GB2589924A

GB2589924A - Floor guide for a climbing screen

Info

Publication number: GB2589924A
Application number: GB1918409.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Taylor Mark
Original assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Current assignee: Ischebeck Titan Ltd
Priority date: 2019-12-13
Filing date: 2019-12-13
Publication date: 2021-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2039-12-13
Also published as: GB201918409D0; GB2589924B

Abstract

The floor guide comprises a support 4 attachable to a floor 3. A first end 4a is attached to the floor and a second end 4b is attached to a vertical climbing rail 101 of the screen. The second end includes a pair of shoes 5 for attaching the support to the rail. The shoes may include pivotally retractable hooks 6 which engage the rail and support the vertical load of the climbing screen. The climbing shoes may include a pair of claws. Also claimed is a climbing screen system comprising the floor guide. Also claimed is a screen support comprising two or more floor guides and a rail and a climbing screen. The support may be tapered and be of a triangular form but may be formed of multiple parts joined together.

Description

Floor guide for a climbing screen The present disclosure relates to a floor guide for a climbing screen, and to a climbing screen support system and a climbing screen system, which comprise one or more of the floor guides.

In modern construction, particularly in the construction of high rise buildings it is common to have a central core, which houses lift shafts and stair wells and which provides support to the floors of the construction, wherein the central core and floors are formed by poured concrete. Such structures commonly have no external walls. During large periods of construction therefore, the floors remain open at their edges. It is only when a facade is introduced that the perimeter of the building is enclosed. Such open floors cause numerous health and safety risks. Workers operating on the exposed floors of the construction are at risk of falling from the construction.

Workers or members of the public on the ground are at risk from tools, equipment or debris falling from the exposed floors.

It is known to provide safety screens, which extend around at least a portion of the perimeter of constructions, which effectively provide a temporary facade, and advantageously provide safe working platforms spaced outwardly from the floors. These safety screens are advantageously moveable vertically to protect the perimeter of any required floor as the construction progresses. Such screens are commonly referred to as "climbing screens". Movement of the climbing screens up the construction may be effected either by crane or by hydraulic lifting equipment located on floors of the construction.

These climbing screens typically comprise a climbing rail and a safety screen. The climbing rail is engaged, in use, by floor guides (otherwise referred to as needles or climbing screen supports), which project outwardly from the edges of the floors. The floor guides allow translation of the climbing screen along the construction and are further operable to lock the position of the climbing screen adjacent appropriate floors during use.

Typically the floor guides are fixed to the upper surfaces of floor slabs, which define the floors, and cantilever horizontally outwardly from the edges of the floors. A problem arises, however, in brick faced buildings. There is a desire to close off the floors, by building the brick façade whilst work is taking place to fit out the respective floors. However, conventional floor guides obstruct the construction of the facade.

The present invention arose in a bid to provide an improved floor guide addressing the problems with the prior art.

According to the present invention in a first aspect, there is provided a floor guide for a climbing screen, the floor guide comprising: a support attachable to a floor of a construction, the support comprising, in use, a first end portion for attachment to the floor and a second end portion spaced horizontally from the first end portion, wherein the second end portion comprises a pair of vertically spaced climbing shoes attached thereto for engaging a climbing rail of the climbing screen.

By virtue of the provision of a pair of vertically spaced climbing shoes for (simultaneously) engaging the climbing rail, the support acts like a triangulated brace. The load to be supported at the floor (i.e. floor slab) is substantially a vertical shear load. It becomes possible to fix the support to a vertical outer face of the floor.

There is no obstruction to work as with the prior art cantilevered floor guides.

According to the present invention in further aspects, there are provided a climbing screen support system comprising one or more floor guides as detailed above; and a climbing screen system comprising a climbing screen and one or more of the floor guides as detailed above.

Further, preferred, features are provided in the dependent claims.

Non-limiting embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a side view of a climbing screen system on a construction, which system comprises a climbing screen support system, which comprises a plurality of floor guides, and a climbing screen; and Figure 2 shows an enlarged view of one of the floor guides shown in Figure 1.

The climbing screen system of Figure 1 comprises a climbing screen support system 1 and a climbing screen 100. The climbing screen is shown mounted to a construction 200 using the climbing screen support system 1. The climbing screen support system comprises at least two floor guides 2. There will generally be at least four floor guides, with two or more floor guides on each of two floors 3. The two floors 3 will typically be immediately adjacent floors.

Three floors 3 of the construction are shown. However, there will clearly be a number of further floors 3, which are omitted from Figure 1 for clarity. With reference to Figure 1, the bottom floor shown may be considered to be floor one, with floors two and three provided above in sequence. The floor guides are provided on floors two and three.

Whilst the floor guides 2 of the climbing screen support system 1 of the 20 present embodiment may be used with numerous forms of climbing screen, the climbing screen 100 of Figure 1 will briefly be discussed below.

The climbing screen is a rigid self-supporting structure, which comprises at least two climbing rails 101 and a safety screen 102.

The climbing rails 101 are adapted to engage the floor guides 2 of the climbing screen support system 1, which floor guides 2 project outwardly from the edges of the floors 3 of the construction 200, as shown. The climbing screen 100 may be translated vertically up the construction 200 either by use of a crane or by using a self-climbing mechanism, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.

The safety screen 102 comprises longitudinally extending screen support members 103, a plurality of screen panel support brackets 104 and a plurality of screen panels 105. Other configurations will, of course, be possible and the safety screen is not to be limited to such construction.

Each of the screen support members 103 is paired with a respective one of the climbing rails 101. The paired climbing rails and screen support members are parallel to one another and in alignment with one another, extending vertically in use. The screen support members 103 lie outwardly of the climbing rails in use On a direction away from the construction) is spaced relation thereto. The paired climbing rails and screen support members are joined to one another by a plurality of support elements 106 that are fixed thereto and extend therebetween. A number of the support elements support platforms 107, which in turn are adapted to support work surfaces 108. Also extending between the paired climbing rails and screen support members are a plurality of tie braces 109, which provide increased rigidity to the climbing screen 100. Each tie brace extends at an oblique angle relative to the climbing rails and screen support members. The tie braces are preferably provided in pairs that cross with one another and combine to form an X-shape, as seen in Figure 1.

The number and configuration of support elements 106 and tie braces 109 is not limited. More or less support elements and tie braces may be provided, and in various configurations.

Attached to the vertically extending screen support members 103 are the plurality of screen panel support brackets 104, which support the plurality of screen panels 105, which panels close off the open perimeter of the floors of the construction and prevent injury to workers on the floors or those on the ground. The screen panels 105 may be rigid mesh panels or similar.

The floor guides 2 and the climbing screen support system 1 comprising those supports will now be considered in greater detail.

Figure 2 shows a close up view of a floor guide 2 in use. The floor guide 2 comprises a support 4. The support 4 is fixed to a floor of a construction. Specifically, the floor guide is fixed to an outer vertical edge of the floor, i.e. an outer vertical edge of the floor slab that defines the floor. The support 4 comprises a first end portion 4a that is attached to the floor 3 and a second end portion 4b spaced horizontally from the first end portion 4a. The second end portion 4b comprises a pair of vertically spaced climbing shoes 5 attached thereto for engaging the climbing rail 101 of the climbing screen 100.

The shoes 5 may take any conventional form, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. In the present arrangement, by way of example, they each comprise a pair of claws arranged to grasp the climbing rail 101 The shoes 5 may or may not comprise further elements. The claws are preferably pivotable about axes that extend parallel to the climbing rail 101. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the form of the shoes may be adapted as appropriate to suitably engage the specific form of climbing rail 101 that they are to engage. The shoes 5 support a horizontal load of the climbing screen and may take any form for this purpose. They prevent horizontal movement of the climbing rail. The shoes 5 may take horizontal load only with vertical load being supported separately by the support 4. They may otherwise also support vertical load and be suitably arranged for this purpose, as mentioned below.

In the present arrangement, the upper shoe 5 further comprises a hook 6, which is mounted between the pair of claws. The hook is arranged to support a vertical load of the climbing screen. In alternative arrangements, the lower shoe 5 could comprise the hook 6 instead. Otherwise both the upper and lower shoes could comprise hooks 6. In yet further alternative arrangements, in line with the discussion above, the hook 6 may be provided on the support separately to the shoes. Irrespective of mounting position, the hook 6 may be fixed or movable. The hook 6 in the present arrangement is pivotally mounted to be movable between a retracted position in which it cannot engage the climbing rail and a deployed position (as seen in Figure 2) in which it can engage the climbing rail for supporting the vertical load of the climbing screen 100. A biasing means may be provided, which is arranged to urge the hook into the deployed position. The biasing means may comprise a spring. The hook may alternatively be biased under the effect of gravity. A latching mechanism may be provided for maintaining the hook in the retracted position. An exemplary latching mechanism comprises a catch that is biased towards a first position in which it can engage the hook itself or an element rotatable with the hook. The catch is preferably engageable automatically by pivotal movement of the hook from the deployed to the retracted position for maintaining the hook in the retracted position.

Considering the support, its form is not to be limited to that shown. The form of the support may be varied in numerous ways, as will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art. The support is shown to be formed in one piece, it is not to be so limited. It could be formed in multiple parts joined together. It may be solid. It may be open or hollow. It may comprise a plurality of frame members/struts.

Regardless of form, the frame is rigid.

In the present arrangement, the first end portion 4a has a smaller vertical dimension than the second end portion 4b. The support 4 is tapered between the first and second end portions 4a, 4b. It is generally triangular in form. Such a form may be implemented in alternative constructions, including those mentioned above. The shape of the support is not of great importance. The disclosed form is practical since it saves material and has sufficient strength. It should be noted, however, the support is not to be limited in this regard.

As best seen in Figure 2, the support 4 is attached to a vertical outer face 15 of the floor 3, which, as discussed, comprises a floor slab. This means of attachment eliminates any obstruction between the floor 3 and the immediately adjacent upper floor 3. The space between the floors 3 may, for example, be bricked up. By spacing the guide rail 101 away from the building a worker has sufficient space for the required construction work. The floor guide may space the climbing rail from the vertical outer face 15 of the floor 3 by 300mm or more, possibly 500mm or more. The distance in not to be limited and may be set as desired. The spacing is achievable by the triangular bracing effect of the floor guide 2 resulting from the vertically spaced shoes 5.

The means of attaching the support 4 to the vertical outer face of the floor 3 is not to be limited. It could be bolted directly or otherwise attached. A specific exemplary and non-limiting arrangement will be discussed with reference to Figure 2. The specific arrangement is not to be limiting in any way.

A horizontal cast anchor 7 is provided that protrudes outwardly horizontally from the vertical outer face of the floor. In the present arrangement, this comprises a threaded bar although it could take alternative forms. Attached to the threaded bar is a first support member 8 that is mounted on a protruding portion of the threaded bar and is held in place by a nut 9. The first support member comprises a base 10 that is fixed against the vertical outer face 15, a head portion 11 and a neck portion therebetween. The head portion has a greater diameter than the neck portion. The support 4 comprises a second support member 12 at the first end portion 4a, which comprises a plate having a width substantially equal to the spacing between the base and the head portion. The plate comprises a slot that is open at its bottom and closed at its top. The slot is preferably tapered to narrow towards its closed end.

The support 4 may be attached to the floor 2 by vertically lowering it to engage the second support member with the first support member.

Use of the climbing screen support system will now be discussed briefly. It is preferable that the supports 4 are attached to the climbing rail 101 prior to the climbing screen being mounted on the construction. The climbing screen may be crane lifted to the appropriate height and the floor guides may then be attached to the appropriate floors 3. Such attachment may be by bolting or by using an attachment mechanism as depicted and discussed above.

It should be noted that whilst the climbing screen is shown to be supported at its top in the present arrangement, such that it hangs down from the floor guides, there may be scenarios where it is instead supported at its bottom.

Claims

Claims 1. A floor guide for a climbing screen, the floor guide comprising: a support attachable to a floor of a construction, the support comprising, in use, a first end portion for attachment to the floor and a second end portion spaced horizontally from the first end portion, wherein the second end portion comprises a pair of vertically spaced climbing shoes attached thereto for engaging a climbing rail of the climbing screen.
2. A floor guide as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the climbing shoes each comprise a pair of claws.
3. A floor guide as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the claws are pivotable.
4. A floor guide as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the floor guide comprises one or more hooks for supporting a vertical load of the climbing screen.
5. A floor guide as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4 wherein either or both of the climbing shoes comprises a hook for supporting a vertical load of the climbing 20 screen.
6. A floor guide as claimed in Claim 4 or 5 wherein the or each hook is pivotally mounted to be movable between a retracted position in which it cannot engage the climbing rail and a deployed position in which it can engage the climbing rail for supporting the vertical load of the climbing screen.
7. A climbing screen system comprising a floor guide as claimed in any preceding claim, and a climbing screen, which comprises a climbing rail and a safety screen.
8. A climbing screen support system comprising two or more of the floor guides as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6.
9. A climbing screen system comprising a climbing screen support system as claimed in Claim 8, and a climbing screen, which comprises a climbing rail and a safety screen.