GB2415223A

GB2415223A - Fittings for builders' trestles

Info

Publication number: GB2415223A
Application number: GB0413686A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Liam Clear
Original assignee: Safestand Ltd
Current assignee: Safestand Ltd
Priority date: 2004-06-18
Filing date: 2004-06-18
Publication date: 2005-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 2024-06-18
Also published as: GB2415225A; GB2415225B; IES20050275A2; GB2421050B; GB0605401D0; GB2420822A; GB0605403D0; GB0605399D0; GB2415223B; GB0413686D0; GB2420821A; GB0422072D0; CN1989309A; GB2420822B; GB2421050A; GB2420821B

Abstract

A ladder support bracket, for use with a trestle 30, comprises a laterally extending arm 14 against which a ladder 32 can be rested, and a generally vertically extending arm adapted for engagement over or within the top of an upright support 24 of a trestle or scaffolding. The vertical arm may be hollow, to enclose upright 24, or it may be fitted with a spigot 20 as shown, to fit within upright 24. A distal end stop may be provided, as may plates 16 to cooperate with a square - section support 24 to prevent rotation. Other inventions described are a socket on cross-member 28 to receive an upright for a safety rail, (Figs 5 and 6, not shown) and a socket for receipt of a kickboard 54 (Fig 8, not shown).

Description

IMPROVED BUILDERS' TRESTLES This invention relates to trestles

("bandstands") for supporting working platforms used on building sites and the like. Two or more such trestles are usually used together with s scaffolding boards supported between them to make up the platfonn. Such trestles are generally used to support working platfonns of relatively low height (e.g. 0.3-3.0 m) as a more convenient alternative to scaffolding. The invention relates more particularly to access and safety features for such trestles and platforms. A system of builders' trestles provided with safety banders, board end supporting safety brackets, end gates and kickboard brackets is described in UK Patent No. GB2378978.

A ladder is usually used to access the platfonn supported by the trestles. Leaning the ladder against the edge of the platfonn may be unsafe, as the boards conning the platfonn are simply rested on upper crossbars of the trestles and can shift under lateral thrust loads.

The ladder can also topple sideways unless tied securely to the trestle structure.

Furthennore, a large gap must be left in the safety rail, both for the ladder itself, and to allow workmen to step off and on the ladder, to and from the platfonn. This manocuvre can be difficult, particularly when canyin" heavy loads, as access to the platform is in front of and to one side of the ladder.

The present invention addresses these problems by providing a ladder support bracket comprising a laterally extending any against which a ladder can be rested in use, and a generally vertically extending and adapted for engagement over or within the top of an uptight support of a builder's trestle or scaffolding. The generally vertically extending any can simply be dropped over or into the upright, and a ladder rested against the laterally extending bracket any. This and may be arranged to extend parallel to platfonn supporting cross-members of the builders' trestles or scaffolding, such that the platfonn lies to one side of the ladder. The gap m any safety rail required for ladder access can thereby be reduced, and stepping onto or off the ladder involves a simple sideways movement.

The generally vertically extending any may be hollow and fit telescopically over the upright in use. Preferably however, it comprises a downwardly directed spigot which engages within the hollow interior of a tubular upright support. The generally vertically extending arm is preferably provided with means to engage the upright support to prevent rotation of the support bracket around the longitudinal axis of the upright. For example the engagement means and upright may have complementary non-circular (e.g. square or rectangular) profiles.

The laterally extending and preferably has one end attached to the generally vertically extending and, and a stop member at its other end. The ladder can then be rested against the laterally extending and between the vertical anm and the stop, secured against toppling sideways.

As shown for example in GB2378978, a builder's trestle providing a safety barrier comprises a pair of upright supports connected by a crossmember upon which planks or boards can be supported in use to make a platform, one of the upright supports having an upward extension above the crossmember, to which one or more rails can be attached for IS forth the safety barrier. When the trestles are being used against an existing wall, a single safety barrier at the opposite side of the platform to the wall will be adequate. However, where the wall is absent or incomplete (for example when the trestles are being used to build the wall) safety barriers at either side of the platfonn may be desirable.

Accordingly, in a further independent aspect, the invention provides a builder's trestle providing a safety barrier as described above, in which the crossmember is provided at its end opposite the upward extension with a fitting for receiving the lower end of a removable upright, to which further safety rails can be attached to forth a further safety barrier. The fitting may simply be an open upper end of the upright at that end of the 2s crossmember, into which the lower end of the removable upright is telescopingly fitted, the open end preferably extending a little above the crossmember to provide an edge stop for the scaffolding boards used to forth the platform.

A]tematively, the fitting may comprise a spigot secured in or formed from the upper end of the upright at that end of the crossmember.

Preferably however, the fitting comprises a tubular socket attached to that end of the crossmember, the upright at that end of the crossmember being attached to the crossmember inboard of the socket. The socket preferably comprises a through-going opening for receiving the lower end of the removable upright. Debris such as mortar droppings therefore will fall through the opening and wild not accumulate in and obstruct the socket.

The removable upright and the upward extension may each be provided with fittings for attachment of the safety rails, these fittings being provided at approximately the same height on the removable upright as on the upward extension. Safety rails can therefore also be fitted between the removable upright and upward extension, for example to forth lo safety barriers at the ends of the working platform.

GB2378978 also discloses brackets secured to the upward extension, for holding a kickboard, used to prevent objects from being accidentally pushed over the edge of the working platform. These brackets extend over the top of the board forming the edge of the platfonn nearest to the upward extension and can interfere with placement of this board. Also, it is sometimes necessary to remove this board whilst the remaining boards are kept in place as the working platfonn. The presence of the overhanging kickboard brackets makes this very difficult or Impossible.

In accordance with a further independent aspect, the present invention therefore provides a builder's trestle providing a safety barrier and comprising a pair of upright supports connected by a crossmember upon which planks or boards can be supported in use to make a platfonn, one of the upright supports having an upward extension above the crossmember, the trestle further comprising a bracket extending upwardly from the crossmember for receiving a kickboard. For example, the bracket may be spaced from the upright, with the kickbroad received and held between the bracket and the upward extension. The platform-forming boards are therefore all inboard of the kickboard bracket and can all be easily removed and/or rearranged without hinderance from the backboard or its bracket.

The invention and various preferred features and advantages of it are further described below with reference to illustrative embodiments shown in the drawings, in which: Fig. I is a perspective view of a ladder support bracket embodying the invention in its first aspect; Fig. 2 shows the bracket of Fig. 1 being offered up for fitment to the upward extension of a trestle or scaffolding; Fig. 3 shows the bracket of Fig. 1 fitted to the upward extension; Fig. 4 shows the bracket of Fig. I in use supporting a ladder for access to a work platfonn supported on builders' trestles; Fig. 5 shows the lower end of a removable upright being offered up for fitment to a trestl e; lo Fig. 6 shows the removable upright lower end received in its socket on the trestle; Fig. 7 shows assembled safety banders embodying the second aspect of the invention; and Fig. 8 shows a kickboard bracket embodying the third aspect of the invention.

]5 The ladder support bracket 10 shown in Fig. 1 comprises a generally vertical and 12 and a laterally extending and 14 each fonmed from square sectioned steel tubes each having one end wedded to the other. A pair of reinforcing plates 16 are provided at the joint. The other (upper) end of the vertical am1 12 has a generally horizontal plate 18 welded to it.

A spigot 20 depends from the plate 18 parallel to the arm 12 to provide a hook-like configuration. A plate 22 is welded to the free end of the lateral and 14 to fond an end stop. As shown in Fig. 2, the spigot can be fitted into the top end of a square sectioned tubular upright support 24 of a builder's trestle of the kind shown in GB2378978. Ends of the reinforcing plates 16 project outwardly below the spigot 20 to embrace the upright 24. The lower end of the and 12 is thus steadied and the bracket 10 is prevented from rotating around the upright 24. In Fig. 3, the spigot is shown completely received within the hollow interior of the upright 24. Ears 26 for attachment of safety rails remain accessible with the bracket l O in place.

As shown in Fig. 4, the lateral arm 14 of the ladder support bracket extends in use generally parallel to the crossmembers 28 of the trestles 30. In this position, the and 14 can support a ladder 32 beside the working p]atfonn 34 resting on the trestles 30. The ladder 32 can be tied to the aria 14 as shown at 36.

Fig. 5 shows a tubular socket 38 welded to the end of the upper crossmember 28 of a trestle 30. The crossmember end extends outwardly beyond an upright support 40. The lower end of a removable upright extension 42 can be telescopingly received in the socket 38. Aligned holes 44 are provided in the end of the upright extension and in the socket 38 for reception of a locking pin (not shown). Fig. 6 shows the extension 42 lower end received in the socket 38. A welded-on stop plate 46 prevents the end from passing completely through the socket 38.

As shown in Fig. 7, upper ends of the upright extensions 42 are provided with ears 26 for lo receiving end spigots of safety rails 46 so as to form a safety barrier at the working side of the platform. Safety rails 46 may also be fastened in the same manner between a removable upright extension 42 and the fixed upright support 24 at the other side of the same trestle, to forth an end barrier. For this purpose, the ears 26 are fixed to the upright extensions 42 and supports 24 at substantially the same heights above the platform.

Safety rails 46 are also secured between the fixed upright supports 24 to forth a safety barrier at the other side of the platform, parallel with and opposite to the working side.

The safety rails 42 are preferably telescopic for adjustment to different trestle spacings and widths.

In Fig. 8 there is shown a kickboard bracket in the fonm of a generally upright plate 48 welded to the trestle upper crossmember 28 just inboard of the trestle fixed upright support 24, to define a board-receiving slot 50. The plate 48 is spaced a sufficient distance from the tubular socket 38 (Fig. 5) to allow fitment of a board end supporting bracket 52 to the crossmember 28, if required. A kickboard 54 can be seen in Fig. 4.

Claims

1. A ladder support bracket comprising a laterally extending anm against which a ladder can be rested in use, and a generally vertically extending and adapted for engagement over or within the top of an upright support of a builder's trestle or scaffolding.

2. A ladder support bracket as defined in claim l, in which the generally vertically extending and is hollow.

3. A ladder support bracket as defined in claim], in which the generally vertically extending and comprises a downwardly directed spigot.

4. A ladder support bracket as defined in any preceding claim, in which the generally vertically extending and is provided with means to engage the upright support to prevent rotation of the support bracket around the longitudinal axis of the upright support.

5. A ladder support bracket as defined in claim 4 m which the engagement means has a non-circular profile complementary to the cross-secton of the upright support.

6. A ladder support bracket as defined in any preceding claim, in which the laterally extending and has one end attached to the generally vertically extending and, and a stop member at its other end.

7. A ladder support bracket as defined in any preceding claim, in which the laterally extending aria has one end attached to the generally vertically extending anm, and a stop member at its other end.

S. A ladder support bracket substantially as described with reference to or as shown in the drawings.

7. A builder's trestle providing a safety battier and comprising a pair of uptight supports connected by a crossmember upon which planks or boards can be supported in use to make a platfonn, one of the upright supports having an upward extension above the crossmember to which one or more rails can be attached to fond the safety bander, in which the crossmeinber is provided at its end opposite the upward extension with a fitting for receiving the lower end of a removable upright, to which further safety rails can be attached to f'onn a further safety banier.

8. A builder's trestle as defined in claim 7 in which the fitting comprises an open upper end of the upright at that end of the crossmember, into which the lower end of the removable upright Is telescopingly fitted in use.

9. A builder's trestle as defined in claim 8 in which the open end extends above the crossmember.

10. A builder's trestle as defined in claim 7 in which the fitting comprises a spigot secured in or fonned from the upper end of the upright at that end of the crossmember.

11. A builder's trestle as defined in claim 7 in which the fitting comprises a tubular socket attached to that end of the crossmember, the upright at that end of the crossmember being attached to the crossmember inboard of the socket.

IS 12. A builder's trestle as defined in any of claims 7 --- I I, in which the removable upright and the upward extension are each provided with fittings for attachment of the safety rails, these fittings being provided at approximately the same height on the removable upright as on the upward extension.

13. A builder's trestle providing a safety barrier and comprising a pair of upright supports connected by a crossmember upon which planks or boards can be supported in use to make a platfonn, one of the upright supports having an upward extension above the crossmember, the trestle further comprising a bracket extending upwardly from the crossmember for receiving a kickboard.

14. A builder's trestle as defined in claim 13, in which the bracket is spaced from the upright, so that the kickboard may be received and held between the bracket and the upward extension in use.

BP-09-044) Amendments to the claims

1. A ladder support bracket comprising a laterally extending anm against which a ladder can be rested in use, and a generally vertically extending and adapted for s engagement over or within the top of an upright support of a builder's trestle or scaffolding.

2. A ladder support bracket as defiecd in claim], in which the generally vertically extending arm is hollow.

3. A ladder support bracket as defined in claim 1, in which the generally vertically extending arm comprises a downwardly directed spigot.

4. A ladder support bracket as defined in any preceding claim, in which the generally vertically extending anm is provided with means to prevent rotation of the support bracket around the longitudinal axis of the upright support. 5. A ladder support bracket as defined in claim 4 in which the rotation preventing I means engages the upright support. 20. .

6. A ladder support bracket as defiecd in claim5 in which the rotation prevention. :.

means has a non-circular profile complementary to the cross-section of the upright support.