Device for handling elements involved in the realisation of scaffoldings or shoring towers

Abstract

This device for handling elements (2, 3, 4) used in the construction of scaffolding or shoring towers or equivalent structures, consists of a lifting jib (5) capable of being reversibly attached to said scaffolding. This jib comprises at least one vertical beam (6) equipped with means for reversibly attaching it to the scaffolding. An extension (7), particularly a horizontal one, is attached to this beam. A lifting pulley or equivalent can be attached to the free end (8) of this extension. These reversible attachment means are positioned respectively at the lower end of the beam (6) and at a distance of between one-third and two-thirds of the beam's height. Furthermore, the vertical beam (6) is free of any other means of attachment to the scaffolding for approximately one-third of its upper portion.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates to the technical sector of scaffolding, but also to all structures performing the same function as scaffolding, such as in particular shoring towers or rolling scaffolding, which constitute variants thereof.

[0002] It relates more specifically to a device for handling the elements used in the construction of such scaffolding, particularly at several levels, and is intended to optimize ergonomics during the assembly and dismantling of such scaffolding, but also the safety of operators. PRIOR STATE OF THE ART

[0003] Scaffolding, and other equivalent devices, are traditionally made up of vertical uprights or posts, and horizontal components called ledgers. These ledgers are fixed to posts and extend between them, in order to provide the required stability to the scaffolding. These scaffolds receive, depending on their height, and on average every two meters, a horizontal platform which constitutes the floor, suitable for receiving the personnel called upon to work on the scaffolding. In addition, these scaffolds are equipped with guardrails, in order to prevent any risk of operators falling, said guardrails being generally fixed to the vertical uprights of the scaffolding.

[0004] As the scaffolding is raised, it is therefore necessary to carry out handling, and in particular to raise these different elements (posts, joists, floor, platform). For this purpose, a lifting jib is conventionally used, capable of being reversibly fixed to said scaffolding, and generally to one of the posts forming part of its construction.

[0005] Such jib cranes are traditionally made up of a vertical beam equipped with reversible fixing means on one of the scaffolding posts, a vertical beam from which a horizontal bar emanates, at the end of which a pulley can be mounted, thus ensuring the handling of the constituent elements of the scaffolding. These reversible fixing means are positioned at the upper and lower ends of the vertical beam respectively.

[0006] In doing so, due to the very chronology of the construction of such scaffolding, the jib can therefore only be mounted on an existing structure, so that the working height of the operator(s), operating the pulley on the one hand, and ensuring the gripping of the element mounted using the jib on the other hand, is necessarily lower than his height, and generally lower than the height of his shoulders, since also, the vertical posts forming part of the construction of said scaffolding of the upper floors have not yet been put in place.

[0007] This observation implies a lack of ergonomics for the operator(s) on the one hand, and above all, a risk in terms of safety, the operator(s) having to lean over the guardrail in place in order to be able to grasp the elements thus raised to the level of the pulley.

[0008] The objective sought by the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks. BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0009] To this end, the invention relates to a device for handling elements used in the construction of scaffolding or shoring towers or the like. This device comprises a lifting jib capable of being reversibly fixed to said scaffolding. The jib comprises at least one vertical beam provided with reversible fixing means on the scaffolding, to which is secured an extension or bar, in particular a horizontal one, at the end of which a lifting pulley or the like can be fixed.

[0010] According to the invention, said reversible fixing means are positioned respectively at the level of the lower end of the vertical beam of the jib, and at a distance of between one third and two thirds of the height of said beam. Furthermore, said vertical beam is devoid of any other means of fixing to the scaffolding at the level of approximately one third of its upper part.

[0011] In doing so, it is understood that due to the positioning of the reversible fixing means, a part of the vertical beam, and in particular its upper third, emerges above the highest level of the scaffolding on which the operators operate, and typically above the guardrail, facilitating the gripping of the elements thus handled without affecting the safety of said operators.

[0012] According to the invention, the reversible fixing means, with which the vertical beam of the jib is provided, consist of guide and locking pins, oriented substantially vertically, and intended to cooperate with complementary members arranged on the scaffolding. Typically, these complementary members consist of rosettes, fixed on the posts, and capable of ensuring the fixing of horizontal elements of the type of girders and guardrails.

[0013] More specifically, the lower centering pin is integral with the vertical beam, while the intermediate pin, called the locking pin, is integral with a rod sliding within the vertical beam, the upper end of the rod being operable by the operator, and the beam being provided with a vertical through slot allowing the relative movement of said locking pin. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0014] The manner in which the invention can be implemented and the advantages which result therefrom will emerge more clearly from the following example of implementation, given for informational and non-limiting purposes, with the support of the appended figures. There figure 1 is a schematic perspective representation of a shoring tower or scaffolding, equipped with a handling device in accordance with the invention. The figure 2 is a more detailed view of the upper end of the shoring tower of the figure 1 . There figure 3is a variant of the figure 2 There figure 4 is a view analogous to the figure 2 , in which the handling device is in the unlocked position. The Figure 5 is a variant of the figure 4 . There figure 6 is a partial sectional view of a detail of the figure 4 . There figure 7 is a variant of the figure 6 . There figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of a part of the handling device of the invention. The figure 9 is a schematic perspective view of the sliding rod associated with its intermediate locking pin. The figure 10 is a variant of the figure 9 . There figure 11 is a schematic view illustrating the handling device of the invention in mode secured to a scaffold. The figure 12 is a variant of the figure 11 . There figure 13 is a partial sectional view illustrating the handling device of the invention in mode secured to a scaffold. The figure 14 is a variant of the figure 13 . There figure 15 is a schematic view illustrating the handling device of the invention in the mode of detachment from a scaffold. The figure 16 is a variant of the figure 15 . There figure 17 is a schematic view of the detail of the interaction between the locking pin and a rosette with which a post is fitted. The figure 18 is a variant of the figure 17 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] There figure 1schematically illustrates a shoring tower (1) of conventional construction. This consists of vertical posts or uprights (2), in this case distributed in a quadrilateral, said posts being associated vertically two by two, typically by interlocking and rotation of 1 / 8 of a turn, said posts being typically equipped with fire brigade connections. The posts are also equipped with rosettes (11, 12), intended to allow the fixing of horizontal elements on the posts, and in particular ledgers (3) or lateral structures integrating a guardrail.

[0016] Such railings have also been illustrated and are also known, so that there is no need to describe them here in more detail.

[0017] The braces (3), in addition to their stabilizing function, are also intended to receive floors (4), allowing operators to operate. On the shoring tower of the figure 1 two levels of superimposed floors thus appear.

[0018] In order to allow the construction of an upper floor (not shown on the figure 1 ), a lifting jib (5) is installed at the level of one of the posts (2) of the highest level of the tower realized, as can be clearly seen on the figures 1 to 5 .

[0019] More specifically, the lifting jib (5) of the invention, shown in more detail in relation to the figures 8 to 16 , consists of a vertical beam (6), from the upper end of which extends a horizontal crosspiece or bar (7), in this case perpendicular to the beam (6). The free end of the horizontal crosspiece (7) comprises a member (8), typically capable of receiving a pulley, in order to allow the effective lifting of the elements entering into the constitution of the shoring tower, or generally of a scaffold, these different elements being made up of the posts (2), the ledgers (3), the floors (4), in addition to the guardrails.

[0020] As can be seen in the various figures, the lifting jib (5) of the invention is provided with two means for removable attachment of the beam (6) to a post (2).

[0021] The first removable fixing means is located at the lower end of the beam (6). In this case, it consists of a centering pin (10) integral with said lower end of the beam (6), and intended to be inserted into one of the orifices (20) of a rosette (11, 12), typically by fitting. For this purpose, the width and thickness of this centering pin (10) is compatible with the dimensions of the orifices (20), arranged radially within the rosette (11, 12).

[0022] The second removable fixing means consists on the one hand of a structure (15), described in more detail in relation to the figures 17 And 18, and on the other hand, a locking pin (9) or intermediate pin, intended to be keyed there again at the level of a rosette (12).

[0023] This locking pin (9) is positioned at a distance from the lower centering pin (10) of between one third and two thirds of the total height of the beam (6). It can be manually operated by the operator when he sets up the lifting jib (5). For this purpose, the lifting jib incorporates a vertical rod (14), capable of sliding within the beam (6) by a predetermined distance 1, typically of the order of ten centimeters. The locking pin (9) is secured to the rod (14), and not to the beam (6).

[0024] In order to allow the relative movement of the locking pin (9), the beam (6) is provided with a vertical through slot (16), which can be seen on the figure 8, extending along a length corresponding substantially to the travel length 1 of the vertical rod (14) within the beam (6). In other words, the height of this through light or slot (16) is directly linked to the height of the locking pin (9), in order to allow sufficient travel to enable it to be unkeyed from a rosette (11, 12). This rod (14) can be actuated by a handle (13) according to a first embodiment of the invention ( figures 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 9 , 11 , 13 , 15 , 17). In fact, the upper end of said rod, capable of emerging from the beam (6) is integral with this handle (13), as can be clearly seen in the aforementioned figures. This handle can be actuated by an operator, who can thus act on the rod (14). According to a second embodiment of the invention, the device comprises a second handle (22), integral with the unlocking pin (10), as illustrated in the figures 3 , 5 , 7 , 10 , 12 , 14 , 16 And 18 This second embodiment thus comprising two handles (13, 22), makes it easier for the operator to work when assembling and disassembling the jib (5).

[0025] The structure (15) mentioned above is described in more detail within the figures 17 And 18. It is secured to the beam (6) and consists of a clamp or jaw whose two branches are capable of surrounding the rosette (11, 12), and more precisely of positioning themselves above and below said rosette, until they rest against the post (2). Said branches are pierced with a through light (17, 18), through which the locking pin (9) can be inserted. In fact, when the structure (15) is resting against the post (2), the through-holes (17, 18) are positioned directly above one of the through-holes (20) with which the rosette (11, 12) is provided, so that the locking pin can then pass through the upper through-hole (17), then one of the holes (20) of the rosette, and finally the lower through-hole (18), thus securing the positioning of the bracket (5) on the post (2) in question.

[0026] In order to optimize the stability of the fixing of the bracket on the post, the internal shape of the structure (15) defines a groove (19), the width of which corresponds, within the clearance, to the thickness of the rosette (11, 12).

[0027] Furthermore, in order to ensure a certain blocking of the locking pin in such a configuration, its shape is adapted in size and thickness. It adopts a generally triangular profile. This locking can be optimized by the operator by striking, for example using a hammer, the handle (13), or even the handle (22), or even on a striking zone (21), arranged in the vicinity of the handle (13), and extending substantially perpendicularly to the latter.

[0028] Thus, the installation of this lifting jib (5) is carried out as follows: positioning of the lower centering pin (10) by fitting it into one of the holes of a rosette (11) by slightly tilting the beam (6) relative to the vertical, then bringing the beam (6) closer to the vertical, the handle (13) then being in the high position, and wrapping the rosette considered by the jaw of the structure (15), until said structure (15) comes to bear against the post (2); and lowering said handle (13), or even the handle (22), in order to allow the rod (14) to descend within the beam (6) and, as a corollary, the positioning of the locking pin (9) in one of the holes (20) of said rosette and in the through-holes (17, 18) of the structure (15). If necessary, the operator can strike the handle (13), or even the handle (22), or even the aforementioned striking zone (21) with a hammer.

[0029] The lifting jib (5) is removed in reverse order, namely: firstly pulling the handle (13), and possibly the handle (22) upwards, which releases the locking pin (9) from the rosette in which it was received; if necessary, the operator can strike said handles or the previously mentioned striking zone (21) using a hammer or equivalent; tilting the bracket relative to the vertical; and removal by simple pulling in the direction of the top of the bracket (5) to retract the centering pin (10) from the lower rosette (11) in which it was simply received.

[0030] We can understand the full interest of the lifting jib of the invention: ▪ First, in terms of ease of positioning: the steps for positioning and removing the stem have been described previously.▪ Then, in terms of ergonomics: we observe that a significant part of the jib, and more particularly of its active zone, that is to say the positioning location of the pulley at the free end of the horizontal crosspiece (7), is typically located at shoulder height of a man of standard height, and this, due to the respective positioning of the lower centering and intermediate locking pins and the absence of any means of fixing the jib at the level of substantially the upper third of the vertical beam; This ergonomics is also optimized with regard to the actual handling of the jib, both during its ascent and descent due to its very structure; ▪ Finally, in terms of safety: we note that the operator no longer has to lean over the guardrail to grasp the elements handled by means of this lifting jib.

Claims

1. Device for handling elements (2, 3, 4) used in the construction of scaffolding or shoring towers or equivalent, consisting of a lifting jib (5) capable of being reversibly fixed to said scaffolding, said jib comprising at least one vertical beam (6) provided with reversible fixing means on the scaffolding, beam to which is secured an extension (7), in particular horizontal, to the free end (8) of which a lifting pulley or equivalent can be fixed, characterized in that said reversible fixing means are positioned respectively at the level of the lower end of the beam (6), and at a distance between one third and two thirds of the height of said beam, and in that the vertical beam (6) is devoid of any other means of fixing to the scaffolding at the level of approximately one third of its upper part.

2. Device for handling elements (2, 3, 4) used in the construction of scaffolding or shoring towers or equivalent according to claim 1, characterized in that the reversible fixing means consist of a lower centering pin (10) and an intermediate locking pin (9), oriented substantially vertically, and intended to cooperate with complementary members (11, 12) provided on the scaffolding.

3. Device for handling elements (2, 3, 4) used in the construction of scaffolding or shoring towers or equivalent according to claim 2, characterized in that the complementary members are constituted by rosettes (11, 12) pierced with through holes (20), capable of ensuring the assembly of said elements (2, 3, 4) between them.

4. Device for handling elements (2, 3, 4) used in the production of scaffolding or shoring towers or equivalent according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in thatthe lower guide pin (10) is secured to the vertical beam (6), and in that the intermediate locking pin (9) is secured to a rod (14) capable of sliding within the vertical beam (6), the upper end of the rod (14) being actuable by an operator, the beam (6) being provided in the vicinity of said intermediate locking pin (9) with a vertical through slot (16), capable of allowing the relative movement of the intermediate locking pin (9).

5. Device for handling elements (2, 3, 4) used in the construction of scaffolding or shoring towers or equivalent according to claim 4, characterized in that the upper end of the rod (14) is provided with a handle (13), capable of allowing an operator to slide it within the beam (6).

6. Device for handling elements (2, 3, 4) used in the construction of scaffolding or shoring towers or equivalent according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises a second handle (22), integral with the intermediate locking pin (9), capable of facilitating the operator's operations during assembly and disassembly of the jib (5).

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