WO2004072410A1

WO2004072410A1 - Structures

Info

Publication number: WO2004072410A1
Application number: PCT/GB2004/000639
Authority: WO
Inventors: Donald Baker
Original assignee: Baker, Diane, Margaret
Priority date: 2003-02-17
Filing date: 2004-02-17
Publication date: 2004-08-26
Also published as: AU2003246913A1; GB0303500D0; GB2417516A; GB2417517A; WO2004072407A1; GB0523346D0; GB0523343D0

Abstract

A structure (2) is constructed using at least two types of bracket (12, 10, 14) in which each bracket (12, 10, 14) is adapted to engage with an end region of at least one elongate structural member (6 or 8) via a length of channel (22) with substantially parallel side walls and a base plate extending there between. The structure includes at least one elongate structural member (6 or 8). The structure (2) is a frame suitable to support a roof or cover.

Description

Structures

This invention relates to structures, and in particular to structures of a temporary or semi-permanent nature and to kits and the parts of kits suitable for construction of such structures.

It is known that maintenance of permanent structures such as houses, office buildings, road ways or the like often has to occur in order to keep those permanent structures in good repair. Some of that maintenance can occur whilst the structure is exposed to the ambient weather, but some maintenance, for example the replacement of a roof, is materially assisted if the structure can be protected from the weather whilst the maintenance is being performed. Such maintenance tasks often involve exposing normally protected portions of the structure to the weather, for example, by taking the tiles off a roof so exposing the structure that supports those tiles. The same situation applies in connection the construction of new structures. Certain operations, again for example the construction of a roof, are materially assisted if the building can be protected from the weather whilst the operation is occurring. This allows work that could be damaged by the whether to occur inside of the building, for example plastering the walls or constructing a ceiling, whilst the roof has not yet been completed.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a structure constructed using at least two types of bracket in which each bracket is adapted to engage with an end region of at least one elongate structural member via a length of channel with substantially parallel side walls and a base plate extending there between, at least one elongate structural member, and in which the structure is a frame suitable to support a roof or cover. The use of the length of channel to engage with the elongate structural element is particularly advantageous because it allows easy construction because the elongate structural element my be introduced to the bracket from the side, rather than in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the elongate structural element. Furthermore, if the elongate structural element is not a tight fit in the channel, spacers or packers can be introduced therein so as to make a tight fit. a tight fit is desirable because it adds rigidity to the structure. Finally, the use of a channel may allow a small degree of divergence of the longitudinal axis of the elongate structural element and the channel without causing constructional difficulties.

h a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the elongate structural members is a purlin. The particular advantage of using purlins as the elongate structural member is that because of their cross-section and the fact that purlins are commonly manufactured from steel, they are light and resistant to bending along their longitudinal axis. This is particularly advantageous because it enables a structure to be constructed which includes large spans without intermediate supports. Its is particularly advantageous to be able to produce a structure with such large spans because it means that, for example, a temporary structure can be constructed over the top of a domestic dwelling or house so that once a roof or cover has been placed over the temporary structure the house is protected from the weather and work cam be performed on the house. Such work could include, for example, the replacement of a roof, mending of a chimney, or other weather sensitive tasks.

hi another preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the elongate structural members is a length of timber. An advantage of using timber as the elongate structural member is the relative cheapest of such timber, it's ready availability, and the ease of fixing the timber to the brackets and ease of fixing anything else to the timber.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the structure is further constructed using at least one cross brace. Most preferably, the cross brace is adapted to extend between adjacent brackets and/or elongate structural members and to be rigidly fixed thereto. Such fixing is most preferably by way of a reversible fixing means such as bolts or screws. The addition of cross braces may increase the rigidity of the structure as a whole and, thus, enable the structure to withstand greater loading from wind and/or precipitation (rain or snow) than an unbraced structure. Increasing the load resistance of such a structure increases the health and safety of workers using the structure.

In one embodiment of the structure according to the present invention the structure is further constructed using at least one sheet of material adapted to act as a roof or cover.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a kit of parts suitable for use in construction of a structure comprising at least two types of bracket in which each bracket is adapted to engage with an end region of at least one elongate structural member via a length of channel with substantiate parallel side walls and a base plate extending there between, and in which the elements of the kit may be used in conjunction with at least one elongate structural member to construct a frame suitable to support a roof or cover.

The particular advantage of providing a kit of brackets according to the present invention is that it has the effect that the party wishing to construct the structure/framework may, taking a kit comprising a set of standard brackets, design and build a structure using those brackets using elongate structural members appropriate for the particular task the user has in mind. This has the effect that a regular user of such structures need only have one kit of brackets and adapt it for use in connection with each structure required.

The kit can be supplied with elongate structures or members, it is most preferred that the elongate structural members are purlins or lengths of timber.

It is a further advantage of the structure and/or kit of the present invention that use of such a kit will mean that the workers working beneath the structure formed from the kit are also protected from the weather thus minimising delays to the work being performed as a result of bad weather.

In a preferred embodiment of a kit of the present invention further includes at least one cross brace. The cross brace or each cross brace is most preferably adapted to extend between adjacent brackets or elongate structural members and to be rigidly fixed thereto.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention a bracket suitable for use in a kit or structure according to the present invention comprises at least one engaging means adapted to engage an end region of an elongate structure member and at least one bracket mounting means. The at least one of the engaging means is a length of channel with substantially parallel side walls and a base plate extending there between, and the bracket mounting means adapted to be used to fix the bracket to a structure or structural element different from the elongate structural member for which the engaging means is adapted. The particular advantage of this preferred embodiment is that the bracket can be adapted so that the structure constructed from a kit of the present invention or a structure according to the present invention maybe constructed in a fashion integral with a surrounding or underlying structure. That surrounding or underlying structure maybe adjacent permanent structures, for example adjacent buildings, another temporary structure such as scaffolding of a known type, or a combination of both.

Where the bracket mounting means is adapted to be used to fix a bracket to an adjacent or underlying permanent structure the bracket mounting means is most preferably a base plate which allows the bracket to be fixed to the structure. Most preferably the base plate is provided with a number of apertures through which the shafts of bolts or screws may pass so allowing the bolts or screws to affix the bracket to the permanent structure.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, if the structure is to be mounted on a known scaffolding system, the bracket mounting means may be a clamp suitable for clamping around a scaffolding bar. In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention the bracket mounting means may be of a suitable configuration to be engaged with a proprietary scaffolding system. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the bracket mounting means and the or each of the engaging means of the bracket are so connected to each other that it is possible for the relative orientation of the bracket mounting means and the engaging means to be adjusted by a worker. This allows the elongate structure members with which the engaging means engage to be correctly orientated for the requirements of the structure being produced. Such means to allow the adjustment of relative orientation may include a adjustable joint which may be locked in either predetermined positions or any desired position, depending upon the construction of the joint. Such adjustable joints may be of a ball and socket nature, rotate about a pivot, or any other known method of producing such joints.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention there is provided a bracket suitable for use in a structure according to the present invention or in a kit according the present invention in which the bracket comprises at least two engaging means each of which is adapted to engage an end region of an elongate structural member, in which each of the engaging means is a length of channel with substantially parallel side walls and a base plate extending there between, and in which the bracket is so configured that the longitudinal axis of at least two of the lengths of channel are not parallel or coincident. Such a bracket is suitable for use to form an apex for a roof, or at the intersection of a substantially vertical side wall and a sloping roof portion of a structure according to the present invention.

The present invention will be further described and explained byway of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which

Figure 1 shows an embodiment of a structure according to the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a first embodiment of a bracket according to the present invention;

Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of a bracket according to the present invention;

Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of a bracket according to the present invention; Figure 5 shows a fourth embodiment of a bracket according to the present invention;

Figure 6 shows a fifth embodiment of a bracket according to the present invention; and

Figure 7 shows a sixth embodiment of a bracket according to the present invention.

With reference to figure 1, a structure (2) is constructed on a surface (4). The structure (2) is comprised of uprights (6) and roof beams (8). The uprights (6) and roof beams (8)are connected to each other by brackets (10), and the roof beams (8) connected to each other at the apex of the roof by brackets (12). The uprights (6) are connected to the surface (4) by brackets (14).

Each of the uprights (6) and roof beams (8) are steel purlins. The uprights (6) and roof beams (8) are connected to the brackets to which they are engaged by removable fixing means such as screws and/or bolts. The brackets (14) are bolted to the surface (4).

Figures 2 to 7 show illustrative embodiment of brackets according to the present invention. Similar parts in each bracket are given the same reference numbers.

With reference to figure 2, this shows a bracket (20) adapted to be affixed to scaffolding (not shown). The bracket (20) is comprised of a channel (22) to which is attached a scaffolding clamp (24) via a plate (13). Plate (13) is bolted to channel (22)using nut (26) and bolt (28) and as such the orientation of the channel (22) and the scaffolding clamp (24) may be altered. A elongate structural element (not shown) may be fixed into channel (22) by screws projecting through apertures (30).

With reference to figure 3, this shows a bracket (32) adapted to be affixed to scaffolding (not shown). The bracket (32) is comprised of a pair of channels (22) attached to a plate (13). Attached to plate (13) are a pair of a scaffolding clamps (24). With reference to figure 4, this shows a bracket (12). The bracket (12) is comprised of a pair of channels (22) attached to each other in the fashion shown. The orientation of the channels (22) are different form each other and the bracket (12) may be used to form the apex of a roof as shown in figure 1.

With reference to figure 5, this shows, in plan view, a bracket (34). The bracket (34) is comprised of eight channels (22) all attached to and equally spaced around a base plate (36) in the fashion shown. The channels (22) are all inclined to the plane of the base plate (36) by substantially the same amount. The bracket (34) may be used to form the apex of an octagonal roof.

With reference to figure 6, this shows a bracket (38). The bracket (38) is comprised of a channel (22) attached to a base plate (40) in the fashion shown. The base plate (40) is adapted to be fixed to a substantially vertical surface (not shown) by way of screws or bolts passing through apertures (42).

With reference to figure 7, this shows a bracket (14). The bracket (14) is comprised of a channel (22) attached to a base plate (44) in the fashion shown. The base plate (44) is adapted to be fixed to a substantially horizontal surface (not shown) by way of screws or bolts passing through apertures (42).

The kit of the present invention may be comprised of a selection of the brackets illustrated in figures 2 to 7 or any other brackets that fall with in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A structure constructed using at least two types of bracket in which each bracket is adapted to engage with an end region of at least one elongate structural member via a length of channel with substantially parallel side walls and a base plate extending there between, at least one elongate structural member, and in which the structure is a frame suitable to support a roof or cover.

2. A structure according to claim 1 in which at least one of the elongate structural members is a purlin.

3. A structure according to claim 1 or 2 in which at least one of the elongate structural members is a length of timber.

4. A structure according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the structure is further constructed using at least one cross brace in which the cross brace is adapted to extend between adjacent brackets and/or elongate structural members and to be rigidly fixed thereto.

5. A structure according to any of claims 1 to 4 in which the structure is further constructed using at least one sheet of material adapted to act as a roof or cover.

6. A kit of parts suitable for use in the construction of a structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5 comprising at least two types of bracket in which each bracket is adapted to engage with an end region of at least one elongate structural member via a length of channel with substantially parallel side walls and a base plate extending there between, and in which the elements of the kit may be used in conjunction with at least one elongate structural member to construct a frame suitable to support a roof or cover.

7. A kit according to claim 6 in which the kit further comprises at least one elongate structural member.

8. A kit according to claim 7 in which at least one of the elongate structural members is a purlin.

9. A kit according to claim 7 or 8 in which at least one of the elongate structural members is a length of timber.

10. A kit according to any of claims 6 to 9 in which the kit further comprises at least one cross brace in which the cross brace is adapted to extend between adjacent brackets and/or elongate structural members and to be rigidly fixed thereto.

11 A kit according to any of claims 6 to 10 in which the kit further comprises at least one sheet of material adapted to act as a roof or cover.

12. A bracket suitable for use in a structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or in a kit according to any of claims 6 to 11 in which the bracket comprises at least one engaging means adapted to engage an end region of an elongate structural member and at least one bracket mounting means in which at least one of the engaging means is a length of channel with substantially parallel side walls and a base plate extending there between, and the bracket mounting means is adapted to be used to fix the bracket to a structure or structural element different to elongate structural member for which the or each engaging means is adapted.

13. A bracket according to claim 12 in which the bracket mounting means is a base plate adapted to allow the bracket to be fixed to a support surface.

14. A bracket according to claim 12 in which the bracket mounting means is at least one clamp suitable for clamping around a scaffolding bar.

15. A bracket according to claim 14 in which each clamp is attached to the bracket via a means that allows the orientation of the clamp to be adjusted relative to the orientation of the bracket.

16. A bracket suitable for use in a structure according to any one of claims 1 to 5 or in a kit according to any of claims 6 to 11 in which the bracket comprises at least two engaging means each of which is adapted to engage an end region of an elongate structural member, in which each of the engaging means is a length of channel with substantially parallel side walls and a base plate extending there between, and in which the bracket is so configured that the longitudinal axis of at least two of the lengths of channel are not parallel or coincident.

17. A bracket according to claim 16 in which there are two engaging means.