Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02517178 2005-08-25
TELESCOPING SHORING POST
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present application relates to a shoring post, in particular to a
telescoping shoring post used in systems used for construction.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] In typical construction systems, a shoring post is used to help support
objects, usually a ceiling or roof. With varying heights of ceilings, it is
obviously
beneficial to have a shoring post that capable of being quickly adjusted from
one
height to another, while at the same time ensuring a safe work environment for
all
workers.
(0003] Truss systems, such as those outlined in US Patent No. 6,116,567 exist,
and involve screw jacks that rotate around the post to adjust the height of
the
post. While this is fine for small adjustments, if one Wishes to extend or
retract
the post several feet, this could be very time consuming.
[0004] Another type of shoring post, described in Canadian Patent No.
2,249,921,
is adjustable and can be used in a system or on their own. These types of
shoring posts use a screw, while others of a similar type use a pin-type
assembly. While both of these allow for the post to be extended quicker than a
screw jack type, they require the use of small screws and pins, which may not
only be difficult to use, but are also easily lost.
[0005] A further prior art post is disclosed in US Patent No. 5,653,415 to
Peri
GmBH. The '415 post can be adjusted using pins for quick adjustment to the
approximate height, and then a fine adjustment means. The problem with pins is
that they can easily be lost and are an extra component that is required when
erecting/disassembling the post.
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[0006] There remains a need for a telescopic shoring post that can be quickly
adjusted from one position to another.
[0007] There also remains a need for a shoring post of simpler design, with
significantly fewer pieces involved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by
providing a shoring post, comprising a hollow outer leg, a plurality of slots
along
the length of the outer leg, an inner leg dimensioned to fit within the outer
leg, a
tongue plate welded to one end of the inner leg, the tongue plate including a
plurality of tongue members, wherein the inner leg may be rotated within the
outer leg from a first position where the tongue members are fully within the
outer
leg, and a second position where the tongue members extend through the slot,
locking the inner leg in position relative to the outer leg.
[0009] Additionally, the preferred embodiment of the shoring post includes an
adjusting screw assembly, an adjusting handle, and a plurality of support
pins,
where the screw assembly is used for fine adjustments to the length of the
post.
There is also a lower outer leg at the opposite end of the screw assembly.
Another addition to the preferred embodiment includes a plurality of grooves
along the length of the inner leg and the outer leg.
[0010) The present application therefore provides a telescoping post shore
comprising: an outer tube; a plurality of slots disposed longitudinally along
said
outer tube; an inner tube; at least one tongue member affixed to said inner
tube
and projecting from said inner tube, said at least one tongue member
configured
to be received by said plurality of slots; wherein said inner tube and at
least one
tongue member are dimensioned to slide within said outer tube and said inner
tube and at least one tongue member can be rotated within said outer tube to
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engage said at least one tongue member with at least one of said plurality of
slots.
[0011] Other aspects and advantages of the device will become apparent from
the following Detailed Description and the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012) The present invention will be better understood with reference to the
drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view a shoring post according to the present
invention;
Figure 2 is a side view of a preferred shoring post;
Figure 3a is a view of section A-A from Fig. 2, with the tongue in the
unlocked position;
Figure 3b is a view of section B-B from Fig. 2, with the tongue in the
locked position;
Figure 4 is a side view of the inner tube;
Figure 5a is a view of section C-C from Fig. 4;
Figure 5b is a support tongue capable of being fixed to the bottom of the
inner tube from Fig. 4;
Figure 6 is a side view of the outer tube;
Figure 7 is a view of section D-D from Fig. 6;
Figure 8 is a view of section E-E from Fig. 7;
Figure 9 is a side view of the shoring post with an alternate method of
making fine adjustments;
Figure 10 is a cross sectional view of an inner an outer tube showing an
alternative dimensioning for inner and outer tubes;
Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of an inner an outer tube showing a
further alternative dimensioning for inner and outer tubes;
Figure 12 is a cross sectional view of an inner an outer tube showing yet a
further alternative dimensioning for inner and outer tubes; and
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Figure 13 is a cross sectional view of an inner an outer tube showing an
alternative dimensioning for inner and outer tubes without channels.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0013] Reference is now made to the drawings. In the preferred embodiment,
each post 10 has an inner tube 12 and an outer tube 14. The inner tube 12 is
adapted to extend telescopically from within the outer tube 14, as depicted in
Figure 1. Inner tube 12 can be seen best in Figures 4, 5a, and 5b.
[0014] In a preferred embodiment, inner tube 12 has a tongue plate 19
integrally
connected to one end. Tongue plate 19 includes a plurality of tongue members
20 located along inner tube 12. As will be appreciated by one skilled in the
art,
inner tube 12 can have as few as one tongue member or could have numerous
tongue members 20 vertically displaced from one another when inner tube 12 is
in an supporting position. Further, tongue members 20 are preferably grouped
on the same horizontal plain and across from each other in one embodiment.
Alternative embodiments could however include tongue members one each side
of inner tube 12 at different levels.
[0015] In a preferred embodiment, tongue members 20 are located at a lower end
of inner tube 12. However, this is not a requirement and tongue members 20
could be at various points along the length of inner tube 12.
[0016] Tongue members 20 extend orthogonally from inner tube 12 and are
dimensioned to extend through slots 22 in outer tube 14. The tongue members
20 and slots 22 are used to make large adjustments to the post 10 very
quickly.
[0017] As can be seen in Figure 2, in the preferred embodiment, post 10
includes
an upper outer tube 14 and a lower tube 16. Outer tube 14 includes a screw
bore in its lower portion, and lower tube 16 includes a screw bore in its
upper
end. Between outer tube 14 and lower tube 16 is a adjusting screw assembly 24.
This screw assembly 24 is used to make fine adjustments to the length of the
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post 10 and includes an adjusting handle 26 and a plurality of support pins
28.
The fine adjustment screw assembly 24 has a double thread so a single rotation
will allow twice the distance, compared to a single thread. As will be
appreciated,
support pins 28 support the screw assembly 24, and the mechanism thereby can
be used to finely adjust post 10.
[0018] In the preferred embodiment screw assembly 24 is located at
approximately the waist height of a worker to facilitate the fine adjustment
of post
and to ease the removal of post 10.
[0019] Other methods of fine adjustments may be used in this device, one of
which is shown in Figure 9, where a release type system 34 is used between the
outer tube 14 and the lower tube 16. Release type systems 34 and other fine
adjustment systems are known to those skilled in the art.
[0020] As also seen in Figures 1 and 2, the preferred embodiment also includes
a post head 18 at the end of the post 10, telescoping from the inner tube 12,
used for support. The length that the post head 18 extends from the inner tube
12 and may be adjusted by any of several types of configurations, such as
using
a screw, or a pin-type configuration. In the embodiments shown in Figure 2 and
in Figure 9, a spring pin 38 is used.
[0021] The preferred embodiment of the outer tube 14 is shown in Figures 6 to
8.
As can be seen in Figure 7, the cross section is approximately rectangular,
with
an opposite set of outwardly rounded corners 30, and an opposite set of
inwardly
rounded corners 32. The cross-section of the outer leg 14 is dimensioned so
that
the entire inner leg 12 and tongue members 20 will fit entirely within the
outer leg
14, when the tongue members are located within the outwardly rounded corners
30 (Figure 3a~. This configuration of the outer tube 14 is not essential to
the
device, however it allows for recesses for the thumb and fingers. In the
preferred
embodiment shown in Figure 8 is located an outer hole 44, dimensioned to
receive a support pin 28.
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[0022] As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a rectangular cross
section is optional and other cross sections are available. Reference is now
made to Figures 10 to 12. As seen in Figure 10, a square cross section can be
used where tongue 20 can interact with a groove 22 (not shown in Figure 10).
Other cross sections include a round cross section as seen in Figures 11 or
12.
Various internal configurations for inner tube 12 are shown in Figures 11 and
12.
[0023] Alternatively, Figure 13 shows the outer tube 14 having similar
dimensions to the outer tube of Figure 10. However, in the embodiment of
Figure 13, no channels 42 need to be present. The embodiment of figure 2
shows two channels 42, but these are not engaged by tongue 20. In an
alternative embodiment, no channels 42 need to be present at all. As will be
appreciated, tongue 20 can still engage slots 22 when no channel 42 is
present.
[0024] As will further be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the use of
slots 22
in channel 42, as in Figure 10, adds the further benefit of having a larger
support
area for tongue 20. Specifically, slot 22 includes the wall of channel 42,
thereby
providing additional support.
[0025] Figure 10 further illustrates the use of a tongue 20 that is comprised
of a
slat. This could be advantageous in circumstances such as when the tongue ZO
is not at the bottom of inner post 12. However, the tongue plate 19 of Figure
5b
is preferable in most circumstances, since the tongue plate 19 lies under the
outer diameter of inner tube 12, thereby providing support to the complete
inner
post 12.
[0026] The slots 22 in the outer tube 14 (best seen in Figure 1 ) are spaced
so
that when the inner tube 12 may be rotated from having the tongue members 20
entirely within the outer tube 14, to having the tongue members 20 extend
through the slots 22 in the outer tube, locking the inner tube 12 in place
within the
outer tube 14. In the preferred embodiment the tongue members 20 travel along
a non-resistant surface, to allow for easier rotation of the inner tube 12
within the
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outer leg 14. There is also a small downward indentation (not shown) in the
slot
22, allowing the tongue members 20 to lock into the indentation due to
gravity.
The indention also locks the tongue precisely into the support position. This
prevents the accidental rotation when raised into position or when under load.
The indentation in a preferred embodiment is located both above and below the
groove in order to allow the post to be used downside-up or downside-down.
Further, safety holes 41 accommodate a pin to further prevent the dislodging
of
tongue 20 and hence inner post 12.
[0027] In one embodiment, slots 22 are space every 6 inches or 15 cm to allow
for the quick rough adjustment of inner tube 12 within outer tube 14. Other
dimensions are also possible.
[0028] Post 10 is therefore configured to the proper length by adjusting inner
tube
12 within outer tube 14 using tongue members 20 and slots 22. Inner tube 12
and outer tube 14 are adjusted to the approximate length required for post 10.
Fine adjustment can then be accomplished using a fine adjustment mechanism
such as screw assembly 24 or adjustment mechanism 34.
[0029] As is best seen in Figure 7, tongue members 20 are slid into slots 22
by
rotating inner tube 12 through an angle of 45 degrees. Other rotation angles
are
however possible.
[0030] In the preferred embodiment of the inner tube 12, as shown in Figure 4,
5a, and 5b, the leg is of a general cylindrical shape, which allows for it to
be
easily rotated within the outer leg 14. In this embodiment, the tongue plate
19 is
welded to the bottom of the inner tube 12. Other alternatives to welding would
be
known to those in the art, and any integral connection would be suitable.
Also,
shown in Figures 5a and 5b, the preferred embodiment of the tongue plate
includes two tongue members 20, however a different number of tongue
members may be used. A connector hole 40 is shown in the embodiment of
Figure 4, near the opposite end of the tongue plate 19 of inner tube 12.
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[0031] As can be seen in the embodiment shown in Figure 3b, support pin 28
tits
through the inwardly rounded corners 32 of the outer tube 14. In this
embodiment there are also a pair of spring pins 38 through the support pin 28,
to
lock it in place.
[0032] Also shown in the embodiment in Figure 5b is a pair of safety holes 41
accommodate pins to further lock the tongue members 20 in place. These safety
pins, along with the indentation in the slot 22 are not essential to the
device, but
are features added to greatly increase the overall safety of the shoring post.
[0033] In the preferred embodiment of the shoring post 10, there are a
plurality of
channels 42 located along the length of both the inner leg 12 and the outer
leg
14. A further type of support device in a construction system may be used to
engage the channels 42 to add additional support in different directions, or
to
attach any type of accessories or external bracing using a connector.
[0034] As will be seen from Figure 1, 3b and 10, when tongue 20 is engaging
slot 22, channels 42 of inner post 12 align with channels 42 of outer post 14,
thereby allowing accessories or bracing to be added in the same plain to both
the
inner post 12 and outer post 14. This is advantageous since the channels 42
can
now be used along the entire length of post 10. Prior art solutions do not
have
this capability, and in general do not have channels 42 on inner post 12.
[0035] The present post system therefore provides a means for faster removal
or
replacement for a post by providing a tongue and groove system for gross
adjustment of the inner tube within the outer tube. Tongue members are affixed
to inner tube 12 thereby allowing the quick removal and replacement of the
post
without having to find pins or align holes. The preferred shape of the outer
tube
14 is configured for easy handling, allowing the worker's thumbs and fingers
to
grip the post.
[0036] In a preferred embodiment post 10 is comprised of aluminium. Other
materials could be used however.
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[0037] These and other advantages of the present system are evident from the
above and with reference to the drawings. They are not however meant to limit
the invention, the scope of which is defined in the claims below.
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