Improvements Relating to Temporary Structures

Abstract

Abstract A support structure for retaining a temporary construction against a wall of a building. It comprises: 5 - an elongate first structural member having a lower end affixed by a first connection to the foot of the wall; - a bearing pad affixed to the first structural member and abutting the wall; - a second structural member having a proximal end fastened to the first structural member by a second connection and extending laterally away from 10 the wall to a distal end; - an upstanding third structural member which: - is attached by a third connection to the distal end; and - extends downwards from the third connection to bear down onto the ground; and 15 - a mechanism whereby the distal end is urged upwards so causing the bearing pad to be pressed more firmly onto the wall. 01 Sep 2020 Abstract 5 2020227027 10 15 20 20 22 70 27 0 1 Se p 20 20 2 / 18 26 24 22 26 24 24 & o * 37 @ 80 @ f 10 5062 16 43 35 14 20 42 44 38 47 34 70 54 48 46 17 of 58 57 Fig. 2

Description

Improvements Relating to Temporary Structures Background and Summary of the Invention This invention concerns the construction of temporary structures such as safety barriers, handrails, and work platforms in elevated positions on buildings during construction. It relates particularly to buildings under construction or undergoing repair or maintenance. There is an increasing emphasis on the provision of safety railing on building sites to prevent accidental falling of personnel from dangerous heights. Often such railing can be readily fastened into position by known techniques of attaching to the roof structure or wall frame. But sometimes the structure of a building, the state of erection, or the nature of the work yet to be done means that it is difficult to satisfactorily support safety railing without damaging an already completed wall of the building above which the safety railing is required. Examples of such situations would be when the wall has a decorative brick facing or has been painted or rendered and it is therefore undesirable to fasten the support structure onto or through the wall. Sometimes window openings and / or door openings can be utilized to provide attachment without damaging the face of the wall but, in the past, it has often been necessary to erect large scaffolding systems or custom manufacture components for particular sites, and / or remove roofing, or damage a wall in order to satisfactorily affix suitable safety railing. An aim of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus whereby a work platform may be erected against such a wall, or a safety railing may be erected to protrude above such a wall without significantly damaging the wall. A particular difficulty is that certain Australian safety standards require that a handrail- type safety barrier must withstand an outwards directed load of 1200N without failure and of 600N with no more than 100mm deflection. Such rigidity is difficult to achieve. An example of a safety barrier assembly which achieves this purpose is described in our Australian patent no. 2010202988. That assembly requires a substantial elastic bend to be induced in a major structural member. However while the safety barrier assembly described in patent 2010202988 successfully fulfills its function, it has been found that appropriate pretensioning and prestressing of the structural members in the assembly requires careful execution to be effective while also avoiding permanent deformation of some of the components. This can require substantial time and a faster assembly which is more tolerant of adjustment is desirable. The present invention addresses the issues. Accordingly, in one aspect the invention provides a support structure for retaining a temporary construction against a wall of a building, said wall having a top, a foot and a face between the top and the foot, said support structure comprising: an elongate first structural member having a lower end affixed by a first connection to the foot of the wall, and an upper end spaced outwardly from the wall; a bearing pad affixed to said first structural member and having a contact surface which abuts the face of the wall; an elongate second structural member having a proximal end which is fastened to said first structural member by a second connection and which extends laterally away from said wall to a distal end of said second structural member; an upstanding third structural member which: is attached by a third connection to said distal end of the second structural member; and extends downwards from said third connection to bear down at its lower end onto the ground at a position spaced from said foot of the wall; and a mechanism whereby said distal end of the second structural member is urged upwards by the third structural member so causing: said bearing pad to be pressed more firmly onto said face of the wall; and any movement of said upper end of the first structural member away from the wall to be resisted. Said first connection may be by way of a fitting fastened to a vertical face of a concrete pad or concrete footing beneath the wall. Alternatively said wall may be a masonry construction and said first connection is by way of a fastener inserted into a mortar layer at said foot of the wall. Preferably said third structural member is elongate and oriented generally vertically. Preferably said third structural member is telescopically adjustable in length. Preferably said third connection includes said mechanism. Preferably said third connection includes means for jacking up said distal end of the second structural member. Preferably said first structural member comprises a plurality of parts which are connected in a manner which allows its length to be adjusted to suit the height of said wall. Preferably said first structural member has its length telescopically adjustable. The bearing pad may be one of a plurality of bearing pads which are carried on a cross- arm fastened to said first structural member and which have contact surfaces which are firmly pressed against said face of the wall. Preferably the first, second and third structural members comprise tubular metal sections. Preferably said third structural member has its length telescopically adjustable. Said support structure may include means for supporting a safety barrier assembly from said upper end of the first structural member. Said support structure may have a work platform supported on said second structural member. A safety barrier assembly may then be supported from said third structural member. Preferably the lower end of the third structural member comprises a load distributing pad. Preferably each said contact surface is faced with a rubber or rubber-like material. Preferably a fourth structural member is connected from said lower end of the first structural member to said lower end of the third structural member. In another aspect the invention provides a temporary construction erected against a wall of a building, said temporary construction comprising: - a plurality of support structures as defined above; and - a safety barrier assembly, comprising: upstanding support posts, supported by said support structures, and horizontal rails supported by said support posts. In a further aspect the invention provides a safety barrier construction comprising: a plurality of support structures each as defined above, a railing support post supported from said upper and of each respective said first structural member, said railing support posts extending above the level of said top of said wall, and a plurality of substantially horizontal rails extending between, and affixed to, a desired selection of said railing support posts. Preferably attached to the upper end of each said first structural member is an upstanding spigot, and a respective said railing support post is engaged with said spigot. Preferably the longitudinal axis of each said spigot is offset from that of its respective said first structural member in a direction away from said wall. Preferably each said railing support post has a hollow bottom and slides onto its respective spigot. In a further aspect the invention provides an elevated platform construction comprising: a plurality of support structures each according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and a work platform extending between, and bearing upon the respective said second structural members. Said work platform may comprise a plurality of planks fastened to said second structural members. Alternatively said work platform may comprise a plurality of panels fastened to said second structural members. Preferably said elevated platform construction further comprises: a respective railing support post attached to the top of each said third structural member to extend upwards therefrom, and a plurality of substantially horizontal rails extending between, and affixed to, each adjacent pair of said railing support posts. A rigid fourth structural member may be fastened from said lower end of the first structural member to said lower end of the third structural member. In a further aspect the invention provides a method of erecting a temporary support structure against a wall of a building, said wall having a top, a foot and a face between the top and the foot, said method comprising: affixing, by means of a first connection, a lower end of an elongate first structural member to said foot of the wall; positioning a bearing pad affixed to said first structural member so as to have a contact surface abut the face of the wall below the upper end of said first structural member; fastening, by means of a second connection, a proximal end of an elongate second structural member to said first structural member so that said second structural member extends laterally away from the wall to a distal end of said second structural member; attaching, by means of a third connection, said distal end to an upstanding third structural member which has its lower end bearing onto the ground; and raising said distal end up along said third structural member to thereby more firmly urge said bearing pad onto the wall and resist any movement of said upper end of said first structural member away from the wall. Preferably said third connection comprises a distal bracket a first portion of which is secured to said distal end and a second portion of which is secured to said third structural member, and said raising of the distal end is achieved by lifting said second portion relative to said first portion. Preferably said second portion of the distal bracket is secured to said third structural member by jamming the second portion onto the third structural member. Preferably said second portion tilts to thereby jam said third structural member within an aperture through said second portion. Preferably said method includes fastening a rigid fourth structural member from said lower end of the first structural member to said lower end of the third structural member. In a further aspect the invention provides a method of erecting a safety barrier construction in which a safety barrier assembly is fastened in a position extending above the height of a wall of a building, said method comprising: erecting a plurality of temporary support structures each according to a method defined above; and supporting said safety barrier assembly from the respective said upper ends of the first structural members such that the safety barrier assembly extends above the height of said wall. In a further aspect the invention provides a method of erecting an elevated platform construction, said method comprising: erecting a plurality of temporary support structures each according to a method defined above; and supporting a work platform upon said second structural members. A plurality of planks or panels may be fastened to said second structural members to form said work platform. Preferably said method of erecting an elevated platform construction includes: attaching a respective railing support post to the top of each said third structural member to extend upwards therefrom, and affixing a plurality of horizontal rails to said railing support posts to form a safety barrier assembly. When referring to the foot of a wall in this specification it is intended to mean the lowest portion of the wall construction, such as a bottom course of brickwork which may rest below the final ground level, or an upper region of a concrete slab or footing immediately underlying the actual wall, or any sub-floor support posts beneath the wall. When referring to the central portion of a structural member, it is intended to mean that general portion of the member which is away from both ends and is not limited to the centre of the member. Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention may be more fully understood there will now be described, by way of example only, preferred embodiments and other elements of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings where: Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating a safety barrier construction according to a first embodiment of the present invention and incorporating three upstanding support structures according to a second embodiment; Figure 2 is an end view of the construction in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of parts of the construction shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is another view of the construction parts shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 is a perspective exploded view of part of the apparatus in Figure 3; Figure 6 is a cross section view of an aluminium extrusion used in the construction shown in Figure 1; Figure 7 is an enlargement of portion of Figure 4; Figure 8 shows the portion shown in Figure 7, but when part way through assembly; Figure 9 is another view of the construction shown in Figure 3; Figure 10 is an enlargement of portion of the construction shown in Figure 9; Figure 11 is an enlargement of portion of Figure 3; Figure 12 is a partially exploded view of the components shown in Figure 11; Figure 13 is an enlarged view of some of the components in Figure 12 Figure 14 is an enlargement of another portion of Figure 4; Figure 15 is a view, from a different angle, of some of the components in Figure 14; Figure 16 is the view in Figure 15 but with a side plate removed to show internal workings; Figure 17 shows a side view of the apparatus in Figure 4 when erected for use in its lowest configuration; Figure 18 shows a side view of the apparatus in Figure 4 when erected for use in its highest configuration; Figure 19 shows the apparatus in Figure 3 packed up ready for shipment; Figure 20 is an enlargement of portion of Figure 19; Figure 21 is a perspective view of components in a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 22 is an enlargement of portion of Figure 21; Figure 23 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the invention; Figure 24 is an enlargement of portion of Figure 23; Figure 25 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the invention; and Figure 26 is an end view of the construction in Figure 25. Description of the Preferred Embodiment and Other Examples of the Invention The safety barrier construction 8 shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises three support structures 10 supporting a safety barrier assembly 12 at a wall 14 of a building 16. The safety barrier construction 8 accordingly comprises a plurality of support structures 10 together supporting a single safety barrier assembly 12. The safety barrier assembly 12 provides a safety railing to prevent falls of workers from the roof, Portion of the roof structure 18 of the building 16 is shown in Figure 2. A requirement for the construction is that the safety barrier assembly 12 must be held in position without any penetration or otherwise marking of the exposed face 20 of the wall 14. This might be because the wall has already been painted or rendered or because it is a decorative brick construction which would readily show any repairs attempted. A support structure 10 comprises: an elongate, vertical first structural member 34 forming a main support which extends from ground level 17 to about roof level at the top 28 of the wall 14, a bearing pad 37 which is affixed to the main support 34 and bears against the wall 14; an elongate second structural member 50 which forms a transom extending horizontally (and therefore laterally to the wall) from its proximal end 51 at the main support 34, and an upstanding elongate third structural member 42 which forms a staff attached to the distal end 52 of the transom and extending to a foot plate 48 on the ground 49 and which exerts an upwards force onto the distal end of the transom. The safety barrier assembly 12 comprises an array of railing support posts 22 (also called handrail posts) to which are welded clamp arms 24 which support and retain three horizontal rails 26. The railing support posts 22 each extend upwards above the level of the top 28 of the wall 14. Each post 22 has a body of 40mm x 40mm x 2mm square hollow section galvanized steel. The rails 26 are made of the same steel section. Each handrail post 22 is a loose sliding fit over the top end of a respective spigot 30 which is attached to the upper end 33 of the main support 34 by means of a connection bracket 31. The spigot 30 extends upwards at the top of, the respective main support 34. The main support 34 has a telescoped construction comprising an outer sleeve 35 at the upper end and an inner core 36 at the lower end, each approximately 2 metres long. In an alternative embodiment, adapted for higher roof edges, the same outer sleeve 35 is used but the inner core is replaced by a core which is approximately 3 metres long. Both the sleeve 35 and core 36 have respective rectangular hollow cross-sections generally of the form shown in Figure 6. The edges of the wide faces 32 carry upstanding ribs 33. The overall length of the main support is telescopically adjustable, with the length locked by means of a pin 38 engaged through corresponding arrays of holes through the sleeve 35 and core 36. The bottom end of the main support’s core portion 36 carries a foot bracket 58 which forms a first connection in the support structure 10. The lower portion of the foot bracket 58 is fastened securely by a masonry bolt 56 screwed horizontally into a hole 57 drilled into the vertical edge face 68 of the concrete 70 immediately beneath the brick wall structure. The concrete may be part of a concrete slab floor or part ofa footing, The lower portion of the foot bracket 58 carries a keyhole-shaped aperture 55 whereby the bracket may be adjusted upon, and slipped off, the masonry bolt 56 before the bolt is tightened in line with the longitudinal axis of the core portion 36. The upper portion of the bracket 58 comprises a clevis 60 which embraces the bottom end 54 of the core 36 and is attached to the bottom end 54 by a single bolt 59. The clevis 60 nests between the ribs 33 on the core 36 to prevent pivoting around the bolt 59. The bracket 58 therefore fastens the bottom end 54 of the core portion 36 to the concrete and thereby fastens the main support 34 to the concrete. The bearing pad 37 is adjustably fastened to the sleeve portion 35 of the main support 34 The outer face of the pad 37 bears against the wall and carries a covering of cured- in-place silicone rubber which creates a compliable cushion 41 which provides protection for the exposed face 20 of the wall and also provides substantial friction to prevent the pad 37 sliding on the wall. The transom 50 is a rigid member of fixed length. Its cross-section is the same as that of the sleeve portion 35 of the main support 34. The main support 34 is pressed against the wall 14 by the transom 50 thus urging the bearing pad against the wall. The transom 50 and staff 42 act as an outrigger to the main support 34. The transom has its proximal end 51 fastened to the sleeve 35 by means of a support bracket 62 which acts as a second connection in the support structure 10. The bracket 62 comprises a pair of triangular side plates 63 attached by welding to a pair of web plates 64 and 65. The vertical web plate 64 bears against the narrow face 29 of the sleeve 35 where it is clamped in position by a single hand-tightened wing-head bolt 66 which is threadedly engaged with a nut 67 welded to a side plate 63 and which passes behind the rib 33 to press onto the wide face 32 of the sleeve. The proximal end 51 of the transom 50 is fastened to the bracket 62 in two ways. Firstly a hand-tightened wing-head bolt 71 clamps the transom 50 in the same way as the bolt 66 acts. Secondly a pin 72 passes through sliding-fit holes 61 in the side plates 63, and through holes 53 in the wide faces of the transom and is retained by a split pin 73 through the pin 72. The staff 42 has a telescoped construction formed from square hollow section steel which form a core portion 43 and a sleeve portion 44 and allows its height to be adjusted as desired. A hole 39 near the bottom of the core portion is aligned with a selected hole in a vertical array 40 of corresponding holes in the sleeve portion 44 and a pin 47 through the holes locks the staff at its desired height. The bottom end 46 of the staff 42 has a foot plate 48 which bears on the ground 49. The foot plate 48 is placed to be on firm ground to prevent sinking under load. Figures 17 and 18 show a comparison of the lowest and tallest configurations available using the components of this embodiment of the safety barrier construction 8. The distal end 52 of the transom is fastened to the staff by a distal bracket 80 which forms the third connection in the support structure 10. The bracket 80 comprises a pair of side plates 81 which incorporate slots which retain tabs on four cross plates 82 to 85. Those tabs are welded into position, so the cross plates 82 to 85 are fixed in position relative to the side plates 81. An additional cross plate 86 is also captive within the bracket. The two side plates 81 extend sideways as respective triangular portions 79 between which the distal end 52 of the transom is rigidly fastened by means of three bolts 87. The cross plate 86 has a cruciform shape of which: two opposite short arms 89 engage within respective apertures 90 in the side plates 81, a longer third arm 91 includes an unthreaded hole (concealed in the drawings) which is in sliding fit engagement with a stabilising bolt 93, and a fourth arm 94 includes an unthreaded hole 95 which is loosely engaged by an activating bolt 96. The head of the stabilizing bolt 93 is rigidly fastened to the cross plate 85. The tip of the bolt 93 passes freely through the unthreaded hole in the third arm and threadedly engages with a nut which retains the third arm 91 on the bolt 93. A cylindrical compression spring 92 is mounted on the bolt 93 between the arm 91 and the cross plate 85 in order to apply an upward force to the arm 91. The tip of the activating bolt 96 is retained through the unthreaded hole 95 by nuts 19 above and below the plate 86. Around midway along the threaded shaft of the bolt 96, the bolt is threadedly engaged with an activating nut 97. The nut 97 has a pair of opposite wings 98 which loosely engage respective apertures 69 in the side plates 81 such that the nut 97 is held captive between the plates 81 but is free to tilt. The cross plate 86 carries a central square aperture 99 which is a sloppy fit on the core portion 43 of the staff. The staff in use passes through the aperture 99 and also through loose fit apertures in the cross plates 82 and 83. When the bracket 80 is assembled onto the staff, the cross plate 86 is able to rock slightly so that it binds onto the staff. The tip of the activating bolt 96 is free to spin within the hole 95 so that, when the bolt is turned clockwise, it forces the fourth arm 94 downwards while the spring 92 is urging the third arm 91 upwards, so tilting the cross plate 86 such that edges of the aperture 99 through the plate 86 bind onto the staff 42. Continued rotation of the bolt 96 then causes the activating nut to draw the remainder of the bracket 80 upwards along the staff while the spring 92 compresses, so maintaining the tilt on the cross plate 86 which in turn retains the binding of the cross plate onto the staff 42 . This accordingly presses the foot 48 of the staff more firmly onto the ground and raises the distal end 52 of the transom a little. Raising the distal end of the transom 50 while the bottom 54 of the main support 34 is fastened to the foot of the wall 14 causes the transom to urge the main support 34 towards the wall and to therefore more firmly press the pad 37 onto the wall. The forces so produced are sufficient to provide the necessary resistance to deflection of the safety barrier assembly 12 under an outwards directed load in order to prevent a worker falling from the roof. The side plates 81 and cross plates 82 to 85 of the distal bracket 80 accordingly comprise a first portion of the distal bracket, where that first portion is secured to the distal end of the transom 50, while the cruciform cross plate 86 comprises a second portion of the distal bracket which, in use, is secured to the staff by jamming the second portion on the staff and, more particularly, jamming the staff within the aperture 99. The raising of the distal end 52 of the transom is achieved by lifting said second portion relative to said first portion. Preferably said second portion tilts to thereby jam said third structural member within an aperture through said second portion. From the above description it will be apparent that, unless the context requires otherwise: the term “support structure” is intended to refer to the structure comprising the main support 34, transom 50, staff 42, foot bracket 58, proximal support bracket 62, distal bracket 80 and pad 37; the term “safety barrier assembly” is intended to refer to the structure comprising a plurality of railing support posts 22 and horizontal rails 26; the term “safety barrier construction” is intended to refer to the structure comprising a plurality of “support structures” plus a “safety barrier assembly”; the term “elevated platform construction” is intended to refer to the structure comprising a plurality of “support structures” plus a work platform; the term “temporary construction” is intended to refer to a structure comprising either a “safety barrier construction” or an “elevated platform construction”. The safety barrier construction 8 is preferably erected by first erecting each of the support structures 10 separately before adding the railing support posts 22 and then the rails 26 to finish the safety barrier assembly 12. The posts and rails can be manually lifted and manoeuvred into place by persons at ground level using poles. Alternatively, the posts 22 may be located on the spigots 30 before the main supports 34 are raised into position. To erect a support structure the anchoring hole 57 is first drilled into the vertical edge face 68 of the concrete 70. The anchorage point is selected to be directly below where abearing pad can be pressed against the wall and below where a handrail post 22 should be positioned. A pre-assembled assembly of the sleeve 35, core 36, pad 37 and foot bracket 58 is then raised into position and the location of the pad 37 is adjusted if necessary, before fastening the foot bracket 58 to the concrete using the masonry bolt 56 screwed into the hole 57. A suitable fastener would be a 65mm x 10mm Powers concrete screw bolt, but any other masonry fastener of equivalent load capacity would be suitable. The staff is inserted into the distal bracket 80, the height of the support bracket 62 adjusted as desired, and the proximal end 51 of the transom is fastened to the support bracket 62. The staff 42 is slid down in the distal bracket and the position of the foot plate 48 on the ground is checked to ensure the plate is firmly located and, if not firmly located, this is corrected. Preferably the ground is flattened to approximately horizontal under and around the foot plate 48. The activating bolt 96 is then tightened whereby the cruciform 86 locks onto the staff and the side plates are moved a short distance up the staff, so raising the distal end of the transom and thereby applying the desired amount of force to press the pad 37 against the wall sufficiently firmly. The support structure erection process is repeated for as many of the support structures 10 as are required for the safety barrier construction 8. The handrail posts 22 are then slipped over the tops of their respective spigots 30 and secured by means of clamping screws 25 through the posts 22 to engage the spigots 30. The rails 26 are then dropped into the clamp arms 24 and the clamps on the clamp arms tightened. Figures 19 and 20 show the way in which the support structure 10 may be packed up for convenient transport and storage. A support structure 10 may be dismantled from its wall once any horizontal rails 26 and / or platform components have been removed from a safety barrier construction. To dismantle a support structure 10, its activating bolt 96 is first backed off to release the force applied by the transom 50 to the main support 34, The transom 50 is then released from the support bracket 62 by removing the pin 72 and loosening the wing- head bolt 71. The staff 42 is then withdrawn from the distal bracket 80. The distal bracket 80 remains attached to the transom 50 by the three bolts 87. The main support 34 may then be moved away from the wall after removing the masonry bolt 56 from the wall. Figure 19 shows the bolt 56 still through the foot bracket 58 but this would be removed, as seen in Figure 20, for transport. The proximal end of the transom 50 is then slid into the underside of the support bracket 62, as shown in Figures 19 and 20, where it is fastened by repositioning the pin 72 through the holes 74 in the side plates and through the holes 53 in the transom. The staff 42 is then slid through the bracket 62, as shown in Figure 19, and clamped in that position by re-tightening the wing-head bolt 71. The embodiment of support structure 110 shown in Figures 21 and 22 is the same as the structure 10 described above except that instead of a single bearing pad 37, two additional bearing pads are provided. This may be to spread the load over a wider area to prevent damage to a particularly fragile wall or to increase the level of friction. The central pad 137 is the same as the pad 37 in the support structure 10 described above. However here a cross-arm 175 passing through, and fastened to, the central pad 137 carries a pair of outlying additional pads 176. A wing-head bolt 177 on each pad clamps the respective pad to the cross-arm. All the pads 137 and 176 are identical. In situations where the roof projects as eaves beyond the wall of a building, the support structures described above would not be suitable because the spigot 30 would not get past the eave. In that situation the third embodiment shown in Figures 23 and 24 include a spacer 177 which has a base portion 178 securely fastened by masonry bolts to the edge of the concrete slab and an elongate rail portion 188 which is pinned to the foot bracket 158 at an appropriate position along the length of the rail portion 188. The support structure of the invention may also be used to support an elevated work platform, and its associated safety railing, adjacent a wall. The fourth embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 25 and 26 illustrates this. Two sets of main support 234, transom 250 and staff 242 are erected in the manner described above for main support 34, transom 50 and staff 42 in relation to the first embodiment. However the transoms 250 are used to support a work platform 201 formed from two planks 202 fastened to the transoms. Spigots 230 fastened to respective transoms at each distal bracket 280 support the handrail posts 227 which in turn support the horizontal safety rails 226. It will be understood by the skilled addressee that when, in this specification, the handrail posts 22 in the safety barrier assembly 12 are described as being oriented vertically, or generally vertically, this includes alignments that may vary from the absolute vertical. The Standards allow for such barrier assemblies to be sloping up to 15° from the vertical and such a deviation from the vertical is considered to be included within the present invention. 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 departing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the invention. As a first such variation, while the preferred embodiments utilise a concrete screw fastened into a concrete slab or footing underlying the wall, it will be understood that reference to the foot of the wall includes the two lowermost courses of bricks in a brick wall. A fastener may therefore be carefully inserted into a hole in the mortar at that low level and the hole repaired afterwards such that it becomes un-noticeable in a practical sense. In a second such variation the mechanism for urging the distal end of the second structural member (the transom 50) is not within the third connection (the distal bracket 80). The mechanism may instead be a jacking system installed below the distal bracket, and even beneath the third structural member (the staff 42). The mechanism may bear onto the ground and raise the entire third structural member. 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 not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features. 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 in Australia.

Claims

The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A support structure for retaining a temporary construction against a wall of a building, said wall having a top, a foot and a face between the top and the foot, said support structure comprising: an elongate first structural member having a lower end affixed by a first connection to the foot of the wall, and an upper end spaced outwardly from the wall; a bearing pad affixed to said first structural member and having a contact surface which abuts the face of the wall; an elongate second structural member having a proximal end which is fastened to said first structural member by a second connection and which extends laterally away from said wall to a distal end of said second structural member; an upstanding third structural member which: is attached by a third connection to said distal end of the second structural member; and extends downwards from said third connection to bear down at its lower end onto the ground at a position spaced from said foot of the wall; and a mechanism whereby said distal end of the second structural member is urged upwards so causing: said bearing pad to be pressed more firmly onto said face of the wall, and any movement of said upper end of the first structural member away from the wall to be resisted.

2. A support according to claim 1 wherein said second structural member extends horizontally away from said wall. 3 A support structure according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said first connection is by way of a fitting fastened to a vertical face of a concrete pad or concrete footing beneath the wall.

4. Asupport structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein said wall is a masonry construction and said first connection is by way of a fastener inserted into a mortar layer at said foot of the wall. S. A support structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein said third structural member is elongate and oriented generally vertically. 6 A support structure according to claim 5 wherein said third structural member is telescopically adjustable in length. Z A support structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein said third connection includes said mechanism.

8. A support structure according to claim 7 wherein said third connection includes means for jacking up said distal end of the second structural member.

9. A support structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein said mechanism is below said third connection and raises the height of said third structural member.

10. A support structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein said first structural member comprises a plurality of parts which are connected in a manner which allows its length to be adjusted to suit the height of said wall.

11. A support structure according to claim 10 wherein said first structural member has its length telescopically adjustable.

12. A support structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein said bearing pad is one of a plurality of bearing pads which are carried on a cross-arm fastened to said first structural member and which have contact surfaces which are firmly pressed against said face of the wall.

13. A support structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein the first, second and third structural members comprise tubular metal sections.

14. A support structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein said third structural member has its length telescopically adjustable.

15. A support structure according to any one of the previous claims and having means for supporting a safety barrier assembly from said upper end of the first structural member.

16. A support structure according to any one of claims 1 to 14 and having a work platform supported on said second structural member.

17. A support structure according to claim 16 wherein a safety barrier assembly is supported from said third structural member.

18. A support structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein the lower end of the third structural member comprises a load distributing pad.

19. A support structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein each said contact surface is faced with a compliable rubber or rubber-like material.

20. A support structure according to any one of the previous claims wherein a fourth structural member is connected from said lower end of the first structural member to said lower end of the third structural member.

21. A temporary construction erected against a wall of a building, said temporary construction comprising: - a plurality of support structures according to any one of claims 1 to 20; - a safety barrier assembly, comprising; upstanding support posts, supported by said support structures, and horizontal rails supported by said support posts.

22. A safety barrier construction comprising: - a plurality of support structures each according to any one of claims 1 to 20, - arailing support post supported from said upper end of each respective said first structural member, said railing support posts extending above the level of said top of said wall, and - a plurality of substantially horizontal rails extending between, and affixed to, a desired selection of said railing support posts.

23. A safety barrier construction according to claim 22 wherein attached to the upper end of each said first structural member is an upstanding spigot, and a respective said railing support post is engaged with said spigot.

24. A safety barrier construction according to claim 23 wherein the longitudinal axis of each said spigot is offset from that of its respective said first structural member in a direction away from said wall.

25. A safety barrier construction according to any one of claims 22 to 24 wherein each said railing support post has a hollow bottom and slides onto its respective spigot.

26. An elevated platform construction comprising: a plurality of support structures each according to any one of claims 1 to 20, and a work platform extending between, and bearing upon respective said second structural members.

27. An elevated platform construction according to clam 26 wherein said work platform comprises a plurality of planks fastened to said second structural members.

28. An elevated platform construction according to claim 26 wherein said work platform comprises a plurality of panels fastened to said second structural members.

29. An elevated platform construction according to any one of clams 26 to 28, further comprising: a respective railing support post attached to the top of each said third structural member to extend upwards therefrom, and a plurality of substantially horizontal rails extending between, and affixed to, each adjacent pair of said railing support posts.

30. An elevated platform construction according to any one of claims 26 to 29 wherein a rigid fourth structural member is fastened from said lower end of the first structural member to said lower end of the third structural member.

31. A method of erecting a temporary support structure against a wall of a building, said wall having a top, a foot and a face between the top and the foot, said method comprising: affixing, by means of a first connection, a lower end of an elongate first structural member to said foot of the wall; positioning a bearing pad affixed to said first structural member so as to have a contact surface abut the face of the wall below the upper end of said first structural member; fastening, by means of a second connection, a proximal end of an elongate second structural member to said first structural member so that said second structural member extends laterally away from the wall to a distal end of said second structural member; attaching, by means of a third connection, said distal end to an upstanding third structural member which has its lower end bearing onto the ground; and raising said distal end to thereby more firmly urge said bearing pad onto the wall and resist any movement of said upper end of said first structural member away from the wall, 32. A method according to claim 31 wherein said second structural member extends horizontally away from the wall, 33. A method according to claim 31 or 32 wherein said distal end is raised up along said third structural member.

34. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 33 wherein said third connection comprises a distal bracket a first portion of which is secured to said distal end and a second portion of which is secured to said third structural member, and said raising of the distal end is achieved by lifting said second portion relative to said first portion.

35. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 34 wherein said second portion of the distal bracket is secured to said third structural member by jamming the second portion onto the third structural member.

36. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 35 wherein said second portion tilts to thereby jam said third structural member within an aperture through said second portion.

37. A method according to any one of claims 31 to 36 further comprising fastening a rigid fourth structural member from said lower end of the first structural member to said lower end of the third structural member.

38. A method according to claim 31 or 32 wherein said raising of the distal end is done by a mechanism below said third connection.

39. A method of erecting a safety barrier construction in which a safety barrier assembly is fastened in a position extending above the height of a wall of a building, said method comprising; erecting a plurality of temporary support structures each according to any one of claims 31 to 38; and supporting said safety barrier assembly from the respective said upper ends of the first structural members such that the safety barrier assembly extends above the height of said wall.

40. A method of erecting an elevated platform construction, said method comprising: erecting a plurality of temporary support structures each according to any one of claims 31 to 38; and supporting a work platform upon said second structural members.

41. A method according to claim 40 further comprising fastening a plurality of planks to said second structural members to form said work platform.

42. A method according to claim 40 further comprising fastening a plurality of panels to said second structural members to form said work platform.

43. A method according to any one of claims 40 to 42 further comprising: attaching a respective railing support post to the top of each said third structural member to extend upwards therefrom, and affixing a plurality of horizontal rails to said railing support posts to form a safety barrier assembly.

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