Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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THE IMPROVED FRAME FOR CLIMBING SCREEN
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This disclosure relates to a safety screen for use on the side of a
multistorey building during the
construction thereof, and in particular to a means for supporting a safety
screen with respect to the
building.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The subject safety screens are generally employed to provide a screen
or barrier at an edge of
floors that are in the process of being constructed. Prior to the placement of
external cladding such as
windows and fascia panels on multistorey buildings, the area between the floor
and ceiling (or floor
above) is open. It is therefore necessary to provide an external screen for
safety purposes, and particularly
for preventing personnel and objects from falling from the incomplete
building.
[0003] The above referenced publications describe a system of moving screens
in a vertical direction,
generally upwardly, as the construction of the building extends upwardly.
[0004] The earlier systems use a number of horizontal support beams that are
at spaced intervals along
each of one or two floors. The horizontal support beams extend beyond the
perimeter of each floor and
support at their outermost ends a vertical column. Bracing members may extend
from a rear portion of
each horizontal support beam to each vertical column to thereby hold each
column rigidly.
[0005] A safety screen is mounted moveably with respect to the array of
vertical columns. In the above
mentioned patent specifications, hoist or jack means are used to move the
safety screen with respect to the
vertical columns. In earlier versions of screen systems, a crane can be used
to lift each individual safety
screen.
[0006] The above described safety screens restrict access to the edges of the
floors being screened,
thereby preventing the performance of tasks such as post-tensioning of the
concrete slab which forms the
floor.
[0007] It is against this background and the problems and difficulties
associated therewith that the
present invention has been developed.
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[0008] Certain objects and advantages of the present invention will become
apparent from the following
description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by
way of illustration and
example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.
SUMMARY
[0009] According to a first aspect there is provided a safety screen assembly
comprising a base for fixing
with respect to a slab of a building, a bracket for a raising means depending
from the base, a frame means
depending from the bracket, a safety screen depending from the frame means,
where the frame means and
the safety screen overhang said bracket so that the safety screen is spaced
apart from both the bracket and
an edge of the slab, and wherein the frame means is adapted to support a
person in a position between the
edge of the slab and the safety screen, and wherein in a primary mode of use,
the or each bracket is
operatively associated with the frame to permit upward movement of the frame
means and the safety
screen with respect to the base, so that the raising means can raise these,
but not downward movement.
[0010] In one form, the or each bracket is substantially vertically aligned
with an edge of its respective
slab, or at least overhangs the same to a minimal extent.
[0011] In one form, the frame means comprises at least one support platform
positioned between the
edge of the slab and the safety screen.
[0012] In one form, the frame means comprises a plurality of vertically spaced
apart support platforms
positioned between the edge of the slab and the safety screen.
[0013] A person or platform may be positioned either of above or below the
slab but still be "between an
edge of the slab and the safety screen" for the purposes of this
specification.
[0014] In one form, at least one platform is a walkway. In one form, each
platform is a walkway.
[0015] In one form, the safety screen assembly further comprises a means for
raising the frame means
and the safety screen with respect to the base (or raising means).
[0016] In one form, the raising means is operatively associated with a
vertical frame member for raising
4. 3
the frame means and the safety screen with respect to the base.
3
[0017] In one form, the safety screen assembly further comprises a lifting
mechanism for raising the
frame means and the safety screen with respect to the base.
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[0018] In one form, the base comprises a plurality of horizontal support beams
adapted for fixing with
respect to the slab, and the frame means comprises a plurality of vertical
frame elements, each of which is
supported by a bracket depending from a respective horizontal support beam.
[0019] In one form, the frame means comprises a plurality of vertically spaced
apart beams, each of
which extends between vertical stringers.
[0020] In one form, the or each platform is supported by a plurality of the
frame means' beams.
[0021] In one form, the safety screen depends from a plurality of the frame
means' vertical stringers.
[0022] In one form, the frame means further comprises brace members extending
diagonally between the
vertical stringer so as to form trusses.
[0023] In one form, the safety screen is comprised of a plurality of safety
screen panels.
[0024] In one form, at least one support platform comprises a means movable
between at least a first
position in which an opening in the platform is created, and a second position
in which the opening in the
platform is closed.
[0025] According to a further aspect, there is provided a safety screen
assembly comprising a base for
fixing with respect to a slab of a building, a frame means, a safety screen
depending from the frame
means, and a means for raising the frame means and the safety screen with
respect to the base (or raising
means), where the frame means and the safety screen overhang said raising
means so that the safety
screen is spaced apart from both the raising means and the edge of the slab,
and wherein the frame means
is adapted to support a person in a position between the edge of the slab and
the safety screen.
[0026] In one form, the raising means is substantially vertically aligned with
an edge of the or each slab,
or at least overhangs the same to a minimal extent.
[0027] In one form, the or each bracket is substantially as described in
PCT/AU2003/01112.
[0028] In one form, the or each raising means is substantially as described in
PCT/AU2003/01112.
[0029] In one form, the or each vertical frame element is a bracket post as
described in
PCT/AU/2003/01112.
[0030] In a further aspect, there is provided a safety screen assembly
comprising a base for fixing with
respect to a structure of a building, a frame means depending from the base so
as to overhang an edge of a
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slab of the structure, and a safety screen depending from the frame means so
as to be horizontally spaced
apart from the edge of the slab, wherein the frame means is adapted to support
a person in a position
between the edge of the slab and the safety screen.
[0031] In a further aspect, the invention may be said to reside in a safety
screen assembly comprising a
plurality of horizontal support beams adapted for fixing with respect to a
slab of a building, a bracket for
a raising means depending from each horizontal support beam, a plurality of
vertical frame elements, each
of which is respectively supported by a bracket so that each vertical frame
element is positioned adjacent
to an edge of the slab, a safety screen, and frame means depending from the
vertical frame elements and
supporting the safety screen so that the safety screen is horizontally spaced
apart from the vertical frame
elements and the edge of the slab in turn.
[0032] In a further aspect, there is provided a safety screen assembly
comprising at least one base for
fixing with respect to a slab of a building, a bracket for a raising means
depending from the or each base,
a frame means depending from the or each bracket, a safety screen depending
from the frame means,
where the frame means and the safety screen overhang the or each bracket so
that the safety screen is
spaced apart from both the bracket and an edge of the slab, and wherein the
frame means comprises at
least one elongate support platform extending transversely between the edge of
the slab and the safety
screen, where the or each elongate support platform comprises at least one
lengthwise extending flap
which is movable between at least a first position in which an opening in the
platform is created, and a
second position in which the opening in the platform is closed, and wherein in
a primary mode of use, the
or each bracket is operatively associated with the frame means to permit
upward movement of the frame
means and the safety screen with respect to the base, so that the raising
means can raise these, but not
downward movement.
[0033] In one form, the or each flap is distal to the safety screen.
[0034] In one form, the or each flap is vertically aligned with any flaps
above and/or below.
[0035] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is
provided below along with
accompanying Figures that illustrate by way of example the principles of the
invention. While the
invention is described in connection with such embodiments, it should be
understood that the invention is
not limited to any embodiment. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is
limited only by the
appended claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives,
modifications and equivalents.
For the purpose of example, numerous specific details are set forth in the
following description in order to
provide a thorough understanding of the present invention.
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[0036] The present invention may be practiced according to the claims without
some or all of these
specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known
in the technical fields related
to the invention has not been described in detail so that the present
invention is not unnecessarily
obscured.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0037] Embodiments of the present invention will be discussed with reference
to the accompanying
drawings wherein:
[0038] Figure 1 is a front view of a safety screen assembly;
[0039] Figure 2 is a plan view of the safety screen assembly of Figure 1;
[0040] Figure 3 is a side view of the safety screen assembly of Figure 1; and
[0041] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a safety screen assembly of the type
illustrated in Figure 1.
[0042] In the following description, like reference characters designate like
or corresponding parts
throughout the Figures.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0043] Referring now to Figures 1 through 3, where there is shown a safety
screen assembly 1
comprising a safety screen 10 which is supported by a completed slab 20 of a
multi-story building, and
which extends vertically to provide screening for the subsequent floors (or
slabs - shown with dashed
lines) that are to be formed.
[0044] The safety screen 10 is comprised of a plurality of safety screen
panels 11, where each safety
screen panel 11 comprises a frame 12 and a mesh infill panel 13. The safety
screen 10 screens the
external surface of the building whilst this is awaiting final fixing of
windows or external walls. This
prevents people and objects from falling from the building.
[0045] In addition, the safety screen 10 extends above the upper most
completed floor to also provide a
safe working environment while form work is being fixed on the upper most
floor to create the next floor.
[0046] The safety screen 10 depends from frame means 2 (see Figure 3) so that
the safety screen 10 is
horizontally spaced apart from an edge of the completed slab 20. In this way,
access is provided to the
edge of the slab 20 that forms the floor.
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[0047] The frame means 2 comprises at least a pair of vertical frame elements
15. Each vertical frame
element 15 is carried upon a bracket 17 for a raising means (also referred to
as a shoe) which depends
from a horizontal support beam 16 (also referred to as a needle) which in turn
is attached to the slab 20.
[0048] By use of a raising means, the frame means 2 and safety screen 10 can
be raised as required to
enable work on the upper most floor to create the next floor.
[0049] The frame means 2 and the safety screen 10 overhang said brackets, so
as to be spaced apart from
both the raising means and the edge of the slab 20.
[0050] The means for raising the frame means 2 and safety screen 10 in the
case of the illustrated
embodiment, is substantially the same as that described in the specification
of PCT/AU03/01112, namely
comprising a reciprocating jack and latch means which, in a primary mode of
use, permit movement of
the frame means 2 and safety screen 10 upwards but not downwards. More
particularly, each bracket 17
is substantially identical to, and operates as per the bracket 13 disclosed in
PCT/AU2003/01112, and each
vertical frame element 15 is substantially identical to, and operates as per
the bracket post 24 disclosed in
PCT/AU/2003/01112.
[0051] The horizontal support beams 16 are attached to the slab 20 using a
saddle 21 which is located
over each horizontal support beam 16 and which is secured to the slab 20. A
prop 22 extends from the
saddle 21 to an upper portion of the vertical frame element 15. This
arrangement holds the vertical frame
elements 15 rigidly with respect to the slab 20. Further support beams 16 may
be secured to new floors as
these are formed, for the purpose of providing additional support.
[0052] The frame means 2 comprises a plurality of vertically spaced apart
beams 25, each of which is
secured between vertical stringers 14. The frame means 2 further comprises
brace members 26 and
vertical struts 27 to form a rigid truss structure that extends between the
vertical stringers 14. The brace
members 26 and vertical strut 27 provide rigidity to assist the beams 25 in
securely holding the safety
screen 10.
[0053] The horizontal support beams 16 do not extend a significant distance
past the edge of the floor of
the building (i.e. the slab 20), so, the vertical frame elements 15 are also
supported close to the edge of
the building floor. The vertical frame elements 15 can have a significant mass
and therefore placing this
mass close to the edge of the slab 20 minimises the cantilever loads applied
to the horizontal support
beams 16. In turn, the relatively lighter mass of the safety screen 10 can
then be supported by the frame
means 2 at a distance from the edge of the slab 20.
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[0054] The spacing of the safety screen 2 at a distance from the edge slab 20
enables support platforms
29 to be positioned between the safety screen 10 and the slab 20 to provide
ready access to the outer edge
of the slab 20.
[0055] As seen first in Figure 2, the frame means 2 comprises a platform 29
which provides a walkway
extending between the screen panels 11 and the edge of the slab 20. The
walkway 29 comprises a first
section of wooden planks that are supported by the beams 25 and additional
brackets 30. Hinged to the
first portion of the walkway 29 are flaps 31 that rotate between an open
position as shown in Figure 4 to a
close position as seen in Figure 2 and also Figure 4. The flaps 31 rotate to a
horizontal position where
they are supported by either extensions (not drawn) from the brackets 30 or by
abutting against
appropriate supports on the slab 20.
[0056] The walkway 29 will provide safe access to the edge of the slab 20 to
enable the various post
forming operations, such as post-stressing, to occur. The flaps 31 permit
workers to move safely between
levels defined by platforms 29 and the floors of the building.
[0057] Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the
context requires otherwise, the
words "comprise" and "include" and variations such as "comprising" and
"including" will be understood
to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the
exclusion of any other integer or
group of integers.
[0058] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should
not be taken as, an
acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of
the common general
knowledge.
[0059] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention
is not restricted in its use to the
particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted
in its preferred embodiment
with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted
herein. It will be appreciated
that the invention is not limited to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed,
but is capable of numerous
rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the
scope of the invention as set
forth and defined by the following claims.
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