SCAFFOLDING WHICH MAY BE DISMANTLED

Abstract: A rectangular tower for use as scaffolding and shuttering consisting of sections which may be dismantled. Each section is made up of four flat, identical elements of which the ends are connected to corresponding elements and which at the same time have coupling devices for their connection to each other. Each element has an upright (1) with connecting devices (5) on one side, and at right-angles to these has spacer bars (3) with corresponding connecting devices (8). The connecting devices (5) have a recess (6) with a narrow opening (7), into which may be inserted a rectangular part (9) of the connecting device (8) when the elements are lying flat on the ground, but which will not become detached when they are formed into a rectangle. Inclined planes (10) and a lug (11) on the connecting device (8) and the oblique position of the connecting device (5) together with the oblong hole (6) provide free play during the insertion process which will disappear once the assembly is complete. The sections are assembled by placing two elements or series of elements parallel to each other on the ground with the connecting devices (5) facing upwards. On these are laid elements with the connecting devices (5) facing downwards and with the parts (9) in the recesses (6). The elements second from the top are then lifted into place, whereupon the rectangular unit is fixed by means of diagonals.

Description: -22 _^£2l^iSS_H^i2^_5§Σ_^-i_dis ^tled The present invention relates to scaffolding which may- he dismantled, of the kind v/hich has rigid, flat elements v/hich may he connected together to form tov/er sections in v/hich the ends of the uprights may " be provided v/ith unions for the location and locking together of identical tov/er sections v/hich may he attached ahove and helow. Each ' element consists of an upright v/hich, in addition to the aforementioned unions, has connecting devices for joining together adjacent elements of the same kind in such a way that four elements will comhine to form a square tov/er. One part of the a orementioned connecting devices is secured directly to the upright, and a corresponding part is secured to the free end of the spacer and stiffening " bars on the same upright. Scaffolding already exists which may be dismantled beforehand and connected together to form towers, and v/hich consists of flat elements v/hich are cheap to - manufacture and are suitable for repair, transport and storage, but which suffers from the disadvantage that all the elements must be positioned one on top of the other as the scaffolding is erected, so that they must be raised to the top of the tov/er and installed up there, v/hich is time-consuming and involves an element of risk, since each element is made up of one or two uprights to v/hich spacer and stiffening bars are welded, and that the scaffolding towers are erected by inserting the locating pin of the upper elements into the locating sleeve on the elements below. Certain scaffolding is in the form of prefabricated tov/er sections v/hich, v/hen not collapsible are not suitable for transport and storage, and v/hich, v/hen they are collapsible are more expensive to manufacture and in particular to repair and replace, in addition to being less easy to stack and transport than flat elements or sets of elements. The reason for the aforementioned disadvantages of the previously disclosed collapsible towers v/hich are made up of sections, is that the elements in each section are in the form of a permanent structure v/hich makes each of these units heavy and unmanageable, v/ith replacement of the elements only being possible by cutting the material apart, since the elements are joined together in such a way as to form triangular or rectangular towers, in v/hich each of the said elements has tubular components which are welded to its spacer and stiffening bars and which are clamped onto the supporting upright of the adjacent element. 3ach of these tubular components is itself held in position by end stops which are welded on the upright to which it is clamped. -Finally, scaffolding of the aforementioned type exists v/hich contains moving parts v/hich are more expensive to manufacture and which are vulnerable and subject to failure, as well as scaffolding v/ith manually operated connecting devices v/hich is time-consuming to erect and v/hich involves an element of risk in that one or more connections may be overlooked. The aim of the present invention is to produce scaffoldin of the said kind which may be dismantled and which, by simple means and without additional expense, v/ill combine the advantages of using flat elements without moving parts or manually operated connecting devices and the advantages v/hich are to be gained from the fact that the scaffolding towers or the tov/er sections may be built up from individual elements v/hich are simply laid out on the ground, one on top of the other, and lifted into their working position, whereupon the entire tower may be raised with a crane or a section of the tov/er may be placed by the crane onto those sections v/hich have alread been raised into position. These advantages have been achieved because the scaffolding has been designed as indicated in the characterizing part of Claim 1. Thus OM what is involved here are connections in which the male component is welded to the end of the spacer and stiffening bars of an element, said male component being capable of being inserted into a corresponding .female component, said female component being welded to the supporting upright of an adjacent element, whereby four elements may be laid out on an essentially flat base in such a way that their supporting uprights are parallel to each other, and v/ith the female connecting devices (5) of the two lower elements facing upwards and v/ith the female connecting devices (5) of the two upper elements facing downwards. In this v/ay the weight of the elements ■ will cause the upper connecting devices to bear against the lower connecting devices, v/ith the lov/er connecting devices being held by the reaction force of the base, thus causing all the connecting devices to remain joined together during the subsequent raising of the spacer and stiffening bars of the elements which are second from the top until the supporting uprights have been turned to such an extent about their central axes that the locking together of the connecting devices which is thus brought about together with the subsequent fixing of the elements in position v/ill take over the function of the gravitational forces. An additional aim of the present invention is to overcome the many disadvantages from v/hich previously disclosed, collapsible tov/er sections suffer due to the fact that they are in the form of inseparable units, in that the tov/er in accordance v/ith the present invention is made up of flat elements which are easily repaired and v/hich may, if so desired, be transported and stored either individually or in pairs. Pinally, flat individual elements offer an additional advantage over previously disclosed scaffolding towers, in that the tov/er in accordance v/ith the present invention is made up of elements v/hich do not depend on the height to v/hich the fitter is able to reach, but which are able in all respects to be adapted to suit the requirements in respect of the most favourable time of installation, transport and production costs, etc., since the fitter is no longer obliged to stand inside the tov/er and to place elements in position in the locating sleeves at the top of the tov/er. The scaffolding in accordance v/ith the present invention is unique in that it incorporates uprights, to one side of v/hich are attached slab-shaped connecting devices, each of which has a recess which, in turn, and radially outwards from the upright, has a narrow part v/hich forms an opening at the edge of the slab, said upright also having a number of spacer and stiffening bars, to the free ends of v/hich are attached other connecting devices v/hich may be inserted through the aforementioned narrow opening and into the recess of a corresponding connecting device on an adjacent upright, provided that the planes of the connected elements lie essentially end to end or parallel to each other, but v/hich may not be separated from each other when the two elements form an angle. A further unique feature of the scaffolding in accordance v/ith the present invention is that free play exists in the connecting devices v/hen the elements are being joined together, but that no free play remains v/hen the elements are turned into the position in v/hich they are ready for use. The connecting system in accordance v/ith the present invention offers the advantage that the elements may be joined together more rapidly and more convenient!} 3 " than in the previously disclosed scaffolding of the same type, since they may be laid out on the ground in such a way that one or more tov/er sections may be assembled in a single operation, simply by raising the elements v/hich are second from the top into the position in v/hich they are ready for use, and then by locking them in that position either manually or automatically, e.g. by means of articulated joints positioned two uprights. The scaffolding in accordance v/ith the present invention has the additional advantage of providing free play between the connecting devices during assembly, so that they will drop into place even if there are minor inaccuracies in the elements " resulting, for instance, from overloading during transport, and of the aforementioned free play disappearing v/hen the elements are turned into place, so that the joint will be totally rigid after assembly. The present invention is described below with reference to the following figures, in which: ig. 1 shows a perspective viev/ seen from one side of a scaffolding tov/er in accordance v/ith the present invention; Pig. 2 shov/s a perspective viev/ of a set of connections in accordance v/ith the present invention v/hich is capable of joining together two elements; Pig. 3 shov/s the same set of connections in their locked position, viewed in the direction of the supporting upright of one of the elements, and with the female component shown in cross-section; Pig. 4 shov/s the male component of the same connection, viewed from the side; Pig- 5 shov/s the same connection in its locked position, viewed from above and v/ith the male component shown in cross-section; Pig. 6 shov/s an element in accordance with the present invention, viewed from above and lying on the groun ; ig. 7 shov/s, viewed in the direction of one end of the supporting uprights, four elements in accordance v/ith the present invention, in a position in v/hich the element v/hich is second from the top has been raised half way to the working position of the square tov/er. The figure also shov/s the lifting hook of the crane and a lockable articulated joint which has two locating sleeves v/hich are inserted into two uprights. Pig. 1 shov/s scaffolding in the form of a rectangular tov/er of the usual kind. In this case it is made up of two sections, each consisting of four identical elements in accordance v/ith the present invention, of v/hich the uprights 1 are joined together end to end by means of unions and locking devices 2 . Connecting devices 5 are attached to the sides of the uprights 1 , and at right-angles to these are attached spacer and stiffening bars 3 , to the free ends of which are attached connecting devices 8 . Locking devices 4 are installed between corresponding uprights 1 . Pig. 2 shov/s a perspective view of a section of two elements v/ith their connecting devices 5 and 8 facing in the direction # of the position in v/hich the scaffolding is ready for use, although .for reasons of clarity the components are not shown in engagement with each other. In the position shown here the connecting device 8 is unable to pass through the narrow opening 7 in the connecting device 5 attached to the upright 1 , because the maximum width of the connecting device 8 on a level v/ith the rectangular constriction 9 on the connecting device 8 is shaped in such a way that it is smaller than the smallest dimension of the recess 6 but larger than the narrow opening 7 on the connecting device 5 • 3y turning the connecting devices through approximately 90°, it is possible for the part 9 to pass through the narrow opening 7 , since the thickness of connecting device 8 at this point will be less than that of the opening 7 . Pig. 3 shows the two connecting devices 5 and 8 installed in scaffolding v/hich is ready for use, v/ith the connecting device 5 shown in section and looking JI OMPI directly towards the upright 1 . In this position the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting device 5 v/ill each make contact with two inclined planes 10 on the connecting device 8 v/hich face in opposite directions to each other. By turning the connecting devices through 90°, free space v/ill be created between the connecting device 5 and the inclined planes 10 on the connecting device 8 . Pig. 4 shov/s a side viev/ of a connecting device 8 v/hich is welded to the free end of the spacer and stiffening bar 3 . The maximum width of the connecting device 8 is essentially the same as the length of the connecting device 5 , measured from its upright 1 and along the central axis of the connecting device. In those embodiments in v/hich the recess β in the connecting device 5 is oblong in shape, the connecting device 8 is provided v/ith a lug 11 , of v/hich the purpose is to make contact v/ith the upright 1 and at the same time to force the part 9 against the lateral surface of the recess 6 in the connecting device 5 , when the. elements are turned to their working position. Two connecting devices 5 and 8 may be seen in Fig. 5 v/ith the scaffolding in its working position, viewed from above and v/ith the connecting device 8 shown in cross-section. The connecting device 5 is welded at right-angles to an upright 1 , and in such a way that its contact surface with the upright forms an acute angle v/ith the axis of the upright. The recess β shown in the connecting device 5 is oblong in shape, in order to provide the desired free play during assembly before the elements are turned into position. In order to make the best possible use of the free play the minimum distance between the recess 6 and the upright 1 has been adapted to fit the connecting OMPI_ device 5 in such a way that the connecting device 8 , v/hen inserted to the maximum extent, v/ill make contact with the upright 1 at the same time as its part 9 v/ill make contact v/ith the recess 6 closest to the upright v/hen the maximum width of the connecting device 8 is identical v/ith the overall length of the connecting device 5 , measured from the upright 1 and out towards the central axis of the connecting device 5 . The lateral surfaces of the recess 6 and the narrow opening 7 of the slab-shaped connection device 5 are arranged around the central axis of the slab at right-angles to the upright 1 , and also parallel to the central axis of said upright. Pig. 6 shov/s an embodiment of a flat element v/ith three pairs of connecting devices, in v/hich the connecting devices 5 are viewed from above and the connecting devices 8 are viev/ed from the side. In the position shovn, a corresponding element v/hich has been rotated through 180° about its longtitudinal axis may be laid on top of the element illustrated here in such a way that the connecting devices of the two elements v/ill be inserted into each other, following v/hich they ma.j be secured against becoming detached from each other. This procedure may often be found to be appropriate during transport and " storage. Pig. 7 shov/s four elements connected together during assembly, viev/ed in the direction of one end of the uprights. The elements have been laid out on the ground in the manner shown, with the uprights 1 parallel to each other, and v/ith the connecting devices 5 of the two lower elements facing upwards and facing downwards in the case of the two lower elements, and v/ith all the connecting devices 8 inserted in the recesses 6 in the connecting devices 5 . OMP ~ By pulling the element v/hich is second from the top in an upward direction as shov/n, the v/eight of the elements v/ill cause all the connecting devices to remain engaged in each other and to lock together as a result of the rotary motion thus produced. Once the elements reach their desired working position they may be locked in place by means of the indicated locking device 4 .

Claims: Patent Claims 1. Scaffolding v/hich may be dismantled, of which elements may be separated without deformation of the component parts, such that it is made up of one or more tov/ers formed from rigid, flat elements v/hich have supporting uprights (1) connected end to end by means of guide pins (2) located at the ends of the uprights and which may be fitted with devices for locking the uprights (1) together, and in v/hich each element also has connecting devices by means of v/hich it may be connected to an adjacent element of the same kind, one part (5) ' of said connecting devices being secured to the side of the upright (1) and a second, corresponding part (8) being secured to one extremity of the spacer and stiffening bars (3), of v/hich the opposite extremity is secured to the same upright (1) v/hich supports the connecting devices (5), and with the spacer and stiffenin bars (3) being so positioned as to lie in a plane v/hich perpendicular to the central axes of all the connecting devices (5) on the same upright (1), c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that every connecting device (5) vhich is secured to the upright has a recess (β) v/ith a narrov/ opening (7), of v/hich the central axis points radially outwards from the central axis of the upright (1), and in that the connecting devices (8) on the spacer bars (3) have a maximum transverse dimension v/hich is greater than the maximum transverse dimension of the recess (β) as well as a narrower part (9) of essentially rectangular section of v/hich the diagonal dimension is smaller than the minimum dimension of the recess (6) but of v/hich the maximum lateral dimension is greater than the width of the narrov/ opening (7) In the connecting device (5), and in that the minimum lateral dimension of the rectangular section is smaller than the narrov/ opening in the connecti device (5), and also in that the connecting devices face each other in such a v/ay that the connecting devices (8) one element may be inserted into the connecting devices ( of an ad acent element of the same kind when the planes of both elements are, on the v/hole, end to end or parallel to each other, but may not then be separated from each other v/hen the elements are turned so that their planes form an angle, of which the size will depend on the 5 amount of free play in the connections between the elements as they begin to be turned. 2. Scaffolding in accordance v/ith Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the connecting devices (5) are slab-shaped and attached to an 10 upright (1) and so arranged that every part (5) has a central axis which points radially out from the central axis of the upright (1) and that the contact surface between part (5) and the upright (1) has a central axis of v/hich the inward projection towards the 15 central axis of the upright (1) forms an acute angle with the upright, and in that the narrov/ part (9) on the connecting device (8) is located between inclined planes (10) v/hich lie symmetrically to either side of the central plane of part (9) , and of v/hich the 20 distance from and inclination to the latter is suited to the corresponding connecting devices (5) in such a v/ay that the upper and the lower side of every connecting device (5) makes contact v/ith every one of the inclined planes (10) when the connecting devices - 25 (5) and (8) are joined together in scaffolding v/hich has been erected and v/hich is ready for use, but that free play is provided v/hen the elements are removed from their operating position. 3. Scaffolding in accordance with Claim 1, 30 c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the recess (6) in the connecting device (5) is oblong in shape and has its maximum transverse measurement pointing radially out from the central axis of the upright (1) and in that the lateral surfaces of the recess (β) and the narrow 35 opening (7) are parallel to the central axis of the upright (1) , and also in that the minimum distance betv/een the recess (6) and the upright (1) is at least sufficiently great for the narrow part (9) of the connecting device (8) , v/hen inserted to its full extent, to come into contact with that part of the recess (6) nearest to .the upright (1) at the same time as the connecting device (8) is symmetrical and has a maximum transverse measurement which is sufficiently great for the outermost point of the connecting device (8) , when inserted in the aforementioned manner, to be at the same distance from the upright (1) as the outermost point of the connecting device (5) . 4. Scaffolding in accordance with Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the connecting device (8) has a tapering lug (11) which is so positioned and arranged as to make contact v/ith the upright (1 ) v/hen the elements are turned into their operating position, thereby simultaneously forcing the part (9) against the lateral surface of the recess (6) OM?I

Inventors: STEFFENSEN F
Applicants: STEFFENSEN F
Application year: 1980
Main classification: E04G1
IPC codes: E04G1, E04G7