Device for personal safety on scaffolds
The present invention relates to a device for personal safety on such scaffolds as consist of scaffold uprights (5, 6) and lying scaffold elements (64-73) coupled between the uprights. The safety device consists of two safety uprights (18, 19) and a guard rail (24) extending between the safety uprights. The safety uprights have coupling devices (20-23) for releasable coupling-together with the scaffold. The coupling devices interact with an upwardly facing portion of the scaffold. By means of the device, the safety uprights and the accompanying guard rail can be moved successively between different vertical positions according to safety requirements.
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The present invention relates to a device for personal safety on scaffolds according to the precharacterizing clause of Patent claim 1 below.
BACKGROUND ARTIn assembled scaffolds, there are means for personal protection against falling in the form of fixed guard rails which are coupled between the scaffold uprights in a scaffold. At the same time, these form stabilizing parts of the scaffold and hold the scaffold uprights in an erect position.
When scaffolds are being erected and dismantled, scaffold erectors often work on the parts of the scaffold which do not have guard rails. In order to provide protection against falling, use is made of safety harnesses with lifelines which, however, limit the freedom of movement of the person. Safe anchoring points must be selected and moved as the work progresses.
Attempts have been made to arrange movable guard rails for erecting and dismantling operations (see for example GB 1 528 220), but these have proved difficult to handle for scaffold erectors.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTIONThe object of the present invention is to produce a device in which extra guard rails can be handled and moved with great safety.
The said object is achieved by means of the device according to the present invention, the characteristics of which emerge from Patent claim 1 below.
LIST OF FIGURESThe invention will be described in greater detail below by means of a few illustrative embodiments with reference to accompanying drawings in which
The scaffold also includes fixed scaffold rails 64, 65 which are accordingly arranged so that each scaffold rail is arranged between the two outermost uprights 3 and 6 in order to afford protection in the outward direction, for example at a suitable height above a working platform 7. These fixed rails can be fastened directly to the scaffold uprights 3, 6 or to the transverse scaffold elements.
Erection of the scaffold proceeds from the bottom, as the uprights 3-6 are to rest with their lower ends 14, 15 against a surface, for example the ground or a floor. Erection is started by lower sections of at least two uprights, for example 3 and 4, being held in an erect position, standing on the surface, after which two connecting elements, a scaffold rail and if appropriate the working platform 7 and diagonal elements (not shown) as well are mounted, at least the lower sections of the four uprights then being held erect. As erection continues above the working platform 7, heights are reached which involve risks of accident. For example, the scaffold may be intended to have such a height that each upright consists of several sections which are joined to one another, after which scaffold rails and working platforms located above are to be mounted.
In order to safeguard personnel when the scaffold is being erected and dismantled, a safety device 1 according to the invention has therefore been produced, which is adapted to be moved upwardly or downwardly as the scaffold is being erected and, respectively, dismantled. To this end, the safety device 1 (see
For each of the safety uprights 18, 19, the safety device has an actuating device 33, 34 with at least at one end 35, 36 of each safety upright, in the example shown both ends 35-38, actuating means 39, 40, 41, 42 for adjusting the coupling devices 20-23 between releasing position and coupling position. In the coupling position, the coupling devices are adapted on the one hand to secure the safety uprights 18, 19 in their parallel position and on the other hand to maintain the selected vertical position of the safety uprights, that is to say to lock them relative to movements in the axial direction of the uprights. To this end, the safety uprights receive, through the coupling devices, support against bearing surfaces in the scaffold, in the example shown the lying scaffold elements 66-73, that is to say horizontal tubes, in the example one end side element 10, 12 for each coupling device 20-23.
By means of a slot in the articulation point, the push rod 57 and thus the locking bolt 48 can perform a pure longitudinal displacement movement. Alternatively, the locking means can be pivotable.
The coupling devices are suitably arranged firmly on the safety uprights, in the example shown by virtue of the gripping hook 45 merging with a short arm 58 with a hole in one of its ends. The hole is dimensioned and shaped so that the safety upright 18 will pass through it. Firm connection can take place by means of a welded joint, a screwed joint or the like.
In the example shown, the guard rail 24 in the safety device is continuously extendable, for example by virtue of each rail element 25, 26 being telescopically extendable and consisting of, for example, an outer tube 59 and an inner tube 60 which can be inserted telescopically into the outer tube. More than two tubes can be present in order to obtain a greater adjustment range. The length-adjustability means that one and the same safety device can be used for different lengths of working platform 7, that is to say different distances between the scaffold uprights 18, 19, and makes possible the successive movement of one safety upright 18, 19 at a time in the safety device as the scaffold is being erected or dismantled.
The use of the safety device according to the invention during erection of a scaffold will now be described below.
As mentioned previously, the erection of the scaffold proceeds from the bottom, with the erection of a number of scaffold uprights and the mounting initially of a bracing scaffold element, which can be mounted at a low height, on the whole by personnel on the ground. In the example, fixed scaffold rails 64, 65 in the form of lying, longitudinal scaffold elements are mounted between the two front scaffold uprights 3, 6, after the transverse, lying scaffold elements 66-73 which are coupled between the front scaffold uprights 3, 6 on one side and the rear scaffold uprights 4, 5 on the other side. The first working platform 7 can then be positioned at a suitable height by its hooks 74, 75, which grip around the transverse scaffold elements 66, 70. Depending on the height of the final scaffold, use is made of a number of sections for each scaffold upright, starting with lower sections and then gradually joining on additional sections as the scaffold is erected. Joining-on is advantageously carried out so that all sections of the scaffold uprights are arranged along one and the same longitudinal axis.
Before personnel step onto the working platform 7, the safety device is mounted so that the associated guard rail 24 will be located at a suitable safety height above the working platform (see
In its first safety position according to
Before the scaffold is erected further upwards, the safety device 1 according to the invention is moved further upwards. In this connection, one safety upright 19 is first freed by adjustment (in the example rotation) of one of the actuating means 40, 42 at the ends of the safety upright, suitably the lower end. A scaffold erector can in this connection activate the actuating means 42 for release, after which he lifts the safety upright 19 upwards along the scaffold upright 6 (see
The safety device 1 is then in the safety position according to
When the scaffold is erected, the safety device can in principle remain in its top position and either afford supplementary protection or if appropriate replace the top guard rail.
When the scaffold is dismantled, the procedure is in principle the same as described above, but in reverse order, as the various elements of the scaffold are taken down starting from the top.
The invention is not limited to illustrative embodiments described above and shown in the drawings but can be varied within the scope of the patent claims below. For example, it may in some cases be sufficient to have one coupling device on each safety upright. If this is given a greater extent in the vertical direction, a torsion-resistant coupling can still be obtained. In principle, it is conceivable for the fastening devices for the guard rail 24 to be fixed, that is to say not articulated, and for the rail elements to be unextendable and adapted in their length to the distance between the scaffold uprights 3, 6. For example, the safety device can permanently have the appearance the safety device in
In the case of a safety device with a guard rail without articulations, it is particularly suitable if such an embodiment is intended for the end sides, that is to say the short sides, of the scaffold and can still advantageously be coupled to the lying, transverse scaffold elements on the end sides. In this connection, it is conceivable for the safety device to be provided with a single safety upright, the guard rail projecting laterally from the safety upright and therefore being connected to the safety upright without articulation. Such end side safety devices can moreover be combined with articulated safety devices according to the example shown, it then being possible therefore for the guard rail for the long sides to be fastened to a safety upright shared with a short side. It is also conceivable for only one of the coupling devices to be lockable, in the case of an articulated construction one lock in each safety upright, in the case of a rigid construction it is in principle sufficient for one safety upright to be locked. Furthermore, the coupling devices can be coupled to other parts of the scaffold, for example one or two at a time of the longitudinal lying (horizontal) scaffold elements.
Alternatively, the safety uprights can be coupled to the coupling means of the scaffold uprights, which may be a cup running around, or a bracket or plate with a hole for hooking in gripping elements. A combination of gripping hooks for support against lying elements and hooks for hooking firmly to scaffold uprights is also conceivable. It is then sufficient for one type of hooks to be lockable. Instead of an actuating handle and turning bar, another actuating device can be selected, for example a pull/push rod or wire which is pulled in the axial direction, the actuating means then being a pull/push means. A common feature of the various coupling devices is that they rest on an upwardly facing portion of the scaffold in order that the safety upright or safety uprights will be secured safely to the scaffold in coupling position and released for movement of the safety device.
Claims
1. Device for personal safety on such scaffolds as consist of scaffold uprights (3, 4, 5, 6) and lying scaffold elements (64-73) adapted to be coupled between the uprights, the safety device consisting of at least one safety upright (18, 19) and at least one guard rail (24) extending from the safety uprights, the guard rail being fastened to the associated safety uprights and the said safety device having at least one coupling device (20-23) for releasable coupling-together with the scaffold, as a result of which the said safety uprights and the accompanying guard rail can successively be moved between different vertical positions according to safety requirements, the safety device (1) comprising at least one actuating device (33, 34) with actuating means (39-42) for adjusting the said coupling device (20-23) between a releasing position and a coupling position for coupling safety uprights together with parts of the scaffold in different vertical positions, the said actuating means (39-42) being arranged at at least one end of the said safety uprights (18, 19) and being adapted to be adjusted between releasing position and coupling position and, via actuating-movement-transmitting means (52, 55, 57) extending along the associated safety uprights, to adjust the coupling device (20-23) between releasing position and coupling position, characterized in that the coupling devices (20-23) are adapted to support the safety device (1) in both releasing position and coupling position by resting on an upwardly facing portion of the scaffold.
2. Device according to Patent claim 1, characterized in that each coupling device (20-23) has a gripping hook (45), the hook opening (47) of which, viewed in the longitudinal direction of the safety upright (18, 19), faces away from the associated guard rail (24), that is to say downwards in the safety position, in order to grip around a portion of the scaffold.
3. Device according to Patent claim 1, characterized in that each coupling device (20-23) is held in position in both the vertical direction and the lateral direction on the scaffold.
4. Device according to Patent claim 1, characterized in that the actuating means (39-42) are arranged at both ends (35-38) of the said safety uprights (18, 19).
5. Device according to Patent claim 1, characterized in that the said actuating-movement-transmitting means (52, 55, 57) comprise an actuating bar (52) which extends inside the associated safety upright (18, 19).
6. Device according to Patent claim 5, characterized in that the actuating bar (52) extends through the entire length of the safety upright (18, 19), and in that the actuating means are arranged on both ends of each actuating rod.
7. Device according to Patent claim 5, characterized in that the actuating bar (52) is mounted rotatably in the safety upright (18, 19).
8. Device according to Patent claim 7, characterized in that the said actuating means (39-42) consist of a handle which is mounted rotatably relative to the safety upright (18, 19) at its end and is arranged in a rotationally fixed manner on the respective end of the actuating bar (52).
9. Device according to Patent claim 8, characterized in that the turning bar (52) extends from the handle at each end to a link mechanism (55, 57) which is located at each coupling device (20-23) and is adapted to convert the actuating movement of the actuating bar into an adjusting movement of a locking means (48) in the associated coupling device between the releasing position and the coupling position.
10. Device according to Patent claim 1, characterized in that the number of coupling devices (20-23) is at least two on each safety upright (18, 19).
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 26, 2003
Publication Date: Jan 5, 2006
Applicant: PlusEight Safety AB (Hindas)
Inventor: Harry Wallther (Hindas)
Application Number: 10/529,029
International Classification: E04G 3/32 (20060101);