AU729560B2

AU729560B2 - Rafter support bracket

Info

Publication number: AU729560B2
Application number: AU52959/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bradley Allan Jones; Manuel John Papas
Original assignee: BRAD INVEST Pty Ltd; PAPARD Pty Ltd
Current assignee: HANG ON SCAFFOLDS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1997-02-06
Filing date: 1998-02-06
Publication date: 2001-02-01
Anticipated expiration: 2018-02-06
Also published as: AU5295998A

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

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ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "RAFTER SUPPORT BRACKET" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- 2 "RAFTER SUPPORT BRACKET" THIS INVENTION relates to a rafter support bracket for"balustrades or scaffolding which can be attached to existing rafters of roof frames or roof trusses in order to facilitate installation of balustrades, guard rail assemblies or scaffolding (hereinafter collectively referred to as balustrades) to a roof frame or roof assembly.

Usually rafters are formed from timber such as pine and often vary in dimensions. For example, rafters utilized in regard to conventional roof frames may have cross-sectional dimensions varying from a height of 35 mm and a width of 90 mm to a height of 60 mm and a width of 20 mm. It was therefore necessary to utilize a plurality of different rafter attachment assemblies or rafter support brackets in relation to installation of balustrades to roof frames which attachment assemblies or support brackets were dependent upon the cross-sectional :15 dimensions of the existing rafter.

Reference maybe made to Australian Patent 652609 which :o:refers to a stanchion assembly for a timber frame building which comprises 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 comprises a bracket having a base and spaced legs projecting therefrom which are adapted to receive a timber frame member of the building frame such as roof rafter between the base and the spaced legs. The spaced legs have free ends which releasably Areceive a closure member which closes the bracket. The support post is 3 supported by or attached to the closure member.

The aforementioned stanchion assembly was utilized to support balustrades on sloping roofs or roof frames but was disadvantageous in regard to installation to roof angles which were relatively steep. In this context, while the same support bracket and support post could be utilized, it was necessary to utilize a different closure member to compensate for an increase in the roof angle. This meant that installation of the balustrade to the sloping roof was time consuming and complicated and a different closure member had to be utilized for each different angle in relation to varying roof angles to horizontal.

Reference may also be made to Australian patent application 31701/95 which relates to an adjustable support means comprising an elongate member and an attachment means for attachment i 15 to a roof rafter or other support. The elongate member has two ends and a second member attaches to one end. The attachment means is located :o:between the two ends of the elongate member and comprises two o engaging portions, at least one of which is adjustable in relation to the elongate member.

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20 The above attachment means is essentially a clamp which engages the rafter at a single side surface of the elongate member. The attachment means being located on the side of the elongate member limits the attachment to only one side of the rafter. It is often desirable to be able to attach a support means to either side of the rafter.

4 Construction of this invention requires welding of multiple components of the attachment means and further involves construction of a movable engagement portion.

Reference may further be made to International Publication WO 85/02879 which relates to a supporting device for scaffolding. This supporting device comprises at least two arms which are secured by tightening engagement to a building portion, for example rafters. Each arm comprises an arm support and a lining piece which is longitudinally .go. displaceable and lockable. The arm support and lining piece essentially 10 form a telescoping arm assembly. Traverse clamps are attached to each arm support and lining piece respectively and bearing traverses are inserted therein. This device comprises multiple movable components which is rather complex to construct and operate. Further, this device II l*gO does not provide a means for attaching to a balustrade assembly.

15 It therefore is an object of the invention to provide a rafter support bracket for balustrades that is versatile in use.

The rafter support bracket of the invention includes: A rafter support bracket including: a rafter engagement arm having two bearing members attached to an outer surface of the rafter engagement arm, wherein each of the bearing members extend transversely to the rafter engagement arm and are spaced from each other along the length of the rafter engagement arm, and (ii) a balustrade support arm attachable to a balustrade assembly, said balustrade support arm being connected to the rafter engagement arm and extending away therefrom so as to provide an included angle therebetween; whereby in use the two bearing members engage with an adjacent rafter on opposed surfaces of the rafter.

The rafter engagement arm is suitably a single elongate member which comprises a top and bottom surface throughout its length as shown in the drawings.

The balustrade support arm and the rafter engagement arm 0 :10 are suitably oriented at an obtuse angle to each other or alternatively the balustrade support arm and the rafter engagement arm may be oriented normally to each other. However, this does not exclude the possibility of both the balustrade support arm and the rafter engagement arm of being oriented at an acute angle to each other. If desired, there may be provided a pivot joint between the attachment arm and the rafter :o engagement arm whereby an included angle between each arm may be varied from an acute angle to an obtuse angle. However, most preferably both arms are fixed to each other.

The balustrade support arm may be a solid rod but more preferably is tubular so that it may be attached in telescopic manner to an adjacent member of the balustrade assembly. Preferably the balustrade support arm may be provided with a plurality of spaced aligned pairs of apertures along its length for telescopic attachment to a member of the balustrade assembly, if desired.

In one arrangement the balustrade support arm may be 6 attached to another balustrade support arm wherein each of the balustrade support arms, are attached to the balustrade assembly.

Preferably, each balustrade support arm is oriented normal to each other.

The rafter engagement arm is either solid or tubular as may be desired. The rafter engagement arm may include engagement means suitably in the form of an engagement passage or a pair of aligned engagement apertures, if the rafter engagement arm is tubular. The engagement passage or pair of apertures may be located intermediate the length of the rafter engagement arm to facilitate engagement between the engagement arm and an adjoining roof rafter. More suitably, the engagement passage or pair of apertures are centrally located. Any suitable fastener may then be inserted between the engagement passage or pair of apertures in the rafter.

The bearing members may comprise bearing pads or 15 bearing rods which are integral with or otherwise attached to the rafter engagement arm.

Reference may now be made to a preferred embodiment of o•°9* the invention as shown in the attached drawings:- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the rafter support bracket; 9 20 FIG. 2 is an end view showing the attachment of the rafter support bracket of FIG. 1 to an adjacent roof rafter; and FIG. 3 is an end view showing the attachment of the rafter engagement arm to a proximal balustrade which is installed to a roof frame.

7 The rafter support bracket 10 of the invention includes a balustrade support arm 11 and a rafter engagement arm 12. Support arm 11 may also have spaced pairs of aligned apertures 13. The engagement arm 12 may also include a central engagement aperture or passage 14 for engagement with an adjoining rafter 15. There also may be provided bearing rods 16 and 17 which are fixed by welding to opposed top and bottom surfaces 18 and 19. Bearing rods 16 and 17 are spaced from each other along the length of engagement arm 12.

Engagement arm 12 may also include broad surfaces 20 and 21.

In use, as shown in FIG. 2, the rafter support bracket 10 is attached to rafter 15 by a central screw-threaded fastener 22 having a head 23 which fastener 22 extends through opposed apertures 14 and 24 and retained in position by nut 25. Each bearing rod 16 and 17 engage an opposed surfaces or sides 18A and 19A of rafter 15 in bearing g 15 relationship as shown.

roofIn FIG. 3, there is shown the installation of balustrade 26 to roof frame 27. Balustrade 26 comprises spaced uprights 28 which are desirably although not essentially substantially parallel to wall studs 29.

Uprights 28 engage with pivot brackets 30 which are the subject of 20 Applicant's Australian Patent No. 719821. Pivot bracket 30 includes opposed arcuate walls 31 each having a plurality of spaced adjustment apertures 32. Upright 28 may engage with pivot bracket 30 by pivot joint 33. Balustrade 26 may also include slotted or apertured members 35 and 36 attached to each other at 34. Member 35 engages with a bottom 8 channel 37 of bracket 30 and member 36 engages adjustably with attachment arm 11 of bracket 10. Roof frame 27 also includes brace 38, ceiling joist 39 and strut 40. This is also shown eave 41.

The invention, in another aspect, therefore includes a balustrade support assembly which comprises bracket 10 in combination with pivot bracket 30 and slotted members 35 and 36.

The advantages of the rafter support bracket of the invention includes the following:the rafter support bracket can be attached to any existing rafter irrespective of the rafter cross-sectional dimensions; (ii) forces applied to the balustrade will be transferred evenly to the rafter bracket irrespective of rafter dimensions; and (iii) the balustrade can be attached to an existing roof frame either above or below the roof eave using the same rafter support S: 15 bracket.

(iv) the rafter support bracket can be attached to either side of the roof rafter. It is appreciated by one skilled in the art that being able to attach the rafter support bracket to either side of the rafter has oo0* advantages over other apparatus, for example the apparatus disclosed in 20 Australian application 31701/95 (Hayman and Hayman).

Claims

1. A rafter support bracket including: a rafter engagement arm having two bearing members attached to an outer surface of the rafter engagement arm, wherein each of the bearing members extend transversely to said rafter engagement arm and are spaced from each other along the length of the rafter engagement arm, and (ii) a balustrade support arm attachable to a balustrade assembly, said balustrade support arm being connected to the rafter engagement arm and extending away therefrom so as to provide an included angle therebetween; whereby in use the two bearing members engage with an adjacent rafter on opposed surfaces of the rafter.

2. The rafter support bracket of claim 1 wherein each said ~bearing member is attached to top and bottom surfaces respectively of said rafter engagement arm and oriented transversely thereto.

3. The rafter support bracket of claim 1 wherein each bearing member is fixed to said top and bottom surfaces respectively of said rafter engagement arm.

4. The rafter support bracket of claim 1 wherein the balustrade support arm is connected to the rafter engagement arm and extends downwardly therefrom.

A rafter support bracket as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the balustrade support arm and the rafter engagement arm are oriented at an obtuse angle to each other.

6. A rafter support bracket as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the balustrade support arm and the rafter engagement arm are oriented substantially normal to each other.

7. A rafter support bracket as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the balustrade support arm is tubular and is provided with one or a plurality of spaced aligned pairs of attachment apertures.

8. A rafter support bracket as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the rafter engagement arm is provided with at least one engagement passage or aligned pair of opposed engagement apertures intermediate its length.

9. A rafter support bracket as claimed in Claim 8 wherein the engagement passage or aligned pair of opposed engagement apertures are centrally located.

S10. A rafter support bracket as claimed in any preceding claim *•°wherein the bearing members comprise bearing pads or bearing rods.

11. A balustrade assembly including a rafter support bracket as claimed in any preceding claim.

12. A rafter support bracket substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. A balustrade assembly substantially as herein described 20 with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this Twenty Second day of September 2000. PAPARD PTY. LTD. and BRAD INVESTMENTS PTY. LTD., by their Patent Attorneys, AFISHER ADAMS KELLY.