FR2891564A1 - MONOBLOC SCAFFOLD FLOOR. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a floor (1) scaffold monoblock consists essentially of a metal sheet. It comprises a horizontal plate (2) of rectangular shape and longitudinal reinforcing ribs (3) protruding from the plate (2). They are constituted by flat folds of the sheet formed perpendicularly under the plate (2). Their ends (5,6) have cutouts (7,8) in a semicircle whose concavity is turned downwards. They are arranged asymmetrically with respect to the axis of symmetry (XX ') of the plate (2). This arrangement makes it possible to place two identical floors (1) end to end by turning one of them horizontally. N-shaped handling handles (17) are riveted to the ribs (3). This arrangement allows to associate two floors (1) back to back to halve the thickness of a conventional package.

Description

MONOBLOC SCAFFOLD FLOOR.

  TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a monobloc scaffolding floor, that is to say that no separate end piece or additional hook is added by the user to allow the introduction and hanging such a monobloc floor on scaffolding or similar structures.

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION During the construction or maintenance of buildings, scaffolding is usually carried out so that workers can work at height in complete safety.

  A very common type of scaffold is formed by an assembly of metal tubes, vertical and horizontal, forming a lattice structure. Floors on which workers work and circulate rest on the horizontal tubes.

  Traditionally, these floors were made of planks, but these had risks of sliding, and their solidity was not always certain.

  For safety reasons, wooden floors have been reinforced with metal elements.

  The scaffolding floor disclosed in British Patent GB 1,417,841 published December 17, 1975, in the name of E. PARRY, comprises a plywood panel longitudinally bordered for this purpose by two metal profiles.

  Hooks for securing the floor to the scaffold tubes are generally welded to these profiles. In a particular embodiment, the profiles protrude at each end of the panel, and their ends have recesses for fitting on the tubes.

  The integration of the hooks in the side profiles simplifies the manufacture of the floor, but it remains composite, and the majority is made of a particularly heavy material.

  In order to overcome these drawbacks, the floor described in the European patent application EP 1.148.182, published on October 24, 2001 in the name of EMMESSE, is entirely formed of a thin metal plate. The metal plate is stiffened by several longitudinal ribs formed by folding the sheet. The ends of the floor include inserts.

  The floor described in the latter patent application appears to have the advantage of being lighter and stronger than non-all-metal floors, but it is possible that the non-integrated end caps lead to manufacturing difficulties.

  The documents cited above thus show that solutions tending to replace the traditional scaffolding boards with monobloc floors which are lighter, more robust and easy to manufacture, are known from the state of the art.

  But none of the known solutions seems totally optimal.

  GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

  The present invention therefore aims to optimize the design of a one-piece scaffolding floor consisting of a metal sheet, of the type comprising a horizontal plate and reinforcement ribs formed by folds of the sheet itself.

  According to the invention, this floor is remarkable in that at least one end of at least one of the ribs has a cut forming a hook.

  Preferably, the tray is of substantially rectangular shape and the ribs are formed longitudinally below it.

  In addition, the folds forming the ribs are preferably flat and extend vertically.

  According to an additional feature of the invention, the cutting of the end of a rib preferably comprises a semicircle whose concavity is turned downwards.

  Advantageously, the one-piece scaffolding floor according to the invention is also remarkable in that each of the ribs has at least one extension extending outside the plate.

  Preferably, the edge of the plate then comprises at least one rectangular notch whose width is equal to the thickness of this extension increased by a predetermined play, and whose depth is equal to or greater than the length of this same extension minus a predetermined mounting interval.

  It benefits from the fact that the platform of the scaffolding floor according to the invention has a longitudinal axis of symmetry, and that the ribs are arranged parallel to this asymmetric axis of symmetry.

  An additional feature of this one-piece scaffold floor is that it comprises at least one locking cam arranged in the vicinity of the cut of a rib.

  It also advantageously comprises at least one handle consisting of an N-shaped plate whose one and the other ends are riveted respectively in the vicinity of the wing of one of the ribs and in the vicinity of the base of another of the ribs.

  In addition, the upper face of the plate preferably comprises a non-slip coating.

  These few essential specifications make it obvious to the skilled person the benefits of this one-piece scaffold floor compared to the state of the prior art.

  The detailed specifications of the invention are given in the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that these drawings have no other purpose than to illustrate the text of the description and that they do not constitute in any way a limitation of the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

  Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the plate and the ribs of the one-piece scaffold floor according to the invention.

  Figure 2 is a side view of the plate and the ribs of the one-piece scaffold floor according to the invention.

  Figure 3 is a top view of an assembly on a horizontal tube of two monobloc scaffold floors according to the invention.

  Figure 4 is a side view of a self-locking cam arranged at the end of a rib of the one-piece scaffold floor according to the invention.

  Figures 5a to 5d show schematically the steps of setting up on scaffold floor locking cams according to the invention.

  Figure 5e shows schematically the opening of the cams for disassembly.

  Figure 6 is a side view of the one-piece scaffold floor plate according to the invention showing a handling handle.

  Figure 7 is a side view of the head-to-tail assembly of two plates of the one-piece scaffold floor according to the invention in packaging.

  DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The preferred embodiment of the invention relates to a scaffold floor 1 for use with the most common metal tube structures.

  Figure 1 shows the plate 2 of substantially rectangular shape which is the main element of this floor.

  Two longitudinal ribs 3, whose core is arranged perpendicular to the plate 2, provide the rigidity of the floor 1.

  The plate 2 also has lateral wings 4 formed by folding the edge of the sheet, which also contribute to stiffen it.

  As is clearly seen in the profile view of FIG. 2, the ribs 3 are formed by flat folds, extending vertically in normal use, from the sheet constituting the floor 1.

  Preferably, the floor 1 is made of sheet 15/10, which is a good compromise between rigidity and weight. The plate 2 has a standard width of 350 mm, and the lateral wings 4 have a height of the order of 20 mm.

  The upper part of the plate 2 advantageously comprises a non-slip coating which improves the safety of the workers who are driven and parked on the floor 1.

  The ribs 3 have at each end extensions 5.6 extending beyond the transverse edges of the plate 2.

  These extensions 5, 6 each have a half-circle-shaped cutout 7,8 so as to form a recess whose opening facing downwards makes it possible to hook the corresponding end of the rib 3 onto the tube structure of the tube. 'scaffolding.

  The ribs 3 are parallel to the axis of symmetry XX 'of the plate 2, but arranged asymmetrically with respect to this axis XX'. In this way, one of the two ribs 3 is closer to the edge 4 of the plate 2 than the other.

  In the preferred embodiment corresponding to standard dimensions of the floor 1, a first rib 3 is located about 52 mm from an edge 4 of the plate 2, while the second rib 3 extends about 72 mm from the other edge 4.

  Notches 9,10 are provided at each end of the plate 2 for the passage of the extensions 5,6, this arrangement, as shown in Figure 3, allows to assemble end to end (leaving a mounting gap 11 of the order of 10 mm) two identical floors 1 on the same tube 12 by a simple horizontal reversal of one of them, without there being a conflict between the ends 5,6 of the ribs 3 which are offset two together.

  Preferably, the ribs 3 of the plate 2 are about 65 mm high, and their extensions 5.6 are about 45 mm long. Therefore, taking into account the mounting interval 11 of 10 mm, it is sufficient that the notches 9,10 have a depth of about 40 mm to achieve the assembly. The width of the notches 9, 10 is of the order of 12 mm, that is to say that the clearance is largely sufficient to allow the smooth passage of the extensions 5, 6 whose thickness is of the order of double thickness of sheet 15/10.

  In order to ensure the blocking of the floor 1 on the uprights of the scaffold, the ends 5, 6 of the ribs 3 comprise locking means constituted by self-locking cams 13.

  Figure 4 shows the particular shape of these cams 13.

  Each of them has a median portion 14, of the general shape of a hook, and is articulated at one end about an axis 15 located above the corresponding cut 7,8 of the rib 3.

  The other end of the cam 13 comprises a solid element 16 forming both, on the one hand, a plane inclined in contact with the tube 12 so as to move the middle portion 14 of the cam 13 and to release the entrance the recess 8 of the rib 3 and, secondly, a counterweight so as to return by gravity the middle portion 14 of the cam 13 to its initial position after engagement of the tube 12 and thus automatically block the end 6 rib 3 on this tube 12.

  The tubes 12 constituting the most common scaffolds have a standard diameter of 50 mm. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the dimensions of the cutout 7,8 and those of the cam 13 are adapted to this standard: diameter of the cutout 7.8: 52 mm; - width of the middle portion 14 of the cam 13: 10 mm; inner radius of curvature of the median portion 14 of the cam 13: 27 mm; outer radius of curvature of the middle portion 14 of the cam 13: 30 mm; width of the lower end 16 of the cam 13: 12 mm; length of the lower end 16 of the cam 13: 42.65 mm; distance from the hinge pin 15 of the cam 13 with respect to the end 6 of the rib 3: 35 mm; -distance of the axis of articulation 15 of the cam 13 with respect to the plane of the plate 2: 6 mm.

  The cam 13 is said to be self-locking to the extent that its shape is such that the vertical forces exerted by the tube 12 on its lower end 16 after engagement produce a torque tending to further close the recess 7,8.

  The successive stages of the self-locking process of the cams 13 are shown in detail in FIGS. 5a to 5d: a) presentation of the floor 1 above the scaffold (FIG. 5a) The counterweight 16 maintains the lower end by gravity the cam 13 under its axis of rotation 15; in this way, the hook formed by the cam 13 is kept ajar; b) lowering the floor for placement (Figure 5b).

  The inclined plane of the counterweight 16 in contact with the tube 12 gradually displaces the middle portion 14 of the cam 13, which then disappears and allows the engagement of the tube 12 in the recess 7,8 of the end 5,6 rib 3; c) placing the floor on the tube (Figure 5c) The cam 13 is completely erased; the tube 12 is almost completely engaged in the recess 7,8 of the end 5,6 of the rib 3; d) blocking the floor on the tube (Figure 5d) The cam 13 being completely erased, after crossing the diametral plane of the tube 12, the counterweight 16 returns said cam to its initial position, that is to say in the position of self-locking.

  The cam 13 can be opened for the dismantling of the floor 1, as shown in Figure 5e, only by a manual and deliberate action on the lower end 16 of the cam 13, which also advantageously has the form of a lever .

  Before, during, or after mounting, the floor 1 is more easily handled by means of handling handles 17 fixed to the ribs 3 as shown in FIG. 6.

  This handle 17 consists of an N-shaped plate whose end 18 is riveted in the vicinity of the outermost wing of a rib 3 and whose other end 19 is riveted in the vicinity of the innermost base from the other rib 3.

  FIG. 7 clearly shows the advantage of handles 17 of this form, fixed on ribs 3 having the particularity of not being at the same distance from the axis of symmetry XX 'of plate 2, when it comes to storing or transport the floors.

  Indeed, it is possible to fit two floors 1 identical one in the other after a vertical reversal of one of them, the ribs 3 and the handles 17 of each of them juxtaposed parallel to those the other. In this way, the packaging is more compact: the packing of the floors 1 according to the invention is twice as bulky as that of the floors known from the state of the art.

  It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the single preferred embodiment described above.

  Without any modification other than the shapes of the cutout 7,8 and the cam 13, the same description applies to floors 1 adapted to scaffoldings whose structure is constituted by uprights other than tubes, for example by profiles square section or other.

  The metric dimensions of the various elements of the scaffold floor 1 specified above are also not limiting.

  It goes without saying also that the number and the lateral disposition of the ribs 3 and the notches 9, 10, their general shapes and their sections, are also given by way of example only.

  The invention therefore embraces all possible variants of embodiment subject of the claims below.

2891564 -9-

Claims (10)

  1) Scaffolding floor (1) consisting of a metal sheet of the type comprising a horizontal plate (2) and reinforcing ribs (3) formed by folds of said sheet, characterized in that at least one end (5, 6) of at least one of said ribs (3) has a cutout (7, 8) forming a hook.   2) floor (1) of one-piece scaffold according to claim 1, characterized in that said plate (2) is substantially rectangular in shape and in that said ribs (3) are formed longitudinally below said plate (2).   3) floor (1) scaffold monoblock according to any one of claims 1 or 2 above, characterized in that said plies are flat and extend vertically.   4) floor (1) scaffold monobloc according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said cutout (7,8) comprises a semicircle whose concavity is turned downwards.   5) Floor (1) of monobloc scaffolding according to any one of claims 1 to 4 above, characterized in that each of said ribs (3) has at least one extension (5,6) extending outside said tray (2).   6) Floor (1) scaffold monobloc according to claim 5, characterized in that the edge of said plate has at least one notch (9,10) rectangular whose width is equal to the thickness of said extension (5,6 ) increased by a predetermined clearance, and whose depth is equal to or greater than the length of said extension (5,6) minus a predetermined mounting interval (11).   7) Floor (1) of one-piece scaffolding according to any one of claims 1 to 6 above, characterized in that said plate (2) has a longitudinal axis of symmetry (XX ') and in that said ribs (3) are arranged parallel to said axis of symmetry (XX ') asymmetrically.   8) floor (1) scaffold monobloc according to any one of claims 1 to 7 above, characterized in that it comprises at least one locking cam (13) arranged in the vicinity of said cutout (7,8).   9) floor (1) scaffold monobloc according to any one of claims 1 to 8 above, characterized in that it comprises at least one handling handle (17) consisting of an N-shaped plate whose one and the other ends (18, 19) are riveted, respectively, in the vicinity of the wing of one of the ribs and in the vicinity of the base of another one of said ribs (3).   10) floor (1) scaffold monobloc according to any one of claims 1 to 10 above, characterized in that the upper face of said plate (2) comprises a non-slip coating.