Stagings

Abstract

 The invention relates to stagings as would be used in conjunction with scaffolding to provide a load bearing work platform or walk way. Conventionally, stagings are formed by placing loose boards across oppositely disposed scaffold members, a laborious, time-consuming exercise requiring great care to ensure correct location of boards. Even with correctly located boards there is inevitable risk of movement of the boards during use with the resultant danger to operatives. The objective of the invention is to avoid such problems and the objective is met by the provision of a staging side member 1 having an elongate tubelike portion 2 to which is secured an open channel section 3 for the reception of staging boards or the like 4. Thus, a staging would comprise two such side members built into a scaffold structure with staging boards or the like extending across the side members and engaging in the respective recesses.

Description

[0001] This invention relates to stagings and side members therefor and is particularly concerned with stagings for use in conjunction with scaffolding to provide a load bearing work platform.

[0002] Hitherto, stagings forming load-bearing work platforms in a scaffold structure, have been formed by first erecting the scaffold structure and then laying across adjacent scaffold members loose boards or the like mostly not secured in position on the scaffold members. This is a laborious and time consuming exercise requiring great care by the erector in ensuring that every single board is _correctly located, and even then, the use of loose boards inevitably introduces the risk of movement of the boards in use, with resultant danger to the operatives.

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a staging and side members therefor that avoids the above problems.

[0004] According to the present invention, a staging side member comprises an elongate member having a tube-like portion secured to which is an open channel section for the reception of staging boards, decking or the like.

[0005] According to a further feature of the invention, a staging comprises two staging side members as above defined, each built into a scaffolding structure such that the side members are in spaced co-planar relationship with the channel sections facing each other, staging boards or decking bridging the side members and lying in the recesses.'

[0006] Thus, with two such staging side members, each may be fitted over opposite lengths of scaffold members by the tube-like portion, with the open channel sections facing each other, and when each side member only requires two appropriate 'fixing devices, one at each end. Thus, with __staging boards, decking or the like fitted in the open channel sections, a load bearing working platform can be provided in which the staging boards are prevented from movement during use. If desired, the staging boards, decking or the like can be positively secured in the channel sections.

[0007] Not only is the provision of a working platform considerably simplified, but also is the provision of an elevated walk way, when an appropriate number of stagings according to the invention can be secured on the scaffold members in end-to-end relationship with again a considerably greater security against movement, and with a reduction in the number of fixing devices required.

[0008] A major advantage of the invention is that a reduced pumber of scaffold members can be used by virtue of the fact that the tube-like portion of the staging side member of the invention can itself serve as a scaffold member. Thus, staging side members of the invention can be used in place of scaffold members at the position of a staging or walk way, and connected to adjacent scaffold members using conventional scaffold fixing devices. Standard scaffold members can also be secured to the staging side members of the invention, in conventional manner to provide a safety rail.

[0009] Preferably, staging side members of the invention are formed as extrusions of an appropriate aluminium alloy, comprising relatively light weight with relatively high strength to meet existing safety standards. It will however be understood that other manufacturing techniques and other materials could be employed.

[0010] One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of a staging side member according to the invention; and

Figure 2 is an end view of a staging of the invention with staging side members connected together by decking.

[0011] In Figure 1 there is shown a staging side member 1 formed as an extrusion from an appropriate aluminium alloy to have relatively light weight and at the same time relatively high strength to meet existing safety standards. The side member 1 has a tube-like portion 2 formed integral with an open channel section 3 for the reception of staging boards or the like _.4. Thus, as is shown more particularly in Figure 2, two side members 1 are provided with the staging boards or the like 4 extending between them and fitting into the respective channel sections 3. If desired, the staging boards or the like 4 can be secured in the channel sections 3 by pins, bolts, or the like, as is indicated at 5.

[0012] As is indicated in Figure 2, the side members 1 can, by their tube-like portions 2, fit over opposite scaffold members 6 and be secured to the scaffold members by appropriate fixing devices (not shown). It will however be understood that the relatively high strength of the side members 1 is such that their tube-like portions 2 can in fact serve as a scaffolding member, thereby reducing the total number of scaffold members required at the position of a staging. When used as a scaffolding member, the side members 1 are by their tube-like portions 2 connected to adjacent standard scaffold members utilising conventional scaffold fixing devices (not shown).

[0013] To produce an elevated walk way, a number of staging side members 1 can be secured in abutting end-to-end relationship, utilising the same conventional securing means as would be used to secure conventional scaffold members in abutting end-to-end relationship.

Claims

1., A staging side member comprising an elongate member having a tube-like portion secured to which is an open channel section for the reception of staging boards, decking or the like.

2. A staging comprising two staging side members each as in Claim 1, each built into a scaffolding structure such that the side members are in spaced co-planar relationship with the channel sections facing each other, staging boards or decking bridging the side members and lying in the recesses.

3. A staging as in Claim 2, wherein the staging side members fit over opposite lengths of scaffold members by their tube-like portion.

4. A staging as in Claim 2, wherein the staging boards or the like are positively secured in the channel sections of the staging side members.

5. An elevated walk way comprising a number of stagings as in Claim 2, utilising staging side members as in Claim 1, the number of stagings being secured in end-to-end relationship in the scaffold structure.

6. A staging side member as in Claim 1, wherein the tube-like portion constitutes a scaffold member.

7. A staging side member as in Claim 1 or Claim 6, wherein the staging side member is formed as an extrusion of an appropriate aluminium alloy.

Drawing