Patent Publication Number: US-2007119800-A1

Title: Stacking system

Description:
The present invention relates to a stacking system for long members, in particular for scaffolding tubes.  
      It is known for transporting trees, for them to be stacked on a lorry, equipped with a crane and grab, along the load bed and retained by uprights extending up from the side rave of the bed.  
      Such a system is not really suitable for scaffolding tubes, because pre-determined numbers of them and differing length cannot readily be kept separate.  
      The object of the present invention is to provide an improved stacking system  
      A system for stacking elongate members on a base, the system comprising: 
          at least two pairs of uprights, there being a left and a right upright in each pair, the uprights being adapted to stand upright on the base with long members stacked between the left and right ones, which are spaced laterally of the intended orientation of the member, with the pairs being spaced longitudinally of the orientation; each pair of uprights having: 
            at least one load-bearing, bridge piece having: 
                a proximal end pivoted at one end on one (right or left) of the pair of uprights at a pivot for bridging the gap between it and the other (left or right) of the uprights when in a deployed position, the bridge piece extending upwards from the pivot when in a folded-up position and     a distal end, the other of the uprights being adapted to support, at a support point corresponding to the pivot, the distal end of the bridge piece when deployed, and    
                a latch and release mechanism in each pair of uprights, the mechanism comprising: 
                a latch to retain the bridge piece in its folded-up position, leaving open the gap for loading of the members and     a trip to release the bridge piece on loading of the members into the gap below the level of the pivot, whereupon the bridge piece deploys downwards under gravity for loading of secondary elongate members onto it and     the latch being adapted to latch the bridge piece when pivoted up on    
               
               

      The uprights can include individual feet for holding them upright, particularly where the base is a concrete storage platform. Alternatively, and particularly where the base is a load bed of a lorry or trailer or a pair or more of longitudinal beams, the uprights in each pair can be interconnected by a crosspiece to which the uprights are attached for holding them upright, the crosspiece extending laterally of the stacking orientation. Conveniently, the crosspieces can be adapted to be clamped to a side rave. Again alternatively, the feet and/or crosspieces can be adapted to be bolted to the base.  
      Preferably, at least some of the crosspieces have the uprights of more than one pair thereof attached to them. Again, at least some of the crosspieces having more than one pair of uprights can be cranked to position one pair differently longitudinally from another pair. Optionally, the feet or crosspieces can include stabilising feet extending longitudinally of the stacking orientation.  
      In the preferred embodiment, each pair of uprights has a second bridge piece, pivot, support point and latch and release mechanism above the first for tertiary elongate members. Usually, the pivot for the first bridge piece will be on one upright in each pair and that for the second bridge piece will be provided on the other.  
      The latch can be magnetic, and in particular a pair of complementary magnets, one secured to the bridge piece at or close to its distal end and the other secured at a corresponding position on the upright having the pivot of the crosspiece. With a magnetic latch, the trip can be a lever extending from the bridge piece towards the other upright, into the path of elongate members being stacked between the uprights.  
      Alternatively, the latch can be is a sear mechanism provided at the pivot the trip being a lever extending into the path of elongate members being loaded and adapted to release the sear mechanism.  
      Preferably, the uprights are hollow and slotted at sides facing each other, the bridge piece being received through the slot in the one when folded up and extending from the slot in the one, across and into the slot in the other with its distal end when deployed.  
      Preferably, one or other of the uprights in each pair is provided with a gap closure member, pivotable at the top of its upright and to extend to the top of the other upright for stacking of materials on top. Conveniently, the gap closure member is a channel member having its web on the outside of its upright and having longitudinal slots in its flanges, whereby it is slidable up the upright and pivotable across to the other upright.  
      Another feature of the preferred embodiment is a head board having a liftable and pivotable panel arranged to be laid across the tops of at least some of the uprights.  
      In some embodiments, the trip of the release mechanism may be positioned for actuation by an operator. In other embodiments, the release mechanism can include a load sensing mechanism, whereby the weight of a load on a bridge piece or a crosspiece or indeed the base will trigger release of the latch. 
    
    
      To help understanding of the invention, a specific embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a stacking system of the invention;  
       FIG. 2  is a similar perspective view with scaffolding tubes stacked in the system;  
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of the system and stacked tubes;  
       FIG. 4  is an end view of selected ones of the uprights of the system, showing details of bridging pieces;  
       FIG. 5  is a similar view showing a bridging channel deployed across the uprights;  
       FIG. 6  is a side view of the end of the system, showing a folding head board deployed;  
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view of a pair of uprights according to the invention with single bridge piece;  
       FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of a pair of uprights according to the invention having two bridge pieces and in use;  
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view of  
       FIG. 10  is a top view of a lorry provided with the stacking system of the invention in use with scaffold tubes; and  
       FIG. 5  is a top view of a second lorry provided with the stacking system of the invention and a crane and grab for moving the tubes. 
    
    
      Whilst the system of the invention can be envisaged to be useful for elongate members other than scaffolding tubes, its primary use is likely to be for the latter, accordingly the elongate members will be referred to in the following description as tubes.  
      Referring first to FIGS.  1  to  6 , a stacking system  1  for tubes is shown supported on a base  2 . For the purposes of the description with reference to FIGS.  1  to  6 , the nature of the base is immaterial, it could be either a vehicle bed or a stationary bed. The vehicle would be used for transporting the tubes for use on a construction site; whilst the stationary bed would be used for storage of the tubes between construction use.  
      The system includes eleven pairs of right and left uprights  11 , 12 . They are supported upright by crosspieces  14 , 15 , 16 , there being two straight crosspieces  14  and two cranked crosspieces  15 , 16 . The straight crosspieces have three pairs of uprights, whilst the crosspiece  15  has two pairs and the crosspiece  16  has three pairs. This particular arrangement allows five differing lengths of tubes T1-T5 of successively longer length to be stacked. The length of the tubes is parallel to an axis L.  
      The crosspieces are of rectangular section tubular steel, typically 120×80×8 mm. At each upright position, they have sockets  17  formed by welding a short length of square section tubular steel through from top to bottom. The uprights fit into the socket sockets and are held upright. The crosspieces can be bolted to the base via welded feet  3  extending in the direction of the axis L, clamped via clamps  4  secured to the base.  
      The uprights are square section tubular steel, typically 80×80×5 mm, with slots  18  in their faces facing each other in their pairs. The slots extend from close above their lower ends to a little short of their upper ends, which are bevelled inwards  19  in the pairs. In their three tier form, shown in FIGS.  4 , 5 , 6 , they have two cross pins  20  spaced at approximately ⅓ and ⅔rds height up them.  
      L-shaped bridge pieces  21  of steel plate are pivoted on one upper cross-pin and one lower cross-pin in each pair of uprights. The long limb  22  of the L is provided at its distal end  23  with a magnet  24  on its face which abuts to the inside face  25  of its upright opposite from the slotted face. The inside face itself is provided with a complementary magnet  26 . When the long limb is pivoted up inside its upright, the magnets hold it in position.  
      It can pivot down, when force on the short limb  27  causes the magnetic attraction to be broken. The long limb then bridges the gap between the uprights, with the distal end entering the slot of the opposite upright. It is supported on this upright&#39;s cross-bolt at the height of the pivoting cross-bolt on the other upright.  
      In use, with the long limbs or bridge pieces held up by their magnets, a pack of tubes is lowered between the chosen pairs of uprights. As they strike the short limbs, the bridge pieces are released and bridge the gap between the uprights that the tubes have just been lowered into. Thus a second pack can be stacked on the bridge pieces above the first. Where two pivots are provided, a third pack can stacked on the second bridging pieces.  
      When the packs are unloaded, the bridging pieces are lifted or folded back to be held by their magnets.  
      The bevelled end of one of the uprights in each pair has a peg  28  welded across it. The upright has a channel member  29  encasing it on all three sides except for its slotted side. The channel has a slot  30  in each of its flanges  31  with the peg received in the slot. The web  32  of the flange has an eye  33 . This arrangement allows the channel to be lifted up the upright and swung over onto the other upright, with its end being received into the channel. The channel then becomes another bridging piece onto which other members, such as scaffolding planks, which do not require to be held laterally by the uprights to prevent them from rolling out—see  FIG. 5 .  
      At one end of the system, a head board  41  is provided with a liftable panel  42 . The board is provided with pegs  43  analogous to the pegs  28  and the panel is provided with slotted sides  44 . The panel has a handle  45 , by which it can be lifted and swung down onto end ones on the bridging channels  29 . It then becomes a platform on which materials can be stored such as scaffolding fittings in stillages.  
      The system can be mounted on a lorry equipped with a crane with a grab. The crane can be used not only for stacking the tubes in the system, but also for manoeuvring the bridging channels and the liftable panel.  
      Referring now to FIGS.  7  to  11 , there is a pair of uprights  110 ,  112  according to the present invention. The two uprights  110 ,  112  define therebetween a space  114  into which elongate items can be placed. Near the base of the first upright  110  is provided a foot  116 , for a latch and release mechanism  115 . This is connected by a lever  118  to a pin  120 , the pin having a detent or sear  122  for interlocking with a notched ring  124 . Depression of the actuator  116 , releases the detent  122  from the ring  124 , allowing the ring  124  to turn and lower a bridge piece  126 . The bridge piece closes the channel  114  between the two uprights  110 ,  112 , and sits on a bar  128  on the second upright  112 .  
      The position of the bridge piece  126  after actuation is shown in dotted lines.  
      To reset the bridge piece  126 , the arm is lifted into the upright position. The can be achieved by removal of the elongate items out of the channel, moving the arm into the uprights position.  
       FIG. 8  shows the stacking system of the invention in use. The two uprights  110 ,  112  are provided with two bridge pieces  126 ,  1261 , each bearing a load of scaffold tubes. Each bridge piece is provided with a latch and release mechanism  115 ,  1151 . The foot  1161  of the latch and release mechanism  1151 , connected to the upper bridge piece  1261 , is provided slightly above the resting position of the lower bridge piece  126 . As a result scaffold tubes T placed on the lower bridge piece  126  depress the foot  1161  actuating the mechanism  1151  lowering the upper bridge piece  1261 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 9 , the system is particularly useful for the transport of scaffold tubes. However, when erecting scaffold various fittings are also required. To aid the storage and/or transport of the scaffold fittings, once the scaffold tubes have been stacked in between the pairs of uprights,  110 ,  112 , beams  140  can be laid across the tops of the uprights, creating a flat surface on which to transport or store the boxes or bags  142  of scaffold fittings. The bags of fittings  142 , are secured to the beams by straps  144 . One end  146  of the strap is attached to an anchor  148  on the beam, while the other end is connected to a ratchet  150  also connected to the beam, for tightening of the strap.  
       FIG. 10  shows a stacking system  130  comprising a base, with pairs of uprights as described above. This system is designed for use for the transport of scaffold and for mounting on a lorry. As can be seen three lines of channels are provided. The centre line is provided with two pairs of uprights, creating one channel and can be used for holding 21 ft tubes. The right hand line is provided with two pairs of uprights for holding 8ft tubes, and two pairs of uprights for holding 13 ft tubes. The left-hand line is provided with two pairs of uprights for holding 5 ft tubes and two pairs of uprights for holding 16 ft tubes. Thus all the tubes for scaffold can be held and transported using this system. In addition, the extra storage capacity shown in  FIG. 4  can be used over the pairs of uprights shown. In addition, there are further capacity  152  available on the lorry between the scaffold tubes.  
      Many lorries  160  that are generally used for the transportation of scaffold tubes or other applications are equipped with a crane and grab  162 , as shown in FIG. 5  The crane includes a base of  164  secured to the back of the lorry  160 , It is provided with a swinging arm  166 , with an extendable portion  167 . On the end of the arm is a grab  168 , which is fully rotatable. In use the grab can be manoeuvred to pick up or place tubes from or to any position on the lorry. As a result the job of loading and unloading scaffolding is simplified.