GB2586647A

GB2586647A - A scaffold for a building

Info

Publication number: GB2586647A
Application number: GB1912555.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Siang Lai Ye
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-09-02
Filing date: 2019-09-02
Publication date: 2021-03-03
Also published as: GB201912555D0

Abstract

A scaffold 10 for a building, in which the scaffold includes a hollow body 20, a platform 30, and an accessing means 40. The hollow body has an open top surface 21 having a flat section 23 and an angled section 25, at least two supporting surfaces 27 configured to bear the weight of the scaffold and at least one anchor point 29 arranged to allow the hollow body to be hoisted. The platform is arranged to cover the flat section such that the angled section provides access to the space in the hollow body, and the accessing means is removably arranged on a side of the hollow body to provide access to the platform.

Description

A Scaffold for a Building In constructing or repairing a building, work often needs to be carried out at heights or in areas that are difficult get to, such as an exterior of the building.

For this purpose, it is known in the art to construct temporary structures that can be used to support a work crew and materials at the work site. These temporary structures are also known as scaffolding, scaffold, or staging.

Scaffolds are often constructed from the ground up, such that the weight of the scaffold is borne by the ground.

The object of this application is to provide an improved scaffold and method of constructing the improved scaffold.

The application provides a scaffold for a building. The scaffold includes a hollow body, a platform, and an accessing means.

The hollow body includes an open top surface having a flat section and an angled section. The flat section is parallel to the ground, while the angled section is set at an angle relative to the flat section.

The hollow body also includes at least two supporting surfaces. The at least two supporting surfaces are configured to bear the weight of the scaffold, which also includes work crew and materials, when the scaffold is deployed, positioned or put into use at a work site.

The at least two supporting surfaces are adapted to rest against or contact other fixed structures at a work site. These other fixed structures can be a side of a building, or a bank or slope. The at least two supporting surfaces are configured to provide a large area of contact with the other fixed structures, so that the weight of the scaffold is distributed over a surface area of the at least two supporting surfaces.

At least one anchor point is provided on the hollow body. The at least one anchor point is arranged or disposed on the hollow body in a manner that allows the hollow body to be hoisted to a position where the scaffold is being deployed.

The platform is provided for covering the flat section of the open surface, such that the angled section of the open top surface remains uncovered. The uncovered angled section of the open top surface allows a work crew to access a space in the hollow body.

The accessing means is arranged on a side of the hollow body. The accessing means allows a work crew to access the platform, which can be at a height from the ground when the scaffold is deployed. In one particular embodiment, the accessing means is a ladder that allows work crew to climb from the ground to the platform.

Compared to conventional scaffolds constructed from the ground up, fewer materials are used to construct and deploy the scaffold described in this application.

In one special embodiment, the platform of the scaffold described above further includes at least one compartment. The at least one compartment prevent tools and materials placed on the platform from inadvertently rolling or falling off the platform.

One or more planks can be used to selectively cover the at least one compartment of the platform, thereby providing an even surface on the platform. This prevents work crew from tripping on an uneven platform.

This application also provides a method for constructing or deploying a scaffold for a building.

The method includes providing a hollow body with an open top surface having an flat section and an angled section, at least two supporting surfaces configured to bear the weight of the scaffold when the scaffold is deployed, and at least one anchor point arranged to allow the hollow body to be hoisted when the scaffold is being deployed.

A hoist is rigged to the at least one anchor point. The hollow body is then hoisted into a position where the at least two supporting surfaces contacts or rests on other fixed structures at a work site, such that the at least two supporting surfaces bears the weight of the scaffold. The other fixed structures at the work site can be a slope, a bank, or a side of a building.

A platform is then arranged to cover the flat section of the open top surface. The uncovered angled section of the open top surface provides access to the space in the hollow body.

An accessing means is then arranged on a side of the hollow body to provide work crew with access to the platform, which can be at a height from the ground when the scaffold is deployed.

Compared to a conventional method of constructing a scaffold from the ground up, the method of providing a scaffold described above requires less work time to deploy, build or set up.

Fig. 1 illustrates an improved scaffold that has been deployed at a work site for supporting a work crew and materials.

In the following description, details are provided to describe embodiments of the application. It shall be apparent to one skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without such details.

Some embodiments have similar parts. The similar parts may have the same names or similar part reference numerals with an alphabet or prime symbol. The description of one similar part also applies by reference to another similar part, where appropriate, thereby reducing repetition of text without limiting the disclosure.

Fig. 1 shows an improved scaffold 10 that includes a hollow body 20, a platform 30, and an accessing means 40.

In detail, the hollow body 20 includes an open top surface 21, two supporting surfaces 27, and two anchor points 29.

The open top surface 21 includes a flat section 23 and an angled section 25. The open top surface 21 provides access to a space within the hollow body 20. The flat section 23 of the open top surface 21 is parallel to the ground when the scaffold 10 is deployed. The angled section 25 is set at an angle relative to the flat section 23.

Referring to the two supporting surfaces 27, they are configured to rest against other fixed structures present at a work site, such as a side of a building, a bank, or slope, when the scaffold 10 is deployed at the work site. The two supporting surfaces 27 are adapted to support the weight of the scaffold 10 when they are resting against or in contact with these other fixed structures that are present at the work site.

As shown in Fig. 1, one supporting surface 27 is configured to be at an angle relative to the ground, so to match a gradient of a slope it is resting on or in contact with, whilst the other supporting surface 27 is configured to be perpendicular relative to the ground, so as to match the gradient of a building it is resting on or in contact with.

This configuration of the two supporting surfaces 27 provides a maximum area of contact between the two supporting surfaces 27, the slope and the building. This enables the weight of the scaffold 10 to be distributed over large surface areas of the two supporting surfaces 27.

In other words, the angle of a supporting surface 27 corresponds to the gradient of a fixed structure it is designed to rest upon when deployed at the work site, so as to provide a large area of contact between the supporting surface 27 and the corresponding fixed structure. This is done so as to allow the weight of the scaffold 10 to be distributed over a large surface of the supporting surface 27 when the scaffold 10 is deployed.

Two anchor points 29 are provided on the hollow body. One anchor point 29 is disposed on a side of the hollow body 20 as shown in Fig. 1. Another anchor point 29 is disposed on the opposing side of the hollow body 20, that is not shown in Fig. 1. The arrangement of the two anchor points 29 on the hollow body 20 allows a hoist to be rigged to the hollow body 20 for lifting or hoisting the hollow body 20.

With reference to the platform 30, it is configured to cover the flat section 23 of the open top surface 21, thereby providing a surface for a work crew to stand on and for tools or materials to be placed. The angled section 25 of the open top surface 21 that is not covered by the platform 30 provides the work crew with access to the space within the hollow body 20. The space within the hollow body 20 can be used to store tools or materials without cluttering up the platform 30.

The platform 30 includes a plurality of compartments 32 for holding or placing tools and materials. The plurality of compartments 32 prevent tools and materials from inadvertently rolling and falling off the platform. Planks 35 are used to selectively cover at least one compartment 32 of the platform 30, so as to provide an even surface for the work crew to stand and work on.

With reference to the accessing means 40, it is removably arranged at a side of the hollow body 20. As shown in Fig. 1, the accessing means 40 is a ladder. The ladder provides work crew with the means to access the platform 30, which can be at a height from the ground.

In use, the scaffold 10 is first deployed at a work site.

The scaffold 10 is deployed by rigging a hoist to the two anchor points 29 of the hollow body 20. The hollow body 20 is then hoisted and positioned between other fixed structures present at the work site, such that the two supporting surfaces 27 of the hollow body 20 rest against or contact the other fixed structures as shown in Fig. 1.

The hollow body 20 is then released from the hoist, and is thereafter held in its position by the contact between the two supporting surfaces 27 and the other fixed structures.

The platform 30 is then arranged to cover the flat section 23 of the open top surface 21.

The accessing means 40 is then attached or positioned next to the hollow body 20 for providing work crew with access to the platform 30.

REFERENCE NUMBERS

scaffold hollow body 21 open top surface 23 flat section angled section 27 supporting surface 29 anchor point platform 32 compartment plank accessing means

Claims

Claims 1. A scaffold (10) for a building comprising -a hollow body (20) with -an open top surface (21) having an flat section (23) and an angled section (25), - at least two supporting surfaces (27) configured to bear the weight of the scaffold (10) when the scaffold (10) is deployed, and -at least one anchor point (29) arranged to allow the hollow body (20) to be hoisted when the scaffold (10) is being deployed, -a platform (30) arranged to cover the flat section (23) such that the angled section (25) provides access to a space in the hollow body (20), and -an accessing means (40) arranged to provide access to the platform (30).
2. A scaffold (10) for a building according to claim 1 wherein -the platform (30) comprises at least one compartment (32).
3. A scaffold (10) for a building according to claim 2 further comprising - at least one plank (35) selectively arranged to cover the at least one compartment (32) such that an even surface is provided on the platform (30).
4. A method for constructing a scaffold (10) for a building comprising -providing a hollow body (20) with - an open top surface (21) having an flat section (23) and an angled section (25), - at least two supporting surfaces (27) configured to bear the weight of the scaffold (10) when the scaffold (10) is deployed, and -at least one anchor point (29) arranged to allow the hollow body (20) to be hoisted when the scaffold (10) is being deployed, -rigging a hoist to the at least one anchor point (29) and hoisting the hollow body (20) into a position such that the at least two supporting surfaces (27) bears the weight of the scaffold (10), -arranging a platform (30) to cover the flat section (23) of the open top surface (21), such that the angled section (25) of the open top surface (21) provides access to a space in the hollow body (20), and -arranging an accessing means (40) on a side of the hollow body (20), so as to provide access to the platform (30).