AU660839B2 - A gallery - Google Patents

Description

-1- A GALLERY TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to galleries and more particularly but not exclusively to conveyor galleries.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Described in Australian Patent 601772, is a conveyor gallery consisting of a floor from which there upwardly extends hoops having arcuate tops. The sides of the hoops are transversely spaced so that the hoops straddle the conveyor extending along the gallery. Corrugated metal sheeting is fixed to the hoops so as to extend longitudinally of the gallery. The hoops have an external surface shaped to cooperate with the profile of the corrugated sheet. The corrugated sheets are structural members of the gallery.

This previously known gallery is not easily adapted to manufacture 15 galleries of different widths.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is disclosed herein a gallery comprising: an elongated base having longitudinal sides; frame members extending upwardly from the base, the frame members being arranged in two sets, each set being arranged along a respective 25side of the base so as to be located at spaced locations therealong, each member having a lower portion fixed stationary to the base and extending upwardly therefrom to an arcuate upper portion having an upper terminal extremity, the two sets of members being oriented so that the upper portions converge transversely of the base; and structural corrugated sheet members extending along the sides of the gallery and being fixed to the members, each sheet being corrugated so as to have longitudinally extending ridges and valleys and being adapted to provide the gallery with a first moment of Inertia to resist bending of the gallery about an axis transverse of the gallery.

Preferably the base provides a floor which may be of concrete or steel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by AP" kY way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: -2- Figure 1 is a schematic end elevation of a portion of a conveyor gallery; Figure 2 is a schematic end elevation of a roof to be employed with the gallery of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic end elevation of an assembly of the gallery and roof of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a schematic end elevation of a modification of the conveyor gallery of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a schematic top plan view of a floor to be employed in either the gallery of Figure 1 or Figure 4; Figure 6 is a schematic end elevation of the floor of Figure Figure 7 is a schematic end elevation of a still further floor which could be employed in the gallery of Figure 1 or the gallery of Figure 4; Figure 8 is a schematic top plan view of a molded concrete floor for use in the gallery of Figure 1 or Figure 4; Figure 9 is a schematic end elevation of the floor of Figure 8 sectioned along the line A-A; and 0Figure 10 is a schematic end elevation of the floor of Figure 8 sectioned along the line B-B of Figure 8.

In Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a gallery 10, which in this embodiment is a conveyor gallery. However it should be appreciated that the gallery has other purposes and may be merely used as a walkway or other similar 25 bridging structure.

The gallery 10 is elongated and includes a longitudinally extending base 11 which may provide a floor. For example in this embodiment, the base 11 has transverse beams 12 and longitudinally extending beams 13, upon which there rests floor sheeting 14. As an alternative the beams 12 and 13 may be replaced with a floor consisting of a concrete sheet member. If the gallery 10 is to be used as a conveyor gallery, the conveyor supports would rest upon the base 11. Along each side of the base 11 there is arranged upwardly extending frame members 15. The frame members 15 are arranged in two sets with each set being associated with a particular side of the gallery 10. Each set of members 15 is located at longitudinally spaced locations along the base 11 and is fixed thereto by LMM/924t -3way of the transverse members 12. More particularly the frame members are attached to the extremities of the transverse members 12.

A steel plate 16 extends longitudinally along the gallery 10 and is fixed to the frame members 15 of the gallery 10. Also fixed to the frame members 15 is one or more corrugated metal sheets 17 which have longitudinally extending ridges 18 and valleys 19. The valleys 19 are fixed to the frame members The frame members 15 are of a channel transverse cross section with the valleys 19 being fixed to the base (web) of the channel section.

The frame members 15 are arranged in pairs, so that a frame member from each side is transversely aligned with a frame member on the other side, with the aligned pairs of members 15 having their upper portions converging transversely of the base II.

A brace 20 extends between pairs of aligned members 15 to inhibit relative movement between the members 15 of each pair in a direction transverse of the gallery Also extending between adjacent members 15 are longitudinal braces 21 which may also be of a channel transverse cross section.

Preferably the plate 16 would be 300mm to 600mm high and approximately 5mm to 15mm in thickness. Preferably the plate is 300mm high and '1I0mm thick. The metal sheets 16 are preferably between 0.8mm and 3mm in thickness.

The above discussed gallery 10 is of an economical configuration to manufacture as the upper arcuate 22 of the sheet 17, together with the lower portion 23 of the sheet 17 provide the gallery 10 with a first moment of inertia to resist bending of the gallery 10 about an axis extending transverse of the longitudinal axis of the gallery By having the frame members 15 with an upper terminal extremity 24, the gallery 10 may be manufactured in a variety of widths without the necessity of producing different sides for each different width of gallery. That is, the frame members 15 may be employed with any width gallery, together with the sheets 17. This permits the manufacture of sub-assemblies 7, such as sides.

It should be appreciated that the gallery 10 need not necessarily be provided with a roof, as the gallery 10 is self sufficient In terms of withstanding stresses that it may be subjected to. However In Figure 2 there is schematically depicted a roof 40 which can be used with the gallery 10. The roof 40 consists of roof irame members 41, which are of Bd~yP~' ~;~j5AI~ ~Fq /924t 4 a V configuration having an apex 42. The members 41 would be spaced longitudinally along the gallery 10 and would be fixed to the extremities 24, via the extremities 43 of the members 41. Roof sheeting 44 would be fixed to the members 41 to provide a weatherproof enclosure. A plate is also fixed to each member 41 adjacent its apex 42, Extending longitudinally of the roof 40 are longitudinal brace members 46.

Hhen constructing a gallery 10, standard wall sections may be manufactured and attached to a base 11 of suitable width. A rol.f would then be manufactured for the particular aperture existing between the two sides of the gallery. However it should be appreciated that the gallery need not be provided with a roof.

It may also be preferable to provide the base 11 with a floor of open metal mesh, or where noise is a problem, the floor may be formed of concrete sheeting.

15 Preferably w"?re several galleries are butted end to end to form an elongated gallery assembly, some of galleries 10 would be supported intermediate their ends.

In Figure.4 there is an alternative construction of the gallery of Figure I. The basic items of the gallery of Figure 1 also appearing in the gallery of Figure 4, have been given the same reference numerals.

In this particular embodiment, the frame members 15 have upper arcuate portions 60 each provided with a flange 61. Extending between each transversely aligned pair of flanges 61 is transverse beam 62.

Vertical members 63 can extend therefrom if needed.

25 In this embodiment, a roof sheet 64 is provided, which roof sheet 64 is of an arcuate configuration to conform to the arc of the portions The roof sheet 64 may be opaque or permit light to pass therethrough. The roof sheet 64 would be secured to the metal sheet 16.

In this regard it should be appreciated that the metal sheet 16 extends the full height of the members In Figure 5 and 6, there is schematically depicted a metal floor panel 70 that may be used as a floor in the gallery of Figure 1 or Figure 2. Preferably the floor panels would be galvanised. Transverse ribs or bars 71 would be provided to inhibit slipping on the floor surface.

In Figure 7 a schematic end elevation of the floor panel 70 is illustrated. In this particular embodiment the floor panel 70 could consist of three longitudinal channel portions 80 secured to longitudinal side beams 81.

LMM/924t In Figure 8 there is schemtically depicted a floor panel 90. The floor panel 90 would be cast from concrete and would be reinforced with longitudinally extending and transversely extending bars. Preferably the floor panel 90 would be cast within a metal frame, which frame would then be bolted to the side members 81.

e: LMM/924t

Claims (6)

1. A gallery comprising: an elongated base having longitudinal sides; frame members extending upwardly from the base, the frame members being arranged in two sets, each set being arranged along a respective side of the base so as to be located at spaced locations therealong, each member having a lower portion fixedt~-i the ase and extending upwardly therefrom to an arcuate upper portion having an upper terminal extremity, the two sets of members being oriented so that the upper portions converge transversely of the base; and stuctural corrugated sheet members extending along the sides of the gallery and being fixed to the members, each sheet being corrugated so as to have longitudinally extending ridges and valleys and being adapted to provide the gallery with a first moment of inertia to resist bending of the gallery about an axis transverse of the gallery.

2. The gallery of claim 1, wherein said gallery is provided with a precast parnel fixed to the longitudinal sides of the gallery.

3. The gallery of claim 1 or claim 2, further including a roof member secured to the upper extremities. 20

4. The gallery of claim 1, 2 or 3, further including a brace extending between the upper extremities of each pair of members.

The gallery of claim 1 or 2, further including a floor panel supported by transverse and longitudinal beams.

6. A gallery substantially as hereinbefore described with 25 reference to Figures 1 to 3 or Figure 4 in conjunction with Figures 5, 6 and 7, or Figures 8, 9 and DATED this TWENTY-NINTH day of MARCH 1995 A P E W Down Engineering (NSW) Pty Ltd Patent Attorneys for the Applicant SPRUSON FERGUSON LMM/924t I A GALLERY ABSTRACT A conveyor gallery (10) having a longitudinally extending base Fixed to the base (11) are upwardly extending frame members which are arranged transversely in pairs. The upper end of each frame member (17) has an arcuate portion extending to a terminal extremity A roof (40) may then be secured to the terminal extremities. Fig. 3 e a e 9 6e LMM/924t