to guide movement of the climbing screen 100 until the climbing screen is attached to the rotating climbing screen supports);

v. attaching the climbing screen 100 to the rotating climbing screen supports 4 (the fixed climbing screen supports 3 may remain in place once the climbing screen 100 is attached to the rotating climbing screen supports or may be unfixed - as seen in Figure 1c); and vi. rotating the climbing screen 100 by rotation of the rotating climbing screen support (an example of the rotation may be seen in Figures 2a and 2b, wherein the arcs of rotation are shown).

As discussed earlier, by virtue of the two axes of rotation (possible with the first and second rotatable couplings), complex rotations of the climbing screen are possible. The first (start) and second (finish) angular positions (as exemplarily shown in Figures 2a and 2c, respectively) of the climbing screen 100 will be determined in advance. The first and second fixings 11, 12 for the fixed climbing screen supports will be determined based on the first and second positions, as will the attachment points (and any other parameters) of the rotating climbing screen supports 4.

As mentioned above, following attachment of the climbing screen 100 to the rotating climbing screen supports 4, the fixed climbing screen supports 3 may be unfixed from the construction 200. Following the unfixing of the fixed climbing screen supports 3, they can be moved and fixed to the construction 200 in the second position. Following the rotation of the climbing screen 100, between the first and second positions, the climbing screen will be detached from the rotating climbing screen support and attached to the fixed climbing screen support in the second position. Required vertical movement of the climbing frame for such purposes will be effected using the ram 14.

The arrangement is such that the vertical load of the climbing screen 100 is supported by the fixed climbing screen supports alone or by the rotating climbing screen supports alone at any time.

The present arrangement uniquely allows the rotation of a climbing screen when supported on a construction without requiring the use of a crane.

Claims

1. A rotating climbing screen support comprising:

a support member, wherein a rotating first coupling is provided for rotatably attaching the support member to a construction and a rotating second coupling is provided for rotatably attaching the support member to a climbing screen, the first and second couplings being spaced from one another.

2. A rotating climbing screen support as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the first and second couplings are provided at, or adjacent to, opposed ends of the support member.

3. A rotating climbing screen support as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 comprising a tie having first and second ends, the first end of the tie being attached to the climbing screen support adjacent the second coupling and the second end of the tie being attachable to the construction.

4. A rotating climbing screen support as claimed in Claim 3, wherein a rotating third coupling is provided for rotatably fixing the second end of the tie to the construction.

5. A rotating climbing screen support as claimed in Claim 4, wherein, in use, the first and third couplings are rotatable about a common axis.

6. A rotating climbing screen support as claimed in any of Claims 3 to 5, wherein, in use, the tie extends at an oblique angle to the horizontal.

7. A rotating climbing screen as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support member is rigid between the first and second couplings.

8. A rotating climbing screen support as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support member extends along a longitudinal axis, and, in use, the longitudinal axis lies at an oblique angle to the horizontal.

9. A climbing screen support system comprising one, two or more of the rotating climbing screen supports as claimed in any preceding claim.

10. A climbing screen support system as claimed in Claim 9 further comprising a fixed climbing screen support fixable to the construction and a climbing shoe attached to the fixed climbing screen support, which is engageable with the climbing screen.

11. A climbing screen support system as claimed in Claim 10, wherein the fixed climbing screen support is fixable, in use, to the construction in first and second positions, wherein a fixing angle of the fixed climbing screen support in a horizontal plane is different in the first and second positions.

12. A climbing screen support system as claimed in Claim 10 or 11, wherein the climbing screen support comprises first and second fixing means that are fixed to the construction, the support member being fixable to one of the first and second fixing means at a time.

13. A climbing screen support system as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a ram or jack for vertically moving the climbing screen in use.

14. A climbing screen system comprising a climbing screen support as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 8 or a climbing screen support system as claimed in any of Claims 9 to 13, and a climbing screen, which comprises a climbing rail and a safety screen.

15. A method of adjusting a climbing screen support system, which comprises:

a rotating climbing screen support; and a fixed climbing screen support, the method comprising:

fixing the fixed climbing screen support to a construction in a first position; attaching the climbing screen to the fixed climbing screen support;

detaching the climbing screen from the fixed climbing screen support; attaching the climbing screen to the rotating climbing screen support; and rotating the climbing screen by rotation of the rotating climbing screen support.

16. A method as claimed in Claim 15, wherein following attachment of the climbing screen to the rotating climbing screen support, the fixed climbing screen support is unfixed from the construction, moved and fixed to the construction in a second position.

17. A method as claimed in Claim 16, wherein following the rotation of the climbing screen, the climbing screen is detached from the rotating climbing screen support and attached to the fixed climbing screen support in the second position.

18. A method as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 17, wherein the vertical load of the climbing screen is supported by only one of the fixed climbing screen support and the rotating climbing screen support at any time.

19. A method as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 18, wherein the rotating climbing screen support comprises a support member, a rotating first coupling for rotatably fixing the support member to a construction and a rotating second coupling for rotatably fixing the support member to a climbing screen.

20. A method as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 19, wherein the fixed climbing screen support comprises a climbing shoe attached to the fixed climbing screen support, which is engageable with a climbing rail of the climbing screen.

21. A method as claimed in any preceding claim comprising supporting the vertical load of the climbing screen, between detachment of the climbing screen from the fixed climbing screen support and attachment of the climbing screen to the rotating climbing screen support and/or between detachment of the climbing screen from the rotating climbing screen support and attachment of the climbing screen to the fixed climbing screen support, using a ram or jack.

22. A method as claimed in Claim 21, wherein detachment of the climbing screen 5 from the fixed climbing screen support and/or the rotating climbing screen support comprises raising or lowering the climbing screen using the ram or jack.

28 09 18

22. A method as claimed in Claim 21, wherein detachment of the climbing screen from the fixed climbing screen support and/or the rotating climbing screen support comprises raising or lowering the climbing screen using the ram or jack.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows:

28 09 18

Claims

1. A rotating climbing screen support comprising:

a support member,

5 wherein a rotating first coupling is provided for rotatably attaching the support member to a construction and a rotating second coupling is provided for rotatably attaching the support member to a climbing screen, the first and second couplings being spaced from one another, and wherein, in use, an axis of rotation of the first coupling extends substantially 10 vertically.

25 5. A rotating climbing screen support as claimed in Claim 4, wherein, in use, the first and third couplings are rotatable about a common axis.

28 09 18

5 9. A climbing screen support system comprising one, two or more of the rotating climbing screen supports as claimed in any preceding claim.

10. A climbing screen support system as claimed in Claim 9 further comprising a fixed climbing screen support fixable to the construction and a climbing shoe

10 attached to the fixed climbing screen support, which is engageable with the climbing screen.

30 15. A method of adjusting a climbing screen support system, which comprises:

28 09 18 fixing the fixed climbing screen support to a construction in a first position; attaching a climbing screen to the fixed climbing screen support;

21. A method as claimed in any of Claims 15 to 20 comprising supporting the vertical load of the climbing screen, between detachment of the climbing screen from the fixed climbing screen support and attachment of the climbing screen to the rotating climbing screen support and/or between detachment of the climbing screen from the rotating climbing screen support and attachment of the climbing screen to the fixed climbing screen support, using a ram or jack.