Abstract:
The invention relates to a dismountable scaffolding with vertical struts and horizontal struts. A base plate extends between said struts and is provided with hook-shaped end fittings on each front face. Said base plate can be placed on a rail section in such a way that vertical locking or unlocking can be selectably achieved by sliding the end fitting in the direction of the rail section. Horizontal antislip locking is achieved and cancelled by raising the end fitting, thereby preventing said fitting from sliding into an inactive vertical locking position when it is in an active vertical position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a dismantlable scaffold and in particular to a facade scaffold in. 
     In a known scaffold of this lind (DE196 33 091 A1), latching catches are provided at the end fittings of the individual floor panels and ensure latching of the end fittings on placement of a floor panel on the associated rail section, so that a lifting of the end fittings from the associated rail section is only possible after pivoting of the latching catch into a release position. A design of this kind admittedly ensures that a floor panel is securely held against lifting on the rail section, even without a transverse strut which contacts against its end fittings from above; it is, however, disadvantageous that for this purpose a movable element in the form of a latching catch must be present which has to be actuated by suitable measures by the operator for the lifting and which can be damaged with rough operation on a building site and thereby made partly or wholly inactive. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a scaffold of the initially named kind in which, on the one hand, the floor panels can be installed on the rail sections and removed from them without problem without the use of movable elements on the rail section and end fitting, and, on the other hand, in the installed position undesired lifting, for example by winding or other lifting forces acting from below, is however avoided, without the end fittings having to be secured by transverse struts of the scaffold lying above them. 
     The concept underlying the invention is thus to be seen in the fact that simply by a sequence of suitable shifts of a floor panel in the horizontal and vertical direction, a simple installation and removal of the floor panels is, on the one hand, possible with respect to the associated rail sections, and, on the other hand, the floor panels are secured against lifting up-wardly by wind or other forces in the installed state. The lifting of the floor panel required to cancel the security against shifting preferably takes place at one side and indeed in particular at the front. 
     The security against lifting and/or the security against shifting are preferably formed by abutments. 
     The depth of insertion of each floor panel is advantageously restricted with the insertion restriction when using a plurality of floor panels arranged behind one another preferably being ensured for the last floor panel by the vertical supports and for the floor panels lying in front of it by the respective rearwardly disposed floor panel. 
     The security against lifting is expediently realized with a linearly operating bayonet connection between the end fitting and the associated rail section. 
     An abutment serving for the positioning is also provided in the pull-out direction, at least for the frontmost floor panel, so that on pulling out the floor panel, the position in which the lifting security is cancelled is found without particular attention on behalf of the operator. This abutment is preferably formed by the forwardly disposed vertical supports. 
     An embodiment of the invention brings the shifting security abutments out of engagement while the lifting security abutments are still active. 
     Even though it is fundamentally possible for the different abutments to be provided on the same side of the rail section, it is, however, preferred when these abutments are arranged so that the shifting security abutments can be comfortably executed between the rail sections as plates which preferably consist of sheet metal. 
     Even though a single floor panel can basically be provided between two vertical supports and designed in accordance with the invention, it is, nevertheless, advantageous, to preferably provide two or more floor panels of like design behind one another, because in this way an easier manipulation is possible at greater heights because of the lower weight of the individual floor panel. 
     Insofar as a plurality of floor panels are provided behind one another, the shifting security abutments of the rear floor panels can be expediently designed differently from those of the front floor panel. 
     Thus, whereas the shifting security abutments of the front floor panel are so positioned relative to one another that a lifting of the front floor panel is still not possible when they come into engagement, the abutment plates of the rail sections which lie further to the rear are so arranged that on entry into engagement with the positioning abutments of the end fittings, the security against lifting has already been cancelled. This design is possible and expedient because, as long as the front floor panel has not yet been removed, the floor panels lying further to the rear are secured by the same measures as the front floor panel against shifting towards the insertion side into a position which makes lifting possible. 
     A particularly advantageous further embodiment signals to the operator on inserting the floor panels particularly forcefully, whether these are already latched in place or not. So long as the shifting security abutments are located on the shifting security abutment plates between the rail sections, the floor panel tilts during handling to the front and to the rear so that the operator gets a feeling for the fact that the relevant panel is not yet in its desired position. Only when the shifting security abutment of the end fitting of the abutment plate drops rearwardly into the lowered position does the tilting cease and signal to the user that the floor panel is now located in its final desired position. With a plurality of floor panels arranged behind one another, it is sufficient if only the frontmost shifting security abutment plate is correspondingly designed. 
     Another embodiment of the invention ensures that the floor panels can also extend up to the region adjacent the vertical supports, so that broad walking surface is present. The design of the invention proves to be particularly expedient here, because it results in a certain overhang of the floor panels beyond the support surfaces on the rail sections, which, when walked on, exert a tilting moment on the floor panels about their longitudinal axis in the sense that they attempt to lift from the rail sections. This is, however, effectively avoided by the security against lifting provided in accordance with the invention so that the over-hang of the floor panels to the front and rear beyond the rail sections does not represent any deterioration of the security in use. 
     A further embodiment of the invention provide that the opening in the region of the end cutouts, which is present with two floor panels contacting one another, is secured downwardly by the positioning plate, which has the advantage that articles falling through this opening are stopped by the abutment plate. 
     Another embodiment of the invention makes it possible for the security against lifting to be cancelled by pivoting the floor panel downwardly about one of the rail sections, whereby the relevant floor panel can be lifted off without shifting in the direction of the rail section but rather by simple downward pivoting. In the inverse sense the placement of a floor panel on the rail section is also possible. The pivoting downwardly or upwardly of the floor panels can be made possible by elastic pressing apart of two adjacent vertical support pairs. 
     A further feature of the invention provides a situation in which a maximum support surface is made available between the end fittings and the associated rail sections. 
     The present inventor facilitates the placement of a floor panel obliquely from below onto a transverse strut in that the shifting security abutment forms a stop with the rail section, which is to be correspondingly dimensioned, and prevents a shifting of the end fitting beyond the transverse strut and thus prevents a dropping down of the relevant end of the floor panel. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a facade scaffold being assembled in which the invention can be used, 
     FIG. 2 is a partly sectioned schematic plan view of a scaffold in accordance with the invention in the region of the arrangement of floor panels on a transverse strut provided between two vertical supports, 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view in accordance with the line III—III in FIG. 2, 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view in accordance with the line IV—IV in FIG. 2, 
     FIG. 5 is a partial plan view analogous to FIG. 2 during the removal or installation of a floor panel, 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic side view in accordance with the line VI—VI in FIG. 5, 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic side view in accordance with the line VII—VII in FIG. 5, 
     FIG. 8 is a partial plan view analogous to FIGS. 2 and 5, with the front floor panel completely removed and in the stage of removal of a rear floor panel, 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic sectioned view in accordance with the line IX—IX in FIG. 8, 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic sectioned view in accordance with the line X—X in FIG. 8, and 
     FIG. 11 is a sectional view analogous to FIG. 3, but with one of the two illustrated floor panels being pivoted downwardly about the associated rail section. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The same reference numerals designate corresponding components in all Figures. 
     In accordance with FIG. 1 a facade scaffold is being assembled at a building construction  37 , On the ground  27  four vertical supports  11  are supported via vertically adjustable spindle arrangements  28  in an arrangement with a rectangular base area, the longer side of which extends parallel to the front of the building construction  37 , and are completed by transverse beams  30  provided above head height, longitudinal supports  29  and also diagonal struts  38  to a supporting base framework  41 , which is continued in a suitable manner at the bottom right in FIG. 1, which is not shown in detail. The base framework  41  has no transverse struts in its lower region, i.e. beneath head height, so that a passage can be provided there, for example for pedestrians. 
     Whereas the rear vertical supports  11  continue upwardly, the front vertical supports  11  are offset to the rear above the transverse beams  30 , so that the spacing between the front and rear vertical supports  11  is more than halved. The vertical supports  11  arranged behind one another, which consist of plugged-together individual elements  11 ′, form, together with horizontal transverse struts  12  extending between them at a vertical spacing, end frames  32 , which, as one can recognize from the top left in FIG. 1, are asymmetrically designed and can be plugged together. In this manner numerous end frames  32  are so plugged together, optionally with the intermediary of individual elements  11 ′ not connected by transverse struts  12 , so that in each case one transverse strut  12  is present per vertical support pair at the vertical spacing of the stories A, B, C, D, E and F that are provided. A total of seven end frame arrangements consisting of end frames  32  assembled vertically above one another, each having a number of transverse struts  12  lying at the same height, are provided along the building construction  37  at uniform intervals. 
     The narrow sides of rectangular floor panels  13  each provided with end fittings  15  are releasably placed, in the manner which will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2 to  11 , on two transverse struts  12  arranged alongside one another in front of the building construction  37 . 
     The facade scaffold has, furthermore, two forwardly projecting auxiliary scaffolds  33  and  34  respectively. 
     The front vertical supports  11  at the comers of the base frame  41  can be used at the top for the mounting of suitable further support elements. For the security of persons working on the floor panels  13 , railings  39 ,  40  are secured to the vertical supports  11  at a suitable height at the side and also at the end faces. 
     Curb strips  36  are releasably secured at the bottom, in particular at the side of the floor panels  13  remote from the building construction  37 , and also if required at the side adjacent the building construction  37  and at the end faces, preferably to the transverse struts  12 . The curb strips  36  are intended to prevent tools lying on the floor panels being pushed sideways beyond the floor panels  13  when walked upon and being able to fall down from the facade scaffold. 
     In accordance with FIG. 1 the stories A, B, C, D are already finished, whereas the stories E, F are being assembled. 
     In accordance with FIGS. 2 to  4  the transverse struts  12  consist of two rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ which are mounted spaced apart and parallel to one another on two individual elements  11 ′ located behind one another of vertical supports  11  by welding or by a releasable type of attachment, which have a substantially C-shaped or inverse C-shaped cross-section, and consist of a vertical strip part  14   a ,  14 ′ a  respectively, a lower, horizontal, short, reinforcing flange  14   b ,  14 ′ b  respectively, and an upper horizontal flange  17 , which can have a greater width than the reinforcing flange  14   b ,  14 ′ b . In principle the two rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ can be connected at the bottom by elongate plates  43 , indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3, to form a constructional unit. 
     The flanges  14   b ,  14 ′ b  and  17  of the two rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ extend in opposite directions. 
     In accordance with FIG. 2 the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ are welded at their ends at a spacing K to a vertical support  11  in each case. The mounting could also, for example, be releasable via attachment roses provided on the vertical supports  11 . 
     Between the vertical planar strip parts  14   a ,  14 ′ a  of the two rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ there extend, in accordance with FIGS. 3,  4 , approximately at half height, at a horizontal spacing, a shifting security abutment plate  18  and a positioning plate  18 ′, which, in accordance with FIG. 4, can extend substantially horizontally, or can rise slightly from the insertion side  21  towards the building side  22 . The plates  18 ,  18 ′ are fixedly connected at both ends to the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′, for example by welding. Apart from the function of the plates  18 ,  18 ′ described further below, the transverse struts  12  comprising the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ are reinforced in this manner. 
     In the upper horizontal flanges  17  of the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′, which extend in opposite directions, cutouts  20  are provided behind one another, with one cutout  20  being located in each case relatively close to the insertion side  21 , and one further cutout  20  being located in each case close to the building side  22 . 
     On the narrow ends of the floor panels  13 , there are secured end fittings  15 ,  15 ′, which are of substantially hook-like design in accordance with FIG. 3, and have at the side adjacent the floor panel  13  a vertical strip part  15   a ,  15 ′ a  respectively, fixedly connected to the latter, a substantially horizontally extending and substantially planar cover part  15   b ,  15 ′ b  and an outer strip part  15   c ,  15 ′ c , such that the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ have a substantially inverted U-shaped cross-section. 
     In order to be able to more simply distinguish the components disposed above one another as illustrated in FIG. 1, the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ are provided with hatching extending from the top left to the bottom right, and the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ are provided with hatching extending from the top right to the bottom left. 
     In accordance with the invention, there are provided, at the lower edge of the strip parts  15   a ,  15 ′ a , horizontal lifting security projections  16  extending in the direction towards the associated rail section  14 ,  14 ′ beneath the horizontal flanges  17 , and downwardly projecting shifting security abutments  19  at the strip parts  15   c ,  15 ′ c  lying between the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′, which cooperate with rear abutment edges  23 ,  23 ′ of the shifting security abutment plate  18  and the positioning plate  18 ′ respectively. 
     The vertical spacing G between the lifting security projections  16  and the horizontal flange  17  is greater in the installed state of the floor panel  13 , in accordance with the invention, than the vertical degree of overlap between the plates  18 ,  18 ′ and the shifting security abutments  19 . 
     The surface  24  of the abutment plate  18  serves as a sliding surface for a shifting security abutment  19  lifted onto it. 
     The abutment plate  18  and the abutments  19  are positioned relative to one another in the horizontal direction such that with abutment of the projection  19  at the rear edge  23  of the abutment plate  18 , the lifting security projection  16  of the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ is still located beneath the horizontal flange  17 , and in any event is still clearly behind the cutout  20 , so that on lifting up the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ in this state, the projections  19  are admittedly lifted onto the surface  24 , but the lifting security projection  16  cannot yet pass upwardly through the cutout  20 . This is only possible when the downwardly projecting abutments  19  have been shifted so far on the surface  24  in the direction towards the insertion side  21  that the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ come into abutment against the front vertical support  11  in the region of the front cutouts  25 . The length of the abutment plate  18  and of the shifting security abutments  19  in the direction of insertion is such that the shifting security abutments  19  lifted onto the surface  24  of the abutment plate  18  slidingly contact the surface  24  until the associated end fitting  15 ,  15 ′ respectively abuts against the front vertical support  11  on being pulled out toward the front. 
     In accordance with FIGS. 2 to  4  two identically formed floor panels  13  are mounted behind one another on a respective rail section  14 , 14 ′. The rear floor panel  13  abuts in this arrangement in the region of a cutout  26  provided at the rear at the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ against the rear vertical support  11 . In the center, the two floor panels  13  have at most a small spacing  31  or preferably abut against one another. 
     As one clearly recognizes from FIGS. 2 and 4, the horizontal spacing H of the shifting security projections  19  of the rear floor panel  13  and of the rear edge  23 ′ of the rear positioning plate  18 ′ is substantially greater than the spacing  35 , which is as small as possible, between the shifting security abutment  19  of the front end fitting  15  and the rear edge  23  of the abutment plate  18 , which should only lie in the region of the tolerances that are necessary. 
     In FIG. 2 bores  44  are also indicated in the end region of the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′, which serve for the insertion of non-illustrated holding pins of the curb strips  36  (FIG.  1 ). In the region of the rear vertical supports  11 , the bores  44  are generally unnecessary, because curb strips  36  are not prescribed at the building construction side. In accordance with the invention, the non-illustrated vertical pins of the curb strips  36 , which are inserted into the front bores  44 , in particular represent an additional security against shifting of the floor panels  13  to the front. The bores  44  are thus to be correspondingly arranged. 
     In FIG. 4 it is, furthermore, indicated, at the left, how plug-in spigots  11 ″ provided on the individual elements  11 ′ can be plugged telescopically into an adjoining individual element  11 ′, in order to form a vertical support  11  assembled from numerous individual elements  11 ′. Further features and details of the invention result from the following functional description, with additional reference to FIGS. 5 to  11 . 
     In accordance with FIGS. 2 to  4  two end fittings  15 ,  15  and  15 ′,  15 ′ respectively of two floor panels  13  are in each case arranged behind one another on the two rail sections  14 ,  14 ′, and indeed in such a way that a distance  31  which is as small as possible remains between the floor panels  13  and must be so small that no components or tools can fall downwardly through it. The size of the spacing  31  is determined by the tolerances which are necessary in the assembly of such a scaffold. 
     At the building side  22  the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ located there abut in the region of the cutout  26  against the rear vertical support  11 , whereby the depth of insertion of the two floor panels  13  arranged behind one another is determined. The shifting security abutment  19  of the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ disposed towards the insertion side  21  in each case engages behind the rear edge  23  of the shifting security plate  18 , and indeed while leaving the minor spacing  35  which should be as small as possible and is determined by the usual tolerances with such scaffolds. In this manner two floor panels  13  lying behind one another are in each case also secured against sliding towards the insertion side  21 . 
     Should now wind forces, for example acting from the bottom on the floor panels  13 , attempt to lift these from the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′, then this is prevented by the lifting security projections  16 , which engage beneath the horizontal flange  17 . The same applies if any form of tilting moments occur about the longitudinal axis of the floor panels  13 , for example by treading on the front or rear marginal region of the floor panels  13  which project beyond the region of support on the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′. 
     If the floor panels  13  are to be lifted from the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′, then the curb strips  36  are first removed from the securing bores  44 . Thereafter, one of the front floor panels  13  is first lifted in accordance with FIGS. 5 and 7 sufficiently far that the downwardly projecting shifting security abutment  19  is lifted to the level of the surface  24  of the shifting security abutment plate  18 , and the floor panel  13  is then shifted in the direction of the arrow P towards the insertion side  21 , with the abutment  19  being able to slide on the surface  24 . Through the lifting of the shifting security abutment  19  to the level of the surface  24 , the sliding prevention lock formed by the shifting security abutment plate  18  and the shifting security abutment  19  is cancelled. The relevant floor panel  13  can then be shifted in the direction of the arrow P sufficiently far until the edge of the front cutout  25  abuts against the rear side of the front vertical support  11 , in which position the projection  16  is vertically aligned with the cutout  20  in the horizontal flange  17 , whereupon the end fittings  15  and  15 ′ respectively can be lifted upwardly without problem from the associated rail section  14 . In order to release the front floor panel  13 , a wholly conscious movement of the floor panel  13  first vertically upwardly and then forwardly is necessary, such as cannot be randomly produced, for example by wind forces, so that as a result of the measure of the invention, an extensive security of the front floor panels  13  against chance lifting is given, and, on the other hand, a problem-free conscious removal is also possible. 
     After the one of the two front floor panels  13  has been removed in accordance with FIGS. 8 to  10 , the rear floor panel  13 , which is now no longer restricted at the front by another floor panel  13 , can likewise be shifted forwardly in the direction of the insertion side  21 , until the shifting security abutment  19  provided at its end fitting  15 ,  15 ′ abuts against the rear edge  23 ′ of the rear positioning plate  18 ′ (FIG.  10 ). Now, in contrast to the relationships for the front floor panels  13 , the lifting security projections  16  and the cutouts  20  in the horizontal flanges  17  are vertically aligned with one another, so that in accordance with FIG. 9 the end fitting  15  can be lifted from the associated rail section  14 . At the rear floor panels  13 , the shifting security abutments  19  and the positioning plate  18 ′ thus simply serve as an indicator through which the operator is made aware by the abutment of the two components  18 ′,  19  against one another that the floor panel  13  is now ready for the lifting from the rail section  14 . 
     After the shifting security abutment  19  has been lifted beyond the level of the surface  24 ′ of the positioning plate  18 ′, the rear floor panel  13  can now be pulled out forwardly in the direction of the arrow R, with the shifting security abutment  19  being able to slide on the surface  24 ′ if necessary. 
     The mounting of the floor panels on the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ takes place in the reverse sequence as follows: 
     First of all the rear floor panel  13  is mounted from the insertion side  21  in such a manner that the shifting security abutment  19  is placed onto the rear positioning plate  18 ′, and the floor panel  15  is shifted with the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ towards the building side  22 , with the shifting security abutment  19  sliding rearwardly on the surface  24 ′ of the positioning plate  18 ′ until it finally reaches behind the end edge  23 ′, whereupon the end fitting drops downwardly until it contacts the horizontal flange  17  over its full length. During this the lifting security projection  16  moves through the cutout  20  below the level of the horizontal flange  17 , whereupon the floor panel  13  with the end fitting  15  is shifted rearwardly into the position evident in FIGS. 5 to  7 , until the end fitting  15  comes into contact against the rear vertical support  11  in the region of the cutout  26 . The rear floor panel  13  is now located in its desired position. 
     In order to facilitate the sliding of the shifting security abutment  19  on the positioning plate  18 ′, this can either itself be formed as a rearwardly rising ramp or can have such a run-up ramp  18 ″ at its end adjacent the insertion side  21 . In this manner the shifting security abutment  19  can enter into sliding engagement with the surface of the ramp  18 ″ solely by pushing the floor panel  13  rearwardly, without the floor panel  13  having to be lifted on being pushed into place, so that the end fitting  15  is lifted on further shifting of the floor panel towards the building side  22 , until finally the shifting security abutment  19  reaches behind the end edge  23 ′ of the positioning plate  18 ′, and the end fitting  15  drops downwardly in the above-described manner, whereupon the cover parts  15   b ,  15 ′ b  lie on the flange  17 , as can, for example, be recognized in FIG.  3 . Thereafter, the shifting of the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ into the desired position evident from FIGS. 2 to  7  then takes place again. 
     Now the front floor panel  13  is also mounted as follows: 
     The front floor panel  13  is first placed onto the associated rail section  14  in such a way that the end fitting  15  abuts from the rear against the front vertical supports  11  in the region of the front cutouts  25 . In this position the lifting security projection  16  and the cutouts  20  and the horizontal flanges  17  are vertically aligned with one another so that the end fitting  15  can move sufficiently far downwardly for the shifting security abutments  19  to come into contact on the surface of the shifting security abutment plates  18 . As a result of the dimensioning in accordance with the invention the lifting security projection  16  now come to lie lower than the horizontal flanges  17 , so that on shifting the floor panel  13  in the direction of the arrow S in FIG. 7, the lifting security projections  16  already engage beneath the horizontal flanges  17  before the shifting security abutment  19  sliding on the surface  24  finally reaches behind the rear edge  23  of the shifting security abutment plate  18 , whereupon the floor panel  13  with the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′ drops downwardly into its desired position shown in FIGS. 2 to  4 , where the cover parts  15   b ,  15 ′ b  of the end fittings  15  lie throughout on the horizontal flanges  17 . 
     The shifting security abutments  19  should be arranged in the region of the center of the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′, so that when the shifting security abutments  19  lie on the shifting security abutment plates  18 ,  18 ′, the floor panel  13  adopts an unstable position in which it tilts about its longitudinal axis during handling, which is an indication for the operator that the floor panel  13  is not yet located in its end position. A stable, no longer tilting position is first achieved when the shifting security abutments  19  have slid off from the shifting security plates  18  at the rear. 
     In accordance with FIG. 11 the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′ and also the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′, with their various projections and cutouts, should be so dimensioned that a tilting of each floor panel  13  downwardly is also possible out of the position secured against lifting, and indeed in such a way that, for example, on pivoting of the floor panel  13  downwardly about the rail section  14 ′, a lifting in the direction of the arrow T in FIG. 11 is possible without previous horizontal shifting of the floor panel  13 . In the reverse sequence each floor panel  13  can thus also be mounted in an oblique position on the rail sections  14 ,  14 ′; however, a lifting out in the above-indicated sense must first take place at the opposite side. As soon as the end of the floor panel  13  has been lifted there from its associated rail section  14 ,  14 ′, the end frame  32  located there with the vertical supports  11  and transverse struts  12  can be resiliently pushed away from the floor panel  13  somewhat, whereupon a tilting of the floor panel  13  downwardly in accordance with FIG. 11 is possible. On the mounting of a floor panel  13  in the tilted state in accordance with FIG. 11, the other end must subsequently be lifted above the level of the rail section there, with the end frame  32  resiliently pushed away, and subsequently mounted on the rail section in the above-described sense. 
     It is thus particularly advantageous that on tilting of a floor panel  13  downwardly in accordance with FIG. 11, none of the parts moved relative to one another come into engagement with one another in such a manner that they could be damaged or destroyed. 
     As a result of the design in accordance with the invention, each front floor panel  13  can be removed and installed independently of the remaining floor panels  13 . In order to remove one of the rear floor panels  13 , it is only necessary to first push the floor panel  13  lying in front of it forwardly, and indeed until the frontmost one abuts against the front vertical support  11 . 
     The insertion of the floor panels  13  is in particular facilitated by the design of the invention and made safer, because the operator receives a feeling both for the non-latched and also for the latched position of each floor panel  13 . 
     Since the safety curb holding bores  44  are located, in accordance with the invention, relatively close to the front and rear edges of the floor panels  13 , i.e. of the end fittings  15 ,  15 ′, a further indication for a problem-free positioning of the mounted floor panels  13  can be seen in the fact that the safety curb retaining bores  44  are exposed for the reception of the holding pins of the curb strips  36 . By inserting the vertical spigots of the curb strips into the bores  44 , the floor panels  13  are additionally secured against shifting to the front. 
     The shifting security abutments  19  have the further advantage that when a floor panel  13  lies with its lower side obliquely (FIG. 11) on a rail section  14 ,  14 ′, and is then shifted in its longitudinal direction up to vertical alignment of the upper end fitting  15 ,  15 ′ with the associated rail section  14 ,  14 ′, the downwardly projecting shifting security abutment  19  first engages behind the associated rail section  14 ,  14 ′, and thus the longitudinal shifting is terminated at the instant where the end fitting  15 ,  15 ′ is located in the relative position required for a holding engagement with the associated rail section  14 ,  14 ′.