Hydraulic and earth engineering – Earth treatment or control – Shoring – bracing – or cave-in prevention
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-04
2001-01-16
Bagnell, David (Department: 3673)
Hydraulic and earth engineering
Earth treatment or control
Shoring, bracing, or cave-in prevention
C405S272000, C248S354400, C285S318000, C285S921000, C403S330000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174110
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a shoring leg and, more particularly, to a shoring.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A known shoring system comprises a plurality of vertical legs each of.
A known shoring system comprises a plurality of vertical legs each of which is provided with an adjustable jack at the bottom thereof. A screw-threaded portion of the jack is inserted into the leg and the jack carries a rotatable threaded collar which abuts an end plate carried by the leg. As the collar is rotated, it moves up or down the threaded portion of the jack, thereby lifting or lowering the leg. In this known system, when moving the vertical legs, a jack can become disconnected from its leg, thereby necessitating additional work in relocating the jack within the leg.
In order to obviate or reduce this problem, it has previously been proposed in UK Patent GB2265921 to provide a shoring leg with a latch which serves to maintain an end plate of the shoring leg and a collar of the jack in a predetermined position relative to one another. The known latch comprises a latch member mounted on the leg for movement between a latching position and a release position, the latch member defining adjacent one end thereof a recess adapted, when in the latching position, to receive part of the leg end plate and adjacent one end thereof the adjacent collar of the jack to retain the end plate and the collar in the predetermined position. The latch member is retained in the latching position by means of a leaf spring which is attached to the shoring leg and to which the latch member is secured. The latch member is provided with an integrally formed fulcrum in the form of a stub which contacts the leg, whereby the latch member is movable from its latching position into its release position by pressing on the other end of the latch member to pivot the latch member about the stub.
Whilst the known shoring leg and its latch operate satisfactorily, the present invention aims to provide a shoring leg having a latch requiring fewer components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention provides a shoring leg provided with a latch for use in maintaining an end plate on the shoring leg and a jack collar in a predetermined position relative to each other, the latch comprising a latch member mounted on the leg to execute a movement from a latching position to a release position, the latch member defining a recess adapted, when in the latching position, to receive part of the leg end plate and to receive a corresponding part of an adjacent collar of a jack to retain the end plate and the collar in said predetermined position, there being means to retain the latch member in the latching position, in which shoring leg the latch member is attached to the leg by mounting means which mounts the latch member for movement relative to the mounting means between the latching position and the release position.
The latch member may be pivotally mounted on the mounting means. The mounting means is typically a mounting bracket fixedly attached to the leg, and the latch member is pivotally mounted on a fulcrum plate of the mounting bracket.
The fulcrum plate of the mounting bracket may be received in a mounting slot formed in the latch member and preferably a central region of the mounting slot of the latch member is narrower than the end regions of the slot. Thus, typically, an inner longitudinal edge of the slot is of arcuate form and an outer longitudinal edge of the slot comprises two linear portions which are inclined to one another so as to meet a fulcrum comer about which the latch is pivotable on the fulcrum plate of the mounting bracket.
The recess may comprise an indentation receiving the leg end plate and a rebate for receiving the jack collar.
The latch member is preferably an elongate member, the recess being defined adjacent one end of the elongate member. The elongate member may be provided at the end thereof remote from the recess, with a finger tab.
Where the latch is an elongate member, the end of the elongate member which is provided with the recess may also be provided with an inclined cam face adjacent the recess.
Conveniently the latch member is at least partially received in a channel which extends axially of the leg. Resilient means, such as a spring, typically in the form of a coil spring which is compressed between the latch member and the leg, is used to retain the latch member in the latching position.
The invention also relates to a leg as described above in combination with a jack, the jack having a collar adjacent the end plate of the leg, part of the end plate of the leg and the corresponding part of the collar being received in the said recess formed in the latch member.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3957304 (1976-05-01), Kutsky et al.
patent: 5318388 (1994-06-01), Papadopoulos
patent: 5971334 (1999-10-01), Crawshaw et al.
patent: 332026 (1930-07-01), None
patent: 639129 (1950-06-01), None
patent: 2265921 (1993-10-01), None
Bagnell David
Mayo Tara L.
SGB Services Plc.
Sidley & Austin
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