Patent Description:
Scaffolding systems are used in construction and the industry to work at places that cannot be reached from the ground. In scaffolding, two scaffold types can be distinguished, viz. system scaffolds and frame scaffolds.

System scaffolds comprise metal scaffold tubes, and scaffold couplings between these tubes. To vertically disposed scaffold tubes, called standards, there are attached, by means of these couplings, horizontally oriented scaffold tubes, called transverse and longitudinal ledgers. On or to the ledgers, floor parts can be secured to form a floor, in particular multiple floors at different floor levels. The space that is formed by four standards, four transverse ledgers and four longitudinal ledgers is called a scaffold bay.

In frame scaffolds, use is made of scaffold frames which are mutually connected with each other by floor parts. Each scaffold frame comprises two standards which are mutually fixedly connected with each other by at least one transverse ledger. Building up a scaffold bay proceeds in broad outline as follows. First, two vertical scaffold frames are placed at a distance from each other. The scaffold frames are connected at a particular height by means of floors. The assembly of two frame parts and the floors connecting these frame parts is called a scaffold bay.

Both in the system scaffolds and in the frame scaffolds, for the purpose of strengthening a scaffold bay, braces may be fitted between the standards and ledgers. For safety, between the standards, a guardrail may be mounted. The guardrail ensures that a person cannot fall off the floor parts. Also, between the standards a toe board may be mounted, which ensures that things on the floor cannot fall off but are held back by the toe board.

The problem in placing a guardrail is that to be able to mount it, the relevant floor level for which the guardrail is intended needs to be entered. If no additional provisions and/or means are used, this may be unsafe and this is also prohibited in many cases nowadays. Accordingly, there exists in the market a need for a guardrail assembly that can be placed from a lower floor level at the height of an upper floor level and which meets stiffness and strength requirements from the applicable technical norms even when the guardrail assembly has not yet been connected with standards of the upper scaffold bay for which the guardrail is intended.

<CIT> shows a guardrail assembly comprising a guardrail, two posts each pivotably connected with the guardrail. The known guardrail assembly comprises connectors which are arranged for engagement of a rosette of a scaffold. The guardrail and the posts together form a parallelogram link system. The connectors in the known system are fixedly connected with the guardrail ends. To be able to place the connectors in the rosettes, the guardrail assembly first needs to be extended and only then can it be placed in the rosettes. This makes the mounting of the known guardrail assembly clumsy and unfeasible, or feasible only with a great deal of trouble, from a lower floor level, requiring in any case two persons to be available to install the guardrail assembly in extended condition from the floor level below.

The object of this invention is to provide a solution for fitting a guardrail on an upper floor level, whereby it is preferably possible to have the guardrail assembly placed by only one person.

The invention provides to that end a guardrail assembly according to claim <NUM>.

The guardrail assembly is configured to be in the collapsed position during the mounting of the guardrail assembly to the scaffold by means of the first and second connector's engagement of the part of the scaffold.

The guardrail assembly in its collapsed condition is easy to handle and can be simply taken along by a scaffolder. This also makes it possible to take along the guardrail assembly to a highest floor level on a scaffold that is still protected by a guardrail or preceding-guardrail. From this defined first floor level, it is possible to mount the guardrail assembly at a higher-located, second floor level with the mounting system. Due to the guardrail assembly being extendible, the guardrail assembly can be extended, before the second floor level is entered. After the guardrail assembly has been extended, the scaffolder or a colleague can safely enter the second floor level, where he/she can proceed further with building the scaffold.

With the known guardrail assembly of <CIT> it is not possible to attach the assembly in folded position to the scaffold. To attach the guardrail assembly, the guardrail has to be extended and the connector has to be placed in the rosette above the second floor level. Handling of the extended guardrail assembly of <CIT> is cumbersome and in effect cannot be carried out by a single person.

The invention further provides a scaffold comprising standards, ledgers, floor parts, and a guardrail assembly according to the invention.

The effects and advantages of the scaffold according to the invention are the same as the effects and advantages of the guardrail assembly according to the invention.

The invention also provides a method of building a scaffold according to claim <NUM>.

More particularly, the invention provides a method comprising:.

The effects and advantages of the method of setting up a scaffold framework system according to the invention are the same as the effects and advantages of the guardrail assembly and the scaffolding system according to the invention.

Further elaborations of the invention are described in the dependent claims and will hereinafter be clarified in more detail on the basis of an example, with reference to the figures.

In the following detailed description of the figures, with the help of reference numerals reference is made to the example that is represented in the figures. The embodiments that are described in the detailed description, however, are not limited to the example that is shown in the figures but may also be implemented in a different manner than is shown in the example. The embodiments described in the detailed description should therefore be read and understood also without the reference numerals. The various embodiments to be described hereinafter can also be used in combination with each other or independently of each other, according to the claims.

Most generally, the invention provides a guardrail assembly <NUM> for a scaffold comprising standards <NUM>, ledgers <NUM>, and floor parts <NUM>. The guardrail assembly <NUM> comprises:.

The guardrail assembly <NUM> is configured to be in the collapsed position during the mounting of the guardrail assembly <NUM> to the scaffold <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> by means of the first and second connectors engaging the part <NUM> of the scaffold <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

Due to the pivoting points <NUM>, <NUM>, the posts <NUM>, <NUM> and the guardrail <NUM> can be collapsed parallel and against or close to each other. By moving the lifting arm <NUM>, it will erect the first post <NUM>. The guardrail <NUM> is thereby carried along and also the second post <NUM> will erect. The other effects and advantages of the guardrail assembly <NUM> have already been described in the summary and these effects and advantages are considered inserted here by citation. It should be noted that the guardrail assembly <NUM> can comprise more than one guardrail. In <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>, a second guardrail <NUM> is shown which is connected with the posts <NUM>, <NUM> via pivoting points <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the mounting system comprises a base part <NUM> which extends in a longitudinal direction from a first to a second longitudinal end, the base part <NUM> being provided at the first and the second longitudinal end with the first and the second connector <NUM>, <NUM>, respectively.

The guardrail assembly <NUM> can therewith be mounted between two scaffold parts <NUM>. In the example shown in <FIG>, to which the invention is not limited, the connectors <NUM>, <NUM> are implemented as engaging hooks <NUM>, <NUM> and the scaffold parts <NUM> are formed by two tipping pins <NUM>. The mounting of the guardrail assembly <NUM> can be carried out by a single person. The scaffolder can first mount, here hook, the first connector <NUM> to a scaffold part. The guardrail assembly <NUM> then hangs obliquely downwards as shown in <FIG>. The scaffolder can thereupon grasp base part <NUM> near the second longitudinal end and lift it, and mount the second connector <NUM> to a scaffold part <NUM> of the scaffold frame <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. The guardrail assembly <NUM> has thus been mounted at a higher-located floor level.

Instead of being implemented as engaging hooks, the connectors <NUM>, <NUM> may also be implemented in a different manner and engage other parts of the scaffold frame than a tipping pin <NUM>. This will be later reverted to, with reference to the examples in <FIG>.

In an embodiment, of which an example is represented in the figures, the base part <NUM> may be implemented as a toe board <NUM>. In this way, placing of the toe board <NUM> and placing of the guardrail assembly are combined into one operation. This saves time and so accelerates buildup of the scaffold.

In an embodiment, the first and the second connector <NUM>, <NUM> may be designed as a hinge assembly with the aid of which the toe board <NUM> is connected with a floor part <NUM> of the scaffolding system in a manner pivotable around a pivoting axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis <NUM> of the guardrail <NUM>.

An advantage of the combination of the guardrail assembly <NUM> and a base part <NUM> that is implemented as a toe board <NUM>, is that both are of benefit to promoting the safety on a construction site. By providing the guardrail assembly <NUM> with a toe board <NUM>, one compact part for a scaffold frame <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> is provided, which can be mounted with a few operations. The scaffolder no longer needs to mount two loose parts separately, but can confine himself to the guardrail assembly <NUM> which the toe board <NUM> is an integral part of. This will reduce scaffolding system buildup time and prevents scaffolding components being forgotten during assembly and disassembly.

In an embodiment, the mounting system may further comprise a rotation limiting provision which limits a turning of the guardrail assembly <NUM> about a longitudinal axis <NUM> connecting the two connectors <NUM>, <NUM> with each other.

Especially during assembly, such a rotation limiting provision is of importance when the first connector <NUM> is connected with a part of the scaffold and the second connector <NUM> is not yet connected with a part of the scaffold. The rotation limiting provision then hinders the guardrail assembly "toppling over". In an embodiment, the rotation limiting provision can comprise a standard receiver <NUM> which limits a standard receiving space <NUM> for, at least in the collapsed position of the guardrail assembly <NUM>, receiving in the standard receiving space <NUM> a portion of the scaffold <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. The standard receiver <NUM> can for instance comprise two parallel plates which bound the standard receiving space <NUM>. This example is shown in the figures. In <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG> it is clear that the standard receiver <NUM> encloses the connecting pin of standard <NUM>.

In an embodiment, of which an example is shown in the figures, the lifting arm <NUM> near a first end thereof is provided with an engaging hook <NUM>. The lifting arm <NUM> has a first pivoting position in which it extends parallel to guardrail <NUM>. Further, the lifting arm <NUM> can be brought into a second pivoting position in which, if the first and the second connector <NUM>, <NUM> are attached to the scaffold <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, the engaging hook <NUM> engages a standard <NUM> of the scaffold <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

If the lifting arm <NUM> is in the first pivoting position, the guardrail assembly <NUM> is compact and properly manageable. In the second pivoting position, the lifting arm <NUM> extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guardrail <NUM>. Due to the engaging hook <NUM> near the first end engaging a standard <NUM>, turning of the whole guardrail assembly <NUM> around the longitudinal axis <NUM> connecting the two connectors <NUM> and <NUM> is prevented.

In a further embodiment, in combination with the above-described standard receiver <NUM>, the standard receiver <NUM> may be mounted on the first post <NUM>. If the first and the second connectors <NUM>, <NUM> are attached to the scaffold frame <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, the standard receiver <NUM> receives a standing portion of the scaffold frame <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> if the lifting arm <NUM> is in the first pivoting position; for this, see <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG>, <FIG> and <FIG>. If the lifting arm <NUM> is in the second pivoting position, the standard receiver <NUM> is pivoted away from the standing portion of the scaffold frame <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>; for this, see <FIG>.

Both the standard receiver <NUM> and the lifting arm <NUM> hinder a turning of the guardrail assembly <NUM> about the longitudinal axis <NUM> which connects the first and the second connector <NUM>, <NUM> with each other. The standard receiver <NUM> is especially operative during the mounting of the guardrail assembly to the scaffold frame <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>. If the lifting arm <NUM> has been put in the second pivoting position, the rotation limiting provision which is formed by the standard receiver <NUM> is brought out of operation in that the standard receiver <NUM> has been moved away from the standard <NUM>. The standing portion concerned has thus been cleared again. If the standing portion is, for example, a spigot of a standard <NUM>, it can be used again for building up a next scaffold bay.

In an embodiment, the mounting system further comprises a mounting arm <NUM> which is connected with the second connector <NUM> in a manner pivotable around a pivoting point <NUM> (see <FIG> and <FIG>) and which near a first end is provided with an engaging hook <NUM>. The mounting arm <NUM> has a first pivoting position in which the mounting arm <NUM> extends parallel to the guardrail <NUM>. The mounting arm <NUM> further has a second pivoting position in which, if the first and the second connector <NUM>, <NUM> are attached to the scaffold <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, the engaging hook <NUM> of the mounting arm <NUM> engages a standard <NUM> of the scaffold frame <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>.

The effects and advantages of the second mounting arm <NUM> are substantially equal to those of the lifting arm <NUM>. If the mounting arm <NUM> is in the first pivoting position, the guardrail assembly <NUM> is compactly and properly wieldable. In the second pivoting position, the second mounting arm <NUM> extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guardrail <NUM>. Due to the engaging hook <NUM> adjacent the first end of the mounting arm <NUM> engaging a standard <NUM>, tilting of the guardrail assembly <NUM> about the longitudinal axis <NUM> which connects the connectors <NUM>, <NUM> is prevented. An advantage of the combination of the lifting arm <NUM> and mounting arm <NUM> is that these together give the guardrail assembly <NUM> an additional firmness, as a result of which forces or moments that are exerted on the guardrail assembly <NUM> can be absorbed better. This is relevant, for instance if someone bumps or falls against an extended guardrail <NUM>.

In a further embodiment, the mounting arm <NUM> in the first pivoting position hinders a pivoting of the lifting arm <NUM> from the first pivoting position to the second pivoting position and thereby an erecting of the guardrail assembly <NUM> is hindered.

A practical elaboration of this can be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>, where the mounting arm <NUM> near the pivoting point <NUM> is provided with an S-shaped end. This ensures that the second post <NUM>, which is connected via the guardrail <NUM> with the first post <NUM> and lifting arm <NUM>, cannot be turned to the left and erected, in that it then knocks against the end of the mounting arm <NUM>. That same shape does allow the mounting arm <NUM> to turn right and pivot to the second pivoting position, without the end of the mounting arm <NUM> running against the second post <NUM>.

By this construction, tilting of the guardrail assembly <NUM> about the longitudinal axis <NUM> which connects the two connectors <NUM>, <NUM> is hindered each time. As soon as the first connector <NUM> is connected with a part <NUM> of the scaffold frame, the standard receiver <NUM> hinders such tilting. Thereupon the mounting arm <NUM> is brought in the second pivoting position and the engaging hook <NUM> thereof engages a standard and this standard also hinders the tilting mentioned. After this, the lifting arm <NUM> can be moved from the first pivoting position to the second pivoting position. In this second pivoting position, the guardrail assembly has been brought into the erected condition, the standard receiver <NUM> has been brought out of engagement with the standing portion, and the engaging hook <NUM> of the lifting arm <NUM> has been brought into engagement with a standard. In that condition, the tilting mentioned is hindered by the engaging hook <NUM> of both the mounting arm <NUM> and the lifting arm <NUM> engaging respective standards <NUM>. In the embodiment described here, it is not possible to bring the lifting arm <NUM> in the second pivoting position before the mounting arm <NUM> has been brought in the second pivoting position. This increases safety during mounting of the guardrail assembly <NUM>.

In an embodiment, of which an example is shown in <FIG>, at least one end of the guardrail <NUM> is provided with a bent surface <NUM> which bounds a tube receiving space <NUM> for partly receiving therein a standard <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the guardrail <NUM> may be provided with mounting means for mounting the guardrail <NUM> to standards <NUM> and/or to a guardrail <NUM> of a second guardrail assembly <NUM>.

The base part <NUM>, instead of being implemented as a toe board, may also be implemented as a ledger tube, as a floor part or like part extending along a longitudinal axis <NUM>.

In an embodiment, the first connector <NUM> may be implemented as an engaging hook <NUM> which is configured for engaging a first tipping pin <NUM> which is mounted on a standard <NUM>. The second connector <NUM> may then be implemented as an engaging hook <NUM> which is configured for engaging a second tipping pin <NUM> which is also mounted on a standard <NUM>. An example of this is represented in <FIG>, where the tipping pins <NUM> and the engaging hooks <NUM>, <NUM> are clearly visible in <FIG> and <FIG>. Such tipping pins <NUM> may be arranged both on the standards <NUM> of a system scaffold and on the standards of the scaffold frames of a frame scaffold.

In another embodiment, of which an example is shown in <FIG>, the scaffold may be of the frame scaffold type, with the scaffold parts comprising scaffold frames and floor parts. Each scaffold frame comprises at least two standards <NUM> which are fixedly connected with at least one transverse ledger <NUM>. The first connector <NUM> may then be implemented as an engaging hook <NUM> which is configured for engagement of a transverse ledger <NUM> or a strengthening plate <NUM> of a first scaffold frame. Also the second connector <NUM> may then be implemented as an engaging hook <NUM> which is configured for engagement of a transverse ledger <NUM> or a strengthening plate <NUM> of a second scaffold frame.

An example of such a scaffold framework system is the Super scaffolding system of Scafom-Rux.

In yet another embodiment, of which an example is shown in <FIG>, the scaffold may be of the system scaffold type, where the standards <NUM> have, fixedly connected thereto, rosettes <NUM> for forming a ring scaffold system. The first connector may then be implemented as a rosette coupling <NUM>' which engages a rosette <NUM> of a first standard <NUM>. Also the second connector <NUM> may then be implemented as a rosette coupling which engages a rosette <NUM> of a second standard <NUM>.

An example of such a ring scaffold system is the Ringscaff scaffolding system of Scafom-Rux.

<FIG> shows an example of a rosette coupling <NUM>' which is provided with a ball hinge <NUM> with which a first post <NUM> or a second post <NUM> may be connected via a transverse pin which is fixedly connected with the respective post <NUM>, <NUM>. The ball hinge <NUM> can rotate only to a limited extent and thus constitutes an alternative further elaboration of the embodiment of the earlier-mentioned rotation limiting provision.

The operation of the rotation limiting provision is visible in <FIG>, where the two connectors <NUM>, <NUM>, which are implemented as rosette couplings <NUM>' with ball hinge <NUM> as represented in <FIG>, are connected with a rosette <NUM>. The guardrail assembly <NUM> is not extended yet. In <FIG> the guardrail assembly <NUM> has meanwhile been extended but the lifting arm <NUM> has not been brought into engagement with the standard <NUM> yet. The guardrail assembly <NUM> now hangs in an extreme swivel position of the ball hinge <NUM>. In <FIG> the next situation can be seen where the lifting arm <NUM> has been brought into engagement with the standard <NUM>. Consequently, swiveling in the ball hinge <NUM> is not possible anymore, so that the guardrail assembly <NUM> is stably held in the vertical position. To stabilize the guardrail assembly <NUM> still further, the guardrail <NUM> may at the ends thereof be provided with second rosette couplings <NUM> which in a later stage, when the scaffolder is on the higher-located floor level, can be attached to a rosette <NUM> of a standard <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>. The invention further provides a scaffold. The scaffold comprises standards <NUM>, ledgers <NUM> and/or <NUM>, floor parts <NUM>, and a guardrail assembly <NUM> according to the invention. The scaffold may be, for example, of the system scaffold type or of the frame scaffold type as already described above.

The effects and advantages of the scaffold with the guardrail assembly <NUM> according to the invention have already been described in the summary and these effects and advantages are understood to be inserted here by citation.

The invention further provides a method of building up a scaffold. In most general terms, the method comprises:.

In a further elaboration of the invention, the step of placing the guardrail assembly in the collapsed position at the top of the first scaffold bay comprises:.

Because the guardrail assembly <NUM> can first be connected to the scaffold with the first connector <NUM> and can then be connected to the scaffold with the second connector <NUM>, this operation can be carried out by a single scaffolder. When connecting the guardrail assembly <NUM> with the scaffold, the scaffolder can stand on a first floor level of a first scaffold bay and mount the guardrail assembly for an upper second scaffold bay, possibly even before the scaffold floor of the second scaffold bay has been arranged. Being able to connect the connectors <NUM>, <NUM> in succession with the scaffold, the scaffolder needs to lift only half the weight of the guardrail assembly <NUM>.

In an embodiment of the method, the scaffold may be of the system scaffold type, and the scaffold parts comprise standards <NUM>, longitudinal ledgers <NUM>, transverse ledgers <NUM>, floor parts <NUM> and scaffold couplers. A scaffold bay here comprises four standards <NUM>, four longitudinal ledgers <NUM> and four transverse ledgers <NUM>. An example of this is shown in <FIG>.

In an alternative embodiment of the method, the scaffold may be of the frame scaffold type, and the scaffold parts comprise scaffold frames and floor parts <NUM>. Each scaffold frame then comprises at least two standards <NUM> which are fixedly connected with at least one transverse ledger <NUM>. Two examples of this are shown in <FIG> and <FIG>.

Claim 1:
A guardrail assembly (<NUM>) for a scaffold comprising standards (<NUM>), ledgers (<NUM>), and floor parts (<NUM>), the guardrail assembly (<NUM>) comprising:
- a guardrail (<NUM>) extending along a longitudinal axis (<NUM>);
- at least a first post (<NUM>) and a second post (<NUM>) each connected with the guardrail (<NUM>) in a manner pivotable about a first pivoting point (<NUM>);
- a mounting system for mounting the guardrail (<NUM>) to a part of the scaffold, wherein the mounting system comprises a first and a second connector (<NUM>, <NUM>) which are configured for engagement of a part (<NUM>) of the scaffold (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), wherein the first post (<NUM>) is connected with the first connector (<NUM>) in a manner pivotable around a second pivoting point (<NUM>) and wherein the second post (<NUM>) is connected with the second connector (<NUM>) in a manner pivotable around a further second pivoting point (<NUM>), wherein the guardrail (<NUM>), the at least first and second posts (<NUM>, <NUM>) together form a parallelogram link system when the first and the second connector (<NUM>, <NUM>) are connected with the scaffold; and
- a lifting arm (<NUM>) which is fixedly connected with the first post (<NUM>) and which extends in line with the first post (<NUM>) from the second pivoting point (<NUM>) away from the first pivoting point (<NUM>) for bringing the guardrail assembly from a collapsed position to an extended position and vice versa,
characterized in that
the guardrail assembly (<NUM>) is configured to be in the collapsed position during the mounting of the guardrail assembly (<NUM>) to the scaffold (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) by means of the first and the second connector (<NUM>, <NUM>) engaging the part (<NUM>) of the scaffold (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>), wherein due to the first and second pivoting points (<NUM>, <NUM>), the first and second posts (<NUM>, <NUM>) and the guardrail (<NUM>) can be collapsed parallel and against or close to each other, wherein by moving the lifting arm (<NUM>) the first post (<NUM>) will be erected whereby the guardrail (<NUM>) is carried along and also the second post (<NUM>) will erect.