GB2240804A

GB2240804A - Scaffolding coupler

Info

Publication number: GB2240804A
Application number: GB9002760A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter Bartholemew Mcgibbon
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-02-07
Filing date: 1990-02-07
Publication date: 1991-08-14
Also published as: GB9002760D0

Abstract

A rigid body 10 carries a releasable coupling 11 and a releasable coupling 12. The coupling 11 comprises a clamping arm 19 pivotted by a pin 21 from a lug 13 formed integral with the body 10. A clamp nut 28 can be tightened on a clamp bolt 25 whereby a scaffolding tube 15 can be secured between the arm 19 and the body 10. The coupling 12 comprises a pair of parallely spaced projections 17 and 18 formed integral with the body 10, and a clamping bolt 30 which can be tightened to secure the body 10 to a flange 31 of an I-beam. <IMAGE>

Description

SCAFFOLDING COUPLER This invention relates to a scaffolding coupler. Many designs of scaffolding coupler are in current use and an even greater number have been proposed. Generally speaking, scaffolding couplers are intended to releasably couple together two or more scaffolding tubes.

According to the present invention a scaffolding coupler comprises a first releasable coupling device for engaging the outer surface of a scaffolding tube and a second releasable coupling device for engaging part of an elongate member such as a flange of a steel beam. Other elongate members could comprise rectangular steel tubing or concrete beams.

Preferably the first and second releasable coupling devices are arranged such that the scaffolding tube will be held at right angles to the elongate member.

The scaffolding coupler preferably comprises a rigid body supporting the first and second releasable coupling devices.

The first releasable coupling device may include an arm pivoted at or adjacent one end to the rigid body and a releasable screw coupling for interconnecting the opposite end of the arm to the rigid body at a position spaced from the pivot. Preferably both the arm and the rigid body define respective part cylindrical surfaces for engaging a complementary external cylindrical surface of the scaffolding tube.

The second releasable coupling device may be defined by a pair of spaced projections formed integral with the rigid body, and by a screw device supported by one of these projections and operable to clamp a longitudinal surface of the elongate member against the other projection. The said other projection preferably defines a flat surface for engaging the said longitudinal surface of the elongate member. The screw device is preferably a bolt engaging a screw thread in the said one projection.The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which : Figure 1 is a plan view of Figure 2 and shows one form of scaffolding coupler in accordance with the present invention, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 but additionally shows the scaffolding coupler interconnecting a scaffolding tube and the flange of a rolled steel beam.

With reference to the drawings, a scaffolding coupler comprises a rigid body 10 with associated first and second releasable coupling devices 11 and 12.

The rigid body 10 is preferably formed from dropped forged steel to define a pivot lug 13, a part cylindrical surface 14 for engaging the outer surface of a scaffolding tube 15, a clamp bolt lug 16, and a pair of parallely-spaced projections 17 and 18.

A clamping arm 19 is also preferably formed as a steel drop forging and has its one end machined to define bifurcated lugs 20 which closely embrace the pivot lug 13 and are interconnected by a mild steel pin 21 of which one end is provided with a head 22 and the other end 23 is rivetted over to keep the pin securely in position. The opposite end of the arm 19 is also bifurcated at 24 to receive the shank of a high tensile steel clamp bolt 25 of which the other end is formed integral with a cylindrical cross-head 26 pivotally-engaging the clamp bolt lug 16. A locking recess 27 is machined about the bifurcated end 24 of the arm 19 to receive a clamp nut 28 which can be tightened to squeeze the scaffolding tube 15 between the part cylindrical surface 14 of the forged body 10 and a complementary part cylindrical surface 29 defined by the clamping arm 19.From Figure 1 it will be noted that the radius of curvature of the part cylindrical surfaces 14 and 29 are both slightly greater than the radius of the scaffolding tube 15 to enhance the clamping action of the first releasable coupling device 11.

When the clamp nut 28 is slackened, it disengages the locking recess 27 thereby enabling the clamp bolt 25 to be disengaged from the bifurcated end 24 of the arm 19, and the latter to be swung about the pin 21 to release the scaffolding tube 15.

As best seen from Figure 2, the second releasable coupling device 12 comprises the pair of parallely spaced projections 17 and 18, and a clamping bolt 30 which engages a complementary screw thread in the projection 17. The upper flange 31 of a rolled steel I-beam is inserted between the projections 17 and 18, and the clamping bolt 30 is tightened to secure the body 10 to the I-beam. In this manner the scaffolding tube 15 is clamped at right angles to the Ibeam. Whilst the shape of the projection 17 serves only to support the clamping bolt 30, it should be noted that the projection 18 defines a flat surface 32 against which the flange 31 is pressed by the clamping bolt 30 to hold the body 10 rigidly in position.

The spacing of the projections 17 and 18 may be altered, if so desired, to allow different thicknesses of elongate members, such as flange 31, to be accommodated.

Instead of being connected to a flange 31 of a horizontal I-beam, the scaffolding coupler may be used to clamp a horizontally-directed scaffolding tube to a flange of a vertical I-beam, or other elongate member.

The scaffolding coupler is particularly useful for securing hand-railing around steel roofs which are being sheeted or otherwise cladded. It is also useful for tying into steelwork and can be used at the end of a steel I-beam as well as along its elongate side flanges.

Claims

1. A scaffolding coupler comprising a first releasable coupling device for engaging the outer surface of a scaffolding tube and a second releasable coupling device for engaging part of an elongate member.

2. A scaffolding coupler, according to Claim 1, in which the first and second releasable coupling devices are arranged such that the scaffolding tube will be held at right angle3 to the elongate member.

3. A scaffolding coupler, according to Claim 1 or 2, further comprising a rigid body supporting the first and second releasable coupling devices.

4. A scaffolding coupler, according t, Claim 3, in which the first roleasable coupling device includes an arm pivoted at or adjacent one end to the rigid body and a releasable screw coupling for interconnecting the opposite end of the arm to the rigid body at a position spaced from the pivot.

5. A scaffolding coupler, according to Claim 4, in which both the arm and the rigid body define respective part cylindrical surfaces for engaging a complementary external cylindrical surface of the scaffolding tube.

6. A scaffolding coupler, according to any of Claims 3 to 5, in which the second releasable coupling device is defined by a pair of spaced projections formed integral with the rigid body, and by a screw device supported by one of these projections and operable to clamp a longitudinal surface of the elongate member against the other projection.

7. A scaffolding coupler, according to Claim 6, in which the said other projection defir-es a flat surface for engaging the said longitudinal surface of tha elongate member.

8. A scaffolding coupler, according to Claim 5 or 7, in which the screw device is a bolt engaging a screw thread in the said one projection.

9. A scaffolding coupler for interconnecting a scaffolding tube and part of an elongate member substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.