GUARD RAIL ASSEMBLY FOR A SCAFFOLD

Abstract

Preceding guardrail for a scaffolding system for buildup of a scaffold bay. The guardrail assembly comprises a guardrail, a base part, a mounting system for mounting of the base part to a part of the scaffold bay, at least a first post and a second post, and a lifting arm. The guardrail extends along a longitudinal axis. The base part extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guardrail. The first and second post are each pivotably connected to the guardrail by a first pivoting point and pivotably connected to the base part by a second pivoting point, whereby the guardrail, the base part, the first, and the second post together form a parallelogram link system. The lifting arm is fixedly connected with the first post and extends in line with the first post from the second pivoting point away from the first pivoting point.

Description

The invention relates to a guardrail assembly for a scaffold, a scaffold provided with such guardrail assembly, and a method for mounting the guardrail assembly to the scaffold.

BACKGROUND

Scaffolding systems are used in construction and the industry to work at places that cannot be reached from the ground. In scaffolding, two scaffold types can be distinguished, viz. system scaffolds and frame scaffolds.

System scaffolds comprise metal scaffold tubes, and scaffold couplings between these tubes. To vertically disposed scaffold tubes, called standards, there are attached, by means of these couplings, horizontally oriented scaffold tubes, called transverse and longitudinal ledgers. On or to the ledgers, floor parts can be secured to form a floor, in particular multiple floors at different floor levels. The space that is formed by four standards, four transverse ledgers and four longitudinal ledgers is called a scaffold bay.

In frame scaffolds, use is made of scaffold frames which are mutually connected with each other by floor parts. Each scaffold frame comprises two standards which are mutually fixedly connected with each other by at least one transverse ledger. Building up a scaffold bay proceeds in broad outline as follows. First, two vertical scaffold frames are placed at a distance from each other. The scaffold frames are connected at a particular height by means of floors. The assembly of two frame parts and the floors connecting these frame parts is called a scaffold bay.

Both in the system scaffolds and in the frame scaffolds, for the purpose of strengthening a scaffold bay, braces may be fitted between the standards and ledgers. For safety, between the standards, a guardrail may be mounted. The guardrail ensures that a person cannot fall off the floor parts. Also, between the standards a toe board may be mounted, which ensures that things on the floor cannot fall off but are held back by the toe board.

The problem in placing a guardrail is that to be able to mount it, the relevant floor level for which the guardrail is intended needs to be entered. If no additional provisions and/or means are used, this may be unsafe and this is also prohibited in many cases nowadays. Accordingly, there exists in the market a need for a guardrail assembly that can be placed from a lower floor level at the height of an upper floor level and which meets stiffness and strength requirements from the applicable technical norms even when the guardrail assembly has not yet been connected with standards of the upper scaffold bay for which the guardrail is intended.

JP 2019 015125 A shows a guardrail assembly comprising a guardrail, two posts each pivotably connected with the guardrail. The known guardrail assembly comprises connectors which are arranged for engagement of a rosette of a scaffold. The guardrail and the posts together form a parallelogram link system. The connectors in the known system are fixedly connected with the guardrail ends. To be able to place the connectors in the rosettes, the guardrail assembly first needs to be extended and only then can it be placed in the rosettes. This makes the mounting of the known guardrail assembly clumsy and unfeasible, or feasible only with a great deal of trouble, from a lower floor level, requiring in any case two persons to be available to install the guardrail assembly in extended condition from the floor level below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invention is to provide a solution for fitting a guardrail on an upper floor level, whereby it is preferably possible to have the guardrail assembly placed by only one person.

The invention provides to that end a guardrail assembly according to claim 1. More particularly, the invention provides a guardrail assembly for a scaffold comprising standards, ledgers, and floor parts, the guardrail assembly comprising:

a guardrail extending along a longitudinal axis;

at least a first post and a second post each connected with the guardrail in a manner pivotable around a first pivoting point;

a mounting system for mounting the guardrail to a part of the scaffold, wherein the mounting system comprises a first and a second connector which are configured for engagement of a part of the scaffold, wherein the first post is connected with the first connector in a manner pivotable around a pivoting point and wherein the second post is connected with the second connector in a manner pivotable around a pivoting point, wherein the guardrail, the at least first and second post together form a parallelogram link system when the first and the second connector are connected with the scaffold; and

a lifting arm which is fixedly connected with the first post and which extends in line with the first post from the second pivoting point away from the first pivoting point for bringing the guardrail assembly from a collapsed position to an extended position and vice versa.

The guardrail assembly is configured to be in the collapsed position during the mounting of the guardrail assembly to the scaffold by means of the first and second connectors engagement of the part of the scaffold.

The guardrail assembly in its collapsed condition is easy to handle and can be simply taken along by a scaffolder. This also makes it possible to take along the guardrail assembly to a highest floor level on a scaffold that is still protected by a guardrail or preceding-guardrail. From this defined first floor level, it is possible to mount the guardrail assembly at a higher-located, second floor level with the mounting system. Due to the guardrail assembly being extendable, the guardrail assembly can be extended, before the second floor level is entered. After the guardrail assembly has been extended, the scaffolder or a colleague can safely enter the second floor level, where he/she can proceed further with building the scaffold.

With the known guardrail assembly of JP 2019 015125 A it is not possible to attach the assembly in folded position to the scaffold. To attach the guardrail assembly, the guardrail has to be extended and the connector has to be placed in the rosette above the second floor level. Handling of the extended guardrail assembly of JP 2019 015125 is cumbersome and in effect cannot be carried out by a single person.

The invention further provides a scaffold comprising standards, ledgers, floor parts, and a guardrail assembly according to the invention.

The effects and advantages of the scaffold according to the invention are the same as the effects and advantages of the guardrail assembly according to the invention.

The invention also provides a method of building a scaffold according to claim 18. More particularly, the invention provides a method comprising:

providing scaffold parts;

providing a guardrail assembly according to the invention;

building a first scaffold bay from said scaffold parts;

placing the guardrail assembly in the collapsed position at the top of the first scaffold bay; and

erecting the guardrail assembly by bringing it in the extended position.

The effects and advantages of the method of setting up a scaffold framework system according to the invention are the same as the effects and advantages of the guardrail assembly and the scaffolding system according to the invention.

Further elaborations of the invention are described in the dependent claims and will hereinafter be clarified in more detail on the basis of an example, with reference to the figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows an example of a guardrail assembly according to the invention, wherein a first connector is in engagement with a part of a scaffold frame;

FIG. 2 shows a detail of the example of FIG. 1 in a different view;

FIG. 3 shows the example of FIG. 1, wherein also a second connector is in engagement with a part of the scaffold frame;

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the second connector of the example of FIG. 3 in a different view;

FIG. 5 shows a detail of the first connector of the example of FIG. 3 in a different view;

FIG. 6 shows the example of the previous figures, wherein the mounting arm is in the second pivoting position;

FIG. 7 shows the example of the previous figures, wherein the lifting arm is in the second pivoting position and wherein also the folding guardrail assembly is extended;

FIG. 8 shows a partial cutaway front view of the example of FIG. 4, with omission of the second connector, wherein the mounting arm is in the first position and wherein the folding guardrail assembly is collapsed;

FIG. 9 shows the example of FIG. 8, wherein the mounting arm is in the second position and wherein the folding guardrail is extended;

FIG. 10 shows an example of a guardrail end provided with a bent surface;

FIG. 11 shows an example of a scaffold of the frame scaffold type, wherein the connectors are implemented as engaging hooks which engage a transverse ledger;

FIG. 12 shows the example of FIG. 11 from a different perspective, wherein only the first connector is connected with the scaffold;

FIG. 13 shows a similar view to FIG. 12, wherein also the second connector is connected with the scaffold;

FIG. 14 shows an example of a scaffold of the system scaffold type, more particularly of the ring scaffold type, wherein the guardrail assembly is connected by both the first and the second connector with the scaffold, and the guardrail assembly has not been extended yet;

FIG. 15 shows the example from FIG. 14 with an extended guardrail assembly, with the lifting arm not having been brought into engagement with the standard yet;

FIG. 16 shows the example from FIGS. 14 and 15, with the lifting arm brought into engagement with the standard and the guardrail assembly in a vertical position; and

FIG. 17 shows an exemplary embodiment of a rosette coupling which is used as connector in the example of FIGS. 14-16 and which is provided with a ball hinge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the following detailed description of the figures, with the help of reference numerals reference is made to the example that is represented in the figures. The embodiments that are described in the detailed description, however, are not limited to the example that is shown in the figures but may also be implemented in a different manner than is shown in the example. The embodiments described in the detailed description should therefore be read and understood also without the reference numerals. The various embodiments to be described hereinafter can also be used in combination with each other or independently of each other.

Most generally, the invention provides a guardrail assembly 60 for a scaffold comprising standards 50, ledgers 52, and floor parts 58. The guardrail assembly 60 comprises:

a guardrail 32 extending along a longitudinal axis 19;

at least a first post 34 and a second post 36 which are each connected with the guardrail 32 in a manner pivotable about a first pivoting point 38;

a mounting system for mounting of the guardrail 32 to a part of the scaffold, wherein the mounting system comprises a first and a second connector 12, 14 which are configured for engagement of a part 48 of the scaffold 50, 52, 58, wherein the first post 34 is connected with the first connector 12 in manner pivotable about a pivoting point 40 and wherein the second post 36 is connected with the second connector 14 in a manner pivotable around a pivoting point 40, wherein the guardrail 32, the at least first and second post 34, 36 together form a parallelogram rod system when the first and the second connector 12, 14 are connected with the scaffold; and

a lifting arm 42 which is fixedly connected with the first post 34 and which extends in line with the first post 34 from the second pivoting point 40 away from the first pivoting point 38 for bringing the guardrail assembly from a collapsed position to an extended position and vice versa.

The guardrail assembly 60 is configured to be in the collapsed position during the mounting of the guardrail assembly 60 to the scaffold 50, 52, 58 by means of the first and second connectors engaging the part 48 of the scaffold 50, 52, 58.

Due to the pivoting points 38, 40, the posts 34, 36 and the guardrail 32 can be collapsed parallel and against or close to each other. By moving the lifting arm 42, it will erect the first post 34. The guardrail 32 is thereby carried along and also the second post 36 will erect. The other effects and advantages of the guardrail assembly 60 have already been described in the summary and these effects and advantages are considered inserted here by citation. It should be noted that the guardrail assembly 60 can comprise more than one guardrail. In FIGS. 7, 15 and 16, a second guardrail 70 is shown which is connected with the posts 34, 36 via pivoting points 72.

In an embodiment, the mounting system comprises a base part 10 which extends in a longitudinal direction from a first to a second longitudinal end, the base part 10 being provided at the first and the second longitudinal end with the first and the second connector 12, 14, respectively.

The guardrail assembly 60 can therewith be mounted between two scaffold parts 48. In the example shown in FIGS. 1-10, to which the invention is not limited, the connectors 12, 14 are implemented as engaging hooks 12, 14 and the scaffold parts 48 are formed by two tipping pins 48. The mounting of the guardrail assembly 60 can be carried out by a single person. The scaffolder can first mount, here hook, the first connector 12 to a scaffold part. The guardrail assembly 60 then hangs obliquely downwards as shown in FIG. 1. The scaffolder can thereupon grasp base part 10 near the second longitudinal end and lift it, and mount the second connector 14 to a scaffold part 48 of the scaffold frame 50, 52, 58. The guardrail assembly 60 has thus been mounted at a higher-located floor level.

Instead of being implemented as engaging hooks, the connectors 12, 14 may also be implemented in a different manner and engage other parts of the scaffold frame than a tipping pin 48. This will be later reverted to, with reference to the examples in FIGS. 11-16.

In an embodiment, of which an example is represented in the figures, the base part 10 may be implemented as a toe board 10. In this way, placing of the toe board 10 and placing of the guardrail assembly are combined into one operation. This saves time and so accelerates buildup of the scaffold.

In an embodiment, the first and the second connector 12, 14 may be designed as a hinge assembly with the aid of which the toe board 10 is connected with a floor part 58 of the scaffolding system in a manner pivotable around a pivoting axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis 19 of the guardrail 32.

An advantage of the combination of the guardrail assembly 60 and a base part 10 that is implemented as a toe board 10, is that both are of benefit to promoting the safety on a construction site. By providing the guardrail assembly 60 with a toe board 10, one compact part for a scaffold frame 50, 52, 58 is provided, which can be mounted with a few operations.

The scaffolder no longer needs to mount two loose parts separately, but can confine himself to the guardrail assembly 60 which the toe board 10 is an integral part of. This will reduce scaffolding system buildup time and prevents scaffolding components being forgotten during assembly and disassembly.

In an embodiment, the mounting system may further comprise a rotation limiting provision which limits a turning of the guardrail assembly 60 about a longitudinal axis 20 connecting the two connectors 12, 14 with each other.

Especially during assembly, such a rotation limiting provision is of importance when the first connector 12 is connected with a part of the scaffold and the second connector 14 is not yet connected with a part of the scaffold. The rotation limiting provision then hinders the guardrail assembly “toppling over”. In an embodiment, the rotation limiting provision can comprise a standard receiver 16 which limits a standard receiving space 18 for, at least in the collapsed position of the guardrail assembly 60, receiving in the standard receiving space 18 a portion of the scaffold 50, 52, 58. The standard receiver 16 can for instance comprise two parallel plates which bound the standard receiving space 18. This example is shown in the figures. In FIGS. 2, 5 and 11 it is clear that the standard receiver 16 encloses the connecting pin of standard 50.

In an embodiment, of which an example is shown in the figures, the lifting arm 42 near a first end thereof is provided with an engaging hook 30. The lifting arm 42 has a first pivoting position in which it extends parallel to guardrail 32. Further, the lifting arm 42 can be brought into a second pivoting position in which, if the first and the second connector 12, 14 are attached to the scaffold 50, 52, 58, the engaging hook 30 engages a standard 50 of the scaffold 50, 52, 58.

If the lifting arm 42 is in the first pivoting position, the guardrail assembly 60 is compact and properly manageable. In the second pivoting position, the lifting arm 42 extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guardrail 32. Due to the engaging hook 30 near the first end engaging a standard 50, turning of the whole guardrail assembly 60 around the longitudinal axis 20 connecting the two connectors 12 and 14 is prevented.

In a further embodiment, in combination with the above-described standard receiver 16, the standard receiver 16 may be mounted on the first post 34. If the first and the second connectors 12, 14 are attached to the scaffold frame 50, 52, 58, the standard receiver 16 receives a standing portion of the scaffold frame 50, 52, 58 if the lifting arm 42 is in the first pivoting position; for this, see FIGS. 2, 5, 11, 12 and 13. If the lifting arm 42 is in the second pivoting position, the standard receiver 16 is pivoted away from the standing portion of the scaffold frame 50, 52, 58; for this, see FIG. 7.

Both the standard receiver 16 and the lifting arm 42 hinder a turning of the guardrail assembly 60 about the longitudinal axis 20 which connects the first and the second connector 12, 14 with each other. The standard receiver 16 is especially operative during the mounting of the guardrail assembly to the scaffold frame 50, 52, 58. If the lifting arm 42 has been put in the second pivoting position, the rotation limiting provision which is formed by the standard receiver 16 is brought out of operation in that the standard receiver 16 has been moved away from the standard 50. The standing portion concerned has thus been cleared again. If the standing portion is, for example, a spigot of a standard 50, it can be used again for building up a next scaffold bay.

In an embodiment, the mounting system further comprises a mounting arm 26 which is connected with the second connector 14 in a manner pivotable around a pivoting point 28 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) and which near a first end is provided with an engaging hook 30. The mounting arm 26 has a first pivoting position in which the mounting arm 26 extends parallel to the guardrail 32. The mounting arm 26 further has a second pivoting position in which, if the first and the second connector 12, 14 are attached to the scaffold 50, 52, 58, the engaging hook 30 of the mounting arm 26 engages a standard 50 of the scaffold frame 50, 52, 58.

The effects and advantages of the second mounting arm 26 are substantially equal to those of the lifting arm 42. If the mounting arm 26 is in the first pivoting position, the guardrail assembly 60 is compactly and properly wieldable. In the second pivoting position, the second mounting arm 26 extends in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guardrail 32. Due to the engaging hook 30 adjacent the first end of the mounting arm 26 engaging a standard 50, tilting of the guardrail assembly 60 about the longitudinal axis 20 which connects the connectors 12, 14 is prevented. An advantage of the combination of the lifting arm 42 and mounting arm 26 is that these together give the guardrail assembly 60 an additional firmness, as a result of which forces or moments that are exerted on the guardrail assembly 60 can be absorbed better. This is relevant, for instance if someone bumps or falls against an extended guardrail 32.

In a further embodiment, the mounting arm 26 in the first pivoting position hinders a pivoting of the lifting arm 42 from the first pivoting position to the second pivoting position and thereby an erecting of the guardrail assembly 60 is hindered.

A practical elaboration of this can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, where the mounting arm 26 near the pivoting point 28 is provided with an S-shaped end. This ensures that the second post 36, which is connected via the guardrail 32 with the first post 34 and lifting arm 42, cannot be turned to the left and erected, in that it then knocks against the end of the mounting arm 26. That same shape does allow the mounting arm 26 to turn right and pivot to the second pivoting position, without the end of the mounting arm 26 running against the second post 36.

By this construction, tilting of the guardrail assembly 60 about the longitudinal axis 20 which connects the two connectors 12, 14 is hindered each time. As soon as the first connector 12 is connected with a part 48 of the scaffold frame, the standard receiver 16 hinders such tilting. Thereupon the mounting arm 26 is brought in the second pivoting position and the engaging hook 30 thereof engages a standard and this standard also hinders the tilting mentioned. After this, the lifting arm 42 can be moved from the first pivoting position to the second pivoting position. In this second pivoting position, the guardrail assembly has been brought into the erected condition, the standard receiver 16 has been brought out of engagement with the standing portion, and the engaging hook 30 of the lifting arm 42 has been brought into engagement with a standard. In that condition, the tilting mentioned is hindered by the engaging hook 30 of both the mounting arm 26 and the lifting arm 42 engaging respective standards 50. In the embodiment described here, it is not possible to bring the lifting arm 42 in the second pivoting position before the mounting arm 26 has been brought in the second pivoting position. This increases safety during mounting of the guardrail assembly 60.

In an embodiment, of which an example is shown in FIG. 10, at least one end of the guardrail 32 is provided with a bent surface 44 which bounds a tube receiving space 46 for partly receiving therein a standard 50.

In an embodiment, the guardrail 32 may be provided with mounting means for mounting the guardrail 32 to standards 50 and/or to a guardrail 32 of a second guardrail assembly 60.

The base part 10, instead of being implemented as a toe board, may also be implemented as a ledger tube, as a floor part or like part extending along a longitudinal axis 20.

In an embodiment, the first connector 12 may be implemented as an engaging hook 12 which is configured for engaging a first tipping pin 48 which is mounted on a standard 50. The second connector 14 may then be implemented as an engaging hook 14 which is configured for engaging a second tipping pin 48 which is also mounted on a standard 50. An example of this is represented in FIGS. 1-10, where the tipping pins 48 and the engaging hooks 12, 14 are clearly visible in FIGS. 2 and 4. Such tipping pins 48 may be arranged both on the standards 50 of a system scaffold and on the standards of the scaffold frames of a frame scaffold.

In another embodiment, of which an example is shown in FIGS. 11-13, the scaffold may be of the frame scaffold type, with the scaffold parts comprising scaffold frames and floor parts. Each scaffold frame comprises at least two standards 50 which are fixedly connected with at least one transverse ledger 53. The first connector 12 may then be implemented as an engaging hook 12 which is configured for engagement of a transverse ledger 53 or a strengthening plate 62 of a first scaffold frame. Also the second connector 14 may then be implemented as an engaging hook 14 which is configured for engagement of a transverse ledger 53 or a strengthening plate 62 of a second scaffold frame.

An example of such a scaffold framework system is the Super scaffolding system of Scafom-Rux.

In yet another embodiment, of which an example is shown in FIGS. 14-17, the scaffold may be of the system scaffold type, where the standards 50 have, fixedly connected thereto, rosettes 64 for forming a ring scaffold system. The first connector may then be implemented as a rosette coupling 12′ which engages a rosette 64 of a first standard 50. Also the second connector 14 may then be implemented as a rosette coupling which engages a rosette 64 of a second standard 50.

An example of such a ring scaffold system is the Ringscaff scaffolding system of Scafom-Rux.

FIG. 17 shows an example of a rosette coupling 12′ which is provided with a ball hinge 66 with which a first post 34 or a second post 36 may be connected via a transverse pin which is fixedly connected with the respective post 34, 36. The ball hinge 66 can rotate only to a limited extent and thus constitutes an alternative further elaboration of the embodiment of the earlier-mentioned rotation limiting provision.

The operation of the rotation limiting provision is visible in FIG. 14, where the two connectors 12, 14, which are implemented as rosette couplings 12′with ball hinge 66 as represented in FIG. 16, are connected with a rosette 64. The guardrail assembly 60 is not extended yet. In FIG. 15 the guardrail assembly 60 has meanwhile been extended but the lifting arm 42 has not been brought into engagement with the standard 50 yet. The guardrail assembly 60 now hangs in an extreme swivel position of the ball hinge 66. In FIG. 16 the next situation can be seen where the lifting arm 42 has been brought into engagement with the standard 50. Consequently, swiveling in the ball hinge 66 is not possible anymore, so that the guardrail assembly 60 is stably held in the vertical position. To stabilize the guardrail assembly 60 still further, the guardrail 32 may at the ends thereof be provided with second rosette couplings 68 which in a later stage, when the scaffolder is on the higher-located floor level, can be attached to a rosette 64 of a standard 50, as shown in FIG. 16. The invention further provides a scaffold. The scaffold comprises standards 50, ledgers 52 and/or 53, floor parts 58, and a guardrail assembly 60 according to the invention. The scaffold may be, for example, of the system scaffold type or of the frame scaffold type as already described above.

The effects and advantages of the scaffold with the guardrail assembly 60 according to the invention have already been described in the summary and these effects and advantages are understood to be inserted here by citation.

The invention further provides a method of building up a scaffold. In most general terms, the method comprises:

providing scaffold parts;

providing a guardrail assembly 60 according to the invention;

building a first scaffold bay from said scaffold parts;

placing the guardrail assembly 60 in the collapsed position at the top of the first scaffold bay; and

erecting the guardrail assembly 60 by bringing it in the extended position.

In a further elaboration of the invention, the step of placing the guardrail assembly in the collapsed position at the top of the first scaffold bay comprises:

with the aid of the first connector 12, connecting the guardrail assembly to a first part of the scaffold bay; and then

with the aid of the second connector 14, connecting the guardrail assembly to a second part of the scaffold bay.

Because the guardrail assembly 60 can first be connected to the scaffold with the first connector 12 and can then be connected to the scaffold with the second connector 14, this operation can be carried out by a single scaffolder. When connecting the guardrail assembly 60 with the scaffold, the scaffolder can stand on a first floor level of a first scaffold bay and mount the guardrail assembly for an upper second scaffold bay, possibly even before the scaffold floor of the second scaffold bay has been arranged. Being able to connect the connectors 12, 14 in succession with the scaffold, the scaffolder needs to lift only half the weight of the guardrail assembly 60.

In an embodiment of the method, the scaffold may be of the system scaffold type, and the scaffold parts comprise standards 50, longitudinal ledgers 52, transverse ledgers 53, floor parts 58 and scaffold couplers. A scaffold bay here comprises four standards 50, four longitudinal ledgers 52 and four transverse ledgers 53. An example of this is shown in FIGS. 14-17.

In an alternative embodiment of the method, the scaffold may be of the frame scaffold type, and the scaffold parts comprise scaffold frames and floor parts 58. Each scaffold frame then comprises at least two standards 50 which are fixedly connected with at least one transverse ledger 53. Two examples of this are shown in FIGS. 1-10 and 11-13.

In an embodiment, the method further comprises:

after erecting the guardrail assembly 60, building up a second scaffold bay on top of the first scaffold bay; and optionally

for the purpose of locking, fixing the guardrail 32 of the guardrail assembly 60 to parts of the second scaffold bay.

The invention is not limited to the example shown in the figures. The above described embodiments, as already indicated, may also be implemented differently than shown in the example of the figures. The scope of protection is defined by the appended claims, in which the reference numerals have no limiting effect.

LEGEND

• 10—base part/toe board
• 12—first connector
• 12′—first connector implemented as rosette coupling
• 14—second connector
• 16—standard receiver
• 18—standard receiving space
• 19—longitudinal axis (of the guardrail)
• 20—longitudinal axis (of the toe board)
• 24—pivoting point (of the first mounting arm)
• 26—second mounting arm
• 28—pivoting point (of the second mounting arm)
• 30—engaging hook
• 32—guardrail
• 34—first post
• 36—second post
• 38—first pivoting point (of the first/second post)
• 40—second pivoting point (of the first/second post)
• 42—lifting arm
• 44—bent surface
• 46—tube receiving space
• 48—tipping pin
• 50—standards
• 52—ledgers
• 54—first floor level
• 56—second floor level
• 58—floor part
• 60—guardrail assembly
• 62—strengthening plate
• 64—rosette
• 66—ball hinge
• 68—second rosette coupling
• 70—second guardrail

Claims

1. A guardrail assembly for a scaffold comprising standards, ledgers, and floor parts, the guardrail assembly comprising: a guardrail extending along a longitudinal axis;at least a first post and a second post each connected with the guardrail in a manner pivotable about a first pivoting point;a mounting system for mounting the guardrail to a part of the scaffold, wherein the mounting system comprises a first and a second connector which are configured for engagement of a part of the scaffold, wherein the first post is connected with the first connector in a manner pivotable around a pivoting point and wherein the second post is connected with the second connector in a manner pivotable around a pivoting point, wherein the guardrail, the at least first and second posts together form a parallelogram link system when the first and the second connector are connected with the scaffold; anda lifting arm which is fixedly connected with the first post and which extends in line with the first post from the second pivoting point away from the first pivoting point for bringing the guardrail assembly from a collapsed position to an extended position and vice versa,wherein the guardrail assembly is configured to be in the collapsed position during the mounting of the guardrail assembly to the scaffold by means of the first and the second connector engaging the part of the scaffold.

2. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting system comprises a base part which extends in a longitudinal direction from a first to a second longitudinal end, wherein the base part at the first and the second longitudinal end thereof is provided with the first and the second connector, respectively.

3. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein the base part is implemented as a toe board.

4. The guardrail assembly according to claim 3, wherein the first and the second connector are implemented as hinge assemblies with the aid of which the toe board is connected with a floor part of the scaffolding system in a manner pivotable around a pivoting axis which extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the guardrail.

5. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting system comprises a rotation limiting provision which limits a turning of the guardrail assembly around a longitudinal axis which connects the two connectors with each other.

6. The guardrail assembly according to claim 5, wherein the rotation limiting provision comprises a standard receiver which bounds a standard receiving space for, at least in the collapsed position of the guardrail assembly, receiving in the standard receiving space a portion of the scaffold, wherein the standard receiver comprises for instance two parallel plates which bound the standard receiving space.

7. The guardrail assembly according to claim 5, wherein the rotation limiting provision is included in a rosette coupling, wherein the rosette coupling comprises a ball hinge whose rotation is limited, wherein the first and the second post are connected with the ball hinge.

8. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lifting arm near a first end is provided with an engaging hook, wherein the lifting arm has a first pivoting position in which it extends parallel to guardrail, and wherein the lifting arm has a second pivoting position in which, if the connectors are attached to the scaffold, the engaging hook engages a standard of the scaffold.

9. The guardrail assembly according to claim 6, wherein the lifting arm near a first end is provided with an engaging hook, wherein the lifting arm has a first pivoting position in which it extends parallel to guardrail, and wherein the lifting arm has a second pivoting position in which, if the connectors are attached to the scaffold, the engaging hook engages a standard of the scaffold, and wherein the standard receiver is mounted on the first post, wherein if the first and the second connector are attached to the scaffold, the standard receiver receives a standing portion of the scaffold if the first lifting arm is in the first pivoting position, and wherein the standard receiver is pivoted away from the standing portion of the scaffold if the first lifting arm is in the second pivoting position.

10. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein the mounting system further comprises a mounting arm which is connected with the second connector in a manner pivotable around a pivoting point and which near a first end is provided with an engaging hook, wherein the mounting arm has a first pivoting position in which the mounting arm extends parallel to the guardrail, and wherein the mounting arm has a second pivoting position in which, if the first and the second connector are attached to the scaffold, the engaging hook of the mounting arm engages a standard of the scaffold.

11. The guardrail assembly according to claim 10, wherein the mounting arm in the first pivoting position hinders a pivoting of the lifting arm from the first pivoting position to the second pivoting position and thereby hinders an erecting of the guardrail assembly.

12. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein at least one end of the guardrail is provided with a bent surface which bounds a tube receiving space for partly receiving a standard therein.

13. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein the guardrail is provided with mounting means for mounting the guardrail to standards and/or to a guardrail of a second guardrail assembly.

14. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first connector is implemented as an engaging hook which is configured for engaging a first tipping pin which is mounted on a standard and wherein the second connector is implemented as an engaging hook which is configured for engaging a second tipping pin which is mounted on a standard.

15. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein the scaffold is of the frame scaffold type and wherein the scaffold parts comprise scaffold frames and floor parts, wherein each scaffold frame comprises at least two standards which are fixedly connected with at least one transverse ledger, wherein the first connector is implemented as an engaging hook which is configured for engagement of a transverse ledger or a strengthening plate of a first scaffold frame, wherein the second connector is implemented as an engaging hook which is configured for engagement of a transverse ledger or a strengthening plate of a second scaffold frame.

16. The guardrail assembly according to claim 1, wherein the scaffold is of the system scaffold type, wherein the standards have, fixedly connected thereto, rosettes for forming a ring scaffold system, wherein the first connector is implemented as a rosette coupling which engages a rosette of a first standard and wherein the second connector is implemented as a rosette coupling which engages a rosette of a second standard.

17. A scaffold comprising: standards;ledgers;floor parts; anda guardrail assembly according to claim 1.

18. A method for building up a scaffold, comprising: providing scaffold parts;providing a guardrail assembly according to claim 1;building a first scaffold bay from said scaffold parts;placing the guardrail assembly in the collapsed position at the top of the first scaffold bay; anderecting the guardrail assembly by bringing it in the extended position.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of placing the guardrail assembly in the collapsed position at the top of the first scaffold bay comprises: with the aid of the first connector, connecting the guardrail assembly to a first part of the scaffold bay; and thenwith the aid of the second connector, connecting the guardrail assembly to a second part of the scaffold bay.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the scaffold is of the system scaffold type and wherein the scaffold parts comprise standards, longitudinal ledgers, transverse ledgers, floor parts and scaffold couplers, wherein a scaffold bay comprises four standards, four longitudinal ledgers and four transverse ledgers.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein the scaffold is of the frame scaffold type and wherein the scaffold parts comprise scaffold frames and floor parts, wherein each scaffold frame comprises at least two standards which are fixedly connected with at least one transverse ledger.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising: after erecting the guardrail assembly, building up a second scaffold bay on top of the first scaffold bay; and optionallyfor locking, fixing the guardrail of the guardrail assembly to parts of the second scaffold bay.