GB1596153A

GB1596153A - Scaffolding

Info

Publication number: GB1596153A
Application number: GB2462678A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-06-02
Filing date: 1978-05-30
Publication date: 1981-08-19
Also published as: ATA395478A; AT360223B; NL178437C; DE2724932A1; DE2724932C2; NL7804751A; CH632043A5; NL178437B

Abstract

The crossmember for metal-tube scaffoldings has, on both ends of a U-profile bar (1), connection shoes (4) which permit the crossmember to be connected to a disc-shaped connection flange (7) which is provided with through-passages and is fitted on upright tubes (6). In addition, the U-profile bar (1) is provided with a slide (2) which can move in its longitudinal direction and, after introducing the scaffolding frame panels (3), can be pushed over the claws (31) which are used to fix said panels. <IMAGE>

Description

(54) SCAFFOLDING (71) I, EBERHARD LAYHER, a citizen of the Federal Republic of Germany, of D-71 29 Güglingeu-Eibensbach, Wurthemburg, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a crossbar for metal tubular scaffolding, particularly that tubular scaffolding in which horizontal or diagonal members are fixed by welding vertical members or uprights by means, for example, of annular fastening members secured to the uprights.

An object of the invention is to provide a crossbar which firstly can be releasably secured by wedging to tubular uprights having, for example annular connection flanges, and secondly can be used to enable walk ways in the form of framed panels to be fastened, by means of hook-like support members (hereinafter referred to as "claws") mounted on their end faces, directly to the crossbar. However, panels of this kind can be lifted off, for example, by wind. It is therefore furthermore an object of the invention to provide a crossbar whereby such danger can be prevented, without, however, any impediment to the work thereby occuring upon the erection or dismantling of the scaffoldings.

The invention provides a crossbar for metal tubular scaffolding in which vertical scaffolding members are provided with annular connection flanges which have openings for wedge connections, the crossbar being of U-shaped cross-section and having, at aech end, a connection shoe which has a slot which opens towards an end face and which corresponds to the thickness of the connection flange, and which has a guide, extending perpendicular to this slot, for a wedge, the crossbar also being provided, at least at one end, with a slide member which is movable longitudinally of the crossbar and which can engage, by a resilient tongue, a support member extending from, and serving for the suspension of, a frame panel.

Panels serving as planking can be mounted, by means of the claws provided at their end faces, directly from above onto the crossbar, and by displacement of the slide, carrying the tongue to overlie the claws the panels are prevented from lifting off.

Advantageously, the tongue is corrugated in longitudinal cross-section so that it can engage upwardly open recesses which are usually provided on the claws. Moreover, the tongue preferably is so wide that it simultaneously engages adjacent claws, of two adjoining panels.

The crossbar is advantageously produced from rolled, pressed or drawn steel, the free edges of which are reinforced by rollingup or folding. In order to enable outflow of water or mortar from the U-section of the crossbar in use, the web of the Usection may be provided with holes.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a side view of a preferred crossbar in accordance with the invention; Fig. la is a vertical section through the crossbar of Fig. 1 on the line A-A in Fig. 1; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through a scaffolding upright having a connection flange; Fig. 3 is a side view of the connection flange shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an elevation showing one end of the crossbar, connected to an upright, in side view, partially sectioned, with a scaffolding frame panel superimposed and secured thereto; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the arrangement of Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a plan view, on a reduced scale showing several framework panels adjoining one another.

A preferred crossbar in accordance with the invention is shown in Fig. 1 in schematic manner. The crossbar consists of a U-section 1 made from rolled steel, two side flanges 11 of which in section are slightly undulated (see Fig. la), so that longitudinally extending corrugations occur along the two side surfaces of the bar. The upper edge of each side flange 11 is canted or folded back inwardly and forms an edge reinforcement 12. Provided at each end of the bar is a respective connection shoe 4, which has a horizontal slot 41 and is provided with a wedge guide 42 (see Fig. 4) which extends perpendicular to this slot 41. The wedge 5 serves for fixing the bar to the scaffolding upright.

Provided on the bar is at least one slide member 2 which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the bar and which is provided with a resilient tongue 21.

To fasten the crossbar to the upright 6, the latter is provided at specific intervals with annular connection flanges 7. One such connection flange 7 is shown in Fig. 2 in plan view and in Fig. 3 in side view. The connection flange 7 is provided with four equi-angularly-spaced elongate openings 71, the longitudinal axes of which intersect at the longitudinal axis of the upright 6. Arranged between each two of these oval openings 71 is a larger opening 72. The circular central line of all of the openings has the radius r, while the radial dimension of the openings is in each case equal to h. The tangential width of the wide openings 72 corresponds to the angle zx related to the central axis of the upright tube. The thickness of the connection flange 7 is c.

The connection of the crossbar 1 to the upright 6 is effected in such a way that in each case the connection shoe 4 is pushed with its slot 41 over the connection flange 7, in such a way that the wedge guide 42 is in alignment with one of the oval openings 71. Then the wedge 5 is passed through the opening 71 and driven home in such a way that the end face 43 of the connection shoe 4 is pressed securely against the cylindrical outer surface of the upright tube 6.

Advantageously the wedge 5 is captive, for example by its narrow end being enlarged, for example, by the attachment of a blind rivet or by twisting or by expansion in such a way that it cannot pass through the upper part of the wedge guide 42. Of course, the upper jaw or cheek 44 of the connection shoe 4 has to be so designed that the wedge guide does indeed not allow the wedge to pass through the upper part, but on the other hand sufficient space is present in order to withdraw the wedge to such an extent that the introduction of the connection shoe 4 onto the connection flange 7 can be carried out without difficulty.

The slot 41 must, of course, be so dimensioned that the connection flange 7 can be inserted into the slot 41.

The slide member 2 has a U-shaped body and embraces the crossbar 1. In order to prevent lifting of the slide 2 it is secured by means of a transverse bolt 23 which is fastened on both sides to the flanks of the slide 2 and connects these together beneath the crossbar 1. The body of the slide 2 has an extension in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the crossbar, in the form of a tongue 21. At the opposite side there is an upwardly-directed tab 22 which facilitates moving the slider along the crossbar 1.

If now panels 3 are suspended by means of hook-like suspension members or claws 31 engaging the upwardly extending side web of the crossbar, these claws can be secured against lifting by the slide 2 being displaced so that the tongue 21 engages over the claws. Normally these claws 31 have, for reinforcement, undulations 32.

Advantageously, the tongue 21 is also undulated in longitudinal cross-section so that a portion thereof extending towards the crossbar can engage an upwardly open recess defined in the claw(s) by the said undulations, so that the slider cannot, without the use of force, be drawn away from the claw.

Of course, the material used for the slider and the tongue is resilient to such an extent that the elastic deformation necessary for the engagement of the tongue 21 is possible.

A particular advantage of this fastening lies in that, with appropriate dimensioning and design the wedge 5 can be utilised at the same time for locating the toe boards 8, which can have end fastening plates 81 disposed between the wedges 5 and the upright tubes 6.

The longitudinal bars of the scaffolding are designated by numeral 9 on Fig. 5 and Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 shows, on a severely reduced scale and in schematic representation, a plan view of three panels (or compartments) of a scaffolding constructed in this way, in which respect the individual reference numbers correspond to those of the Figures described in the aforegoing.

WHATICLAIM IS: 1. A crossbar for metal tubular scaffolding in which vertical scaffolding members are provided with annular connection flanges which have openings for wedge connections, the crossbar being of U-shaped cross-section and having, at each end, a connection shoe which has a slot which opens towards an end face and which corresponds to the thickness of the connection flange, and which has a guide, extending perpendicular to this slot, for a wedge, the crossbar also being provided, at least one end, with a slide member which is movable longitudinally of the crossbar and which can engage, by a resilient tongue, a support member extending

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. of the bar. The upper edge of each side flange 11 is canted or folded back inwardly and forms an edge reinforcement 12. Provided at each end of the bar is a respective connection shoe 4, which has a horizontal slot 41 and is provided with a wedge guide 42 (see Fig. 4) which extends perpendicular to this slot 41. The wedge 5 serves for fixing the bar to the scaffolding upright. Provided on the bar is at least one slide member 2 which is movable in the longitudinal direction of the bar and which is provided with a resilient tongue 21. To fasten the crossbar to the upright 6, the latter is provided at specific intervals with annular connection flanges 7. One such connection flange 7 is shown in Fig. 2 in plan view and in Fig. 3 in side view. The connection flange 7 is provided with four equi-angularly-spaced elongate openings 71, the longitudinal axes of which intersect at the longitudinal axis of the upright 6. Arranged between each two of these oval openings 71 is a larger opening 72. The circular central line of all of the openings has the radius r, while the radial dimension of the openings is in each case equal to h. The tangential width of the wide openings 72 corresponds to the angle zx related to the central axis of the upright tube. The thickness of the connection flange 7 is c. The connection of the crossbar 1 to the upright 6 is effected in such a way that in each case the connection shoe 4 is pushed with its slot 41 over the connection flange 7, in such a way that the wedge guide 42 is in alignment with one of the oval openings 71. Then the wedge 5 is passed through the opening 71 and driven home in such a way that the end face 43 of the connection shoe 4 is pressed securely against the cylindrical outer surface of the upright tube 6. Advantageously the wedge 5 is captive, for example by its narrow end being enlarged, for example, by the attachment of a blind rivet or by twisting or by expansion in such a way that it cannot pass through the upper part of the wedge guide 42. Of course, the upper jaw or cheek 44 of the connection shoe 4 has to be so designed that the wedge guide does indeed not allow the wedge to pass through the upper part, but on the other hand sufficient space is present in order to withdraw the wedge to such an extent that the introduction of the connection shoe 4 onto the connection flange 7 can be carried out without difficulty. The slot 41 must, of course, be so dimensioned that the connection flange 7 can be inserted into the slot 41. The slide member 2 has a U-shaped body and embraces the crossbar 1. In order to prevent lifting of the slide 2 it is secured by means of a transverse bolt 23 which is fastened on both sides to the flanks of the slide 2 and connects these together beneath the crossbar 1. The body of the slide 2 has an extension in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the crossbar, in the form of a tongue 21. At the opposite side there is an upwardly-directed tab 22 which facilitates moving the slider along the crossbar 1. If now panels 3 are suspended by means of hook-like suspension members or claws 31 engaging the upwardly extending side web of the crossbar, these claws can be secured against lifting by the slide 2 being displaced so that the tongue 21 engages over the claws. Normally these claws 31 have, for reinforcement, undulations 32. Advantageously, the tongue 21 is also undulated in longitudinal cross-section so that a portion thereof extending towards the crossbar can engage an upwardly open recess defined in the claw(s) by the said undulations, so that the slider cannot, without the use of force, be drawn away from the claw. Of course, the material used for the slider and the tongue is resilient to such an extent that the elastic deformation necessary for the engagement of the tongue 21 is possible. A particular advantage of this fastening lies in that, with appropriate dimensioning and design the wedge 5 can be utilised at the same time for locating the toe boards 8, which can have end fastening plates 81 disposed between the wedges 5 and the upright tubes 6. The longitudinal bars of the scaffolding are designated by numeral 9 on Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. Fig. 6 shows, on a severely reduced scale and in schematic representation, a plan view of three panels (or compartments) of a scaffolding constructed in this way, in which respect the individual reference numbers correspond to those of the Figures described in the aforegoing. WHATICLAIM IS:

1. A crossbar for metal tubular scaffolding in which vertical scaffolding members are provided with annular connection flanges which have openings for wedge connections, the crossbar being of U-shaped cross-section and having, at each end, a connection shoe which has a slot which opens towards an end face and which corresponds to the thickness of the connection flange, and which has a guide, extending perpendicular to this slot, for a wedge, the crossbar also being provided, at least one end, with a slide member which is movable longitudinally of the crossbar and which can engage, by a resilient tongue, a support member extending

from, and serving for the suspension of, a frame panel.

2. A crossbar as claimed in claim l. made of rolled or drawn steel plate and its side flanges being slightly undulated in profile, so that the longitudinal sides of the crossbar have corrugations extending in the longitudinal direction.

3. A crossbar as claimed in claim 2, wherein the side flanges are turned over along their iree edges.

4. A crossbar as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the slide has a body of Usection embracing the crossbar.

5. A crossbar as claimed in claim 4, wherein the tongue extends from the body longitudinally of the crossbar.

6. A crossbar as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tongue is undulated in longitudinal cross-section and has a portion extending towards the crossbar.

7. A crossbar as claimed in claim 5, wherein a tab is provided on an edge of the slide remote from the tongue.

8. A crossbar as claimed in claim 4, wherein flanges of the slide are connected together by a bolt.

9. A crossbar as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the web of its U-section is provided with holes.

10. A crossbar for scaffolding substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.