Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02455312 2004-O1-16
WELDLESS PLATFORM ASSEMBLY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to support structures and, more
particularly, to platforms of the type used in industrial plants.
Description of the Prior Art
Conventional industrial platforms are typically made from hot-rolled
I-beams and/or H-beams welded together. Such structures are relatively heavy
and
complex to build.
There is thus a need for a new industrial platform system which is
lightweight, relatively easy to assemble, and cheap while still being of a
sturdy
construction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an aim of the present invention to a new platform system
comprising a weldless frame.
It is also an aim of the present invention to provide a new platform
system wherein at least some of the skeleton components thereof are made from
metal sheets cut and folded into beams of predetermined cross-sections.
Therefore, in accordance with a general aspect of the present
invention, there is provided an industrial platform assembly comprising a
weldless
frame including at least three cold-formed profiles bolted together so as to
define a
support plane, a cold-formed support column at each corner of said frame, said
cold-
formed support column being bolted to said weldless frame.
In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a blank for use in forming a guard rail post, comprising a
flat strip
of bendable metal, a pair of parallel fold lines defining therebetween a
central
longitudinally extending web portion and along which the sheet is folded to
form a
pair of opposed longitudinally extending sidewalk, and at least one hole
defined in
said web portion and extending transversally beyond said fold lines to form a
pair of
registered recesses in said sidewalk once folded.
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In accordance with a further general aspect of the present invention,
there is provided a platform supporting column formed from a strip of metal by
a
cold-forming process, the column comprising first and second folded portions
extending at about 90 degrees with respect to each other, each said folded
portions
having a longitudinal terminal edge which terminates into a flange oriented at
about
90 degrees from the folded portions, each said flange leaving an open side on
said
column.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference
will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration
a
preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a fully assembled modular industrial
platform section in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a cold-formed structural profile shown
with unfolded connection tabs at opposed longitudinal ends thereof;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a cold-formed structural steel with
folded connection tabs;
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a cold-formed structural steel column;
Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one corner connection of the industrial
platform shown in Fig. l;
Fig. 6 is an elevation view of a guard rail forming part of the industrial
platform shown in Fig. 1; and
Fig. 7 is a plan view of a blank for use in forming a guard rail post.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Fig. 1 shows a modular platform 10 that can be employed to
provide workers with a suitable and safe area from which they can perform
their tasks, whether inside an industrial plant, or beside a particular
structure.
The platform could also be used as a stage system.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the platform 10 is
characterized by the fact that the skeleton components thereof are all bolted
together,
thereby eliminating the complicated and time consuming assembly weldment
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procedures normally required in the erection of conventional industrial
platforms.
The provision of such a weldless platform is rendered possible, notably, by
the fact
that the platform skeleton components are made from metal sheets cut and
folded into
beam members of predetermined cross-section (see Figs. 3 to 5).
As shown in Fig. 1, the modular platform 10 comprises a number of
horizontal C-shaped beams 12 bolted to each other in order to provide a rigid
square-
rectangular framework on which is supported a grate or a similar support
surface. It is
understood that other shapes of framework are contemplated as well. For
instance,
three C-shaped beams 12 could be used to form a triangular frame. Additional C-
I 0 shaped beams 12 could also be added to increase the surface covered by the
frame.
As best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the C-shaped beams 12 are preferably
made from planar sheets of steel cut into strips of predetermined length and
then
folded into C-shaped profiles. Connection tabs 14 are provided at opposed
longitudinal ends of each beam 12. As shown in Fig. 3, the connection tabs 14
can be
I S folded at right angles. A series of holes 16 are defined in each tab 14
for allowing the
cold-formed beams 12 to be mechanically connected as by bolting. As shown in
Fig.
1, other holes 17 can be defined at various locations along the central web
portion 18
of the C-shaped beams 12 for allowing transversal C-shaped braces, such as the
one
shown at 12' in Fig. 1, to be bolted at right angles between parallel C-shaped
braces
20 12 of the frame. The transversal brace 12' is similar to the C-shaped beams
12
defining the perimeter of the frame and thus the duplicate description thereof
will be
omitted.
In accordance to the present invention, the number of C-shaped braces
needed to solidify the frame can be advantageously minimized by providing
small
25 corners braces 20 at each corner of the frame. In certain cases, the use of
the corner
braces 20 can completely eliminate the need for long transversal braces.
The horizontal corner braces 14 are also made of bent metal sheets and
have the same profile as the C-shaped beams 12 and 12'. However, their
connecting
tabs 14' are bent at 45 degrees instead of 90 degrees for allowing the corner
braces 20
30 to be directly bolted to the web portion 18 of the adjacent C-shaped beams
12 at each
corner of the frame. The tabs 14' can be embossed at various locations along
the fold
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line thereof to increase the structural rigidity thereof. The triangular
corner linking
structures defined by the corner braces 20 and the beams 12 advantageously
provides
an overall stiffer frame structure with less weight than conventional frame
structures
having right angles bracing structures.
As shown in Fig. 1, the above-described rectangular frame is
supported at each corner thereof by a vertical column 22. Each column 22 is
preferably provided in the form of a cold-formed profile made from sheets of
steel
cut and folded in elongated members of constant section throughout the length
thereof. As known in the art, diagonal braces typically extend between the
columns
22 to provide structural stability.
The profile of each column 22 is best seen in Figs. 4 and 5 and is
characterized by two open faces. The particular shape of the vertical columns
22 is
important in that the two open faces greatly facilitate the mechanical
connection of
the columns 16 to the horizontal beams 12 of the modular platform 10. As shown
in
Fig. S, the two open faces of each column are positioned inwardly of the frame
and
provide ready access to the interior of the column to facilitate tightening of
the bolts
24 used to directly mechanically connect the columns 22 to the horizontal cold-
formed beams 12.
As shown in Fig. 4, each column 22 has a pair of longitudinally
extending walls 26 and 28 projecting at right angles to each other.
Longitudinally
spaced-apart holes (not shown) can be provided at the upper end of both walls
26 and
28 or, alternatively, in only one of them to permit direct bolting of the
columns 22 to
the connection tabs 14 of the interconnected horizontal beams 12. According to
the
example shown in Fig. 5, both beams 12 are bolted to wall 28 of column 22. One
of
the beams 12 is provided with a straight connection tab 14, whereas the second
beam
12 is provided with a folded connection tab 14. The folded tab 14 of the
second beam
12 is placed against the outer surface of wall 28 and thereafter the straight
tab 14 of
the first beam is superposed thereover with the holes 16 in the tabs 14 being
in
registry with corresponding holes in the wall 28 for receiving bolts 24.
As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the terminal vertical edges of the walls 26
and 28 merge into flanges 30 and 32 respectively oriented at right angles to
the walls
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26 and 28 so as to extend in the internal facing sides of the vertical column
22 once
attached to the beams 12. The flanges 30 and 32 extend only part way through
the
internal facing sides of the column 22 so as to leave the major portion
thereof open.
As shown in Fig. 1, the platform section 10 is provided with a guard
rail assembly 34 along at least a portion of the perimeter thereof. The guard
rail
assembly 34 comprises a number of posts 36 and two levels of tubular rails 38.
The
guard rail posts 36 are made from a blank 40 (Fig. 7) cut in a metal sheet.
The blank
40 is folded about two parallel longitudinal fold lines 42 to form a central
web
portion 44 and a pair of sidewalk 46 extending at substantially right angles
to the
central web portion 44. An oblong hole 48 is defined through the web portion
between the opposed longitudinal ends of the blank and is oriented at right
angle
relative to a longitudinal axis of the blank. As shown in Fig. 7, the hole 48
extends
laterally outwardly of the central web 44 beyond the fold lines 42 into the
sidewalk
46. This results in the provision of an open-ended socket in the backside of
the blank
40 once bent cold into a C-shaped post. As shown in Fig. 6, the bottom tubular
rail 38
is received in the open-ended socket and secured therein as by welding. The
upper
end of the blank 40 is similarly cut to define a transversally oriented
elongated recess
50 (Fig. 7). The recess 50, once the blank 40 has been folded, provides a seat
in
which the top tubular rail 38 can be welded. As shown in Fig. 1, the posts 36
are
installed to the frame with the open side thereof facing outwardly from the
frame.
Mounting holes (not shown) can be defined in the bottom end portion of the
central
web portion 44 of each post 36 for allowing them to be directly bolted to the
beams
12.
This new guard rail post concept, which is made from cut and folded
metal sheets, is advantageous in that it facilitates the installation of the
tubular hand
rails 22 compared to conventional tubular posts.
It is understood that the above-described platform section can
advantageously be attached to other similar platform sections to form a
modular
platform construction of almost infinite mounting permutations.
The above-described platform construction is also advantageous in
that it is lightweight while being strong. The size of the frame members is
small as
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compared to conventional industrial platform. By making the beams 12, the
corner
braces 20 and the columns 22 from metal sheets cut and folded into the desired
profile, the production time can be significantly reduced. This results in
lower costs.
The elimination of the welding procedures also greatly contributes to lower
the
production costs. Also, unlike conventional platforms, the present platform
does not
require special tools or expertise in order to assemble.
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