Shoring Tower Automatic Locking Mechanism for Rapid Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing shoring towers require manual operations for locking elements, which are time-consuming and can lead to incomplete rigidity and stability, posing safety risks during assembly and use.
Innovation Solution
The shoring tower design incorporates automatic connection and locking mechanisms using rockers and hooks integrated into the guardrail elements, eliminating the need for manual intervention and reducing the risk of missed connections, with elements that can be handled and assembled by machines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual locking operations are used to connect tower elements, then the assembly process allows for human control and adjustment, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming and may result in incomplete rigidity and stability
Solution Approach 1:
The tower elements are designed with self-locking mechanisms where the connection between elements automatically ensures rigidity and stability without requiring manual locking operations. The structural design itself performs the locking function, eliminating the need for separate manual operations while ensuring complete and reliable connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual locking operations are extracted and removed from the assembly process. The patent eliminates the need for manual intervention by designing the connection system to inherently provide rigidity and stability through its structural configuration, separating the essential connection function from unnecessary manual operations.
2Ease of manufacture
If multiple small connecting pieces are used to assemble the tower, then the tower can be assembled with relatively simple components, but the assembly becomes complex and tedious with parts easily misplaced
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple separate connecting pieces are merged into an integrated connection system where the structural elements themselves provide the connection function. The patent combines the functions of multiple small components into the main tower elements, reducing the number of separate parts and eliminating assembly complexity while maintaining ease of manufacture.
3Ease of operation
If manual locking operations are required during assembly, then operators can control the connection process, but safety risks increase due to incomplete connections and human error
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system performs its own locking function automatically through its structural design, eliminating human intervention and the associated risks of incomplete connections or human error. The tower elements self-secure to each other, ensuring complete and reliable connections without operator involvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potential harm of manual errors into a benefit by designing a system where the connection mechanism inherently prevents incomplete connections. The structural design ensures that proper connection occurs automatically, turning the vulnerability of manual operation into the strength of automated self-securing.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design simplifies and accelerates the assembly process, ensures consistent rigidity and stability, and enhances safety by automating the connection and locking of tower elements, reducing the risk of human error and misplaced parts.
Implementation Method 1
a rocker (17) connected to the vertical tube (12) of the railing element (11) of the upper level, rotatable around a horizontal axis (18) and having at its lower end a hook (21), and whose geometry is designed so that, when the tube (22) of the upper ladder element (6) is fitted on the upper rod (5) of the plate (15), the tube (22) of the upper ladder element (6) causes the rotation of the rocker (17) and the penetration of the hook (21) into an orifice (23) of the tube (2) of the lower ladder element (1)
Data Source
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AI summary
The tower has a plate (15) integrated with a lower face of a lower horizontal rail (13) of a balustrade element (11) of an upper level. The plate rests on an upper end (16) of a vertical tube (2) of a lower ladder element (1). A shifting arm (17) is connected with a vertical tube of an upper ladder element. The arm is dimensioned such that the latter vertical tube causes the rotation of the arm and the penetration of a hook (21) of the arm in an orifice (23) of the former vertical tube, when the latter vertical tube is fitted on an upper rod (5) of the plate. USE : Shoring tower for supporting heavy loads i.e. slab formworks, during construction of buildings. ADVANTAGE : The tower is designed such that a balustrade plate cooperates with a horizontal rod of the lower ladder element so as to absorb lateral efforts exerted by different elements of the tower, thus obtaining better distribution of the efforts exerted on different elements of the tower, and hence improving the stability of the tower. The tower is designed such that a casing protects the shifting arm during handling of the balustrade element. The design of the tower assures locking of the lower ladder element with the balustrade element by simple operation of stacking of the upper ladder element on the lower ladder element without any human intervention, thus eliminating the need for utilizing separated additional pieces having risk of being lost, and obtaining rapid, safe and efficient assembling of the tower, and hence improving the safety of an equipment staff during assembling of the tower. DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS : The drawing shows a detailed side view of a floor of a shoring tower during assembling. 1 : Lower ladder element 2 : Vertical tube of lower ladder element 5 : Upper rod 11 : Balustrade element 13 : Lower horizontal rail 15 : Plate 16 : Upper end 17 : Shifting arm 21 : Hook 23 : Orifice.