Patent GB-1250607-A (GB)
IPC: E04G7/30
Filed: 1967-11-25
Abstract: 1,250,607. Scaffold clamps. MILLS SCAFFOLD CO. Ltd. 25 Feb., 1969 [25 Nov., 1967], No. 53719/67. Heading E2B.  A clamp for connecting a scaffold or other element 20 for use in building construction to a scaffold tube 21 at different positions along the length thereof comprises a pair of limbs, corresponding end portions of which are adapted to be connected to said element with the limbs in said spaced apart relationship to accommodate therebetween the scaffold tube with the limbs extending along opposite sides of said tube in engagement therewith, each limb comprising a pair of spaced apart arms with the two arms of each pair being adapted for engagement with the scaffold tube at spaced positions along the length of the member, a hammer drivable wedge member 28 extending between the free end portions of the two limbs so as to be disposed between the two arms of each pair of arms and means extending between the free end portions of the two arms of each pair of arms for retaining the wedge member in frictional clamping engagement with the tube received between the two limbs, the arrangement being such that the wedge member can be hammer driven in a direction transverse to the length of the two limbs to releasably secure the scaffold to the scaffold tube at the selected position along the length of said tube. In the construction shown the two limbs are formed from a length of strip metal initially of elongated rectangular form which in the two opposite shorter edges thereof is formed with a U-shaped notch, the length of strip metal being then bent about an axis parallel to the shorter edges into substantially elongated U form so that each limb then consists of the pair of superposed spaced apart arms with the arms of each limb being joined together by an integral web portion 26 which also serves to connect to one another the two limbs. One of the two notches formed in the length of strip metal has one of its two legs made longer than the other leg and after the length of strip metal has been bent about the said axis the extremity of the longer leg is bent at right angles so that one of the arms and one of the means extending between the two arms of one pair is provided, the extremity subsequently being welded as shown at 24 to the other arm. The means joining together the other pair of arms is a pin 29 the end portion of which are bent into mutually parallel relation and welded to the outer faces of the two arms forming the limb 23; before the pin is welded in position however it is passed through an elongated slot 30 in the wedge member. As shown the two arms of each pair are parallel to each other and the clamp is attached to the element 20 by means of a rivet. Within the U shaped web portion 26 a location peg 32 is provided on one side of a cylindrical collar 33 which is secured between the two sides of the U shaped web portion 26 by a removable pin 34; the peg can be swung into a position in which it can enter any one of a number of regularly spaced openings in the tube 21 so that the clamp is located at a desired position. In a modification the web portion 26 is constructed so that it can embrace the element 20 and this permits it to be welded in position if desired; it can however be slidable along the length of the element 20 and in this case the element 20 is provided with a number of recesses and the web portion is provided with projections for engagement in any selected recess. An assembly of two of the clamps and a metal bar of T shape is also described the clamps being welded to opposite ends of the bar; the arrangement permits the assembly to be used for supporting boards which provide a working platform on a scaffold structure. An assembly is also described in which the limbs of the clamp are separately welded to the element 20 and in this case the wedge member instead of having a slot through which a pin passes to rotate it in position on the rest of the clamp is loose and both pairs of arms of the clamp are connected together at their free ends by respective webs secured in position by welding. The web member 28 is retained in its clamping position by a locking wedge member which passes through a slot in the narrow end portion of the web member 28 the locking web member having a removable peg which retains it in position.