IE851540L

IE851540L - Scaffolding member

Info

Publication number: IE851540L
Application number: IE154085A
Authority: IE
Original assignee: Leada Ltd
Priority date: 1984-06-28
Filing date: 1985-06-20
Publication date: 1985-12-28
Also published as: GB8416449D0; GB2160947A; GB2160947B; IE56683B1

Description

This invention relates to scaffolding members, in particular one forming part of a ledger or transom arrangement.

All known ledgers and transom scaffold members lack the versatility of being both securely attachable to an upright scaffold member when in an operative position and easily detachable from the upright thereafter.

The object of the invention is to overcome or mitigate this problem.

In accordance with the invention, a scaffolding member comprises a dependent spigot adapted to be inserted in use into a socket provided on an upright scaffold member, and a wedge retained to the spigot but movable relative to the spigot between an operative position substantially parallel to the spigot in which in use the wedge engages a wedge-engaging face of the spigot and a corresponding wedge-engaging face of the socket to retain the spigot in the socket and an inoperative retracted position in which the wedge is supported above the spigot, substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the spigot.

For the avoidance of any possible doubt, we consider a scaffold element adapted to be a transom, or ledger or the like in use, and having a scaffolding member according to the invention attached to at least one of its ends to be within the scope of tlie inventive concept. Similarly a scaffolding joint between such an element and an upright scaffolding member is merely the invention when in use. 3 Such a scaffolding member provides firstly secure attachment of the scaffold member and hence a ledger or transom to an upright scaffold member, and secondly for the complete withdrawal of the wedge from the socket 5 region and support for the wedge in the withdrawn t position, thereby allowing subsequent easy withdrawal of the dependent spigot member from the socket. 4, Preferably, the dependent spigot comprises a spigot portion which is adapted to be inserted within 10 the socket and a housing portion which is adapted to engage the outer wall of the upright scaffold. The housing portion suitably surrounds the wedge both in its operative and inoperative positions. In the inoperative position, the wedge is contained by part of 15 the housing which is upstanding from the upper surface of a transom or ledger member to which the scaffolding member is connected in use to form the transom or ledger arrangement. This allours the wedge to lie in its inoperative position in a direction transverse to 20 the upright scaffold and in particular on the upper surface of the transom or ledger member.

This upstanding housing portion is suitably provided with a slot through which the wedge extends, the wedge being held captive in the slot by the 2 5 provision of a traverse pin passing through the bottom of the wedge. Preferably the slot is right-angled in shape and configuration, to allow the wedge to extend «9 i 4 therethrough whether in its operative or inoperative position.

The inner dimensions of the housing portion is greater than the width of the pin member on the wedge 5 such that the wedge is movable within the whole length of the housing.

The scaffolding member may be provided with a connecting member, to enable it to be attached to the end of a transom or ledger. Preferably, this 10 connecting member is designed to engage in the open end of a ledger or transom tube and is integral with the housing portion.

Advantageously, the outer surface of the housing portion is provided with a ledge element so 15 that the scaffolding member may be supported in use by the socket.

This invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a scaffold member in accordance with the invention, shown in its operative position and within a socket of an upright scaffold member, Figure 2 is an identical side view of the 25 member of Figure 1, but shown in its retracted position and within the socket of the upright scaffold member.

Figure 3 is a front view of the member of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the 5 member of Figure 1, as taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 1, and Figure 5 is a plan view of the member of Figure 1 within the socket of the upright scaffold member.

In the drawings, a scaffold member 10 is shown 10 connected to a ledger tube 12, the member 10 comprising a dependent spigot member 14 attached to the outer end of the ledger 12, and a wedge 16 positioned between the outer end of the ledger 12 and the spigot member 14. The spigot member 14 is formed of a spigot portion 15 15 and an integral housing portion 22.

The spigot 15 and wedge 16 are shown positioned within a socket 18 of an upright scaffold member 20 with the member 10 in a secured position (see Figure 1). When the member is in a disengageable position, 20 the spigot 15 remains within the socket 18, but the wedge is withdrawn and laid horizontally on top of the ledger 12 (see Figure 2).

In the locked position, the outer face 14a of the spigot member is flush and adjacent to the upright 25 member 20 while the inner face 16a of the wedge is 6 flush and adjacent the outer end of the socket 18.

The inner face 14b of the spigot member and outer face 16b of the wedge meanwhile are both inclined at the same angle but in opposite senses to each other, * so as to wedge together. i The housing 22 is hollow, and arranged to surround the mid portion of the wedge 16 when the wedge is in its operative position. The housing 22 extends above the top surface of the ledger 12 to act as a 10 retaining member for the wedge 16 when in its retracted position.

A slot 24 is provided in the portion of the housing 22 that extends above the ledger 12, the slot 24 having a right-angled shape (see Figures 1 and 2).

IS The slot 24 is shaped so that the wedge 16 can extend through the upper surface of the housing 22 when in its operative position and so that the wedge 16 can extend through the right hand side of the top portion of the housing 22 when in its retracted position and laid 20 across the top of the ledger 12.

The wedge 16 is held captive in the housing when in its retracted position by a pin member 26 extending through the lower portion of the wedge 16. r Specifically, the width of the pin is greater than the 25 width of the slot 24 so that the lower end of the wedge , 16 is held captive within the upper portion of the housing 22. To allow free passage of the pin member 26 within the housing 22, the width of the inside (see 28) of the housing 22 is slightly greater than the width of 5 the pin member 26.

The outer side of the housing 22 is provided with a ridge or ledge 30 which, when the spigot 15 and wedge 16 are placed in the socket 18, rest on the top of the socket 18 and give extra stability to the whole 10 arrangement.

The housing 22 includes a transverse plate member 32 to which an inner member 34 is integrally connected. This inner member 34 extends within the ledger 12 and comprises two end plates 36 and 38, and a 15 central horizontally disposed flanged portion 40 therebetween.

The plates 36 and 38 are provided with four series of external grooves (46, 48, 50 and 52) symmetrical about the longitudinal axis of the inner 20 member 34, which are used to accommodate weld ridges 42 provided on the inner surface of the tubular ledger 12, in order to secure the scaffolding member 10 to the ledger 12. Advantageously, this arrangement provides for the secure and rigid attachment of the spigot 15 to 8 the ledger as the relatively long inner member 34 disperses the stresses and loads acting on the scaffold over the length of the member 34.

Alternatively, the housing 22 includes a 5 transverse plate member of slightly larger diameter than the transverse plate 32 shown in the drawings, to which the ledger 12 is directly welded with an automatically welded circumferential fillet weld. In this embodiment, secure and rigid attachment of the 10 spigot 15 to the ledger is provided without the need for an inner member 34. 9

Claims

1. A scaffolding member comprising a dependent spigot adapted to be inserted in use into a socket provided on an upright scaffold member, and a wedge retained to the spigot but movable relative to the spigot between an operative position substantially parallel to the spigot in which in use the wedge engages a wedge-engaging face of the spigot and a corresponding wedge-engaging face of the socket to retain the spigot in the socket and an inoperative retracted position in which the wedge is supported above the spigot, substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the spigot.

2. A scaffolding member according to claim 1 in which the dependent spigot comprises a spigot portion which is adapted to be inserted within the socket and a housing portion which is adapted to engage the outer wall of the upright scaffold member when the scaffolding member is in use.

3. A scaffolding member according to claim 2 in which at least part of the wedge is within the housing portion both in the operative and inoperative position of the wedge.

4. A scaffolding member according to claim 2 or claim 3 in which the housing portion is provided with a slot through which the wedge extends, the wedge being held captive in the slot by the provision of a pin member on the wedge.

5. A scaffolding member according to claim 4 in which the slot is right-angled in shape and configuration. n 0

6. A scaffolding member according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the inner dimension of the housing portion is greater than the width of the pin member on the wedge. 5

7. A scaffolding member according to any preceding claim in which the outer surface of the housing portion is provided with a ledge element.

8. A scaffolding member according to claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 10

9. A scaffold element adapted in use to be a transom or ledger or the like, said scaffold element being provided at at least one of its ends with a scaffolding member according to any one of claims 1 to 8. 15

10. A scaffold element according to claim 9 in which the scaffolding member is as claimed in claim 2 or any of claims 3 to 7 as they depend from claim 2, and in which at least a part of the wedge in its inoperative position is within a part of the housing portion which 20 is upstanding from the upper surface of the scaffold element.

11. A scaffold element according to claim 9 or claim 10 in which the wedge lies on an upper surface of the scaffolding element in its inoperative position. 25

12. A scaffold element according to claim 11 in which when the wedge is in its inoperative position it extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the scaffold element. i 1

13. A scaffold element aocxitding to claim 9 adapted in use to be a transom or ledger substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A releasable scaffolding joint between an upright scaffold member provided with a socket, and a transom or ledger member provided at at least one of its ends with a scaffolding member comprising a dependent spigot adapted to be inserted into the socket and a wedge also adapted to be inserted into the socket, the wedge being retained to the spigot but being movable relative to the assembled socket and spigot betveen an operative position substantially parallel to the spigot in which the wedge engages a wedge-engaging face of the spigot and a corresponding wedge-engaging face of the socket to retain the transom or ledger member to the upright scaffold member and an inoperative retracted position in which the wedge is withdrawn from the socket and is supported above the spigot substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the spigot, the transom or ledger member being separable from the upright scaffold member when the wedge is in its inoperative position.

15. A scaffolding joint according claim 14 in which the dependent spigot comprises a spigot portion which is adapted to be inserted within the socket and a housing portion which is adapted to engage the outer wall of the upright scaffold member.

16. A scaffolding joint according to claim 15 in which at least part of the wedge is within the housing portion in the operative and inoperative positions of the wedge.

17. A scaffolding joint according to claim 15 or claim 16 in which at least a part of the wedge in its inoperative position is within a part of the housing portion which is upstanding from an upper surface of the transom or ledger member.

18. A scaffolding joint according to claim 17 in which the wedge lies in its inoperative position on the upper surface of the transom or ledger member.

19. A scaffolding joint according to claim 18 in which the wedge lies substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the transom or ledger member when it is in its inoperative position.

20. A scaffolding joint according to any one of claims 15 to 19 in which the housing portion is provided with a slot through which the wedge extends, the wedge being held captive in the slot, by the provision of a pin member on the wedge.

21. A scaffolding joint according to claim 20 in which the slot is right-angled in shape and configuration.

22. A scaffolding joint according to claim 20 or claim 21 in which the inner dimension of the housing portion is greater than the width of the pin member on the wedge.

23. A scaffolding joint according to any one of claims 14 to 22 in which the outer surface of the housing portion is provided with a ledge element.

24 . A scaffolding joint according to claim 14 substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. F.R. KELLY & CO., AGENTS FOR THE APPLICANTS.