Abstract:
The invention relates to a scaffolding, especially facade scaffolding, comprising vertical poles ( 11 ) located one behind the other, preferably in pairs, and interconnected at given vertical intervals by means of cross struts ( 12 ). Said vertical poles ( 11 ) consist preferably of individual elements ( 11 ′) and form carrier frames ( 43 ) with said cross struts ( 12 ). Base plates ( 13 ) are also positioned between the cross struts ( 12 ) of neighboring carrier frames ( 43 ). Diagonal poles ( 27 ) are arranged between at least some of the neighboring vertical poles ( 11 ). According to the invention scaffolding of this type is configured in such a way that at least one end of the diagonal poles ( 27 ) engages in an aperture ( 16 ) provided in the designated vertical pole ( 11 ) by means of a hook ( 15, 15 ′). Said opening lies at least essentially in the plane defined by the axes ( 17 ) of the neighboring vertical poles ( 11 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a scaffold, in particular facade scaffolds. 
     Facade scaffolds are, for example, known from DE 196 33 091 A1 and serve in general the purpose of being erected in front of the facade of a building construction in order to carry out work on it, for example plaster work or painting work. The diagonal supports which serve to stabilize the scaffold against horizontal shifts normally extend from a point directly above one transverse strut to a point of the neighboring vertical support which lies slightly below the transverse strut located above it. The diagonal struts must be secured to the vertical supports so that both tensile forces and also compression forces can be exerted by the vertical supports onto the diagonal supports. 
     In known scaffolds forwardly projecting tilting fingers are provided for this purpose at the relevant points of the vertical supports, onto which bores complementary thereto at the ends of the diagonal supports are pushed. Another possibility consists in welding onto the vertical supports at the relevant positions suitable fittings with which the ends of the diagonal supports can be brought into the required engagement. The disadvantage of the known scaffolds lies in the fact that, on being loaded, the diagonal supports exert torsional moments onto the vertical supports and in that special components must be mounted on the vertical supports in order to be able to secure the diagonal supports. 
     A lightweight grid support construction is known from EP-A-0 140 948, which consists of vertical and horizontal support elements and also diagonal struts arranged therebetween. In order to avoid welded connections with this lightweight grid support construction, and to simplify installation, the vertical and horizontal support elements are connected by means of installable node connectors which have a form-locked and force transmitting connection to the vertical and horizontal support elements, with the node connectors each being divided into two half shells, which surround the vertical support elements in force transmitting manner and engage by means of projections in form-fitted manner into corresponding holes of the vertical support elements, and the node connectors furthermore forming connection spigots, onto which the horizontal support elements can be pushed and retained in force transmitting manner. 
     A scaffold with vertical, horizontal and diagonal supports is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,435,171, in which pairs of vertical sleeves are welded onto the vertical supports in order to receive therein the bent around ends of the diagonal supports. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 1,552,233 shows a scaffold having vertical, horizontal and diagonal supports in which holes are provided in the walls of the vertical supports extending perpendicular to the plane defined by the vertical and diagonal supports and in which the bent around ends or fastening pins for the diagonal and horizontal supports are arranged. 
     Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,330,583 discloses a safety catch with which support tubes can be secured to vertical rails provided with openings. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention is to provide a scaffold of the initially named kind in which no special components have to be provided on the vertical supports for the mounting of the diagonal supports and in which at least no substantial torsional moments are exerted by the diagonal supports onto the vertical supports. 
     An important advantage attained with the present invention is the fact that the diagonal supports can be mounted with their ends via hooks directly in openings provided at the relevant positions, in particular in elongate holes of the vertical supports, with the position of the openings being such that torsional moments are not transmitted to the vertical supports when exerting either tensile forces or compressive forces on the diagonal supports. In this manner not only is the constructional complexity for the scaffold of the invention minimized, but rather the strong design which is otherwise necessary to accommodate torsional moments can be avoided. 
     Although, as a result of the measures of the invention, a once installed diagonal support is already secured as a result of weight and frictional forces against undesired release from the vertical supports, it is nevertheless preferred when a bolt is provided, to secure the upper hook in particular in its hung-in position. 
     An advantageous practical embodiment of the invention secures the diagonal support by gravity. 
     The invention further contemplates arrangements, particularly for embodiments of the actuating lever or of the actuating lug, in which the latched position is secured by gravity, which prevents that the hook of the diagonal which support to be placed at the bottom is unintentionally hung into an opening of the vertical support at the top. If this occurs the hook with bolt securing would now be located at the lower side and could no longer be secured by gravity. 
     Further, the present invention allows diagonal supports to be optionally mounted at the one or other side of a vertical support at each level. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a facade scaffold being erected, which can be formed in accordance with the invention, 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged part view of a vertical support formed in accordance with the invention seen in a horizontal direction extending parallel to the building construction and indeed in the region of the connection of a transverse strut with a floor panel lying on it, 
     FIG. 3 is a partial front view of a scaffold in accordance with the invention, with a diagonal support arranged between two vertical supports, with the upper attachment being in the latched position, 
     FIG. 4 is a view analogous to FIG. 3, with the upper attachment of the diagonal support being unlatched for the removal of the diagonal support, 
     FIG. 5 shows the lower part of FIGS. 3 and 4 in the phase during the insertion or removal of the lower end of the diagonal support into or out of an elongate hole of the vertical support, 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of a diagonal support in accordance with the invention shown on a somewhat reduced scale, 
     FIG. 7 is a section taken on line VII—VII in FIG. 6, 
     FIG. 8 is a partly sectioned side view of the upper part of a further embodiment of a diagonal support in the unlatched state and hung into a vertical support, 
     FIG. 9 is the same view as FIG. 8 during the latching procedure, 
     FIG. 10 is the same view as FIG. 8 in the latched state, and 
     FIG. 11 is a section taken along the line XI—XI in FIG.  10 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     In accordance with FIG. 1 a facade scaffold is being built up at a building construction  37 . Four vertical supports  11  are supported on the earth  35  in an arrangement with a rectangular base surface, the longer side of which extends parallel to the front of the building construction  37 , via vertically adjustable spindle arrangements  36 , and are completed into a load carrying basic framework  41  by upper transverse beams  38 , longitudinal supports  39  and diagonal struts  27 , with the basic framework continuing in a suitable manner at the bottom right in FIG. 1, which is not illustrated in detail. The basic framework  41  has no transverse struts in the lower region, so that a passage, for example for pedestrians, can be provided there. 
     Carrier frames  43 , which are assembled from plugged together individual elements  11 ′ forming vertical supports  11  and horizontal transverse struts  12 , are plugged onto two vertical supports  11  of the basic framework  41 , which are offset rearwardly relative to the front vertical support  11  and arranged at a small spacing behind one another. As one can recognize from the top left in FIG. 1, numerous carrier frames  43  are plugged together, through the intermediary of individual elements  11 ′ not connected to transverse struts  12 , such that in each case one transverse strut  12  is present in the vertical spacing of stories A, B, C, D, E and F. A total of seven carrier frame arrangements consisting of assembled together carrier frames  43  disposed vertically above one another, with transverse struts  12  respectively lying at the same level, are provided along the building construction  37  at uniform intervals. 
     The narrow sides of rectangular floor panels  13  are releasably placed onto two transverse struts  12  arranged alongside one another along the building construction  37 . 
     The facade scaffold furthermore has two forwardly projecting auxiliary scaffolds  44  and  45  respectively. 
     The front vertical supports  11  at the corners of the basic framework  41  can be used for adding further carrier elements. 
     For the safety of the people  46  working on the floor panels  14 , railings  40 ,  47  are secured to the vertical supports  11  at a suitable level at the sides and also at the end faces. 
     Curb strips  42 , which are intended to prevent tools lying on the floor panels  13  being pushed sideways beyond the floor panels  14  and falling downwardly from the facade scaffold during walking, are in particular releasably secured at the side of the floor panels  13  remote from the building construction  14  and, to the extent necessary, also at the side adjacent the building construction  37  and at the end faces. 
     The stories A, B, C, D are already finished while the stories E, F are just being built up. 
     In accordance with FIGS. 3 to  4  the transverse struts  12  consist of two rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ mounted by welding or by a releasable type of attachment to two vertical supports  11  located behind one another and spaced apart parallel to one another. Hook-like projections  13 ′ at the ends of the floor plates can engage behind the rail sections in the manner schematically indicated in FIGS. 2 to  5  in order to releasably support the floor panels  13  on the transverse struts  12 . 
     In accordance with FIGS. 2 to  6  a diagonal support  27  in accordance with the invention has at its upper end a downwardly projecting hook  15 , and at its lower end likewise a downwardly pointing hook  15 ′. As one can in particular deduce from FIG. 2, the vertical supports  11  have at the side an elongate hole  16  directly beneath one transverse strut  12 , and a further elongate hole  16 ′ directly above the transverse strut  12 , with the longitudinal directions of the elongate holes extending parallel to the axis  17  of the vertical support  11 . 
     In accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4 the lower hook  15 ′ and the elongate holes  16 ′ located above each transverse strut  12  are designed such that the hook  15 ′ can be introduced substantially horizontally into the elongate hole  16 , with the diagonal support  27  pivoted downwardly in accordance with FIG.  5  and can be brought by subsequent upward pivoting of the diagonal support  27  into the position of FIGS. 3,  4 , where the hook  15 ′ is pivoted downwardly, and produces in this position a firm connection between the vertical support  11  and the diagonal support  27 , which is loaded in tension and compression. 
     In contrast, the upper hook  15  is so shaped that it can be brought from the end angular position of the diagonal support  27  evident from FIGS. 3 and 4 horizontally into the elongate hole  16  located beneath the transverse strut  12  and subsequently brought by lowering over the lower edge of the elongate hole  16  into the hung-in position evident from FIGS. 3 and 4. In this position, which is shown in FIG. 4, the diagonal support  27  is already adequately secured against tensile forces and also against compressive forces at the two vertical supports connected to it, since on exerting compressive forces the hook  15  can at most slide upwardly up to the upper edge of the elongate hole  16 , where it is, however, held. When compressive forces reduce, then the hook  15  slides down again into its lower hung-in position. 
     In order, however, to avoid such to and fro sliding of the hook  15  with alternating forces, a latch pin  19  is provided above the hook  15  and is displaceably mounted to and away from the vertical support  11 . At its rear end, the latch pin  19  has in accordance with FIG. 3 a downwardly extending projection  28 , which cooperates with a complementary abutment  20  at the relevant end of the diagonal support  27  in such a manner that on engagement of the projection  28  behind the abutment  20 , a backward movement of the latch pin  19  out of the latched position shown in FIG. 3 is impossible. 
     However, the mutually contacting end faces  29 ,  30  of the latch pin  19 , on the one hand, and of the abutment  20 , on the other hand, are arranged perpendicular to the axis  31  of the latch pin  19  such that through a movement of the end region of the latch pin  19  in the direction of the arrow P in FIG. 3, the end surfaces  29 ,  30  are brought out of engagement and thereby a return movement of the latch pin  19  is made possible. 
     In order to fix the latched position of the latch pin  19  within the upper region  16 ″ (FIGS.  2  and  3 ), a transverse hinge  26  is provided in the rear region of the latch pin  19 , on which an actuating lever  21  having an inverse U-shaped cross-section (FIG. 7) is hinged, which extends obliquely downwardly and towards the vertical support  11  in the latched position in FIG.  3  and which has a camtrack cutout  23  at a clear distance from the transverse hinge  26 , with the cutout sitting on a transverse pin  22  secured in the end region of the transverse strut  27 . For reasons of symmetry, the camtrack cutouts  23  and pins  22  of the same design should be provided in the two limbs of the actuating lever  21 . 
     In the latched position, the actuating lever  21  is pulled downwardly by gravity as a result of an overweight of its region lying in front of the transverse hinge  26 , so that a torque is exerted in the direction of the arrow S in FIG. 3 onto the actuating lever  21 . In the latched position the pin  22  contacts the upper end of the camtrack cutout  23 . From there the camtrack cutout extends first on a circular track around the transverse joint  26  in order to finally bend downwardly from a corner region  23 ′ (FIG. 3) into a substantially straight piece ( 23 ″). The corner region  23 ′ is arranged at such an angular spacing from the upper end of the camtrack cutout  23  in FIG. 3 that on pivoting the actuating lever  21  against the arrow S in FIG. 3 up to a position where the corner region  23 ′ comes to lie on the transverse spigot  22 , the rear region of the latch pin  19  can be pushed upwardly by pushing the actuating lever  21  upwardly, whereby the two end surfaces  29 ,  30  come out of engagement. For this purpose a corresponding clearance  25  is provided behind the guide opening  24  above the latch pin  19 . 
     With this obliquely upward and rearward movement of the actuating lever  21 , the straight piece  23 ″, which now points substantially in the radial direction with respect to the transverse joint  26 , slides on the transverse pin  22  up to and into the position shown in FIG. 4, with not only the end surfaces  29 ,  30  coming out of engagement, but also rather the latch pin  19  being withdrawn from the latched position shown in FIG. 3 into the unlatched position of FIG.  4 . 
     In accordance with the invention, the elongate holes  16 ,  16 ′ (FIGS. 2,  3  and  4 ) lie in the plane defined by the axes ( 17 ) of the two adjacent vertical supports  11 , between which a specific diagonal support  27  extends in FIGS. 3 and 4. The axis  18  of the diagonal support  27  thus lies in the relevant plane. For this reason both tensile and also compressive forces which are transmitted by the diagonal supports  27  between the vertical supports  11  go through the axes  17  and torsional moments about the axes  17  are avoided. 
     In accordance with FIG. 7 friction reducing discs  32  are arranged between the upper end region  27 ′ and the two limbs of the actuating lever  21 . 
     Further features and details of the invention will result from the following functional description: 
     After the vertical supports  11  of a story A, B, C, D, E or F have been erected, and optionally also the floor panels  13  inserted, diagonal struts  27  are installed in the field where diagonal struts  27  are provided, in that, in accordance with FIG. 5, first the lower end of the diagonal support  27  is introduced in an approximately horizontal or slightly upwardly angled position, with its lower hook  15 ′ into the lower elongate hole  16 ′, whereupon the diagonal support  27  is pivoted upwardly in the direction of the arrow R in FIG. 5, and indeed up to its desired angular position evident from FIGS. 3 and 4. During this, the lower hook  15 ′ engages behind the lower edge of the elongate hole  16 ′ and an upper horizontal step  33  of the hook  15 ′ comes to lie directly below the upper edge of the elongate hole  16 ′. A lower cutout  34  between the hook  15 ′ and the lower end region  27 ′ of the diagonal support  27  comes to lie on the lower edge of the elongate hole  16 ′. The diagonal support  27  is now secured against shifting in its longitudinal direction  28  both upwardly and downwardly. 
     The upper region of the diagonal support  27  is now pivoted upwardly sufficiently far that the hook  15  provided there comes to lie in front of the upper elongate hole  16 . Thereafter, the hook  15  is inserted, with the latch pin  19  retracted in accordance with FIG. 4, into the elongate hole  16 , whereupon the hook hangs in over the lower edge of the elongate hole  16  as a result of the weight force, as is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
     As a result of its actuating lever  21  being pivoted upwardly into its upper position, the latch pin  19  of FIG. 4 is first located in its unlatched position, so that the introduction of the hook  15  into the elongate hole  16  is not hindered. As soon as the position of FIG. 4 has now been reached, the actuating lever  4  is first shifted in the direction of the arrow T in FIG. 4, with the latch pin being displaced forwardly into the upper region  16 ″ of the elongate hole  16  into the position of FIG.  3 . During this, the end surfaces  29 ,  30  again enter into engagement, so that a return movement of the latch pin  19  is now prevented in form-locked manner. 
     In order to fix this state of engagement, the actuating lever  21  is pivoted in the clockwise sense into the position which is evident from FIG. 3, with the transverse pin  22  being located at the upper end of the camtrack cutout  23 . This movement, executed simply through the weight force of the actuating lever  21 , can, however, be assisted by the operator. 
     In the end position of the actuating lever  21  of FIG. 3 determined by gravity, a lifting out of the rear region of the latch pin  19  beyond the abutment  20  is precluded, so that the latched position of FIG. 3 is now fixed. 
     In order to prevent an inverted installation of the diagonal support  27 , which would make the self-latching of FIG. 3 impossible, the lower elongate hole  16 ′ is made longer than the upper elongate hole  16 . If the operator now attempts to install the diagonal support  27  inverted, then this proves impossible because the hook  15 ′ will not fit into the smaller elongate hole  16 . The operator is thus forced to turn the diagonal support  27  around and to bring it into the correct position, where the lower hook  15 ′ is arranged in the elongate hole  16 ′ and the upper hook  15  in the upper elongate hole  16 . 
     In accordance with the invention, the elongate holes are introduced by laser cutting, which has the advantage that in this way the strength of the vertical supports is hardly impaired in the area of the elongate holes  16 ,  16 ′, and an extremely accurate positioning of the elongate holes  16 ,  16 ′ is ensured. 
     One thus first recognizes from FIGS. 8 to  10  that elongate holes  16  are expediently provided at diametrically oppositely disposed sides of the vertical supports  11 , so that diagonal supports can optionally be provided on the one side or on the opposite side or also on both sides of a vertical support  11 . 
     In the embodiment of FIGS. 8 to  11 , in which the same reference numerals designate corresponding components as in the previous description, the latch pin  19  is fixedly connected to an actuating lug of inverse, U-shaped cross-section, in that the latter is laid, in accordance with FIG. 11, around the rear region of the latch pin  19  and, for example, firmly connected to the latch pin  19  by means of rivets  51  (FIG.  8 ). 
     The limbs of the actuating lug  48  engage from above over the flat upper end region  27 ′ of the diagonal support  27 , which carries the upper hook  15 , which is hung into an elongate hole  16 . 
     The two limbs of the actuating lug  48  are provided with camtracks  50  at a distance above one another and offset somewhat sideways, with the camtracks extending in each case approximately parallel to the latch track, and having an at least substantially straight shifting region  50 ′ and a latching region  50 ″ following it at the rear, which is likewise at least substantially straight and extends at least substantially perpendicular to the latch track. Transversely extending pins  49  extend into the two camtracks  50  and are fixedly connected to the flat end region  27 ′ of the diagonal support  27 . 
     The operation of this embodiment results as follows from the sequence of FIGS. 8 to  10 : 
     In the unlatched position of FIG. 8, the actuating lug  48  is retracted relative to the hook  15  as far as possible, so that the pins  49  are located at the support side end of the shifting region  50 ′ of the camtrack  50 . In this state the latch pin  19  is out of engagement with the elongate hole  16 . 
     If now latching is to be produced, the actuating lug  48  is shifted by hand in the direction of the vertical support  11 , with the latch pin  19  entering in accordance with FIG. 9 into the upper elongate hole region  16 ″ and the camtracks  50  being initially shifted so far relative to the pins  49  that the pins  49  come to lie in the corner region  50 ″′ of the camtrack  50 . The latch pin  19  is now already in its latched position. 
     In order to secure this latched position, the actuating lug  48  is now pivoted downwardly substantially about the front end of the latch pin  19 , with the latching region  50 ″ of the two camtracks  50  sliding downwardly on the pins  49 , until the pins  49  come into contact at the upper end of the latching regions  50 ″, as can be recognized in FIG.  10 . The design is preferably such that the movement of the actuating lug  48  out of the position of FIG. 9 into the position of FIG. 10 takes place solely as a result of the gravity force of the actuating lever  48  and the latch pins  19 . In any event gravity causes the once established latching position of FIG. 10 to be retained. 
     As a result of the fact that the latching regions  50 ″ extend at least substantially perpendicular to the latch track  19 , or have at least a substantial component perpendicular to the latch track, a movement of the latch pin  19  in the unlatching direction is blocked. 
     In order for the actuating lug  48  to execute the pivotal movement from the position of FIG. 9 into the position of FIG. 10, a wedge gap  52  must be provided in the unlatched position of FIG. 8 or in the not yet secured position of FIG. 9 between the lower side of the latch pin  19  and the upper edge of the end region  27 ′ and permit the pivotal movement from the position of FIG. 9 into that of FIG.  10 . 
     The unlatching from the position of FIG. 10 takes place in the reverse sequence in that the actuating lug  48  is first pivoted upwardly by hand into the intermediate position of FIG.  9  and then drawn away from the vertical support  11  until the unlatched position of FIG. 8 is reached. 
     The arrangement of two or possibly more pin-camtrack arrangements extending parallel to one another has the advantage that the actuating lever or the actuating lug is unambiguously guided.