GB2157352A

GB2157352A - Scaffolding system

Info

Publication number: GB2157352A
Application number: GB08407513A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Bevan Cole
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-03-22
Filing date: 1984-03-22
Publication date: 1985-10-23
Also published as: GB8407513D0

Abstract

The scaffolding system comprises a plurality of uprights 1 short transverse members 2 each spanning two uprights and detachably fixed thereto, and a plurality of relatively long longitudinal members eg transoms 3 each spanning two upright members and detachably fixable at each of their ends to a respective transverse member by means of co-operating spade and eye means. As disclosed is a scaffolding clamp as shown in Figs. 12-16. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Scaffolding system The present invention relates to a scaffolding system.

Scaffolding is known in which elongate cylinders, hereinafter referred to as scaffolding poles, are connected together by clamps to form a rigid structure along the face of buildings and the like. The present system however suffers from certain disadvantages. The scaffolding consists of upright members, longitudinal members along the face of the building connecting the upright members, transverse members supporting the decking, sectional bracing joining together on diagonals the front and rear faces of the scaffolding, sway bracing joining together on the diagonal the outer face of the scaffolding, and then ties to the building. The junction of all these members must be clamped using special scaffolding clamps and this is a time consuming and therefore expensive business.Furthermore, certain limits on height must be made because of the limitations of strength of the scaffolding system.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a scaffolding system which overcomes the above disadvantages and provides a system of scaffolding which is quick to erect and stronger than conventional scaffolding.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a scaffolding system comprising a plurality of upright members, a plurality of relatively short transverse members each spanning between two upright members and detachably fixed thereto, and a plurality of relatively long longitudinal members each spanning between two upright members and detachably fixable at each of their ends to a respective transverse member by means of co-operating spade means and eye means.

Preferably each transverse member is provided at each of its ends with eye means for attachment of respective longitudinal members. Each eye means may comprise two eyes arranged, in use, one above the other.

The eyes are preferably attached to an extension at each end of each transverse member, which extension is in the form of a box extending transversely to the axis of the member.

The transverse members may be fixable to the upright members by means of co-operating spade means and eye means. Preferably the eye means are on each upright member and comprise two eyes arranged, in use, one above the other. In this case, the spade means on the transverse member are also located on the extension.

The longitudinal members may each comprise two spaced parallel bars, disposed in use one above the other, and connected by strengthening means at intervals along their length.

The system also comprises a plurality of second transverse members which span between and are detachably fixable to pairs of longitudinal members and which are adapted to support decking laid on them along the length of the erected scaffolding.

The second transverse members may be fixed to the longitudinal members either by conventional scaffolding clamps or by clamp means embodying the second aspect of the present invention.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided clamping means adapted to connect together two elongate cylinders such as scaffolding poles which overlie one another at substantially a right angle, the clamping means comprising a first rigid member shaped to contact both cylinders at one side thereof, a second member detachable from the first member and shaped to contact the one of the cylinders which is furthest from the first member from a side remote from said one side, the second member being fixable to the first member to clamp together the two cylinders.

Preferably the second member is a hook dimensioned to fit around a cylinder and extending to an end which is screwthreaded.

In this case, the first member may have an aperture located and dimensioned to allow passage of the screw thread and nut means are provided to tighten together the two members and thereby the cylinders.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a junction area in a scaffolding system embodying the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a junction area in another embodiment of the scaffolding system; Figure 3 is a side elevation of a transom used in the embodiment shown in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a plan view of the transom shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side elevation of a transom for use in the embodiment shown in Figure 2; Figure 6 is a plan view of the transom shown in Figure 5; Figure 7 is a side elevation of a ledger beam for use in either embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is a side elevation, to an enlarged scale, of an end of the ledger beam shown in Figure 7;; Figure 9 is an end elevation of a ledger beam to the same scale as Figure 8; Figure 10 is a side elevation of an upright pole provided with eyes for interlocking; Figure 11 is a cross sectional view, to an enlarged scale, taken along the line Xl-Xl of Figure 10; Figure 12 is a side elevation of the hook part of a clamp for joining together two scaffolding poles; Figure 1 3 is a side elevation of a clip to which the hook of Figure 1 2 may be attached for clamping together two scaffolding poles; Figure 14 is an end elevation of the clip of Figure 1 3 from one end; Figure 1 5 is an end elevation of the clip of Figure 1 3 from the other end; and Figure 1 6 is a plan view of the clip of Figure 13.

Referring now to the drawings, the scaffolding system comprises essentially upright poles 1, transoms 2 connecting together front and back poles 1, and ledger beams 3 connecting together poles 1 along the face of the building or the like. The invention will be described throughout as using ledger beams 3, although it will be possible to substitute scaffolding poles with modified ends. The advantage of ledger beams is that they are stronger and therefore can span greater distances, which reduces the number of upright poles 1 and connecting transoms 2 needed. This markedly reduceds the cost of the scaffolding elements needed and also increases dramatically the speed with which it can be erected. Ledger beams 3 comprise upper and lower rods connected together at intervals by strengthening members 4.

The upright poles shown in Figure 1 are provided at intervals with eyes 5, the function of which will be later described in more detail.

The system shown in Figure 2 utilises standard scaffolding poles as uprights 1 A. These differ from the poles used in Figure 1 in that no eyes 5 are provided. Figure 2 also shows a secondary transom 6 and its attachment to the ledger beams 3 by means of a novel putlock clip and hook arrangement 7. This arrangement 7 will be described in more detail below.

In Figures 3 and 4 is shown a transom 2 for use with the system shown in Figure 1.

Each end of the transom comprises a box section 8 extending transversely to the end of the transom. The box section 8 is provided on its outer face with two spades 9 which can be dropped into the eyes 5 of the pole 1 to hold the transom 2 firmly in place. A screw 10 can be tightened once the spades are in place to hold the joint against movement. Each side of the box section 8 has a further pair of eyes 11, each pair being arranged one above the other.

In Figures 5 and 6 is shown an alternative transom 2A for use in a system shown in Figure 2. This transom 2A is similarly provided with a box section 8 at each end, which box section has on each side a pair of eyes 11. However, since this transom 2A is intended for use with standard scaffolding poles 1 A, spades 9 and tightening screw 10 are not provided and they are replaced by scaffolding clamps 12 which extend around the pole 1A to hold the transom 2A in place when nut 1 3 is tightened.

Figure 7 shows a ledger beam 3, which ledger beams may be of any desired length to suit the circumstances. Each end of the ledger beam 3 has a plate 1 6 to which is attached a pair of spades 14, one above the other, and through which extends a tightening screw 1 5; The spades 14 are intended to co-operate with eyes 11 of the transom 2 or 2A. The spades 14 can be simply dropped into place and screw 1 5 tightened to fix the ledger beams in place.

A scaffolding pole 1 provided with eyes 5 is shown in Figure 10 and Figure 11 shows in more detail how the eyes 5 are welded to the pole 1.

To erect the scaffolding, it is only necessary to provide poles 1 at spaced intervals, attach the transoms 2 by the simple and speedy operation of dropping spades 9 into eyes 5, and then attaching ledger beams 3 by the similar simple and swift operation of dropping spades 14 into eyes 11 of the transoms 2. By this means, the scaffolding can grow a pace.

The connections between the various members are stronger than those of conventional scaffolding, and thus the scaffolding can rise higher. Further, the connections are more stable than those of conventional scaffolding and it is possible to avoid the necessity of installing sectional bracing, i.e. that connecting diagonally the front and rear faces of the scaffolding. It is still, however, advisable to install sway bracing, i.e. that extending diagonally along the face of the scaffolding.

Scaffolding is intended to allow workmen to work on the face of a building or the like and for this it is necessary to provide decking at various levels. The decking consists of planks extending longitudinally of the scaffolding. It is supported on transoms 2 and on subsidiary transoms 6. These subsidiary transoms 6 may be attached to the ledger beams by conventional scaffolding clamps or by the novel clamping arrangement 7 which is shown in more detail in Figures 1 2 to 1 6. The clamping arrangement 7 comprises a hook 1 7 adapted to extend partially around one scaffolding pole, either the transom 6 or the upper member of ledger beam 3; The base of the hook 1 7 is provided with a screw thread 18, Putlock clip 1 9 has one portion 20 shaped to extend partially around a scaffolding pole, either an upper pole of the ledger beam 3 or a subsidiary transom 6. At its other end, clip 1 9 has a portion 21 adapted to extend partially around the other scaffolding pole. Between portions 20 and 21, the clip has a hole 22 through which the screw thread 1 8 of the hook 1 7 may pass. A nut (not shown) may be tightened on the screw thread 1 8 to draw together the hook 1 7 and clip 1 9 whereby the scaffolding poles are firmly clamped.

Preferably, the eyes 5 of the upright poles are spaced 1 3 centimeters between eyes of a pair and each pair is spaced every 2 meters along the upright pole. The spades, and eyes of the transoms are correspondingly spaced by 1 3 centimeters.

Where it is desired to extend any pole or other member, conventional connecting members may be used.

Claims

1. A scaffolding system comprising a plurality of upright members, a plurality of relatively short transverse members each spanning between two upright members and detachably fixed thereto, and a plurality of relatively long longitudinal members each spanning between two upright members and detachably fixable at each of their ends to a respective transverse member of means of co-operating spade means and eye means.

2. A scaffolding system according to claim 1 and in which each transverse member is provided at each of its ends with eye means for attachment of respective longitudinal members.

3. A scaffolding system according to claim 2 and in which each eye means comprises two eyes arranged one above the other in use.

4. A scaffolding system according to claim 2 or claim 3 and in which the eyes are attached to an extension at each end of each transverse member, the extension being in the form of a box extending transversely to the axis of the member.

5. A scaffolding system according to any of the preceding claims and in which the transverse members are fixed, in use, to the upright members by means of co-operating spade means and eye means.

6. A scaffolding system according to claim 5 and in which the said eye means are on each upright member and comprise two eyes arranged, in use, one above the other.

7. A scaffolding system according to claim 6 and in which the spade means on the transverse members are also located on the extension.

8. A scaffolding system according to any of the preceding claims and in which the longitudinal members each comprise 2 spaced parallel bars, disposed in use one above the other, and connected by strengthening means at intervals along their length.

9. A scaffolding system according to any of the preceding claims and further comprising a plurality of second transverse members which span between and are detachably fixable to pairs of longitudinal members and which adapted to support decking laid on them along the length of the erected scaffolding.

1 0. A scaffolding system according to claim 9 and in which the second transverse members are fixed to the longitudinal members by clamp means in accordance with claim 11 below.

11. Clamp means adapted to connect together two elongate cylinders such as scaffolding poles which overlie one another at substantially a right angle, the clamping means comprising a first rigid member shaped to contact both cylinders at one side thereof, a second member detachable from the first member and shaped to contact the one of the cylinders which is furthest from the first member from a side remote from said one side, the second member being fixable to the first member to clamp together the two cylinders.

1 2. A scaffolding system according to claim 11 and in which the said second member is a hook dimensioned to fit around a cylinder and extending to an end which is screw threaded.

1 3. A scaffolding system according to claim 1 2 and in which the said first member has an aperture located and dimensioned to allow passage of the screw thread, and nut means are provided to tighten together the two members and thereby the cylinders.

14. A scaffolding system substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in any appropriate combination of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. Clamp means substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in any appropriate combination of the accompanying drawings.