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(11) | EP 0 931 894 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Arm for securing structures |
| (57) Fitted at one end with a clamp (3) for securing the arm to the structure and at the
other end with another clamp, plate or similar, for securing the arm to the facade,
it has a telescopic structure using two tubular sections (1) and (2) giving the arm
a variable length. Longitudinal adjustment of the arm is by means of a pin (5) which
passes through a single orifice in one of the sections of tube (1) and one of the
multiple orifices (7) in the other tube (2) so that the effective length of the arm
will depend on the orifice selected (7). The two tubes (1) and (2) making up the arm
are joined permanently to one other by means of an internal chain or cable (14) which
allows telescopic displacement but makes detachment impossible. The pin (5) is mounted
on a bridge (6) which, though allowing axial mobility also prevents detachment and
possible loss. |
PURPOSE OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention is an arm which has been specially designed for securing a scaffolding structure to a building for the purpose of suitably stabilising the structure against possible tendency to lateral tilting.
[0002] The arm here commended allows the specific distance between each point in the structure and the corresponding securing point in the building to be properly dimensioned.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0003] As is common knowledge, when repairs or any other type of work are performed on facades, a scaffolding structure is set up, supported on the ground using vertical uprights and longitudinal and transverse crosspieces, which are braced with diagonal stays, so that planks - sometimes of wood and sometimes of metal plate may be placed on the structure at different levels, allowing operators to move along the length of the building without problem.
[0004] Because these structures are very narrow and tall, however well levelled they are, they offer very little stability, and as a result tend to tilt under the influence of any type of force, and it is therefore necessary to secure them to the facade.
[0005] Until now, the most common solution has been to tie the scaffolding using wire or other types of link, one end of which is tied to the structure and the other to any available element on the facade (railings of a balcony, terrace, etc.). Given that these means of tying or linking only prevent outward tilting and not tilting towards the facade, it is normal to place spacers consisting in many cases of short wooden battens or other similar elements which, naturally, tend to fall down when there is a force which makes the structure tilt, thus making it necessary to nail these elements in place or secure them by some other means to prevent their falling.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention here commended is intended to resolve the problem set out above, using a simple and efficient solution, since the spacer which secures the scaffolding structure to the facade to prevent tilting of the former, consists of an arm with clamps at either end, one of which is used to secure it to any tube in the scaffolding structure, while the other serves to secure the arm to a suitable element in the facade, such as the railings on a balcony, etc.
[0007] The arm is telescopic, allowing it to be used in any situation, since the scaffolding may be mounted at a greater or lesser distance from the facade and since the securing points on the facade may also be more or less inset or protruding. Because the arm is telescopic, all these possibilities are fully covered.
[0008] The two sections of tube making up the tube are secured to each other, once the correct position or length has been chosen, by means of a pin which can be made to pass through two facing holes in the two sections of tube. For this purposes the internal tube will be fitted with a number of holes at a suitable distance from each other in order to allow the arm to be set at the required length using the pin mentioned above.
[0009] One of the clamps may be rotated with respect to the end of the telescopic section to which it is attached, to allow easy fitting in all cases: when the tube in the scaffolding structure is parallel to the element on the facade to which the other end of the arm must be secured, such as the railing of a balcony; when these elements are perpendicular to each other; or when they form any other angle. In other words, since one of the clamps may be rotated, it can adopt the necessary angle to match that which exists between the elements to which the ends of the arm are to be secured.
[0010] In one of the multiple versions which could be adopted, it is envisaged that the two sections of tubes should be joined together by a cable, chain or similar element, which would allows relative displacement but not detachment, since this internal element, whether formed by a cable, chain or any other means, would limit the extendibility of the arm and prevent the two constituent parts from coming apart.
[0011] Finally, one of the clamps can also be replaced by a flat plate and bored with holes in order to secure that end of the arm to a point on the facade where there are no mooring elements. In this case, the plates would be secured using bolts going through the aforementioned flat plate, and suitably screwed into elements previously secured to the facade, such as a plank, doorframe, window-frame, etc.
[0012] As can be seen appreciated from this description, the arm used in the invention covers practically all needs required for stable and efficient securing of a scaffolding structure to a facade and the arm itself is structurally simple and easy to use and apply.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] As a complement to this description, and for the purposes of greater comprehension of the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with the preferential example for practical realisation of the same, the following set of drawings of an illustrative and non-limiting nature is enclosed as an integral part of said description:
Figure 1.- Shows a representation from a general perspective of the arm for securing scaffolding structures to facades, made in accordance with the purpose of the invention.
Figure 2.- Shows a practical application of the arm secured between the vertical tube of a scaffold and a fixed element on the facade, such as the bar of a railing.
Figure 3.- Shows the same practical application as the previous figure, but in this case with the arm bolted to the facade using a plate fitted on one end of the arm, replacing the corresponding clamp.
MOST SUITABLE ARRANGEMENT OF THE INVENTION
[0014] As can be seen ion the figures mentioned above, the arm of the invention consists of two tubular pieces (1) and (2), made up of two sections joined telescopically to each other, whose ends are fitted with clamps (3). As is normal practise, these clamps are made up of two sections, one articulated with respect to the other which are held together in operating or usage position by means of a bolt (4) or by any other conventional system.
[0015] On Section (1), which has a greater arm diameter than the other section, there is a pin (5), which can pass through a type of bridge, (6), which forms an external part of Section (1) itself The pin cannot be separated from this bridge (6), but only moved up and down, and may be passed through the corresponding orifice provided for this purpose in Section (1) and thorough any of the orifices (7) on the internal telescopic section (2), so that the pin (5) when housed in the two facing orifices in sections (1) and (2) will secure the two together, establishing the relative position of the two sections and thus the required length of the arm.
[0016] As has been mentioned throughout this description, one of the clamps (3) is intended to be secured to a tube (8) in the scaffolding structure, while the clamp at the other end is intended to be secured, for example, to the railing (9) of a balcony (10) on the facade itself, thus ensuring that the scaffolding structure is correctly secured to prevent tilting and thus achieving perfect stability. Obviously, due to the telescopic nature of the arm, the scaffolding structure may be positioned at a greater or lesser distance from the facade.
[0017] It should be noted that one of the clamps (3) may be rotated with respect to the section of tube onto which it is fitted, in order to allow securing without problems in cases where the tube (8) of the scaffolding structure is not parallel to, for example, the railing (9) on a balcony to which the other end of the arm is secured. Because it may be rotated, the clamp may be adapted to any angle between the elements used to secure the arm.
[0018] When there are no elements on the facade to which the corresponding end of the arm may be secured, the arm may be secured using a flat plate (11) fitted to one end of the arm, which replaces the corresponding clamp. The plate (11) will contain orifices to allow the corresponding bolts (12) to be screwed to a batten, frame or other analogous element (13) which has previously been secured to the facade or which forms part of the same.
[0019] Finally, it should be said that in order for the two sections (1) and (2) not to become detached, and to prevent resulting assembly problems, it is envisaged that the two sections (1) and (2) should be held together using a cable, chain or similar element (14) linked at either end to the two sections (1) and (2). This chain or cable (14) allows relative displacement of the two sections but not their detachment, and constitutes a limit to the extendibility of the telescopic arm.
[0020] Any more extensive description is considered unnecessary for any expert in the field to understand the scope of the inventions and the advantages which may be derived from it.
1. Arm for securing structures which is intended to be used for securing scaffolding
structures to walls or facades on which repairs or other types of work are to be performed,
in order to prevent lateral tilting inward of the scaffolding structure, and is characterised
by its consisting of two telescopically joined tubular sections, whose ends are fitted
with clamps for securing to one of the tubes in the scaffolding structure and to an
element on the facade, such as the railing of a balcony or similar element, with a
means of permitting that the two sections of tube are secured together in the position
corresponding to the required length of the arm.
2. Arm for securing structures, as described in Assertion 1, characterised by the fact
that one of sections of the arm contains a row of holes, each of which may be placed
opposite a single hole provided in the other section, in order to allow the passage
of a pin when the two holes are aligned, which determine the manner in which the two
sections are joined together. This pin is provided with freedom of displacement, (although
it cannot become detached) on a type of bridge which is provided for this purpose
on the second section of the arm.
3. Arm for securing structures, as set out in the assertions above, characterised by
the fact that the clamp at the end of one of the telescopic sections may be fitted
in such a way as to permit rotation, thus allowing the corresponding tube in the scaffolding
structure and the element on the facade to be secured, whatever the angle between
these two elements may be.
4. Arm for securing structures as set out in the assertions above, characterised by the
fact that the two telescopic sections making up the arm are linked together by means
of an internal chain or cable which allows relative displacement between the two sections
and which limits the amount by which the arm itself may be extended.
5. Arm for securing structures as set out in the assertions above, characterised by the
fact that the end of one of the telescopic sections of the arm may be fitted with
a flat plate to replace the securing clamp. This plate contains orifices for bolting
to an object, batten, frame or similar element on the facade.