Improvements Relating to Scaffold Systems

Abstract

21 Abstract A method of dismantling a scaffold. 5 The scaffold comprises: - a support beam extending substantially horizontally outwards from an outside wall frame of a building, - a platform supported by said support beam, - a handrail post retaining means attached to said support beam, and 10 - a handrail stanchion engaged with said post retaining means. The method comprises: - manually extending a first end of an elongate tool from within said building to engage said first end with said stanchion, - manipulating the second end of said tool to lift said engaged stanchion clear of 15 said post retaining means, and - further manipulating said tool to release said stanchion. 20 Mar 2019 2019201947 1515 20 19 20 19 47 2 0 M ar 2 01 9 63 56 64 A 65 B 84 0 e 0 e e e e 65 63 58 64 57 Fig. 4 60 84 A B 0 e 0 e e e e

Description

Background and Summary of the Invention 5 This invention concerns scaffold systems as used on building sites for affixing temporary work platforms at elevated positions. It is particularly concerned with scaffold systems which are supported from the frame of a wall of a building. 10 Within this specification the word scaffold refers to a temporary structure which provides workmen with a platform to stand on while constructing or repairing a building. There is an increasing emphasis on alleviating the safety hazards endured by personnel erecting external work platforms at dangerous heights on building sites. Often the structure 15 of a building, the state of erection, or the nature of work yet to be done means that it is difficult to erect and / or dismantle such platforms without the personnel involved placing themselves at risk outside the building in order to position or remove the necessary support rails, planks, handrails, handrail posts, and the associated fastening hardware. 20 There have been many proposals for wall-supported scaffolding systems. Examples can be seen in USA patents 3,134.567 and 6.003,631 and in Australian patent applications 43,143 / 72 and 199965428. However if it is desired to use any of the abovementioned proposals to erect a handrail for a platform on the outside of an upper floor of a multi-storey building, a worker would need to either lean out dangerously or actually go 25 out to affix or remove the handrail on the outside portion of the planks or the like which form the walked-on surface of the scaffold floor. An aim of one form of the present invention is to provide a solution which overcomes or reduces at least some of these difficulties. 30 An aim of another form of the invention is to provide methods of attaching and detaching a safety railing on such a scaffold. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 Accordingly, in one aspect the invention provides a method of dismantling a scaffold comprising: - a support beam extending substantially horizontally outwards from an outside 5               wall frame of a building, - a platform supported by said support beam, - a handrail post retaining means attached to said support beam, and - a handrail stanchion engaged with said post retaining means, said method comprising: 10           - manually extending a first end of an elongate tool from within said building to engage said first end with said stanchion, - manipulating the second end of said tool to lift said engaged stanchion clear of said post retaining means, and - further manipulating said tool to release said stanchion. 15 Preferably said tool engages said stanchion by embracing said stanchion. More preferably said tool comprises a head assembly fastened to an elongate handle, and said head assembly comprises a pair of arms which embrace said stanchion. 20 More preferably said embracing of the stanchion occurs while a first of said arms remains fixed relative to said handle and the second of said arms pivots relative to said first arm. More preferably said arms are spring loaded towards a closed position and are opened remotely by a person supporting said second end of the tool. 25 Preferably before the step of lifting the stanchion, said first end of the tool is engaged with said stanchion or post retaining means to pull said post retaining means and used along said support beam towards said wall. 30 Preferably said handrail post retaining means is captive on said support beam. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 Said tool manipulation may drop said stanchion onto the ground. Alternatively said tool manipulation may retrieve said engaged stanchion into the building. Said manipulation of the second end of the tool may include levering said tool using as a 5 fulcrum a nogging in said wall frame. Alternatively said manipulation of the second end of the tool may include levering said tool using as a fulcrum an arm forming part of, and protruding downwards, from the remainder of said elongate tool. In another aspect the invention provides a method of dismantling a scaffold comprising: 10          - a plurality of support beams extending substantially horizontally outwards from an outside wall frame of a building, - a platform supported by said supporting beams, - attached to each said support beam a respective handrail post retaining means, and 15           - engaged with each said post retaining means a respective handrail stanchion, said method comprising, for each said stanchion in turn: - manually extending a first end of an elongate tool from within said building to engage said first end with said stanchion, - manipulating the second end of said tool so that said first end lifts said engaged 20               stanchion clear of its respective post retaining means, and - further manipulating said tool to release said stanchion. Preferably for each said stanchion, a tool engages said stanchion by embracing said stanchion. 25 More preferably said tool comprises a head assembly fastened to an elongate handle, and said head assembly comprises a pair of arms which embrace each said stanchion in turn. More preferably said embracing of each said stanchion occurs while a first of said arms 30 remains fixed relative to said handle and the second of said arms pivots relative to said first arm. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 More preferably said arms are spring loaded towards a closed position and are opened remotely by a person supporting said second end of the tool. Preferably, before the step of lifting each said stanchion, said first end of the tool is 5 engaged with said stanchion or post retaining means to pull said post retaining means along said support beam towards said wall. Preferably said handrail post retaining means are captive on said respective support beams. 10 Preferably, prior to removing said stanchions, handrails are removed from said stanchions in a direction at right angles to said support beams, and planks forming said platform are removed from on said support beams in a direction at right angles to said support beams, before said retrieval of the stanchions. 15 Said tool manipulation may drop said stanchion onto the ground. Alternatively said tool manipulation may retrieve said engaged stanchion into the building. Said manipulation of the second end of the tool may include levering said tool using as a fulcrum a nogging in said wall frame. Alternatively said manipulation of the second end of 20 the tool may include levering said tool using as a fulcrum an arm forming part of, and protruding downwards from, the remainder of said elongate tool. In a further aspect the invention provides a tool for retrieving a handrail stanchion from a partially dismantled scaffold, said tool comprising: 25       - an elongate handle portion, - at a first end of said handle, a head assembly comprising a pair of engaging members moveable relative to each other, said engaging members forming a pair of arm portions adapted to embrace said stanchion, and - means extending toward the second end of said handle whereby said relative 30          movement of said engaging members may be activated. Preferably said pair of arm portions move relative to each other in a claw-like action. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 Preferably said engaging members are spring loaded to urge said arm portions towards a closed position. 5 Preferably said head assembly is pivotally attached to said handle. Preferably the tool includes means for locking the position of said head assembly relative to said handle. 10 Preferably said engaging members are pivotally attached to each other. Preferably said engaging members move relative to each other rotationally about a first axis in a first direction and said head assembly pivots from said handle portion about a second axis aligned at right angles to said first axis. 15 Between said head assembly and said second end of the handle, a fulcrum arm may extend outwards from said elongate handle portion in a direction of said first axis. Preferably mechanical stop prevents full closing of said arm portions. 20 Preferably a first of said engaging members is pivotably moveable relative to said handle about said second axis and the second of said arm members is pivotably moveable relative to said first arm member about said first axis. 25 Preferably the handle is telescopically extendable. Preferably a first of said engaging members comprises two parallel plate portions while the second said engaging member comprises a single plate portion sandwiched between, and rotatable between, said two plate portions of the first engaging member. 30 Preferably the head assembly has one of said engaging members moveable by a cord or wire which extends along said handle portion. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 Preferably the second engaging member pivots about a shaft fastened through said first engaging member. 5 In a further aspect the invention provides a vertically adjustable scaffold apparatus for mounting to a wall frame of a building, said apparatus comprising: - an upstanding member comprising a generally vertical column firmly held at its top to a wall frame of the building, - a beam support bracket which is connectable to the upstanding member and is 10           slidably adjustable to multiple positions at different heights along the upstanding member, - a horizontally extending platform support beam engageable with the beam support bracket by a person within the building, - a handrail post retaining means which is retained upon said support beam and is 15          slidably moveable, along the support beam, towards and away from said wall frame, and - a trafficable platform portion which is supported by the support beam. Preferably a handrail stanchion is releasably engaged with said handrail post retaining 20 means. Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention may be more fully understood there will now be described, by 25 way of example only, preferred embodiments and other elements of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings where: Figure 1 is a view showing portion of a scaffold assembly to which is applied a first embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is an end view of parts of the assembly in Figure 1; 30        Figure 3 is a perspective view of some components of the assembly shown in Figures 1 and 2; 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 Figure 4 is a perspective view of a tool for grasping a handrail post and according to another embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 is a plan view of the tool shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a side view of the tool shown in Figure 4; 5         Figure 7 is an enlargement of the portion in rectangle labelled A in Figure 5; Figure 8 is an enlargement of the portion in rectangle labelled B in Figure 6; and Figure 9 shows the tool in Figure 4 grasping a handrail post (stanchion). Description of Examples of the Invention and the Preferred Embodiment 10 In Figure 1 portion of a scaffold assembly 10 is shown attached to the wall frame 12 of a building 14. The scaffold assembly 10 comprises a platform portion 16, support structures 18 and a handrail assembly 20. Two such support structures 18 are shown in Figure 1. Each support structure 18 comprises a vertical column portion 22 a generally horizontal 15 platform support beam 24. a column bracket 29 which supports the support beam 24 from the column portion 22, and a post retaining bracket 28. The handrail assembly 20 comprises handrail posts 30 (also termed stanchions) and horizontal safety rails 32, 33 and 34 attached to the post 30. 20 The platform 16 comprises three planks 17 which extend parallel to the wall of the building. Although for clarity only two support structures 18 are shown in Figure 1, typically each plank 17 would be supported by three or more support structures 18 spaced along the wall. 25 The column portion 22 is comprised of a central standard 38 to which is attached a head component 39 and a leg component 40. The head component is attached to the top plate 36 of the timber wall frame while the leg component is attached to the floor structure 37. The standard 38 is formed from rectangular hollow section aluminium through which is drilled a linear array of holes 42 axially oriented parallel to the wall. The column bracket 29 is 30 bolted to the standard 38 at the desired height through these holes. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 The column bracket 29 is formed from aluminium plate welded to the desired configuration. The support beam 24 may be slid longitudinally outwards from the wall within the bracket 29 without concern for the support beam falling out of the bracket. 5 The support beam 24 has a cross-section which is a vertically aligned rectangular hollow section having short flanges 25 extending horizontally each side from its upper and lower faces 26 and 27 respectively. On the beam 24 is fitted the post retaining bracket 28 the relationship of which is most 10 clearly seen in Figure 3. The post retaining bracket 28 has a flat base plate 47, upon which are mounted an upstanding spigot 52. which is reinforced by a gusset plate 53, and a clamping mechanism 54. In use, the bottom of a post (stanchion) 30 is engaged onto a spigot 52 in a loose sliding fit. 15 The posts 30 are generally vertical. Various safety regulations permit them to deviate from the vertical. Typically the posts can lean up to 15° outwards from the vertical and still be compliant. Welded on each post are three rail clamps 31, each having a generally square aperture 73 20 into which the relevant square hollow section handrail locates. The entrance 74 to the aperture is lipped so that a handrail cannot readily pass through it without rotating the handrail slightly. Each clamp 31 has a pivoting clamp arm 41 which, when activated, firmly locks the handrail in position in the clamp. 25 Three feet 48, 49 and 50 extend downwards from the base plate 47. These feet each have a U-shaped cutaway 44 on their lower edge to form legs 45 with inwardly extending ends 46 such that the cutaway forms a loose sliding fit around the flanged top face 26 of its respective support beam 24. The base plate 47 and feet 48, 49 and 50 thus form a sled structure which is captive upon the upper face of the support beam 24. The base plate 47 30 thus acts as a carriage whereby the post retaining bracket 28 may be slid back and forth along the support beam 24. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 The clamping mechanism 54 is selectively operable to prevent movement of its post retaining bracket 28 along the support beam 24. The clamping mechanism 54 is activated by rotation with its forked portion engageable with the gusset plate 53 to lock it in position. Erection of the scaffold assembly 10 commences by assembling and fitting each support structure 18 to the wall frame. The head component 39 and the leg component 40 are fitted into respective ends of the standard component 38 and fastened so that their engaged ends are captive within the standard. The overall length of the column 22 may be adjusted to exactly suit the distance between the top plate 36 and floor structure 37 because the engaged portions of the head component 39 and leg component 40 are free to slide up and down within the hollow standard to a certain degree, although they are prevented from completely falling out. Installation of the scaffold assembly 10 continues by then positioning each column bracket 29 at an appropriate height on the standard 38 and holding it in place by sliding a bolt through holes in the standard and co-operating slots in the bracket. The required number of columns are fitted to the wall and the corresponding support beams engaged therewith. Each post retaining bracket 28 is slid onto its respective support beam 24 before the beam is engaged with the respective column bracket 29. The post retaining brackets 28 are at this stage positioned within easy reach close to the wall and with their clamping mechanism released. The posts are slid over their respective spigots 52 and the post retaining brackets 28 are pushed out along the beams. One or more of the rails 32-34 may be engaged with respective rail clamps 31 before the posts slide out. Alternatively the rails may be slipped into the clamp recess from adjacent fully assembled, fastened and protected platform portions after the planks are in place. The scaffold assembly shown in Figure 1 also has a fourth rail 35, at about platform level, on the inboard side of the platform 16. This inboard rail 35 is to prevent someone falling off the platform between the platform and the wall frame. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 Alternatively the posts 56 are fitted in place on the support beam 24 and the beam is then slid out through the column bracket 29 to move the posts away from the wall. The elongate tool 56 illustrated in Figures 4 to 9 has a head assembly 57 at a first end 58. The head assembly 57 is pivotally attached to an elongate handle portion 59 which extends from the head assembly to the second end 60 of the tool. The handle 59 has two handle portions 63 and 64 which are slidably engaged such that the handle is telescopically extendible. The handle portion 63 distal from a user during use has an array of holes 65 therethrough which are used, together with the hole 66 and bolt 67 in proximal portion 64, to set the length of the handle to suit the circumstances required. The head assembly 57 has a moveable claw-like configuration and comprises a pair of engaging members 69 and 70, parts of which form a pair of arms 71 and 72, which are pivotally moveable relative to each other in a claw-like action. The first engaging member 69 comprises two metal plate portions 76 and 77, spaced apart but fastened together by bolts and nuts and having a hinge structure 78 extending therefrom at its rear end. At its front end, the first engaging member 69 protrudes to form the curved arm portion 71. Positioned between the plate portions 76 and 77 is the second engaging member 70. At its front end, the second engaging member protrudes to form its curved arm portion 72. Towards its rear end, the second engaging member 70 pivots from the shaft 81 of a bolt 83 which acts as an axle for the pivotal movement between the engaging members 69 and 70. That movement of the arms opens and partially closes the entrance 74 to a central aperture 73 between and defined by the arms. The arms 71 and 72 are sized and shaped such that the aperture 73 accommodates a post 30 when it extends longitudinally therethrough. There is a clearance between the post 30 and the arms 71 and 72, so the post is therefore cradled or embraced, rather than forcibly grasped, by the arms. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 The portions 76 and 77 are linked by a coil spring 82 which biases the distal end of the arm 72 towards a closed position. However the ends of the arms do not completely close the entrance 74 to the aperture 73 because portion of the moveable member 70 bears upon a bolt 79 which acts as a mechanical stop. A cord 84 attached the distal end of the arm 72 is threaded through loops 93 along the handle 59 so that, by pulling the cord, a user can retract the moveable arm 72 and thus widen the entrance 74 to the aperture 73. The shaft 88 of the bolt 87 is aligned at right angles to the shaft 79 of the bolt 80, so the engaging members 69 and 70 move relative to each other rotationally about a first axis in a first direction while the head assembly pivots from the handle about a second axis aligned at right angles to the first axis. The head assembly 57 is fastened to a clevis 86 on the distal end of the distal handle portion 63 by way of a bolt 87 and its engaged nut 85. Each plate portion 76 and 77 of the engaging member 69 has a pair of outwardly extending planar ribs 89 and 90 which also extend back beyond the rear of the respective plate portion. Those ribs engage with the bolt 87 and nut 85 to retain the ribs 89 and 90 on the clevis 86. The head assembly 57 is thereby pivotally connected to the distal end of the distal handle portion 63. The engaging action of the arms can thus be aligned at an angle to the elongate handle as seen in Figure 9. The nut 85 is tightened as desired by the user to provide the desired resistance to rotational movement between the head assembly 57 and the handle 63. The clevis 86 carries a pair of small raised metal stops 91 which project into a gap between the rear ends of the portions 76 and 77. The stops 91 engage with the ribs 89 and 90 to prevent rotation of the head assembly further than about 10°. 2019201947 20 Mar 2019 The hollow bottom of the stanchion 30 slidably engages onto an upstanding spigot 52 on the post retaining bracket 28. Alternatively, but less desirably, the bottom of the stanchion may slidably engage into an upstanding socket on the bracket 28. When used by a person dismantling a scaffold after the planks 17 and rails 32-34 have been removed, the tool 56 is first used to hook onto a handrail post (stanchion) 30 and pull it towards an aperture in the wall of the building. The post retaining bracket 28 thereby slides along the support beam 24 towards the wall. The person then pulls the cord 84 to open the entrance 74 to the aperture, positions the arms 71 and 72 around the stanchion below the middle rail clamp 31 and then releases the cord. The spring causes the moveable member to close the entrance 74 until the stop is reached. The stanchion is then lifted off the spigot 52. It is not necessary for the arms 71 and 72 to clamp firmly onto the stanchion 30 because the protruding clamp 31 prevents the stanchion slipping through the aperture 73. In order to remove the relevant portion of the scaffold apparatus, a person may walk onto the relevant portion of platform and: (a) release the clamp arms 41 on the clamps 31 holding the three handrails 32-34 to the stanchions, (b) release the clamping mechanisms 54 on the brackets 28, and (c) release the clamping screws 23 on the bottoms of the posts 30. The person could then move back onto a different portion of scaffold and pull the handrails longitudinally through the clamps 31 and deliver those to the ground and then pull the planks longitudinally from the supports and deliver those to the ground. The person would then move to inside the building and use the tool 56 to slide the post retaining brackets 28, while they are holding the stanchions, inwards towards a window opening in the wall before grasping the stanchions with the tool 56 and thereby lift the stanchions from the post retaining brackets and either retrieve the stanchions into the building or release the stanchions so they fall to the ground. 2019201947   12 Feb 2026 To assist the lifting of each stanchion 30 from its respective post retaining bracket 28, the user may press the central portion of the elongate handle down upon a nogging in the wall frame 12 of the building. The nogging then acts as a fulcrum whereby pulling the second end 60 of the tool down causes the head assembly grasping the stanchion to lift in a lever 5 action. Alternatively, the handle 59 may be provided with some sort of sideways extension (not shown in the drawings), such as an arm extending from it, in the direction of the axis of the shaft 79. That extension or arm can then be pressed down upon the respective support beam 24 as a fulcrum to lever the stanchion upwards in a similar manner to the nogging described above. 10 As an alternative to the configuration of the tool 56 described above, the tool may instead have a handle of fixed length without any telescoping ability. This would increase rigidity and improve robustness of the tool, especially if it is used in a levering action. 15 As an alternative within the procedure described above, the planks could be lifted into the building after which the stanchions with the handrails could be pulled inwards along the supports and brought in through the window opening. In either way the scaffold can be dismantled without the person going onto a platform which 20 is not adequately secure. Whilst the above description includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that many variations, alterations, modifications and / or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without 25 departing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the invention. It will be also understood that where the word “comprise”, and variations such as “comprises” and “comprising”, are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise such use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or features but is 30 not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features. The appended claims are to be considered as incorporated into the above description. 2019201947   12 Feb 2026 Throughout this specification, reference to any advantages, promises, objects or the like should not be regarded as cumulative, composite, and / or collective and should be regarded as preferable or desirable rather than stated as a warranty. 5 When any number or range is described herein, unless clearly stated otherwise, that number or range is approximate. Recitation of ranges of values herein are intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value and each separate subrange defined by such separate values is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually 10 recited herein. Words indicating direction or orientation, such as “front”, “rear”, “back”, “proximal”, “distal”, etc, are used for convenience. The inventor(s) envisages that various embodiments can be used in a non-operative configuration, such as when presented for sale. Thus, such 15 words are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive. Features which are described in the context of separate aspects and embodiments of the invention may be used together and / or be interchangeable. Similarly, features described in the context of a single embodiment may also be provided separately or in any suitable sub-20 combination. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

Claims

1. A tool for retrieving a handrail stanchion from a partially dismantled scaffold, the tool comprising:an elongate handle;a head assembly arranged on a distal end of the handle, the head assembly comprising: first and second engaging members that are pivotally movable with respect toeach other, with a claw-like action, to define an aperture between the engaging members; anda spring mechanism that links portions of the engaging members, the spring mechanism and the engaging members being configured so that the spring mechanism biases the engaging members towards a closed position in which an entrance to the aperture is partially closed; anda cord or wire that is attached to said one of the engaging members so that a user can pull the cord or wire at a proximal end of the handle to retract said one of the engaging members to widen the entrance.

2. The tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head assembly is pivotally attached to the elongate handle to accommodate a required engagement angle.

3. The tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first engaging member has a first curved arm portion, and the second engaging member has a second curved arm portion, such that the first and second engaging members can accommodate a post.

4. The tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first engaging member comprises two metal plate portions that are spaced from each other with a hinge structure extending from a rear end.

5. The tool as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second engaging member is positioned between the plate portions of the first engaging member.

6. The tool as claimed in claim 5, wherein the second engaging member pivots about a shaft of a bolt that extend through the metal plate portions of the first engaging member.2019201947   02 Apr 20267. The tool as claimed in claim 6, wherein a bolt that extends through the plate portions of the first engaging member acts as a mechanical stop so that the entrance to the aperture is partially closed under action of the spring mechanism.

8. The tool as claimed in claim 6 or 7, wherein the head assembly is fastened to a clevis on the distal end of the handle with a bolt and nut that are configured so that the nut can be tightened to provide a desired resistance to rotational movement between the head assembly and the handle.

9. The tool as claimed in claimed in claim 8, wherein the plate portions of the engaging member have planar ribs, respectively, that extend proximally from the plate portions and engage with the bolt and nut to be retained on the clevis.

10. The tool as claimed in claim 8, wherein the clevis carries a pair of raised stops that project into a gap between rear ends of the ribs and engage the ribs to limit rotation of the head assembly.

11. The tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the handle comprises at least two handle portions that are slidable with respect to each other such that the handle can be telescopically extended or retracted.

12. The tool as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the cord or wire is threaded through loops along the handle.

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