Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Unitary foldable – rigid scaffold or ladder
Patent
1986-05-09
1988-09-27
Machado, Reinaldo P.
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Unitary foldable, rigid scaffold or ladder
182112, 182178, E04G 134
Patent
active
047735066
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to scaffolding including a scaffolding module, and to a method of erecting scaffolding using the module. It is to be understood that references herein to scaffolding and erection thereof also includes a reference to formwork for concrete and erection thereof.
BACKGROUND ART
There are many systems of scaffolding available for use by the construction industry and all of them use the same basic components to erect the scaffolding. These basic components, namely standards, ledgers, transoms, platform boards, adjustable screwbases and braces, are required in great numbers and are interconnected with one another to achieve the desired height and configuration necessary for a particular application. The erection procedure using these individual components usually demands that one level of scaffolding be completed at a time and then each subsequent level is built upon the previous one. Similarly, it is conventional when disassembling scaffolding to remove the individual components in reverse order to that used during the erection procedure.
Clearly, the known scaffolding systems require considerable time and manpower to erect or take down which causes significant cost to be incurred and delays commencement of work.
It is also readily apparent that because there are so many individual components required in such scaffolding systems it is extremely easy for parts to be misplaced which necessarily incurs significant replacement costs and can lead to delays in the erection procedure. Additionally, during both erection and disassembly it is extremely inconvenient, particularly at great heights, for workmen to handle and remove the individual components from the scaffolding. Accordingly, there is a great tendency to allow components to drop or fall, especially when sections are being dismantled since this is quicker than lowering them. These actions can create serious accidents and damage to the individual components, both of which lead to additional costs being potentially incurred.
Moreover, the transportation, sorting and storage of large volumes of individual components adds even further to loss of time and manpower, as well as loss of storage space and general inconvenience.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a scaffolding module and a method of scaffolding which will overcome, or substantially ameliorate, the abovementioned disadvantages.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a scaffolding module comprising at least one substantially planar frame to receive building materials and bear the weight of workmen; said frame being supported, in use, in a substantially horizontal position by a plurality of substantially parallel support members; wherein said frame and support members are pivotable relative to each other to permit said module to be folded between a reduced volume storage configuration in which said frame lies alongside said support members and an operational configuration in which said frame extends substantially perpendicularly to said support members.
Preferably, the frame comprises a portion of a substantially planar platform. In some preferred instances, the planar platform is releasably engageable with the frame.
As well, it is preferable that the upper and lower ends of the support members are adapted to releasably engage the lower and upper ends respectively of corresponding support members of like modules positioned above and below the module in a stack of like modules.
It is also preferable that attachment means be provided to secure each module (possibly within a stack), in use, to like modules (possibly within an adjacent stack) positioned adjacent thereto.
Further, it is preferable that, in use, a shield be located in a substantially vertical position on the side of the platform remote from the workface to prevent objects falling from the platform and out of the module.
In addition, it is also preferable, where a module is to be used as a street hoarding which provide
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