Patent Application
20250003241
The present application claims priority from German patent application No. 10 2021 212 078.4, filed on Oct. 26, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The invention relates to a support rail for a cladding system for enclosing scaffolds. Furthermore, the invention relates to a cladding system for enclosing scaffolds with a support rail according to the invention and to a scaffold with a cladding system according to the invention. In addition, a method for enclosing scaffolds is disclosed.
Scaffold enclosures serve to protect the surrounding area from soiling and/or falling parts. They also increase the safety of people on the scaffold. In addition, enclosures can provide protection from the weather.
Cladding systems for enclosing scaffolds are known from the state of the art, comprising rigid cladding elements in the form of plates or panels and a substructure for attaching the cladding elements to a scaffold. Substructures with support rails are common, which are hung in front of a scaffold in a vertical and/or horizontal orientation and connected to the scaffold using connecting elements. The cladding elements can then be attached to the support rails, wherein the assembly is usually not carried out from the inside of the scaffolding, but from the outside of the scaffolding or from the “outside”.
Installing a cladding system from the outside makes it more difficult to enclose scaffolding, resulting in an increased safety risk. In addition, with the known systems, the assembly sequence is often predetermined, namely from bottom to top, so that the assembly difficulties and thus the safety risks increase with each additional layer. This is particularly true when using plates as cladding elements, which are difficult to hold due to the lack of grip options.
Cladding systems with rigid cladding elements also often prove to be less flexible, as they are designed for specific scaffolding grid dimensions. Unless cladding elements are available in a variety of dimensions, however, this has a negative impact on costs. The same applies to special elements, for example for forming internal or external corners.
Another disadvantage of curtain-type cladding systems for enclosing scaffolding is that subsequent installations or extensions, for example to erect ballasting scaffolding, are only possible with increased effort or not at all. This is because the load-bearing substructure of the cladding system is usually no longer accessible and the cladding elements themselves are designed as non-load-bearing elements.
The object of the present invention is to avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages and to make the enclosure of scaffolds safer, simpler and at the same time more flexible. The primary aim is to use rigid cladding elements in the form of panels which are suspended in front of the scaffold. The system should enable assembly from the inside of the scaffolding. Furthermore, the assembly sequence should be freely selectable so that the subsequent removal and installation of individual cladding elements is unproblematic. In addition, it should be possible to attach a ballasting scaffold.
To solve the object, the support rail, the cladding system and the scaffold are proposed. Advantageous further embodiments of the invention can be found in the respective dependent claims. Furthermore, a method for enclosing a scaffold is disclosed.
The support rail proposed for a cladding system for enclosing scaffolds has a front side and a rear side, wherein the rear side faces a scaffold in the final installation position of the support rail. On the rear side of the support rail, at an axial distance from each other, there are
Both the first and second connecting means are therefore arranged at the rear, which allows the cladding system to be installed from the inside of the scaffolding. This is because the necessary connection of the support rail to the scaffold can be made from the scaffold via the first connecting means. The panels can then be connected to the support rail via the second connecting means-again from the scaffold.
As the panels are arranged at the rear in relation to the support rail, the support rail remains accessible from the outside and can therefore be used for the installation or attachment of further elements. For example, an external ballasting frame can be attached to the support rail, as the support rail forms a load-bearing or statically effective element of the cladding system.
Another advantage of the rear arrangement of the panels in relation to the support rail is that the support rail can be used to cover and, if necessary, seal the joint between two panels, so that further sealing measures may not be necessary.
Advantageously, the proposed support rail is attached to the scaffold in a vertical orientation. The support rail can thus be used to close and cover a vertical joint between two panels. As the longitudinal edges of the support rail run vertically and not horizontally when aligned vertically, it is ensured that no water remains on the longitudinal edges and/or runs behind the support rail. It is therefore preferable not to install horizontally aligned support rails at all.
If the support rails are only aligned vertically, the cladding system can be easily adapted to different scaffolding grid dimensions using the spacing between the parallel support rails. As the panels are positioned behind the support rails, a certain amount of length compensation can also be created by varying the overlap areas in the horizontal direction. If panels are also provided in different lengths, their number can be significantly reduced.
If the support rails are only aligned vertically, the height of the panels does not have to be adapted to changing scaffolding grid dimensions. The height of the panels can therefore always be the same. In this way, the number of panels to be provided can be further significantly reduced.
In a further embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the first and second connecting means are arranged on the rear side of the support rail so as to be detachable and/or displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the support rail. The detachable arrangement of the connecting means has the advantage that connecting means can be easily removed and replaced if necessary. The displaceable arrangement of the connecting means in the longitudinal direction of the support rail allows the position of the connecting means to be adapted as required, for example to changing scaffolding grid dimensions and/or panel dimensions. If the support rail is aligned vertically, the height of the connecting means can be adjusted in this way. The detachable and/or displaceable arrangement of the connecting means thus increases the flexibility of a cladding system in which the support rail is used.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the support rail has a centrally arranged, preferably undercut, longitudinal groove on the rear side. Via the longitudinal groove, the first and/or second connecting means can be easily arranged on the rear side of the support rail so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the support rail. If the longitudinal groove is undercut, a threaded plate for the reception of a screw can be inserted into it, by means of which the first and/or second connecting means can be fastened to the support rail. As long as the screw is not tightened, the threaded plate-similar to a sliding block-remains displaceable in the longitudinal direction so that the exact position, in particular the height position, of the connecting means can be determined.
Alternatively or additionally, it is proposed that the support rail has two eccentrically arranged longitudinal grooves on the rear side. Seals can be inserted into these grooves, which come into contact with the panels according to how the panels are attached to the support rail. In this way, the seal can be further optimized.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the first connecting means comprise a double hook that is open according to in the final installation position of the support rail. The support rail can be easily connected to the scaffold, preferably to a scaffold element in the form of a bracket, via the double hook. For the reception of the support rail, the bracket can have a head plate at its projecting end, which protrudes on both sides of the bracket. When the support rail is hooked in, the double hook is then guided behind the head plate so that it engages behind it on both sides of the bracket. The support rail is then held securely on the scaffold via the double hook.
The double hook is preferably made from a single profile with a U- or C-shaped cross-section and legs that are partially exposed at the sides. The double hook can therefore be manufactured simply and cost-effectively. In addition, such a double hook has a high degree of rigidity and thus strength, so that secure attachment of the support rail to the scaffold is guaranteed. To further increase safety, the double hook can be pinned downwards, for example with the help of a pin that runs through the two legs of the double hook and extends below the bracket. In this way, the double hook is secured against lifting, for example due to high wind loads.
It is further proposed that the second connecting means comprise a double bracket for the reception of a first and a second panel. The double bracket can be used to connect two adjacent panels to a support rail. In this respect, the double bracket is preferably arranged and designed axially symmetrically in relation to the central longitudinal axis of the support rail, so that the same connection options are created on both sides of the support rail.
In a preferred embodiment, the double bracket has two parallel bracket arms, each with a link-like recess or guide for the reception of a bearing bolt connected to a panel. The panels can be hooked into the double bracket connected to the support rail via the bearing bolts. To suspend a panel between two support rails, each panel preferably has at least two bearing bolts, which are arranged-preferably at the same height-on two parallel sides of the panel. As the bracket arms of the double bracket have recesses or guides in the shape of a link for the reception of the bearing bolts, the panels can still be moved in the recesses or guides of the bracket arms according to the insertion of the bearing bolts. This allows the panels to be hung in a first position (“park position”), which does not yet correspond to the final position (“end position”) of the panels. In the first position or parking position, the panels can be put down for the time being. The panels can then be brought into their final position or end position by moving the bearing bolts within the link-like recesses or guides. The panels are preferably pushed from the inside outwards, i.e. away from the scaffold. Placing the panels in a parking position, which does not yet correspond to the final position, makes handling the panels much easier. This is because the weight of the panels is already absorbed by the substructure when they are moved from the parking position to the respective end position. In addition, the panels are guided over the bracket arm's recesses or guides. The ease of handling in turn increases safety when enclosing scaffolding.
As the panels are not placed on top of each other in the conventional sense, but are pushed or moved horizontally from a preferably internal parking position to a preferably external end position, the assembly sequence can be selected as required. This means that assembling can take place from bottom to top or from top to bottom. Furthermore, individual panels can be easily removed and reinstalled by pushing them back into the parking position.
To secure the panels in their end position, a wedge with a recess can be hinged to each of the bracket arms so that the wedge can be pivoted and/or moved relative to the bracket arm. By pivoting and/or sliding, the wedge can be brought into a position in which the bearing bolt is clamped by the wedge. The clamping effect can be achieved via the inclined surface of the wedge. The bracket arms preferably have slot-like recesses for guiding the wedges. The guide can be used to create a kind of self-locking effect for the wedges. The wedges are pulled into their final position by their own weight. As an alternative to a slot-like recess in a bracket arm, a wedge can also be guided by an abutment element. This is arranged on the side of the wedge facing away from the bracket arm and connected to the bracket arm so that the wedge is guided between the bracket arm and the abutment element. The wedge can also be articulated to the bracket arm via the connection of the abutment element to the bracket arm.
Preferably, the first and second connecting means have screws and/or threaded plates for connection to the support rail. The screws can be used to create detachable connections. The threaded plates can be inserted into a longitudinal groove of the support rail, which is preferably undercut, so that the threaded plates can be fixed within the longitudinal groove by means of screws. As long as the screws are not firmly tightened, the threaded plates can be moved within the longitudinal groove, i.e. in the longitudinal direction, in the same way as a sliding block. In this way, the height of the fasteners can be adjusted and adapted to the scaffold to be enclosed.
The support rail is preferably made of metal, preferably a light metal such as aluminum. This gives the support rail a high degree of rigidity and low weight at the same time. A further weight saving can be achieved by forming the support rail from a hollow chamber profile. In this case, the weight saving is not at the expense of rigidity.
As a further measure, it is proposed that at least one piping rail running in the longitudinal direction is arranged on the front of the support rail. A piping tarpaulin can be pulled into the front piping rail so that the support rail can also be combined with flexible cladding elements. The piping rail is preferably open to the side so that the piping tarpaulin is inserted from the side. This prevents the piping tarpaulin from running over an edge. Preferably, at least two piping rails are arranged on the front of the support rail so that a piping tarpaulin can be pulled into each piping rail. Both keder rails are preferably open to the side, wherein the sides face away from each other. The keder tarpaulins can be used instead of the panels or in addition to the panels.
Furthermore, a cladding system for enclosing scaffolds is proposed which comprises a support rail according to the invention as well as at least one panel and/or a keder tarpaulin. The advantages of the support rail according to the invention are particularly evident in this application. In particular, the cladding system can be used to enclose a scaffold quickly and easily. When panels are used as cladding elements, they can be mounted from the inside, i.e. from the scaffold. Furthermore, the assembly sequence can be selected as required. The removal and installation of individual panels is also possible, as the panels are pushed from the inside outwards during installation.
Preferably, the cladding system comprises at least one panel as a cladding element. Furthermore, the panel preferably has a front side and a rear side, wherein the rear side faces the scaffold in the final installation position of the panel. At least one, preferably stiffening, profile is arranged on the rear side, which carries at least one bearing bolt projecting laterally beyond the panel. The panel can be easily connected to the support rail via the bearing bolt.
A bearing bolt connected to a panel can be designed as a simple rod with a preferably circular cross-section. The circular cross-section is easy to manufacture and makes it easier to move the bearing bolt within the recess or guide of a bracket arm. In principle, however, the bearing bolt can have any cross-section, for example a rectangular or elliptical cross-section. In addition, the cross-sectional shape can vary over the length of the bearing bolt.
As an additional measure, it is proposed that the bearing bolt-irrespective of the respective cross-sectional shape—has an end stop with a stop surface facing the panel. In the final installation position of the panel, the stop prevents the bearing bolt from slipping out of the link-like recess or guide of a bracket arm, as the stop surface comes into contact with the wedge connected to the bracket arm. The stop can be designed as an end leg or projection that extends in the direction of the scaffold, preferably perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bearing bolt. The stop can also be formed circumferentially in relation to the bearing pin, for example as a circumferential flange. The stop can also be formed by a head plate arranged at the end of the bearing bolt.
As an alternative or in addition to the stop, the bearing bolt can have a projection pointing in the direction of the support rail, which is used to maintain a defined distance between the panel and the support rail when the panel is installed. If the position of the panel is fixed with the help of a wedge according to installation, the projection ensures that the distance between the panel and the support rail is maintained. The projection is preferably supported by the double bracket connected to the support rail, as this can absorb the clamping force of the wedge better than the support rail itself.
If the bearing bolt has a first projection serving as a stop and a second projection serving as a spacer, these can also be formed by a common head plate arranged at the end of the bearing bolt, which projects beyond the bearing bolt in the direction of the support rail on the one hand and in the direction of the scaffold on the other.
In an advantageous embodiment, the panel has at least two bearing bolts which are arranged-preferably at the same height-on two parallel sides of the panel. The panel can thus be connected to a support rail on both sides by hooking in. The two bearing bolts can be arranged on a common profile, which preferably extends from one side to the other side of the panel. The panel is braced in this way so that the panel itself can have a reduced thickness. The weight of the panel is reduced accordingly. In particular, the profile can have an L-, C-, U- or Z-shaped cross-section so that optimum stiffening is achieved via the profile cross-section.
In addition, a bearing bolt is proposed which is designed as a separate component and has an angle at its end facing the panel or the element for connection to a panel or another element, for example a door element. The bracket preferably has two legs, a first leg running transverse to the bearing bolt, via which the bracket is connected to the bearing bolt, and a second leg running parallel to the bearing bolt. The second leg forms an internal stop surface and an external stop surface so that the bracket can be attached to a panel or other element both internally and externally by rotating the bearing bolt around its longitudinal axis, preferably by 180°. If the bracket is attached on the inside, the distance between the second leg and the panel or element is greater, so that a profile or strip can be arranged between the leg and the panel or element if required. If the bracket is attached externally, the second leg can be brought into direct contact with the panel or element. The bracket arranged at the end of the bearing bolt extends the connection options. For example, the bearing bolt can be used to connect a prefabricated door element to the double bracket of a support rail according to the invention instead of a panel.
The panel can be made of different materials or combinations of materials. Furthermore, the panel can be assembled in one or more layers. The panel can have a frame that provides additional reinforcement. However, the panel can also be frameless. Depending on the area of application, a panel made of a translucent or opaque material can be used.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plate made of polypropylene, in particular a multilayer or structural chamber plate made of polypropylene, is used as the panel.
Preferably, the panel has at least one longitudinal edge provided with a stepped fold. The stepped rebate enables an overlapping arrangement of the panel with the stepped rebate of another panel, which is arranged above or below the panel. The overlapping arrangement creates a seal so that additional sealing elements are not required. To optimize the seal, a sealing profile can also be attached to the longitudinal edge provided with the stepped rebate.
Alternatively or additionally, it is proposed that the panel has at least one rounded longitudinal edge. The rounding can be concave or convex. In the case of two rounded longitudinal edges, for example, the lower longitudinal side can be concave and the upper longitudinal side convex, so that the longitudinal sides of two panels arranged on top of each other interlock like joints. If a sealing profile is attached to one longitudinal edge of the panel, the other longitudinal edge of the panel can be rounded. If the rounding is concave, the sealing profile of an adjacent panel can engage in the rounding. If the rounding is convex, the sealing profile can have a concave rounding so that interlocking geometries are created in this way. The flexibility of the sealing profile also allows the panel to be moved from the parking position to the end position or vice versa, for example to remove and reinstall an individual panel.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the cladding system, at least one panel of several panels is divided into at least two parts and the parts are connected via a joint. The two parts of the panel can be pivoted relative to each other via the joint, so that the panel enables the formation of inner and/or outer corners. Advantageously, the joint allows pivoting movements of one part relative to the other over an angular range of at least 180°, preferably at least 270° or more, so that both inside corners and outside corners can be realized. In this way, the number of special system elements can be reduced.
The proposed cladding system can also be used overhead, so that a scaffold can also be roofed. In this respect, the support rails and the panels, preferably with a slight gradient to drain off surface water, are arranged essentially horizontally above the scaffold and connected to the scaffold. The connection to the scaffold can be achieved using the same scaffold components that are used vertically to connect the cladding system to a scaffold. In particular, these scaffolding components can be vertical posts and brackets connected to the vertical posts. In this respect, the vertical posts are essentially installed horizontally, i.e. parallel to the support rails and the panels. In this way, not only can scaffold roofs be realized, but also pedestrian tunnels or the like.
To form a lower end, the cladding system can also have a connecting plate that can be connected to the scaffold on the one hand and to a cladding element on the other. The cladding element can be a support rail of the cladding system or a panel, a strip or a profile. The cladding element is preferably connected to the connecting plate via a screw connection so that the connection is detachable. At least one opening or hole is provided in the connecting plate for the reception of fastening means, in particular in the form of a screw. This opening can be designed as a slotted hole to compensate for any tolerances. The connection of the connecting plate to the scaffold is preferably also designed as a detachable connection. In this respect, the back of the connecting plate can have a connector element with a recess that is identical to the recesses of a rosette-like connector element of a vertical post. The connecting means usually arranged at the end of a bracket or a horizontal ledger of the scaffold can thus be inserted into this recess.
In addition, a scaffold with a cladding system according to the invention and a bracket is proposed. The bracket is used to connect the cladding system to the scaffold. The cladding system according to the invention can be assembled quickly and easily. In addition, the assembly sequence can be freely selected. Furthermore, a ballasting scaffold can be connected to the external support rail of the cladding system if required.
The bracket of the scaffold is preferably formed from a piece of tube with a rectangular cross-section. Due to the rectangular cross-section of the tubular section, the bracket has a high load-bearing capacity combined with low weight. Preferably, the tubular piece has a head plate at one end for connection to the support rail of the cladding system and at the other end connecting means for connection to a vertical post or to a rosette-like connector element connected to the vertical post. The loads from the cladding system are thus introduced directly or indirectly into the vertical post via the bracket.
To solve the object mentioned at the beginning, a method for enclosing a scaffold using a cladding system according to the invention is further proposed. The method comprises the steps of:
By pivoting and/or sliding, the wedge can be moved into a position in which the bearing pin of the panel is clamped within the slotted recess or guide.
The clamping effect is achieved via the inclined surface of the wedge. If the wedge is guided, the wedge can also be self-locking via the guide. In this case, the wedge is pulled by its own weight into the position required to achieve the clamping effect.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail in the following with reference to the accompanying figures. These show:
The cladding system 10 shown comprises a support rail 100, which can be connected to a scaffold 1 via first connecting means 110 (not shown in the figure). The support rail 100 can be connected to a panel 200 via second connecting means 120. The second connecting means 120 form a double bracket 121 with two parallel bracket arms 122, which are arranged and formed axially symmetrically with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the support rail 100. Each of the two bracket arms 122 has a link-like recess or guide 123 for the reception of a bearing bolt 211 connected to a panel 200. The panel 200 can be suspended in a bracket arm 122 of the double bracket 121 via the bearing bolt 211. Furthermore, a wedge 124 is hinged to each of the bracket arms 122 of the double bracket 121 so that it can be pivoted relative to the bracket arm 122. In this respect, the two wedges 124 each have a recess 125, which is circular in one end section and otherwise designed as a slot, so that the wedges 124 are not only pivotable relative to the respective bracket arm 122, but can also be displaced. By pivoting the wedges 124, they can each be inserted into a slot-like recess 126 of the respective bracket arm 122. If the wedges 124 are then released, they are pulled downwards by their own weight. In this way, a kind of self-locking of the wedges 124 is achieved. In this position, the wedges 124 secure the position of the bearing bolts 211 of the panels 200 inserted in the link-like recesses or guides 123.
As can be seen in particular from
The first connecting means 110 comprise a double hook 111, which is made from a U-shaped profile and has two legs 112 that are partially exposed (see in particular
Furthermore, the double hook 111 is detachably attached to the support rail 100 via at least one screw 130. In order to adjust the height position of the double hook 111, the screw 130 can be screwed into a further threaded plate 131, which is received longitudinally displaceably in the central longitudinal groove 103 of the support rail 100.
When a panel 200 is hung in the double bracket 121, the bearing bolt 211 is initially placed in a first position, the so-called park position. From this position, the panel 200 can then be moved into the end position via the bearing bolt 211, wherein the panel 200 is moved away from the scaffold 1, i.e. from the inside outwards. In
In
In
As can be seen by way of example in
In addition, special shapes of the panel 200 are possible, which are described in the following with reference to
Furthermore, the panels 200 can differ with respect to their edge formation, namely in the area of their upper and lower longitudinal edges 203, 204.
As shown as an example in
Alternatively or additionally, a sealing profile 300 can also be arranged between two panels 200 arranged one above the other. This embodiment is shown as an example in
The further double hook 111 can be mounted if required. As shown by way of example in
As shown by way of example in
As can also be seen in
The cladding system 10 according to the present invention can also be used to form a roof. This is shown by way of example in
Since the installation position of a vertical post 30 is usually not horizontal, mounting aids must be provided. In
The roofing produced in
The connection plate 140 shown has a connector element 142 with a recess 143, which is identical to the recesses of a rosette-like connector element 40 of a vertical post 30 (see, for example,
The connecting plate 140 shown in
As shown by way of example in
As shown by way of example in
Furthermore, the bearing pin 211 can also have different designs. In
The bearing bolt 211 shown in
The bearing bolt 211 shown in
The separate bearing bolt 211 shown in
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 2021 212 078.4 | Oct 2021 | DE | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2022/079424 | 10/21/2022 | WO |
