EP4183951B1 - Platform securing element, scaffolding and method for securing scaffolding platforms against lifting off - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a deck securing element for securing scaffold decks placed on horizontal support beams of a scaffold against unintentional lifting, for example due to the action of wind, comprising an elongated element body with wings for engaging over suspension hooks of the scaffold decks and one or more securing hooks, which is connected by an upper end to a lower side of the element body.

Scaffolding comprises a supporting structure made of vertical posts, horizontal beams extending transversely to these and usually along the wall of the building to be scaffolded, support beams extending horizontally but perpendicular to the horizontal beams, and diagonal beams to stiffen the scaffold against shear forces or deformations. The support beams, which are usually shorter than the horizontal beams, carry scaffolding decks which, as horizontal walkway units, enable the scaffolding to be walked on.

The scaffolding planks can be fixed to the support beams in an inherently lift-proof manner, for example by screwing them down. However, to save time when erecting the scaffolding, they are usually simply placed on the support beams or hung on them. They are then secured in five of six possible independent spatial directions without any further measures, but not in the sixth, namely upward direction. They can therefore be lifted up or down, whether intentionally or not. can also be lifted off the support beams relatively easily, even unintentionally, by overcoming their own weight. However, particularly with higher scaffolding or with buildings in exposed locations, it can often happen that upward air currents form on the scaffolded wall, which are strong enough to cause the scaffolding planks to unhook and lift off. This is a serious safety problem, not only because people on the scaffolding could become stranded there, but even more so because the scaffolding planks falling down could injure people.

Various anti-lifting measures are known in the state of the art.

It is often suggested to integrate such a lifting or unloading protection directly into the scaffolding deck, for example in the publications JPH 0886086 A , EP0737768A1 , WO 2008/121854 A1 , DE 29 807 439 U1 , DE 19 726 792 A1 , EN 10 2008 015 066 A1 or EN 10 2009 039 042 A1 The disadvantage of this approach, however, is that it makes the individual scaffolding decks more complex and therefore more prone to errors and more expensive. The same applies to the support beams in the US patent US6,761,247 B2 , in which the lifting protection is integrated in the form of a spring-loaded bracket held in a securing position, which is pulled manually against the spring force from the securing position into an open position when the scaffolding deck is laid down and released after laying down, whereupon it is moved back into the securing position by the spring force.

The FR2485598A3 suggests the use of triangular safety clamps which are inserted through aligned openings in the scaffold deck and the support beam on which it rests.

However, such a backup is very time-consuming. The same applies to the GB1400973A , IT1225601B and the EN 10 2018 2018 849 A1 presented solutions.

In the print US 2004/0050621 A1 A separate, elongated deck securing element is provided, with which several decks can be secured with one deck securing element. Specifically, it is proposed to clamp scaffold decks in the form of wooden boards between the supporting beam running underneath and a metal retaining strap, with the retaining strap being attached to the plug connection between two vertical posts, so that they can still be quickly and inadvertently lifted off by unauthorized persons.

The retaining strap must therefore be integrated when the scaffolding is being erected and can only be removed without causing damage when it is being dismantled, which significantly limits the flexibility when erecting and subsequently redesigning the scaffolding.

The two publications DE 19511847 A1 and EP736648B1 relate to a scaffolding which provides a deck securing element in the form of an excavation securing plate which runs above a support beam and rests on the deck end areas. The excavation securing plate comprises securing hooks which pass through securing openings with a slotted hole character in the floor support plate of the horizontal support beam, with the hook ends resting on the underside of the floor support plate, referred to as the securing surface. Alternatively, there are sliding securing pins protruding from the side of a double web which engage in L-shaped insertion openings of a securing plate which runs parallel to the support beam on the top of its floor support plate.

Subsequent installation is possible and provided for in both versions. However, due to their plate-shaped design, the covering securing elements are not rigid in longer versions and are therefore unwieldy to carry and install. In addition, the plate rests on the end areas of the coverings, which creates a potentially obstructive small step.

In the print WO 2019/161824 A1 A deck securing element is presented in the form of a narrow plate defining an axis with three vertically protruding web-like support bodies attached to the underside. The anti-lifting device is inserted with the support bodies into a U-profile beam and is secured there by means of a securing device in the form of a countered screw bolt or a quick-locking device in a securing groove in the profile beam. The anti-lifting device overlaps the hooks of the scaffold decks suspended on both sides in the U-profile beam and thus prevents them from lifting off. In contrast to the solution described above, a step is avoided because the anti-lifting device is completely accommodated in the free space remaining between the front sides of the decks and above the U-profile beam.

The disadvantage is that two securing devices are required, which can easily get lost as separate small parts and whose attachment takes time when installing the floor securing element. The locking structures of the securing devices are also hidden inside the U-profile support below the floor securing element, which means that they are not accessible in the event that they become permanently jammed. Due to the flat design of the horizontal plate of the anti-lifting device body the securing devices also protrude on the top. In longer versions of the covering securing element, this is stabilized by the support bodies, but these are then unwieldy due to the high weight.

In the published European patent application EP 0 874 109 A1 A device for securing a running surface of a scaffold against lifting is proposed, which comprises an upper support for placing on one or more fixing elements of the running surface attached to a crossbar of the scaffold and holding means which at least partially engage behind the crossbar in a secured position, wherein a slot is provided in the support for receiving a securing wedge which prevents the device from being moved out of the secured position.

Against this background, the present invention aims to provide a reliable means of securing scaffolding decks against lifting, which is easier to handle and quicker to implement than known solutions.

This object is achieved by a deck securing element according to claim 1, a scaffolding with such a deck securing element according to claim 7 and a method for securing scaffolding decks against lifting using such a securing element according to claim 9.

The significant improvement in handling and installation is achieved by the safety slide, which is inserted into an opening or recess in the element body and is held in place by a guide element is held so as to be displaceable between a release position and a safety position.

The installation of a deck securing element according to the invention, which can have one or more securing hooks, is carried out in such a way that first the securing hook(s) are inserted through corresponding openings in the support beam, so that the deck securing element assumes an initial or unlocking position in which it and thus also the scaffold decks are not secured, and then in the direction of the tip of the or the safety hook is moved to an end or locking position so that the hook tip(s) grip under (a) locking surface(s) on the underside or inside the day bar. Immediately after or almost at the same time as reaching the end position, the safety slide is moved from its unlocked position to a locking position in which it protrudes into a slider receiving opening in the support bar. In this end position, the wings on both sides of the long side of the deck securing element or its element body grip over the suspension hooks or means of the scaffolding decks so that they cannot leave the suspension position and are thus secured against lifting as required.

In contrast to some state-of-the-art solutions, the pad securing element can be removed at any time and only requires that the safety slide is pushed back from the securing position to the unlocking position and the pad securing element is pushed back in the direction opposite to the hook tips from its end or locking position to the initial or unlocking position and then lifted off the support bar.

In embodiments in which the support bar has the shape of a U-, V- or H-shaped (metal) profile, the covering securing element according to the invention can be designed in size and shape such that it is accommodated in the upwardly open cavity of the U, V or H, preferably without protruding above it, so that when installed it does not represent an additional tripping hazard, but on the contrary partially fills the interior of the profile or closes it off at the top.

The scaffolding according to the invention comprises, in addition to at least one deck securing element according to the invention, at least one support bar or support profile designed to interact with it. For this purpose, this must in particular be provided with suitable openings or recesses on the top for receiving the securing hooks, corresponding to the positions of the securing hooks on the underside of the element body. Furthermore, a slider holder on the top is required in a position where it is aligned with the slider recess of the deck securing element when the latter is in its locking position.

The combination of the safety hooks and the safety slider advantageously separates the functions of securing the deck securing element and thus the scaffolding decks against lifting and securing the deck securing element itself against (unintentional) longitudinal displacement into the unlocking position. This makes it possible, particularly by using more than one safety hook, to fix the deck securing element to several fixed points, such as two or three, on the support beam or profile and, on the other hand, to install it quickly, since this fixation can be carried out by simply moving it longitudinally between the unlocking position and the locking position at all fixed points at the same time. A single safety slider is then sufficient to prevent sliding back.

Removal and especially installation of the decking protection element according to the invention is therefore very quick and simple, without compromising on the main function, which is to protect the scaffolding decks from excavation.

Further preferred developments of the present invention, which can be implemented individually or in combination, can be found in the subclaims and will be described explicitly below.

The covering securing element can have a V- or U-shaped cross-section, which allows sufficient flexural rigidity with a lower weight. Such a cross-section, which can be adapted to the upwardly open cavity of the support profile, also advantageously reduces the length of the securing hooks and the securing slide, which also has a positive effect on the overall weight of the covering securing element.

The safety slide is preferably held so easily displaceable by the guide element that it falls from the unlocked position into the secured position under its own weight. This enables particularly simple and quick installation of the pad securing element according to the invention, since the step of inserting the safety slide into the slide holder takes place automatically.

The recess of the pad securing element containing the safety slide can basically be arranged anywhere on the element body. It must only be ensured that in the locking position of the pad securing element on or in the support bar, this has an opening that is aligned with the recess and can serve as a slider holder. Preferably, however, the recess is arranged directly next to the or one of the safety hooks. This spatial proximity makes it advantageously possible to open the support bar, into which this safety hook is inserted during installation, can also be used as a slider holder. For example, the safety slider can be positioned on the side of the safety hook opposite the hook tip, so that the slider contacts this side at least in the safety position.

According to the invention, the guide element consists of two plates or small plates fastened to opposite sides of the safety hook contacting the slide, which consist of a guide pin in the form of a bolt, screw or rivet running between the plates. In order to carry out its holding and guiding function, the guide pin passes through a guide slot in the safety slide, which means that it cannot be removed or lost and can be moved in its longitudinal direction as far as the length of the slot allows. If the safety slide rests on the side of the safety hook opposite the hook tip, this can also help to guide the slide. In this case, a guide pin with a round cross-section is sufficient. Otherwise, a guide pin with a square or rectangular cross-section is preferred to reduce the safety slide to a linear degree of freedom.

The safety slide can include a gripping aid to make it easier to grasp and move by hand or with a tool during removal and, if necessary, installation. This gripping aid can also include a hollow cylindrical element which is open at least on one end so that a tool, for example a screwdriver, can be inserted into it. whereby the sliding, in particular lifting, of the safety slide is even easier, which can make operation with gloved hands easier. Furthermore, an inner diameter of the hollow cylindrical gripping aid is preferably sufficiently dimensioned to be able to accommodate the tip of a carpenter's hammer and thus to allow the gripping aid to be grasped with this tool, which most scaffolding workers carry. At least the open interior of the gripping aid, but also its outer shape, can, at least at one open end, be a slightly curved, for example frustro-conical shape instead of an exact hollow cylinder, which makes it even easier to grasp the gripping aid quickly and easily with the tapered tip of a carpenter's hammer. The gripping aid is preferably attached to the upper end of the slider that protrudes above the top of the element body or forms this protruding upper end.

In particularly preferred embodiments of the scaffolding according to the invention, this comprises at least one deck securing element with a safety slide arranged directly next to one of the safety hooks, whereby the support bar provided for this deck securing element can also be designed more simply in that it does not have to have a separate slide holder. Instead, the same opening that also accommodates the safety hook can serve as the slide holder.

In preferred embodiments of the lining securing method according to the invention, the securing slide falls after reaching the end or locking position of the lining securing element in the In the last step, the pad automatically slides into the slider holder under its own weight. In particular, a pad securing element with a guide element comprising two plates or small plates attached to both sides of a securing hook and connected by a bolt, screw or rivet as a guide pin is used.

Further properties, features and advantages of the present invention emerge from the embodiments presented below with reference to the figures. However, these serve only to illustrate the invention and are not intended to limit its generality.

Figur 1A:

Eine Seitenansicht und einer bevorzugten Ausführungsform eines erfindungsgemäßen Belagsicherungselem ents.

Figur 1 B:

Ein erster Querschnitt der Ausführungsform aus Figur 1A.

Figur 1C:

Ein zweiter Querschnitt der Ausführungsform aus Figur 1A.

Figur 2A,B:

Zwei perspektivische Ansichten der bevorzugten Ausführungsform aus Figur 1A, aus welchen der Bewegungsspielraum des Sicherungsschiebers ersichtlich ist.

Figur 3A,B:

Eine perspektivische Ansicht sowie eine Draufsicht auf eines für die Verwendung mit der Belagsicherung der vorhergehenden Figuren geeigneten Tragprofils.

Figur 4A-E:

Perspektivische Ansichten eines (Ausschnitts eines) erfindungsgemäßen Baugerüsts, welche die Schritte des erfindungsgemäßen Verfahrens illustrieren.

Show it:

Figure 1A:

A side view of a preferred embodiment of a pad securing element according to the invention.

Figure 1B:

A first cross section of the embodiment of Figure 1A .

Figure 1C:

A second cross section of the embodiment from Figure 1A .

Figure 2A,B:

Two perspective views of the preferred embodiment of Figure 1A , from which the range of movement of the safety slide can be seen.

Figure 3A,B:

A perspective view and a plan view of a support profile suitable for use with the decking retainer of the previous figures.

Figure 4A-E:

Perspective views of (a section of) a scaffold according to the invention, which illustrate the steps of the method according to the invention.

In the Figure 1A - 2B various views of a preferred embodiment of a pad securing element according to the invention are shown.

As can be seen from this, the covering securing element 1 comprises an elongated element body 11, which comprises a V-shaped profile with wings 111 that bend downwards. On the underside of the element body 11, securing hooks 12 are attached in a mirror symmetry plane S at the lower vertex of the profile. The hooks 12 can be welded to the profile, which is preferably made of metal. Immediately behind one of the securing hooks 12 there is a receiving opening 10 into which the securing slide 13 is inserted. The securing slide 13 contacts with one side the slide side 123 of the one securing hook 12, which is opposite the hook tip 121, and can be moved linearly from an upper position to a lower position guided by the slide side and the guide element 14.

These two extreme positions of the slider are shown in the perspective views of the Figures 2A and 2B The former shows the upper position and the latter the lower position. As can be seen there and from the Figure 1A recognizable, there is also a gripping aid in the latter 131 of the slider 13 extends over the top of the element body 11, so that the slider 13 can be grasped from the top and pulled upwards by hand or with the help of a tool, such as a screwdriver or carpenter's hammer. Due to the guide pin 142 running between the guide plates 141 attached to both sides of the safety hook 12, which passes through the guide slot 130 in the body of the slider 13, the latter cannot be completely pulled out of the receiving opening 10 and removed, which prevents the slider from being lost. The slider is preferably held and guided by the guide element with sufficient play so that it can fall downwards under its own weight.

The Figures 3A and 3B show views of a support profile 21 suitable for interaction with the covering securing element according to the invention of the figures described above, which can be used as a support bar in a scaffold according to the invention. As shown there, it comprises a profile body of symmetrical construction with a wedge head 212 at each of the opposite ends and a box profile open at the top, on the bottom of which two slot-like hook receiving openings 210 are provided.

The Figures 4A - 4E show a section of a scaffolding according to the invention with a deck securing element according to the invention and at the same time illustrate the steps necessary for its assembly and thus the deck securing method according to the invention.

The scaffold 2 has a standard basic structure of vertical posts 23 and perforated discs 231 by means of their wedge heads 212 with these detachably connected support bars or support profiles 21 according to the embodiment according to the Figures 3A, 3B . Of course, different types of support beams can be used elsewhere on the scaffolding. Horizontal beams can also be installed perpendicular to the support profiles, but are not shown here for the sake of clarity.

As can be clearly seen in the cut-away view of the support profile in Figures 4A - 4D , scaffolding decks 22 are suspended on the upwardly pointing legs of the support profiles 21 by means of suspension hooks 221, which form a walking area for walking on the scaffold.

The Figure 4A shows a preparatory step in the assembly of the pad securing device according to the invention. A pad securing element 1 according to the Figures 1A - 2B is positioned above the support profile 21 with the securing hooks 12 pointing downwards, parallel to the support profile 21, so that the suspension hooks 12 can be inserted through the hook receiving openings 210. The slots 16 at both ends of the element body ensure that the covering securing element 1 can be pushed past the wedges 213.

The state then reached is in Figure 4B shown. In the initial or unlocking position shown there, the pad securing element with its wings 111 already overlaps the hooks 221, but does not yet secure them effectively because it is not locked.

For this purpose, it must be moved in the direction of the hook tips, i.e. to the right in the figure, along its longitudinal direction to an end or locking position in which the hook tips 121 projecting on the underside over the underside of the support profile 21 each engage one of the locking sections 211 of the underside of the support profile as is the case in Figure 4C is shown. The pad securing element is preferably displaced so far that the securing hooks 12 abut the front side of the respective hook receiving openings 210.

However, complete security also includes that the deck securing element can no longer be moved in its longitudinal direction, i.e. it is ensured that it is not accidentally pushed back into the unlocking position. To do this, in a further step, the safety slide 13 of the deck securing element 1 is pushed from its upper unlocking position downwards into the securing position, in which it is inserted into the slide holder 213. The slide holder is advantageously formed by the rear, free part of one of the hook receiving openings 210. In this position, the impact of the slide 13 on the front side 2101 of the hook receiving opening 210 prevents the deck securing element from being pushed back into the unlocking position and the complete securing of the scaffold deck 22 against lifting off according to the invention is achieved.

The Figures 4D and 4E show the end or locking position of the floor securing element once in a Figures 4A - 4C correspondingly elevated perspective ( Figure 4D ) and once in a perspective from below ( Figure 4E ). Here it is clearly visible how the safety hooks 12 with their respective tips 121 engage the respective locking sections 211 of the support profile underside. Immediately next to the left safety hook, the tip of the safety slide 13 can be seen protruding through the same hook receiving opening, which creates the described push-back protection.

For a simple and quick assembly, it is preferred that the safety slide can fall into the slide holder 213 by itself, i.e. under its own weight. During assembly, the covering safety element 1 must therefore only be correctly placed in the support profile so that the safety hooks 12 slide into the hook holders 210. The safety slide rests on the base of the support profile 21 and is automatically moved upwards relative to the covering safety element 1 when it is pressed downwards. As soon as it is pushed into its end position, it also falls into the slide holder opening 213 that has now become free or has been created.

Disassembly is carried out in reverse order and initially only requires that the safety slide 13 is pulled upwards by hand. To do this, it has the gripping aid 131 at its upper end for easy gripping. This is designed as a hollow cylinder so that it can also be operated using an aid that allows more force to be applied. Such an aid can be a screwdriver or a carpenter's hammer. This is helpful because the slide 13 can be jammed between the safety hook 12 and the front side 2101 of the hook receiving opening 210, so that pulling it out without tools can be difficult under certain circumstances.

List of reference symbols

1

Cover securing element

10

Opening in 1 to accommodate 13

11

Element body of 1

111

Wings of 11

12

Safety hook

121

Hook point of 12

123

Slider side of 12

13

Safety slide

130

Guide slot

131

Gripping aid of 13

14

Guide element

141

Guide plates

142

Guide pin

16

end slots in 1

2

Scaffolding

21

Support profile

210

Hook opening of 21

212

Wedge head

213

wedge

22

Scaffolding decking

221

Hanging hook

23

Vertical stem

231

Perforated disc

Claims (11)

1. A decking securing element (1) for securing scaffolding decking panels (22) laid onto horizontal transoms (21) of a scaffolding (2) against unintended lifting-off, comprising:

   - an elongated element body (11) with lateral wings (111) for covering hanging hooks (221) of the decking panels (22) and

   - one or more locking hooks (12), which is attached with its upper end to a lower surface of the element body (11), and

   - a securing slider (13), which is insertable or inserted into a slider opening (10) of the decking securing element (1), such that the securing slider (13) is in a securing position,

   wherein the securing slider (13) is, by means of a guiding element (14), held in the slider opening (10) slideably between a release position and the securing position,

   characterized in that

   the guiding element (14) comprises two guiding plates (141) that are attached opposite to and facing each other to opposite lateral faces of the locking hook (12), which guiding plates (141) are connected by a guiding pin (142) which reaches through a guiding slit (130) of the securing slider (13).
2. The decking securing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the slider opening (10) is arranged directly adjacent to the locking hook (12) and a lateral face of the securing slider (13) rests against a slider face (123) of the locking hook (12).
3. The decking securing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the element body (11) has a V- or U-shaped cross section.
4. The decking securing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the securing slider (13) has, at an upper end protruding beyond a top surface of the element body (11) lying opposite the locking surface, a gripping aid (131), which is implemented in particular as a hollow cylinder open at at least one end, wherein an inner diameter of the hollow cylinder is preferably dimensioned sufficiently wide to allow gripping the gripping aid with one tip of a claw hammer.
5. The decking securing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the securing slider (13) is held and guided by the guiding element (14) with sufficient play such that the securing slider (13) can fall into the securing position under its own weight.
6. The decking securing element according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by more than one locking hooks (12), in particular exactly two or three locking hooks (12).
7. A scaffolding (2) comprising a horizontal transom, in particular in the form of a U-, V- or H-shaped profile (21), wherein hanging hooks (221) of the scaffolding decking panel (22) are suspended on at at least one upper leg of the profile, and a decking securing element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein

   • the transom (21) has a hook receiving opening (210), into which

   • the locking hook (12) of the decking securing element (1) is inserted, such that a hook tip (121) of the locking hook (12) reaches under a locking surface (211) of the transom (21), and

   • the securing slider (13) is inserted into the slider opening (10) of the decking securing element (1) and secured in a slider aperture (213) of the transom (21), whereby the decking securing element (1) is secured against displacement in its longitudinal direction.
8. The scaffolding according to the preceding claim, characterized in that a decking securing element (1) according to claim 4 is used and the securing slider (13) is inserted through the slider opening (10) into the slider aperture (213) which also serves as hook receiving opening (210), such that the securing slider rests with a first lateral side face against a slider face (123) of the locking hook (12) opposite the hook tip (121) and with a second lateral side face opposite to the first lateral side face abuts the end face (2101) of the slit (210) which lies opposite to the locking surface (211).
9. A method for securing a scaffolding decking panel (22) which is hooked onto a horizontal transom (21), in particular in the form of a U-, V- or H-shaped profile, against unintended lifting-off by means of a decking securing element (1) according to one of the claims 1 -6,
   characterized by the steps

   (a) Inserting of the looking hook (12) of the decking securing element (1) into the hook receiving opening (210) of the transom (21) such that the decking securing element assumes a release position,

   (b) Displacing the decking securing element into the direction of the hook tip (121) until it is in a securing position, in which the hook tip (121) reaches under the locking surface (211) and thereby prevents a lifting-off of the decking securing element (1), wherein in the securing postion the slider opening (10) with the securing slider (13) comes to lie vertically above the slider aperture (213) of the transom (21),

   (c) Pushing the securing slider (13) into the slider aperture (213) whereby the decking securing element is secured against unintended displacement back into the release position.
10. The method of the preceding claim, characterized in that in step c the securing slider (13) falls into the securing position automatically.
11. The method of claim 10 or 11, characterized by the use of a decking securing element (1) according to the claims 2 and 5.

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