BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Field of the invention
[0001] The invention relates to a fence for closing off a passage in a floor of a scaffold,
which fence has a mainly rectangular shape and is provided with an elongated side
plank that, after placement of the fence in a scaffold, is present at the bottom of
the fence and extends in a mainly horizontal direction. A side plank serves to prevent
small objects from slipping off the scaffold and falling down.
Prior art
[0002] Such a fence is well known. A construction of pipes and connectors is used to close
off an opening, possibly in combination with a fence that can be turned and is at
90 degrees to the construction.
Summary of the invention
[0003] An objective of the invention is to improve the known fence. For this purpose the
fence according to the invention is characterised in that the fence with respect to
an imaginary plane is at right angles to the lengthwise direction of the side plank
and is asymmetric through the middle of the fence, and is provided at the top with
a further elongated side plank, which is mainly parallel to the bottom side plank,
in which both side planks form one whole with the rest of the fence. Preferably the
fence seen from above has two sections mainly at right angles to each other, so that
the fence is not only present on one side of an opening, but also partly extends on
an adjoining side. In this way one fence according to the invention, with or without
a swivel fence acting as a door, can close off an opening, in any event if the opening
is in the corner of the scaffold. As the opening can be present in four corners of
the scaffold, there should be two different fences to be able to close off the opening
in any situation. By now fitting a side plank on both the bottom and the top, the
fence can also be used upside down. In this way one embodiment of the fence can be
used to close off any opening, regardless of which corner this opening is found.
[0004] Preferably both sections of the fence can be extended in the horizontal direction.
In this way it is possible to close off openings with different dimensions, so that
the range of application is greatly increased.
[0005] An embodiment of the fence according to the invention is characterised in that the
fence comprises a framework with two vertical pipes, in which there is a connecting
tube, which can be slid in a vertical direction, on at least one of these vertical
pipes in or near the middle. In this way the fence can be connected to a scaffold
near the middle, regardless of which position the fence is attached. The pipe with
which the fence is connected to a scaffold is namely not in the middle of the fence.
Moreover, this fence can be used with different floor types because the capacity of
the connector to slide compensates for different floor heights.
[0006] The sliding connecting tube is preferably secured against turning around the vertical
pipe. In this way the fence provides even more safety. The fence can thereby not turn
if leant against or if anything falls against it.
[0007] Another embodiment of the fence according to the invention is characterised in that
the fence comprises a framework with two vertical pipes, in which two connecting tubes
are fastened on at least one of these vertical pipes, which are positioned apart above
and below the middle as a mirror image of each other. The fence can be connected to
a scaffold near the middle in this embodiment as well, regardless of the position
in which the fence is attached.
[0008] Preferably the framework also comprises at least one horizontal pipe extending between
the vertical pipes and connected to both vertical pipes, which seen in the vertical
direction is present in or near the middle of the fence and is connected to one of
the vertical pipes at a distance from the middle via a bridging piece.
Brief description of the drawings
[0009] The invention will be elucidated more fully below on the basis of the drawings in
which embodiments of the fence according to the invention are shown. In these drawings:
Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the fence from the side;
Figure 2 shows the fence from above;
Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the fence from above; and
Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the fence according to the invention from the
side.
Detailed description of the drawings
[0010] Figures 1 and 2 show a first embodiment of the fence according to the invention from
the side and above respectively. The fence 1 is used to close off a passage formed
by an opening in a floor of a scaffold. It is desirable for the fence after placement
not only to be present on one side of an opening, but also to extend partly on an
adjoining side. In this way the fence seen from above comprises two sections, 1a and
1b mainly at right angles to each other, and the fence with respect to an imaginary
plane 3 is at right angles to the lengthwise direction of the side plank and is asymmetric
through the middle of the fence, see figure 2.
[0011] The fence 1 comprises a framework with two vertical pipes 5, 7 and three horizontal
pipes 9, 11 and 13 extending between them, in which the middle pipe is connected to
pipe 7 via a bridging piece 15, see figure 1. The fence 1 is provided with two side
planks 17 and 19 that, after placement of the fence in a scaffold, are present both
at the bottom and the top of the fence. The imaginary plane 3 is therefore at right
angles to the side planks 17 and 19 and passes through the middle of the fence. In
this way the fence 1 can be used even when upside down, so that it makes no difference
in which corner of the floor the opening is found. The side planks 17 and 19 form
one whole with the rest of the fence 1.
[0012] The pipes 9, 11 and 13 can preferably be extended at the position of each section
1a and 1b (not shown in the drawings). In this way the length of each of the sections
1a and 1b can be varied, so that it is possible to close off openings with different
dimensions.
[0013] The fence 1 also comprises a connector 21, which can be slid along the pipe 7 in
the vertical direction. The bridging piece 15 means that the connector 21 can be placed
near the middle. This connector 21 is blocked against turning around the pipe 7 by
the presence of a guide 22 on the pipe 7, which works with a corresponding recess
in the connector 21.
[0014] Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the fence according to the invention from above.
All parts that are equal to those of the first embodiment are given the same reference
number. In this fence 1', the horizontal pipes 9, 11 and 13 are each formed by three
pipes that can be pushed in and out of each other, in which the innermost pipes are
fastened to the vertical pipes 5 and 7.
[0015] Figure 4 shows a third embodiment of the fence according to the invention from the
side. All parts that are equal to those of the first embodiment are given the same
reference number. In this fence 23, two connectors 25 and 27, instead of the sliding
connector 21, are fastened to the pipe 7. These connectors are present as a mirror
image with respect to each other.
[0016] Although in the above the invention is explained on the basis of the drawings, it
should be noted that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments shown in
the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiments
shown in the drawings within the context defined by the claims.
1. Fence for closing off a passage in a floor of a scaffold or another building construction,
which fence has a mainly rectangular shape and is provided with an elongated side
plank that, after placement of the fence in a scaffold, is present at the bottom of
the fence and extends in a mainly horizontal direction, characterised in that the fence with respect to an imaginary plane is at right angles to the lengthwise
direction of the side plank and is asymmetric through the middle of the fence, and
is provided with a further elongated side plank at the top, which is mainly parallel
to the bottom side plank, in which both side planks form one whole with the rest of
the fence.
2. Fence according to claim 1, characterised in that the fence seen from above consists of two sections mainly at right angles to each
other.
3. Fence according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that both sections of the fence can be extended in the horizontal direction.
4. Fence according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the fence comprises a framework with two vertical pipes, in which a connecting tube,
which can be slid in the vertical direction, is present on at least one of these vertical
pipes in or near the middle.
5. Fence according to claim 4, characterised in that the sliding connecting tube is secured against turning around the vertical pipe.
6. Fence according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the fence comprises a framework with two vertical pipes, in which two connecting
tubes are fastened to at least one of these vertical pipes, which are present in a
mirror image position with respect to and at a distance from each other above and
below the middle.
7. Fence according to claim 4, 5 or 6, characterised in that the framework also comprises at least one horizontal pipe extending between the vertical
pipes and connected to both vertical pipes, which seen in the vertical direction is
present in or near the middle of the fence and is connected to one of the vertical
pipes via a bridging piece at a distance from the middle.