Patent Publication Number: US-8523549-B2

Title: System for in-situ making substantially vertical building works

Description:
This is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2009/004983, filed on Jul. 9, 2009, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND AND FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns systems to make in-situ substantially vertical building works with relevant time-, manpower-, and material-savings. 
     In a particularly effective and advantageous embodiment the invention relates to a system to make in-situ building works of prevailingly vertical heights, with the aid of preferably composite scaffolds i.e. consisting of modular elementary scaffold couples (or semi-scaffolds), said system being dimensionally adjustable and easily movable as an integral body. 
     In a recent WO 2010/10851 (International Application No. PCT/EP2009/002280 filed on Mar. 27, 2009) Applicant has illustrated the general background of the present construction techniques of big, mean and short size buildings and has proposed as a solution idea, a particularly efficacious system of scaffolding and hollow tubes supports for substantially horizontal building works for home or industrial use. 
     Said system comprises: —a first sub-system S 1  consisting of a horizontal platform adjustable along the two planar dimensions (X-Y), i.e. in length and width; —a second sub-system S 2  of first interface, involving means to couple said sub-system S 1  with a successive sub-system S 3 ; —a third sub-system S 3  acting as adjustable superior carrying structure; —a fourth sub-system S 4  of second interface between said S 3  and S 5 ; —and a fifth inferior sub-system S 5  to determine the stationary work conditions and the non-stationary moving conditions. 
     As anticipated the system according to the precedent International Patent Application PCT/EP2009/002280 (the description of which is incorporated by reference herein) is essentially concerned with platforms for horizontal expanding construction works (SMI). 
     In the continuation of his researches and experiments, Applicant has succeeded, (not without surprise), to bring about a system which fills the gaps and lacunas existing in the field of the substantially vertical building works (SMV) whereby, among the several advantages, the necessity is eliminated to make recourse to wood or metal plankings which were vertically in-situ assembled with the aid of scaffoldings and buttress forming structures generally different from the rectangular form. 
     We should emblematically recall the conventional vertical pillars for the in-situ embodiment of which at least four vertically extending plankings were needed that had to be each other nailed and bolted, and supported generally by buttresses of, without doubt, complexity. 
     After the concrete jet, said complex scaffolds of several walls had to be unbolted and inspected to recover the still useful material (generally 30-40%) to be again nailed with fresh plankings, etc. 
     It is true that for the common walls only two plankings are needed however the major problems remain because the mounting and demounting times are still long and the requested manpower (mainly the carpenters) must still have skill and experience. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A first object of the present invention is to provide a system of vertical scaffolding substantially “preformed” in the sense that the “classic planking” is adequately substituted with at least one wall forming element having the major dimension in the “Z” direction. Another object of the invention is to provide a vertical scaffolding system substantially consisting of couples of modular “elementary” scaffolds which are adjustable in height and width and are easily movable without needing de-mountings and re-mountings and consequently assure working time-and-manpower-savings as well as practically no loss of the material which was normally damaged in the course of the conventional dismantles, ri-assemblings and displacements. 
     Therefore in a first embodiment the system (SMV) according to the invention consists of couples of elementary scaffolds placed in face to face position, the distance between the components of said couple being adjustable according to the building work dimensions. 
     The modularity of said elementary scaffolds makes it possible to produce building works not only of large height (axis Z) but also of large length (axis X) by putting in situ a large number of modular elementary couple systems. 
     The main features and characteristics of the system according to the present invention are recited in the claims at the end of this description, which can be also considered herewith incorporated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
       The various features and advantages of the system according to the invention will more cleary appear from the following description of the preferred (illustrative and not limitative) embodiments represented in the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  are schematic, partial perspective views of an advantageous and therefore preferred embodiment of the (SMV) system according to the invention, wherein the scaffold forming elements are fixed to a box-like support having substantially rectangular cross-section; said views of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  can be “imagined” as obtained by looking at said element S 4  (preferably shown in form of a long slab of metallic plate, preferably of steel sheet), in the direction of arrow A in FIG.  4 B respectively on the same element S 4  (LA) of  FIG. 1A , but rotated of about 180° in the anti-clockwise direction; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view substantially similar to that of  FIG. 1A  with the difference that  FIG. 2  is upwards exploded and represents a second embodiment in which said sub-system S 4  (still in the form of a long metallic plate slab LA) is fixed to a buttress structure S′ 2 , is activated by fine raising organs OS and OS′, and has a lower sub-system S 3 ′ substantially similar to that of the rectangular cage (SMV) of  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B . . .  4 A,  4 B consisting of a crossbar T 7  with wheels  32  (and the relevant pivots  30 ,  33 ) and of two short reversed legs B 1  and B 2  whose superior ends penetrate in and slide within the lower ends of the vertical upright M 1 ′; 
         FIG. 3  is a front exploded view on the back of the (SMV) system according to arrow FR of  FIG. 1A , or the arrow FR′ of  FIG. 1B ; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  are cross-section views of the (SMV) of  FIG. 3 , with a front plane ( FIG. 4A ) respectively lateral plane ( FIG. 4B ); 
         FIGS. 5C ,  5 D,  5 E,  5 F are top views of the cross sections with horizontal planes having the trace lines C-C, D-D, E-E, F-F indicated in  FIG. 4B , each letter C, D, E, F associated to number  5  being intended to easily recall its respective cross-section line whereby “ FIG. 5C  reminds line C-C,  FIG. 5D  recalls line D-D,  FIG. 5E  line E-E and  FIG. 5F  line F-F”,  FIG. 5A  and  FIG. 5B  being absent because of the absence of cross-lines A-A,B-B in  FIG. 4B ; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of a complex system having (as an illustrative example) eight systems SMV, four systems SC 1 -SC 4  in CIS-position over the building work under erection (f.i. a high and long wall MU) and four systems ST 1 -ST 4  in Trans-position, said four CIS systems namely SC 1 -SC 4  being fixed with the aid of pivots (and bolts) PB′ 1 -PB′ 4 ; systems SC 1 -SC 4  are placed face-to-face to ST 1 -ST 4  whereby the respective sub-systems S 4 . 1 -S 4 . 4  form scaffolds with the opposite S 4 . 1 ′-S 4 . 4 ′; and 
         FIG. 7  is the axonometric scheme of the scaffolds of  FIG. 6  in the position to receive the concrete jet CLS. 
     
    
    
     The term CIS and TRANS are here used in analogy to “Cis-Alpine” respectively “Trans-Alpine”, i.e. Cis-(Alpine) means the position of lands and bodies “AT THIS SIDE” of the Alps whereas Trans-(Alpine) means the position “beyond (at the other side) of the Alps”. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is convenient to put forward that the system (SMV) to make VERTICAL building works according to the invention follows the birth of the first horizontal system (SMI) according to said PCT International Patent Application PCT/EP2009/002280 whereby the vertical system SMV cannot but follow closely some characteristics of the first SMI, whereby also SMV is articulated in sub-systems (four in SMV and five in SMI); the first sub-system S 1  has the task to finely establish the optimal height (maximal HE and minimal HC in  FIG. 3 ) of SMV and is activated with the aid of a fine raising organ OS which in this case is preferably a car jack type CRIK ( FIG. 3 ) and allows the closing of SMV f.i. under a possible concrete slab (not shown) made before positioning and activating the said SMV components. The second sub-system S 2  is the central structure support of all the other sub-systems S 1 , S 3  and S 4 , sub-system S 4  being now the invention characterizing element consisting of a long metallic sheet plate fixed (at least) to the support S 2  frontal face “at this side, CIS, of wall MU” which is one of the two scaffold forming elements, the other semi-scaffold being placed TRANS “at the other side” (beyond) the wall on a second similar system SMV′ facing SMV. During the working breaks SMV and its facing SMV′ are each moved as an integral body without the need of de-mountings and re-mountings, by acting on the inferior sub-system S 3  provided with twirling wheels RP and with another raising organ preferably of the jackscrew type ME controlled through a lever L. 
     For the structure of support of sub-systems S 1 , S 2 , S 3  it has been maintained the structure advantageously experimented in the prior horizontal system SMI, of the hollow uprights, which penetrate and slide within each other. The dimensions of the steel base tubular elements can be of 1.00×1.00 M 1 , however they depend on form and size of the building work piece. 
     In the back portions the couplings can be made with full steel beams to have a weight sufficient to balance SMV. When it is not possible to form the scaffolds with the aid of two facing elements because of insufficient space, an additional element with counter-scaffold can be utilized which simply consists of a framework of tubes made of the same plates having different diameter. 
     In substance the SMV system according to the present invention (even if apparently inspired by precedent SMI) involves now sub-systems functionally and numerically different from those according to said SMI, in which SMV:
         S 1  is the upper vertically highest sub-system to finely adjust the top height of SMV, f.i. for the closure under a not-shown, previously implanted concrete slab;   S 2  is the master structure to support and articulate said superior sub-system S 1  and said inferior sub-system S 3 ;   S 3  is the lowest sub-system which can take two configurations i.e. that of support and stationary fixation to the ground during the system work, and that of movement on the pirouetting wheels of the whole SMV as an integral body;   S 4  is a scaffold forming element (to be possibly called semi-scaffold) which is typically fixed to at least one face of the carrying structure S 3 .       

     In detail, in the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings in particular in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , exploded view of the buttress, respectively cage system SMV, the superior sub-system S 1  comprises a frame with a top cross-bar T 1  having an inwardly protuberance PRO which is moved by a fine raising organ OS, preferably a pantograph car jack CRK. 
     In the  FIGS. 1 and 1A  said cross-bar is in the compacted position whereas in the  FIGS. 2 and 3  it is in the raised, i.e. in the position dictated by the fine raising organ CRK. 
     The support sub-system S 2  of  FIGS. 1 ,  1 A,  3  etc. is to be “imagined” as a four face parallelepiped, each face consisting of two of the four up-rights (M 1 , M 2 , M 3 , M 4 ) stiffened by cross-bars (T 1 , T 2 , T 3 , T 4 ). 
     In  FIGS. 4A and 4B  the cross-sections of  FIGS. 1A and 1B  respectively of  FIG. 3  with vertical planes, i.e. planes orthogonal to the drawing sheet, are shown. 
     In  FIG. 4A  it can be seen the head sub-system S 1  which, as anticipated, consists of a frame (with an open bottom) having the superior raising cross-bar T 1  and two of the four legs G 1 , G 2  (G 3  and G 4  being not shown because are hidden). Said bar T 1  is preferably made of sheet material with protuberance PRO on which goes to act the raising organ OS in this case a pantograph car jack as the upwards displacements of T 1  (up to T 1 E) are small and require fine strokes. The inferior ends E, E 1  (E 2 , E 3 ) of said legs G 1 -G 2  (G 3  and G 4 ) penetrate and slide within the top ends of T 2  of S 2 . 
     As anticipated, in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  are shown the top position HE which T 1  reaches in the exploded configuration, and the compact position of the minimal height HC. The displacements of S 2  are made by the sliding of legs G 1  and G 2  within the vertical tubes M 1 -M 4  of major (or minor) diameter. 
       FIG. 5F  (top view of the cross-section with the plane having the trace line F-F- in  FIG. 4B ) shows the cross-sections of uprights M 1 -M 4  and the cross-bar T 2  between M 1  and M 2  to which is typically fixed the sub-system. S 4 , i.e. the metallic plate long piece, whose surface has been submitted to surface treatment with anti-incrustation products. 
       FIG. 5F  shows also the absence of cross-bar T 1 ′ in correspondence to line F-F- whereas it is clearly seen the tubular plate PCR on which rests the car jack, said plate having preferably the dimensions 100×100×8. 
       FIG. 5E  (view on the cross-section having trace line E-E- of  FIG. 4B ) shows the uprights M 1 -M 2  and M 3 -M 4  stiffened by the couple of diagonal beams T 3 -T 4  carrying in their central overlapping zone  18  a plate  19  with the seat  20  of the piston (non shown) of jack ME; in this case the typical plate LA of sub-system S 4  is applied directly on the external face created by the two uprights M 1 -M 2 . No external cross-bars between M 2  and M 3 , M 3 -M 4  and M 4 -M 1  are to be seen in correspondence of the line E-E. 
       FIG. 5D  (view on the cross-section with the plane having the trace line D-D) shows the presence of the two crossing beams T 5  and T 6  which have the double function to accommodate the base of jack ME as well as the plates for fixing to said beams (f.i. with the aid of bolts of the type MA 10  and MA 12 ) the pirouetting wheels RP 2 -RP 3  and RP 4 -RP 5 . Adequate pivots and bolts (not shown in order to avoid further complications to the drawings) connect and fix the axles of said two couples of twirling wheels RP 5 -RP 6  to said diagonal beams T 5 -T 6 . There are no cross-bars between M 1 -M 4  and M 2 -M 3  in correspondence of plane having line D-D as trace. 
     Finally the view (in  FIG. 5C ) of the cross-section with plane C-C shows beams T 7  and T 8  carrying the couple of plates  40 - 41  and  42 - 43  to accommodate shafts, pivots, and bolts associated to the couples of twirling wheels RP. 
     Preferably and on the basis of the optimal experimental results obtained with the precedent SMI, the structures of the present SMV can be considered substantially inspired by the structures described in the Applicant&#39;s above mentioned PCT-Application and, above all, can be embodied in various configurations whereby they can be considered as unrelated to the main solution idea. 
     To testify the great versatility of the modular SMV systems, in the  FIGS. 6 and 7  is schematically shown the particular case of the assembly of eight SMV units according to the present invention for the erection of a high and long building master wall MU. 
     The f.i. eights units SMV are placed in two group of four systems, one group SC 1 -SC 4  in CIS-position over to the building work MU in course of erection, and the other group ST 1 -ST 4  in Trans-position, the semi-scaffolds of one group facing those of the other group bringing about two lines of semi-scaffolds CIS and of semi-scaffold TRANS set at a transversal distance (in  FIG. 7  equal to the thickness of the wall MU) easily adjustable according to the works under erection. The two narrow lateral ends N 1  and N 2  of MU can be closed by simple planking or other conventional means. 
     The quick, compact inexpensive formation, of maxi-scaffolds of this type is due to the modularity and “movability” of the integral body components as well as to the predisposition of holes FO for the screws, bolts, pivots and the like in said uprights and cross-bars. 
     Maxi-and-mini-scaffold systems of high versatility are obtained. According to a feature of the invention said versatility can be enhanced by applying more than one plate LA of S 4  on the faces of the cage supports S 2  as well as by using adjustable pivots, bolts, screw and the like to slightly move the panels LA over the walls and/or the facing scaffolds. 
     Two plates LA (S 4 ) fixed to two orthogonal faces of cage support S 2  would be convenient for walls MU formed by two wall portions forming an angle of 90°. 
     For scruple of illustrative clarity the invention has been described will particular reference to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings; however this invention cannot be considered as restricted to said embodiment but it is to be intended as comprising all changes, substitutions, additions and the like which if, being in the hand reach of the field mean technical expert, fall naturally within the scope of the following claims.