SPINDLE STRUT

Abstract

A spindle strut comprises a support rod element which is elongated in the direction of a longitudinal axis and has a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion, a spindle nut element which can be rotated about the longitudinal axis with respect to the support rod element, wherein the spindle nut element is held at the first axial end portion of the support rod element in both axial directions against axial movement with respect to the support rod element, so that rotation of the spindle nut element about the longitudinal axis essentially does not result in an axial movement of the spindle nut element with respect to the support rod element, a spindle rod element which is elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis, wherein the spindle rod element is in threaded engagement with the spindle nut element, so that rotation of the spindle nut element about the longitudinal axis results in an axial movement of the spindle rod element with respect to the support rod element.

Description

The present invention relates to a spindle strut, which can be used, for example, in scaffolding or when building formwork structures or other support structures to support elements or regions of such a support structure with respect to one another.

Support elements, which are used, for example, in scaffolding or in the construction of formwork structures, can be designed with a tubular support rod element which is elongated in the direction of a longitudinal axis and which has opposite internal threads on its two axial end portions, namely a right-hand thread on one end portion and a left-hand thread on the other of the two end portions. A spindle rod element formed at least in one spindle rod threaded portion with an external thread is screwed into each of the two end portions of the support rod element which are provided with an internal thread. The external threads provided on the two spindle rod elements also run in opposite directions to one another. For example, in the case of spindle rod elements that are coupled to the elements of a support structure that are to be supported with respect to one another and are therefore fundamentally held against rotation, a rotation of the support rod element about its longitudinal axis when rotating in a first direction of rotation results in the two spindle rod elements moving out of the support rod element or moving away from each other, so that the length of the support rod element increases. When the support rod element rotates in a second direction of rotation opposite to the first direction of rotation, the two spindle rod elements move further into the support rod element or towards each other, so that the length of the spindle strut decreases. In this way, the length of the spindle strut can be adjusted continuously so that the two elements of a support structure to be supported against each other are brought into the intended position or are supported in this position with respect to one another.

The object of the present invention is to provide a spindle strut, which can be used, for example, in scaffolding or in the construction of formwork structures, which can provide a continuously adjustable, reliably acting support function with a structurally simple design.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a spindle strut according to claim 1. This spindle strut comprises:

• • a support rod element elongated in the direction of a longitudinal axis with a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion,
  • a spindle nut element rotatable about the longitudinal axis with respect to the support rod element, wherein the spindle nut element is held at the first axial end portion of the support rod element against axial movement in both axial directions with respect to the support rod element, so that a rotation of the spindle nut element about the longitudinal axis does not essentially result in an axial movement of the spindle nut element with respect to the support rod element,
  • a spindle rod element elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis, wherein the spindle rod element is in threaded engagement with the spindle nut element, so that rotation of the spindle nut element about the longitudinal axis results in an axial movement of the spindle rod element with respect to the support rod element.

The spindle strut constructed according to the invention has mutually engaging thread formations only in one of the axial end portions of the support rod element, which thread formations can be designed, for example, as right-hand threads or as left-hand threads. It is also possible to dispense with the provision of mutually engaging thread formations on the other axial end portion of the spindle rod element, since the length of the entire spindle strut can be continuously adjusted by turning the spindle nut element solely through the threaded engagement between the spindle nut element held axially on the spindle rod element and the spindle rod element which is in threaded engagement with it. It is also not necessary to rotate the entire support rod element in order to change the length of the spindle strut, but it is sufficient to set the comparatively small spindle nut element in motion in order to thereby change the length of the spindle strut. The support rod element itself can therefore be coupled directly, by such a spindle strut, to one of the structural elements to be mutually supported, for example of a scaffolding or a formwork structure, in particular also against rotation about its longitudinal axis.

To provide the threaded engagement, the spindle nut element can have an internal spindle thread, and the spindle rod element can have an external spindle thread in threaded engagement with the internal spindle thread.

In order to be able to provide the function of threaded engagement with the spindle nut element on the spindle rod element on the one hand, and also to be able to couple this spindle rod element to a structural element to be supported by a spindle strut, on the other hand, it is proposed that the spindle rod element has a spindle rod threaded portion provided with the external spindle thread and a spindle rod coupling portion adjacent to the spindle rod threaded portion.

For a structure that is easy to implement and also results in a low weight of a spindle rod, but which is nevertheless stable, it is proposed that the spindle rod threaded portion is designed as a tube or as a solid component, and/or that the spindle rod coupling portion is designed as a tube, and/or that the spindle rod threaded portion is connected to the spindle rod coupling portion by material connection, preferably welding.

The fact that the support rod element is tubular at least in the region of its first axial end portion, preferably in its entire length region, and that the spindle rod element which is in threaded engagement with the spindle nut element engages in the support rod element in the region of its first axial end portion can also contribute to the low weight of a stably constructed support strut.

For reliable axial support or holding of the spindle nut element with respect to the support rod element, a support rod element end face can be provided on the first axial end portion of the support rod element, and on the spindle nut element a spindle nut support surface can be provided which is supported, in a first axial direction, towards the first axial end portion of the support rod element, by the support rod element end face.

For reliable axial support or holding of the spindle nut element with respect to the support rod element also in the other axial direction, a support rod element support surface can be provided on the first axial end portion of the support rod element, which support surface is oriented in the direction of the second axial end portion of the support rod element and which preferably runs completely around the circumference, and the spindle nut element can be supported with at least one spindle nut support portion in a second axial direction away from the second end portion of the support rod element.

In a configuration, which is structurally easy to implement, for providing the support rod element support surface, a support flange which provides the support rod element support surface and preferably runs completely around the circumference can be provided on the first axial end portion of the support rod element.

In order to avoid an impairment of the support interaction between the spindle nut element and the support rod element through such a support flange, the support flange can be arranged at an axial distance from the support rod element end face.

In order to achieve a circumferentially distributed support of the spindle nut element on the support rod element support surface, it is proposed that at least two spindle nut support portions arranged at a circumferential distance from one another and preferably diametrically opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis are provided on the spindle nut element.

To act on the spindle nut element to adjust the length, the spindle nut element can have, in association with at least one, preferably each spindle nut support portion, a spindle nut actuation portion which protrudes radially outwards from a spindle nut central region and carries a spindle nut support portion.

In order to be able to couple the spindle strut with each of the structural elements or possibly further structural elements when integrating a spindle strut according to the invention, between two structural elements that are to be supported with respect to each other, at least one coupling element can be provided on the support rod element and/or the spindle rod element.

At least one such coupling element can be designed, for example, as a perforated disk in order to be able to couple other bar-like or stem-like components, for example of a framework, to such a spindle strut. Alternatively or additionally, at least one coupling element can be designed as a through opening through which, for example, a bolt-like coupling element can be guided.

The invention further relates to a support structure comprising at least two structural elements supported with respect to one another by at least one spindle strut constructed according to the invention.

The support structure can be a scaffold. The use in support structures used as formwork structures, for example in bridge construction, is also possible.

The present invention is described in detail below with reference to the attached figures. In particular:

FIG. 1 shows a spindle strut in a perspective view;

FIG. 2 shows a support rod element of the spindle strut of FIG. 1 in a perspective view;

FIG. 3 shows a support rod element of the spindle strut of FIG. 1 in a perspective view;

FIG. 4 shows a support rod element of the spindle strut of FIG. 1 in a perspective view;

FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of the spindle nut element of the spindle strut of FIG. 1, which interacts with the support rod element and the spindle rod element, in a side view;

FIG. 6 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 5 in a perspective view;

FIG. 7 shows a framework with a plurality of spindle rod elements according to FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1 a spindle strut 10 is shown, which can be used in a framework, in particular a scaffolding, a formwork structure or the like. The spindle strut 10 comprises a tubular support rod element 12 shown in FIG. 2, which is elongated in the direction of a longitudinal axis L. The spindle rod 10 also comprises a spindle rod element 14, shown in FIG. 3, which, in the assembly of the spindle strut 10, is also elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis L of the support rod element 12. As a further component, the spindle strut 10 comprises a spindle nut element 16, shown in FIG. 4, which interacts, in the assembled state, with both the support rod element 12 and the spindle rod element 14.

The support rod element 12 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a first axial end portion 18, in which the spindle nut element 16 interacts with the support rod element 12 and also the spindle rod element 14 in a manner described below, and comprises a second axial end portion 20. Between the two axial end portions 18, 20, the support rod element 12, which is preferably constructed made of metal, extends essentially in a straight line.

At the first end portion 18 of the support rod element 12, a support rod element end face 22 is provided, which is designed like a ring due to the tubular structure of the support rod element 12. The spindle nut element 16, described in more detail below, rests on the support rod element end face 22 with a spindle nut support surface 24 which is also ring-like.

At the first axial end portion 18 of the support rod element 12, a support flange 26, which preferably completely surrounds the support rod element 12 in a ring-like manner, is also provided and fixed, for example by welding, to the support rod element 12 in such a way that the support flange 26 has a slight axial distance from the support rod element end face 22. This axial distance can, for example, approximately correspond to the axial extent of the support flange 26. On the axial side facing the second axial end portion 20 and thus facing away from the support rod element end face 22, the support flange 26 provides a ring-like support rod element support surface 28 which preferably surrounds the longitudinal axis L without interruption.

Coupling elements 30 of the spindle strut 10 are provided on the support rod element 12 in different axial regions. These coupling elements 30 can, for example, comprise a pass-through opening 32 on the second axial end portion 20, which opening is formed in portions of the support rod element 12 that are diametrically opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis L and which is therefore suitable for the passage of a coupling bolt. By means of such a coupling bolt, the support rod element 12 of the spindle strut 10 can be fixed to a component of a support structure to be supported. Furthermore, for example, the coupling elements 30 comprise perforated disks 34 in various axial regions, which disks can be fixed to the support rod element 12, for example by welding, and can be used in a manner known per se for coupling stem-like struts.

The spindle rod element 14 shown in FIG. 3 comprises a spindle rod threaded portion 36 with an external spindle thread 38 formed thereon. At one of its two axial end portions, the spindle rod threaded portion 36 is inserted into, for example, a tubular spindle rod coupling portion 40 and fixedly connected thereto, for example by welding. The tubular spindle rod coupling portion 40 can have a further coupling element 30, for example in the form of a pass-through opening 41, which, like the pass-through opening 32 provided on the support rod element 12, is designed for the passage of a coupling bolt with which the support strut 10 can be fixed to another component of a support structure. It should be noted that further coupling elements 30, for example in the form of one or more perforated disks or the like, can also be provided on the spindle rod element 14, particularly in the region of the spindle rod coupling portion 40. It should also be noted that for reasons of stability, the spindle rod threaded portion 36 can preferably be designed as a solid metal part. Alternatively, the spindle rod threaded portion 36 can be provided as a tubular component.

The spindle nut element 16 shown in FIG. 4 has, in a ring-like spindle nut central region 42, which also forms the spindle nut support surface 24, a spindle nut internal thread opening 44 with an internal spindle thread 46 formed therein. At two diametrically opposite regions, handle-like spindle nut actuation portions 48, 50 protrude radially outwards from the spindle nut central region 42 with respect to the longitudinal axis L. A spindle nut support portion 52 or 54 is provided in association with each of the two spindle nut actuation portions 48, 50. The two spindle nut support portions 52, 54 extend axially away from the same axial side of the respectively associated spindle nut actuation portion 48, 50, from this portion or from the spindle nut central region 42.

Each spindle nut support portion 52, 54 has, at an axial distance from the spindle nut support surface 24, a holding portion 56, 58 which engages radially inwards and, when assembled, radially overlaps the support flange 26 on its side facing away from the support rod element end face 22. Each of the holding portions 56, 58 thus overlaps the support rod element support surface 28 provided on the support flange 26, so that in the assembled state shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the support rod element 12 is held at its first axial end portion 18 axially between the spindle nut support surface 24 and the holding portions 56, 58. As a result, the spindle nut element 16 is held on the support rod element 12 in the direction of the longitudinal axis L in both axial directions by abutting interaction between the spindle nut support surface 24 and the support rod element end face 22 on the one hand and by abutting interaction of the holding portions 56, 58 with the support rod element support surface 28 on the other hand, and is thus resilient to tension and pressure.

This state can be brought about, for example, by pushing the spindle nut element 16 laterally, namely transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis L, onto the first end portion 18 of the support rod element 12, when the spindle rod element 14 is not coupled thereto, until the spindle nut support surface 24 and the support rod element end face 22 are arranged essentially concentrically to one another and rest against one another and the two holding portions 56, 58 overlap the support flange 26 in the region of its support rod element support surface 28 in regions that are essentially diametrically opposite one another with respect to the longitudinal axis L. In this state, the spindle nut element 16 is basically rotatable about the longitudinal axis L with respect to the support rod element 12, but essentially cannot be moved in the direction of the longitudinal axis L with respect to the support rod element 12. The support rod element 12 can only be moved axially with respect to the spindle nut element 16 to the extent of a slight movement play that is unavoidable to produce this state.

If the spindle nut element 16 is positioned on the support rod element 12 in the manner described above, the spindle rod element 14 can subsequently be screwed with its spindle rod threaded portion 36 into the internal thread opening 44 of the spindle nut element 16 or screwed through it, so that the spindle rod element 14 is positioned with its spindle rod threaded portion 36 engagingly in the support rod element 12. Once this axial overlap or engagement state between the spindle rod element 14 and the support rod element 12 is established, the spindle nut element 16 can no longer detach from the support rod element 12 by lateral movement. To do this, the spindle rod element 14 would first have to be rotated again so far in the internal thread opening 44 and thereby moved in the direction of the longitudinal axis L that it no longer engages in the first axial end portion 18 of the support rod element 12.

If the combination, shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, between the support rod element 12, the spindle rod element 14 and the spindle nut element 16 is produced, if the support rod element 12 and spindle rod element 26 are held against rotation about the longitudinal axis L, the spindle rod element 14 can be moved axially by rotating the spindle nut element 16 about the longitudinal axis L with respect to the support rod element 12 depending on the direction of rotation of the spindle nut element 16 in such a way that the total length of the support strut 10 decreases by increasing the overlap or engagement of the spindle rod element 14 in the support rod element 12 or the total length of the spindle strut 10 increases, by reducing the engagement or by further moving the spindle rod element 14 out of the support rod element 12. For this purpose, only an action on the spindle nut element 16 is required to rotate it with respect to the spindle rod element 14. The support rod element 12 does not have to be moved or rotated about its longitudinal axis L in order to change the length of the support strut 10.

This leads to a simple structure in which no thread has to be provided on the support rod element 12 itself and a thread engagement is only provided in the region of two components, wherein the mutually engaging internal spindle thread 46 and external spindle thread 38 can be designed, for example, as a right-hand thread or as a left-hand thread.

An example of a support structure 60 on which a spindle strut 10 constructed in this way can be used is shown in FIG. 7. FIG. 7 shows a framework, such as a scaffolding, with a plurality of essentially vertically extending scaffolding supports 62 anchored, for example, in the ground and/or on an already constructed wall. At the upper end of each essentially vertically extending scaffolding support 62 a respective substantially horizontally arranged scaffold beam 64 is supported. A scaffolding structure 66 with a plurality of conventional scaffolding elements with, for example, vertical posts 68, horizontal bars 70 and diagonal bars 72 provided on scaffolding frames is built on the essentially horizontally extending scaffolding supports 64.

For stable support of the scaffolding beams 64 extending away from the upper ends of the scaffolding beams 62, a spindle strut 10 with the structure described above is provided in association with each pair of scaffolding beams 62 and scaffolding beams 64. The spindle struts 10 are mounted in the structure shown in such a way that the spindle rod elements 14 thereof are coupled to the scaffold supports 62, for example by a coupling bolt passing through the respective pass-through opening 41. The support rod elements 12 of the spindle struts 10 are coupled to the essentially horizontally extending scaffolding beams 64 at their respective second end portions 20, for example by a respective coupling bolt passing through the pass-through opening 32 provided there. By turning the respective spindle nut 16 and the resulting change in the length of the spindle struts 10, the essentially horizontally extending scaffolding beams 64 can be precisely aligned and thus held in the position required to accommodate the scaffolding structure 66. Since self-locking occurs in the spindle struts 10 due to the load exerted on the spindle nuts 16 and the friction that arises between the support surfaces 22, 24 on the one hand and the spindle internal thread 46 and the spindle external thread 38 on the other hand, the length of the spindle struts 10 does not change even under massive load.

To further stiffen such a support structure 66, stiffening rods 74 constructed or acting in the manner of horizontal bars and, for example, stiffening rods 76 constructed or acting in the manner of diagonal bars can be used between adjacent spindle struts 10. These can be coupled to the perforated disks 34 provided on the spindle struts 10 in a manner known per se with wedge heads provided thereon.

The present invention provides a spindle strut that is constructed with a small number of components and which is structurally easy to implement, which can develop a stable supporting action in both the pulling direction and the pushing direction, while being easy to handle. Such a spindle strut can be used in support structures of different constructions, which are designed, for example, in the manner of a scaffolding, as shown in FIG. 7, or which are constructed, for example, in the manner of a formwork structure, such as those used, for example, in bridge construction or the like.

Claims

1. A spindle strut, comprising: a support rod element elongated in the direction of a longitudinal axis with a first axial end portion and a second axial end portion,a spindle nut element rotatable about the longitudinal axis with respect to the support rod element, wherein the spindle nut element is held at the first axial end portion of the support rod element against axial movement in both axial directions with respect to the support rod element, so that a rotation of the spindle nut element about the longitudinal axis does not essentially result in an axial movement of the spindle nut element with respect to the support rod element,a spindle rod element elongated in the direction of the longitudinal axis, wherein the spindle rod element is in threaded engagement with the spindle nut element, so that rotation of the spindle nut element about the longitudinal axis results in an axial movement of the spindle rod element with respect to the support rod element.

2. The spindle strut according to claim 1, wherein the spindle nut element has an internal spindle thread, and the spindle rod element has an external spindle thread in threaded engagement with the internal spindle thread.

3. The spindle strut according to claim 2, wherein the spindle rod element has a spindle rod threaded portion having the spindle external thread and a spindle rod coupling portion adjacent the spindle rod threaded portion.

4. The spindle strut according to claim 3, wherein the spindle rod threaded portion is designed as a tube or as a solid component, and/or in that the spindle rod coupling portion is designed as a tube, and/or in that the spindle rod threaded portion is connected to the spindle rod coupling portion by material connection.

5. The spindle strut according to claim 1, wherein the support rod element is tubular at least in the region of its first axial end portion and in that the spindle rod element, which is in threaded engagement with the spindle nut element, engages in the support rod element in the region of its first axial end portion.

6. The spindle strut according to claim 1, wherein a support rod element end face is provided on the first axial end portion of the support rod element, and in, that on the spindle nut element, a spindle nut support surface is provided, which is supported, in a first axial direction, on the support rod element end face towards the first axial end portion of the support rod element.

7. The spindle strut according to claim 1, wherein, on the first end portion of the support rod element, a support rod element support surface is provided, which is oriented towards the second axial end portion of the support rod element and which extends around the circumference, and in that the spindle nut element is supported with at least one spindle nut support portion in a second axial direction away from the second end portion of the support rod element.

8. The spindle strut according to claim 7, wherein, on the first axial end portion of the support rod element, a support flange is provided, which provides the support rod element support surface, and extends around the circumference.

9. The spindle strut according to claim 6, wherein the support flange is arranged at an axial distance from the support rod element end face.

10. The spindle strut according to claim 7, wherein at least two spindle nut support portions are provided on the spindle nut element, arranged at a circumferential distance from one another.

11. The spindle strut according to claim 7, wherein the spindle nut element has, in association with at least one spindle nut support portion, a spindle nut actuation portion which protrudes radially outwards from a spindle nut central region and carries a spindle nut support portion.

12. The spindle strut according to claim 1, wherein at least one coupling element is provided on the support rod element and/or on the spindle rod element.

13. The spindle strut according to claim 12, wherein the at least one coupling element is designed as a perforated disk, and/or in that at least one coupling element is designed as a pass-through opening.

14. A support structure, comprising at least two structural elements supported by at least one spindle strut according to claim 1.

15. The support structure according to claim 14, wherein the support structure is a scaffolding, and/or in that the support structure is a formwork structure.