NZ314027A - Clamp type bracket for mounting an upright post or support of a safety rail or balustrade or stanchion assembly has non circular opening and recess - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand No. 314027 International No. PCT/ TO BE ENTERED AFTER ACCEPTANCE AND PUBLICATION Priority dates: 07.01.1997 Complete Specification Filed: 07.01.1997 Classification:(6) E04G3/00,02,12; E04G1/26; E04G5/04; E04C3/30; E04F11/18; E04G21/32; E01D19/10 Publication date: 25 November 1998 Journal No.: 1434 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Title of Invention: A stanchion assembly for a frame building and a bracket therefor Name, address and nationality of applicant(s) as in international application form: DGS PROPERTY PTY. LTD., an Australian company of 35 Gatwick Road, Bayswater, Victoria 3153, Australia 31 4 027 A STANCHION ASSEMBLY FOR A FRAME BUILDING AND A BRACKET THEREFOR The present invention relates to frame buildings, especially, but not only, timber frame buildings, and is particularly concerned with a stanchion assembly for a frame building capable of carrying a structure on the building, as well as with a bracket for the stanchion assembly.

Structures which may be advantageously supported on a building, or a building construction, include especially a safety barrier, for example to prevent or assist in preventing construction site workers accidentally falling from the construction. In order to provide adequate support, it is necessary that a stanchion assembly for a safety barrier can be securely mounted on, as well as readily removed from the building, for example, 15 when the building construction has been substantially completed.

One proposal for a stanchion assembly for a safety barrier on a timber frame building construction is described in US Patent Specification No. 4,666,131. The proposal has an upright support post of the stanchion assembly extending from an adaptor bracket which 20 is pivotally secured to a C-shaped clamp member that partly envelops a rafter of the building from below and is clamped to the rafter by two locking bolts. While the described proposal should be readily releasable from the rafter, there must be some doubt as to its safety since accidental release or partial release of the locking bolts would allow the support barrier to drop to the ground.

According to our Australian Patent Specification 652609, an alternative stanchion assembly for a frame building comprises a support post capable of receiving a structure to be car.ied by the stanchion assembly and a support assembly for the support post, the support assembly comprising a bracket having a base and spaced legs projecting therefrom 30 which is adapted to receive a timber frame member of the frame building between the base and the spaced legs, the spaced legs having free ends which releasably receive,a closure member which closes the bracket and the support post being supported by the closure ^ \ i: -v. v.

P:\OPER\THH\DGS.3M • 2/1/97 _ // member. 314027 In most of the uses described in our earlier patent specification the bracket works by being inclined as necessary so that both spaced legs engage the frame member with the frame 5 member locked between the spaced legs by the closure member. The stanchion assembly is therefore engaged very securely with the frame member. However, the bracket is not very flexible in that for any one bracket its inclination, and therefore the inclination of the closure member and of the support post of the stanchion assembly, is determined by the cross section of the frame member. In practice, three differently sized brackets are 10 required for frame members having widths of, respectively, 100, 125 and 150 mm to provide the desired inclination of the closure member and support post.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate this disadvantage and there is accordingly provided a support bracket for a stanchion assembly for a frame building, 15 comprising a base and spaced legs projecting therefrom to receive a frame member of the frame building between the spaced legs, free end portions of the spaced legs being adapted to releasably engage a closure member of the stanchion assembly with the frame member between the base and the closure member, each free end portion comprising an opening in which the closure member may be slidably received and restrained against lateral 20 movement, wherein at least one of the openings has a non-circular cross-section, and wherein the free end portion of at least one of the spaced legs is adapted to alternatively releasably engage the closure member at at least one further location on the free end portion.

Further according to the present invention there is provided a stanchion assembly for a frame building, comprising a support post capable of receiving a structure to be carried by the stanchion assembly and a support assembly for the support post, the support assembly comprising a bracket having a base and spaced legs projecting therefrom which is adapted to receive a frame member of the frame building between the spaced legs, the 30 support assembly further comprising a closure member which supports the support post and which is releasably engaged by the spaced legs of the bracket to close the bracket with the frame member between the base and the closure member, and wherein the free end portion of at least one of the spaced legs is adapted to releasably engage the closure member at any one of at least two locations on the free end portion.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z.

P:\OPER\PHH\DGS.365 • 10/9/98 SEP 1998 t~» r~ /"> I— I 1 / 1— r-v t 314027 Still further according to the present invention there is provided a safety barrier assembly comprising at least two stanchion assemblies in accordance with the invention and restraint means extending between the support posts of the or adjacent stanchion assemblies.

By the present invention, the inclination of the closure member and of the associated support post may be adjusted relative to the bracket so tint a smaller number of differently sized brackets is required for different cross-section frame members. In practice we have found that a single-sized bracket can be used, for example, for any rafter ranging from 100 to 150 mm width and that the same-sized bracket can be used for a stud down to 90 10 mm width.

The stanchion assembly of the present invention is particularly, but not only, adapted for use with substantially rectangular cross-section rafters of a timber framed roof. It may also be used on a wall stud of the frame building.

By the term "frame building" as used herein is meant a building or building construction having at least one frame member to which the bracket iind stanchion assembly of the invention can be affixed. Thus, for example, only the roof or floor construction of the building may be frame-like or the whole building may comprise a frame construction. 20 Where the stanchion assembly is associated with a safety barrier, the aforementioned at least two stanchion assemblies may be associated with respective frame members of the frame building.

The or each stanchion assembly will generally be connected to a frame member of a roof 25 structure or to a wall stud so that the support post of the stanchion assembly extends upwardly from the support assembly, but occasionally it may be desirable to have the support post projecting downwardly.

The closure member may be integrally formed with the support post or may form part of 30 adaptor means with which the support post is connected in use. Advantageously the engagement of the closure member with the bracket and/or of the support closure member is selectively longitudinally adjustable.

P:\OPER\PHH\DGS.365.2/1/97 I , s Ar r. E37 V\<v. 314027 Advantageously, the free end portion of each of the spaced legs is adapted to releasably engage the closure member at any one of at least two locations on the free end portions. This increases the number of orientations of the closure member relative to the bracket and more readily permits the bracket itself to be used in different orientations.

The manner in which die closure member is releasably engaged by the free end portions of the bracket may be any of many, and may differ for each free end portion. Each free end portion comprises an opening in which the closure member may be slidably received and restrained against lateral movement, and the free end portion may extend fully around 10 the closure member in the opening or only partway around the closure member, for example by an open hook arrangement. The opening may be defined by a sleeve part of the free end portion but for simplicity the opening is preferably only through the thickness of the material of the bracket. Conveniently the bracket is of sheet metal or alloy, preferably steel, which is cut and then folded.

One or more further such openings may be provided in the or each free end portion which is adapted to releasably engage the closure member at any one of at least two locations. Preferably, however, a second or further location is defined by a shoulder in a side edge of the respective leg which resists movement of the closure member away from the base. 20 The shoulder advantageously forms part of a recess in the side edge of the leg adapted to locate the closure member.

In a preferred embodiment, the closure member is slidably received in an opening in one of the free end portions of the bracket and the other of the free end portions locates the 25 closure member, whether by means of a respective opening or, for example, the aforementioned shoulder. Desirably, the closure member includes means for locking it against sliding movement relative to the free end portions.

Preferably the closure member is non-rotatably engaged by the free end portions of the 30 bracket. In a preferred embodiment the closure member comprises a rod of non-circular cross-section, for example square, and at least one of the aforementioned opening or openings has a corresponding cross-section.

P:\OPER\PHH\DOS.365 - 10/9/98 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 5 SEP 1998 RECEIVED The bracket may be a close fit over the frame member of the building in which case it may extend transversely across the frame member. For smaller frame members, however, the bracket will be oversized and extend in an inclined manner thereacross. The free end portions of the bracket may define a mouth of restricted width thereacross, through which 5 the frame member can be passed, with the spaced legs of the bracket defining a throat behind the mouth of relatively enlarged width which accommodates the frame member with the bracket inclined relative thereto. In the inclined orientation of the bracket the restricted-width mouth resists disengagement of the bracket from the frame member before the free ends of the bracket receive the closure member as well as when the bracket is 10 closed by the closure member. Alternatively, the legs may be notched or otherwise shaped to locate the inclined bracket on the frame member before the closure member is engaged with the bracket.

The closure member resists accidental withdrawal of the frame member from the bracket 15 through the mouth thereof and thereby ensures the security of the mounting of the stanchion assembly on the frame member. In view of this security, it may not be necessary that the support assembly be positively clamped to the frame member. Thus freedom of movement of the support assembly relative to the frame member may be resisted in a desired direction by the mass of the stanchion assembly or by means, such 20 as a safety barrier, engaged with the stanchion assembly. Preferably, however, the support assembly further comprises means for clamping the frame member relative to the bracket. For example, the bracket may be adjustable to take up slack between the bracket and the frame member, and in a preferred embodiment one or more clamping screws are associated with the bracket and are threadedly adjustable to urge the frame member against 25 an opposed portion or portions of the bracket or against the closure member.

All of the features of the bracket and stanchion assembly described above in accordance with the invention, except the alternative locations for the free end portion of one or each .. ■ ■ .. f! r leg of the bracket to engage the closure member, are described generally or in detail in our' 30 aforementioned earlier patent specification.

One embodiment of a bracket and various embodiments of a stanchion^agsmbly^^ P:\OPER\PHH\DGS.365 - 2/1/97 *14027 incorporating the bracket in accordance with the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side perspective view of the bracket; Figure 2 is an end perspective view of the bracket of Figure 1 showing how the 5 bracket is received on a rafter; Figure 3 is a side view of the arrangement of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side view similar to Figure 3 but showing use of the bracket on a smaller rafter; Figure 5 is a side view similar to Figure 4 but showing use of the bracket on a still smaller rafter; Figure 6 is a side view similar to Figure 4 but showing the stanchion assembly engaged from the opposite side of the rafter; Figure 7 is a side view similar to Figure 6 but showing use of the bracket with a first adaptor; Figure 8 is a side view similar to Figure 6 but showing use of the bracket with a second adaptor; and Figure 9 is a side view similar to Figure 6 but showing the stanchion assembly engaged with a stud of the frame building.

The various embodiments of the stanchion assembly described hereinafter are closely similar in many respects and, for convenience only, where the same or similar parts are referred to the same reference numerals will be used, sometimes followed by a for slightly modified parts.

Referring to Figure 1, a bracket 10 for a stanchion assembly for a frame building has a base 12 and spaced legs 14 projecting from the ends of the base in parallel manner to define a U-shape. Part of the free end portion 16 of each leg 14 is provided with an opening 18 of square cross-section therethrough such that the two openings 18 through the legs 14 are aligned. Additionally, each free end portion 16 is provided with a recess 20 30 in one edge 22 of the bracket, each recess defining a respective shoulder 24:atSfefeQ(K /''o ^ .41- s /t ^ thereof remote from the base 12 of the bracket. i'l Cl 5 AFS 1937 Si , P:\OPER\FHHUX3S.3M - 2/1/97 ^ ^ ^ ^ Nj 31 4 0 27 Each recess 20 has the same length as and is laterally aligned with the respective opening A pair of clamping screws 26 have shanks 28 projecting through the base 12 of the 5 bracket. Each screw 26 is threadedly engaged with a respective nut 30 welded to the base outer surface.

The bracket 10 is formed from sheet steel with the openings 18, the recesses 20 and the openings through the base for the clamping screw shanks 28 being cut in the flat stock. 10 The flat stock is then folded to define the legs 14 and the nuts 30 are welded to the base.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the bracket 10 maybe used by locating it over a rafter 32, passing a closure member of corresponding square cross-section through the openings 18 with the rafter between the base 12 of the bracket and the closure member and adjusting 15 the clamping screws 26 to clamp the rafter against the closure member.

As described in our aforementioned earlier patent specification, the closure member may be an integral extension 34 of the support post 35 of the stanchion assembly, as shown in Figures 3 to 6, or may form part of an adaptor for supporting the support post of the 20 stanchion assembly, as shown in Figures 7 to 9. As will be appreciated from Figure 3, for example, the stanchion assembly may be disposed adjacent to the end of the rafter 32 without interfering with the mounting of a fascia board 36 and gutter 38. Additionally, the roofing material may be affixed to the roof around the stanchion assemblytwhife^S stanchion assembly provides security to the construction workers. spaced legs 14 of the bracket 10. In practice, the legs 14 may have a spac and the rafter 32 a width of 150 mm. This causes the bracket 10 to sit squarely on the rafter, and the support post extension 34 is able to be passed through the two openings 18 30 in the legs 14 from above to provide the desired upright orientation of the support post 35 of the stanchion assembly. A reinforcing member 40 is welded between the closure member and the support post, the lower end 42 of the reinforcing member engaging the P:\OPER\FHHNDGS.165 - 2/1W7 18.

Referring again to Figure 3, it may be seen that the rafter 32 is a close fil 314027 upper leg 14 of the bracket 10 to prevent the closure member from sliding too far through the bracket.

Referring now to Figure 4, the same bracket 10 and support post extension 34 as the 5 closure member is used on a rafter 32 of smaller width, for example 125 mm. The mass of the extension 34, the support post 35 and the associated safety barrier causes the bracket to tilt over so that the edge 22 of the leg 14 above the rafter 32 engages the top edge of the rafter while the opposite edge 44 of the leg 14 beneath the rafter engages the lower edge of the rafter. Passing the same support post extension 34 through the two openings 10 18 in the legs 14 would cause the associated support post 35 to be inclined to too greater a degree. Instead, substantially the same orientation for the support post is achieved by passing the extension 34 through the opening 18 in the upper leg 14 and engaging the extension 34 in the recess 20 in the lower leg 14. Again, the mass of the extension 34 and associated safety barrier holds the support post extension in the lower recess 20, but the 15 clamping action of the screws 26 against the rafter 32 clamps the extension 34 against the shoulder 24 of the recess 20.

In Figure 5, the same bracket 10 and support post extension 34 as the closure member is used with an even smaller rafter 32, for example of about 100 mm width as maybe used 20 in a roof truss. The bracket and closure member are used in exactly the same manner as described with reference to Figure 4, but in this case a packer 46 extends between the top edge of the rafter 32 and the edge 22 of the upper leg 14 of the bracket. The packer 46 effectively takes the width of the rafter up to the same dimension as described with reference to Figure 4 and may be formed of wood or other material.

Referring now to Figure 6, the same bracket 10 and support post extension 34 as closure member are used on the rafter 32 in the manner described with reference to Figure 4 except that the bracket is engaged with the rafter 32 from the opposite side. To do this, bracket 10 must be inverted so that the recess 20 in the lower leg 14 is exposed for 30 engagement with the support post extension 34. This shows one advantage of providing a recess 20 in each leg 14. Alternatively, or in a addition, a second opposite recess 20 could be provided in the same leg 14 of the bracket.

-.-A s' \ o P:\OPER\PHffDGS.345 ■ 2/1/97 V^ _ O ft 31^0 Figure 6 also shows the whole support post 35 projecting substantially upright from the rafter 32. The support post 35 supports barrier rails 48 in known manner.

Referring now to Figure 7, the same bracket 10 and support post 35 with its extension 34 5 is used on a rafter 32 of smaller width as described with reference to Figure 4. In this case, however, it is desired to have the support post extending from outwardly of the gutter 38, and the support post is therefore supported from beneath the rafter 32. This is achieved by use of first and second adaptors 50 and 52, respectively.

The first adaptor 50 comprises a rod 54 welded to a sleeve 56 of square cross-section at an acute angle and a reinforcing member 58 between the rod and sleeve. The rod 54 has a square cross-section corresponding to that of the openings 18 in the bracket 10 and is received in the openings 18 from beneath the rafter 32 to act as the closure member. A locking pin 60 is engaged with the rod 54 above the lower leg 14 of the bracket 10 to 15 prevent the rod inadvertently sliding out of the bracket.

A second adaptor 52 comprises a rod 62 welded to a sleeve 64 at an obtuse angle with a reinforcing member 66 welded between the rod and sleeve. The rod 62 has a square cross-section corresponding to that of the sleeve 56 of the first adaptor and is slidingly 20 received in the sleeve 56. A clamping screw 68 locks the rod 62 against sliding movement with the sleeve 64 disposed adjacent the gutter 38. The sleeve 64 is of a square cross-section corresponding to that of the support post extension 34 which is slidingly received therein. The lower end 42 of the reinforcing member 40 engages the sleeve 64 topey&n ,f ^l" * o the support post extension sliding too far through the sleeve, and a clamping'screw 70 is^ Si v provided to resist the sliding movement. * m !j \ 1 ;■ APS i337 j As shown in Figure 7, the mass of the engaged support post 35 and secoimi^Sdjc^ causes the bracket 10 to tilt over on the smaller rafter 32, but the angles between the rod and sleeve of each of the first and second adaptors 50 and 52 are such that the support post 30 35 projects substantially upright with the rod 54 engaging both openings 18 in the bracket 10. However, using the same equipment on a larger rafter which fits closely between the bracket legs 14 would cause the bracket to sit more upright on the rafter and it would be P:\OPER\FHH\DGS.3M - 2/1/97 11 necessary to have the rod 54 engaging the opening 18 in the upper leg 14 of the bracket and the recess 20 on the left hand side (as shown in Figure 7) of the lower leg 14 of the bracket to achieve the same orientation of the support post.

The stanchion assembly shown in Figure 7 may be left in place while roofing material is secured to the roof.

Referring now to Figure 8, an arrangement is shown in which it is not possible to have the stanchion assembly extending from beneath the rafter 32. In Figure 8, the same bracket 10 10, first adaptor 50 and support post 35 is used as described with reference to Figure 7, but with a slightly modified second adaptor 52'. The second adaptor 52' has a longer rod 62' and the sleeve 64' carries a bracket 72 and clamping screw 74 for an additional barrier rail 76.

In Figure 8, the rod 54 acting as the closure member engages the openings 18 in the bracket 10 from above the rafter 32 but the roof tiles 78 are able to be located on the roof all around the first adaptor 50.

Turning now to Figure 9, the same bracket 10 supports the same support post 35 from a 20 wall stud 80 using a single adaptor identical to the second adaptor 52 described with reference to Figure 7. The stud 80 has a considerably smaller width, for example 90mm, than the bracket 10, but the mass of the support post 35 and adaptor 52 caused the bracket 10 to be inclined such that the edge 22 of the outer leg 14 securely digs into the timber stud 80 while the opposite edge 44 of the inner leg 14 also engages the stud. In order to 25 ensure the support post 35 projects substantially upright, the rod 62 of the adaptor 52 in Figure 9 is slidingly engaged with the opening 18 in the outer leg 14 but with the recess 20 in the edge 22 of the inner leg 14.

P:\OFER\PHH\DGS365 ■ Vim Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is to be understood that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within its spirit and scope. The invention also includes all of the steps, features and 5 compounds referred to or indicated in this specification, individually or collectively, and any and all combinations of any two or more of said steps or features.

P:\OPEl\PHH\DOSJ65 -111171 : * }' ;,S, t i r r

Claims (17)

CLAIMS:- 314027

1. A support bracket for a stanchion assembly for a frame building, comprising a base and spaced legs'projecting therefrom to receive a frame member of the frame building 5 between the spaced legs, free end portions of the spaced legs being adapted to releasably engage a closure member of the stanchion assembly with the frame member between the i ^ base and the closure member, each free end portion comprising an opening in which the closure member may be slidably received and restrained against lateral movement, wherein at least one of the openings has a non-circular cross-section, and wherein the free end 10 portion of at least one of the spaced legs is adapted to alternatively releasably engage the LC? closure member at at least one further location on the free end portion.

2. A bracket according to claim 1 wherein each opening extends fully around the closure member in the opening.

3. A bracket according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the openings are formed only through the thickness of the material of the bracket.

4. A bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the openings are aligned. 20

5. A bracket according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said at least one further location is defined by one or more openings in said at least one free end portion.

6. A bracket according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said at least one 25 further location for releasably engaging the closure member in the or each free end portion is defined by a shoulder in a side wall of the respective leg which resists movement of the closure member away from the base.

7. A bracket according to claim 6 wherein the shoulder forms part of a recess in the 30 side edge of the leg adapted to locate the closure member.

8. A bracket according to claim 7 wherein the recess has the same length as and is P:\OPER\PHH\DOS.36S -10/9/98 -it- 314027 laterally aligned with the opening through said free end portion.

9. A bracket according to any one of the preceding claims which is adjustable to take up slack between the bracket and the frame member. 5

10. A bracket according to claim 9 wherein one or more clamping screws are associated with the bracket and are threadedly adjustable to urge the frame member against an opposed portion or portions of the bracket or against the closure member. 10

11. A support bracket for a stanchion assembly for a frame building, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

12. A stanchion assembly for a frame building, comprising a support post capable of receiving a structure to be carried by the stanchion assembly and a support assembly for 15 the support post, the support assembly comprising a bracket having a base and spaced legs projecting therefrom which is adapted to receive a frame member of the frame building between the spaced legs, the support assembly further comprising a closure member which supports the support post and which is releasably engaged by the spaced legs of the bracket to close the bracket with the frame member between the base and the closure member, and 20 wherein the free end portion of at least one of the spaced legs is adapted to releasably engage the closure member at any one of at least two locations on the free end portion.

13. A stanchion assembly according to claim 12 wherein the bracket is in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 11 and wherein the closure member is non-rotatably received 25 by the at least one of the openings having a non-circular cross-section.

14. A stanchion assembly according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the closure member is integral with the support post. 30

15. A stanchion assembly according to claim 12 or claim 13 wherein the closure member forms part of adaptor means with which the support post is connected in use. P:\OPER\PHH\DOS.J65 - 10/9/98 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 5 SEP 1998 RECEIVED 314027

16. A stanchion assembly for a frame building, substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 6, 7, 8 or 9 of the accompanying drawings.

17. A safety barrier assembly comprising at least two stanchion assemblies in 5 accordance with any one of claims 12 to 16 and restraint means extending between the support posts of the or adjacent stanchion assemblies. END OF CLAIMS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 2 5 SEP 1998 P:\OPBR\PHH\DGS.365 - 10/9/98 RECEIVED