Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
WO 95/06794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AU94/00509
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CONSTRUCTION PLATFORM
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to construction plafforms, that is to say
temporary landings which in use extend away from an exterior face of a
5 multi-storey building under construction.
Background of the Invention
In the construction of multi-storey buildings it has been proposed
to employ construction plafforms to facilit~te the removal and delivery of
materials to various floors under construction. One previously proposed
10 plafform comprises a pair of generally parallel, co-extensive,
transversely spaced apart, horizontal beams which extend outwardly
from a floor of a building under construction, a landing floor extending
between the beams, and a safety rail extending about the outer free
edges of the plafform. The beams comprise supported portions that are
15 fixedly secured on a floor of the building and cantilever portions that
project from the building and carry the landing floor. Each beam may be
so secured in position by at least two length adjustable struts which
extend between a portion of the beam contacting one floor and an
adjacent (usually the next above) floor of the building.
For descriptive convenience the terms "inboard" and "outboard"
are used hereinafter with reference to a building, in the sense that items
designated as inboard are disposed, when in use, within the perimeter of
a relevant floor of the building, whereas items designated as outboard
project from the building when in use and are disposed outside of that
25 perimeter. The terms are similarly used to designate the positions for
WO95/06794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AU94/00509
the time being of movable items that may be inboard at one time and
outboard at another.
Further construction plafforms having retractable decks which may
be moved from an outboard to an inboard position and vice versa have
5 also been previously proposed by the present inventor. Such prior
known retractable deck plafforms have comprised semi-permanent
supporting beams of the kind used for conventional fixed floor plafforms
and a horizontally movable landing deck carried by those beams.
However, such prior known movable deck constructions have been
10 widely regarded as unstable and therefore unsafe, and have not been
adopted in practice. Moreover, in relation to some construction
methods, particularly those involving swinging stages or mechanical
stage plafforms which climb up and down on towers, the outboard
portions of the deck support beams have been obtrusive and
1 5 undesirable.
Objects and Summary of the Invention
It is an object of the invention to provide a construction plafform
which s~lbst~ntially overcomes or at least alleviates one or more of the
above mentioned deficiencies of prior proposed plafforms.
According to one class of embodiments, the invention attains that
objective by providing construction plafforms of the kind having a
retractable deck including locking devices for retaining the movable deck
in selected operating positions and wherein the deck is bounded along
its outboard edges by safety barriers irrespective of its position.
W 0 95106794 2 1 7 0 1 27 PCT/A U94100509
According to a second class of embodiments the invention
provides retractable deck type construction plafforms as aforesaid
wherein the entirety of the outboard portion of the plafform is retractable
to an inboard position.
.
Therefore the invention consists in a construction plafform
comprising a stationary support structure adapted to be fixedly secured
to a floor of a building under construction, a landing deck having an
outermost edge carried by said support structure and able to move to
and fro between at least one inboard and at least one outboard position
10 relative to the building, immobilising means to releasably lock the deck
in said at least one outboard position, and safety barrier means movable
with the deck and extending along its said outermost edge.
According to one class of embodiments the support structure
comprises stationary cantilever beams on which the movable deck may
15 ride and which support the deck in the outboard position. In these
instances the safety barrier means may comprise fixed safety railings or
walls extending along those beams and swing mounted, lockable gates
extending (when closed) along the outermost edge of the deck and
moving therewith.
According to a second class of embodiments a self supporting
deck may extend as a cantilever from the support structure when in its
outboard position. In these instances the safety barrier means may
comprise safety barriers extending along the side edges and the
outermost edge of the deck and moving therewith.
WO 95106794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AUg1J~so~
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a perspective view of three construction platforms
according to the invention having retractable landing decks supported by
a partly outboard support structure comprising semi-permanently
5 erected beams.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the plafforms of Figure 1- shown
as used to load and unload a truck.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of portion of a cantilever beam and
deck immobilising means, being components of a plafform of the kind
10 depicted in figure 1.
Figure 4 iS a cross section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3,
illustrating the immobilising means in the locked position.
Figure 5 is a view similar to figure 4 illusl~alillg the immobilising
means in the unlocked position.
Figure 6 is a perspective layout of a plafform of the kind depicted
in figure 1 with an electrically powered deck drive means.
Figure 7 is a detail view from one side of the portion of figure 7
included within the enclosure marked 7 in that figure.
Figure 8 is a view similar to figure 7 showing a drive means, being
20 a component of the plafforms of figure 1.
WO 95/06794 2 l 7 0 l 2 7 PCT/AU94/00509
Figure 9 is a detail front elevation of guide and support means for
a retractable deck, being components of a platform of the kind depicted
in figure 1.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of an electrically powered friction
5 drive means, being components of a plafform of the kind depicted in
figure 1.
Figure 11 is a view similar to figure 10 of an alternative drive
means incorporating a rack and pinion mechanism which is electrically,
mechanically or hydraulically powered.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of an end portion of a platform of
the kind illustrated in figure 1 with its deck fully extended and braced for
use, but with its end safety barrier omitted.
Figures 13 and 14 illustrate details of bracing means, being
components of the platform illustrated in Figure 12.
Figure 15 is a perspective view of an end portion of another
embodiment of a plafform according to the invention of the kind shown
in figure 1.
Figure 16 is a perspective view of a brace element and a pair of
length adjustable struts being components of a platform in accordance
20 with the invention.
Figure 17 is an exploded perspective view of the brace element
and the pair of struts illustrated in Figure 16.
WO 95/06794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AU94/00509
Figure 18 is a perspective view of a another construction plafform
according to the invention having a fully inboard support structure and a
fully retractable landing deck.
Figure 19 is a top plan elevation of the plafform of Figure 18.
Figure 20 iS a side view of the plafform of Figure 18.
Figure 21 iS a perspective view of a plank located between two
length adjustable struts, being components of the plafform of figure 18.
Figure 22 iS a side elevation of a base plate and roller
arrangement, being components of the plafform of figure 18.
Figure 23 iS a section taken on line 23-23 of Figure 22, drawn to
a smaller scale.
Figure 24 iS a perspective view of a portion of a base and rollers,
being components of the subject matter of figure 18.
Figure 25 iS an elevation of a deck strut and a support structure
15 strut and deck drive means, being components of the plafform of
figure 18.
Figure 26 iS a perspective detail view of deck drive means
including an electric motor or a hydraulic motor in conjunction with a
rack and pinion, being components of the plafform of figure 18 drawn to
20 a larger scale.
W095106794 2 1 7 0 1 27 PCT/AU94/00509
Figure 27 iS a view similar to figure 26 of an alternative deck drive
means.
Figure 28 iS a perspective view of three fully retractable platforms
of another embodiment of the invention.
Figure 29 is a side view of two of the plafforms depicted in
Figure 28.
Figure 30 iS a top plan elevation of one of the plafforms depicted
in Figure 28.
Figure 31 iS a front view of one of the plafforms depicted in
10 Figure 28, but with struts omitted.
Figure 32 iS a cross-sectional detail view of a support structure
beam and part of a retractable deck carried thereby, according to
another embodiment of the invention.
Figure 33 iS a perspective view of a platform according to the
15 invention in combination with a chute assembly.
Figure 34 iS a perspective view of three platforms according to
figure 33 in combination with the chute assembly of that figure.
Best Mode and Other Embodiments of the Present Invention
As shown in Figure 1, movement of materials into and out of a
20 building under construction is facilitated by the use of one or more
WO 95/06794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AU94100509
retractable deck, construction plafforms 100 in accordance with the
invention and an overhead gantry or monorail crane 101. Each
plafform 100 comprises a semi-permanently erected stationary support
structure comprising side rails or beams 102 and a movable landing
5 deck 103 which is supported by and travels upon the beams 102 on
rollers or bearings as described in more detail hereinafter. The
deck 103 may be shifted between an inboard position (as shown in the
two uppermost plafforms of the figure) and an outboard position (as
shown in the bottom plafform of the figure), so that a load can be lifted
10 straight through to the overhead rail 101. Similarly, a load may be
deposited on any deck 103 when in its outboard position. Each
plafform 100 further comprises safety barrier means comprising side
walls 104 extending along at least the outboard portions of the
beams 102 and folding or swinging doors 1-05 mounted on the deck 103.
15 An end gantry 105 may be required to support the far end of the
rail 101.
Figure 2 shows this type of construction plafform permitting a load
to be picked up from, or delivered to, a truck 106. Note that each
plafform is secured in place by telescopic struts 107 which may be
20 located in pairs on either side of the platform and which may be
manually or otherwise extended to secure the inboard portions of the
beams 102 between floors of the building.
Figures 3 to 17 inclusive illustrate in greater detail the embodiment
of the invention appearing in figure 1.
As shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the rear portion 7 of one of the
support structure beams 102 may partially house electrical components
depicted in Figures 7 and 8, being a drive motor 108, operating
WO 95/06794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AU94/00509
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switches 109 and a rear limit switch 110 for shutting off the motor 108 of
the drive means which advances and retracts the movable deck 103.
The platform may also include a front limit switch 111 and various
locking pins 112 for immobilising the deck in predetermined positions of
5 use. A rear security gate or chain 113 may also be provided.
As shown in Figure 9 the deck 113 may comprise substantial
Rectangular Hollow Section side members 114with longitudinally
extending flange plates 115 affixed to a rigidified floor panel 116 and
running as movable rails upon supporting guide rollers 117 mounted on
10 the respective l-beams 102.
Figure 10 illustrates the drive means of the embodiment now
being described. Those means comprise the electric 108 or other
motor driving a driving wheel 118 through a right angled gearbox 119
mounted on a beam 102. The wheel 118 has a high friction surface to
15 minimise slip between it and the floor panel 116. This friction drive
mechanism further includes an adjusting or tensioning screw 120 which
is used to increase or decrease the amount of pressure exerted by the
wheel 118 on the deck floor 116. The friction roller 118 is held on a
pivoting bracket 121 which is raised or lowered by adjustment of the
20 tension screw 120.
Figure 11 illustrates an alternative drive means for shifting the
deck 103. In this instance the drive motor and gear box mounted on the
beam 102 turns a pinion of a rack and pinion pair 122. The pinion is
mounted for rotation about a fixed vertical axis and engages a
25 longitudinally extending rack on the rail 114 through a slot in the web of
the beam 102. Rotation of the pinion gear causes the deck 103 to
advance and retract. Guide rollers 123 and 124 prevent the rack and
WO 95/06794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AU94/00509
pinion from becoming disengaged, and wheel 125 supports the weight of
the deck and provides for its free movement.
Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate in greater detail a preferred
embodiment of a locking mechanism, being an immobilising means of
5 the embodiment of the invention now being described. The illustrated
mechanism comprises a latch bolt 126, a bolt guide 127 and a clip 128
to hold the bolt 126 in a retracted inoperative position.
Figure 4 illuslrales the locking mechanism in an operative position
with bolt 126 extending through openings in the top and bottom flanges
10 of support beam 102, and through a hole in the edge margin of the
movable deck 103 when the hole and openings are brought into register
thereby preventing relative sliding movement between the deck 103 and
the beam 102. Whereas Figure 5 illustrates the locking mechanism in
an inoperative position with bolt 126 (in ghost outline) in a retracted
15 position in engagement with the clip 157, thereby permitting relative
sliding movement between the deck 128 and the beam 102.
A similar locking mechanism may be used as immobilising means
in fully retractable plafform embodiments in which the retractable beams
of a sliding deck are slidably supported within respective stationary
20 guides of an inboard support structure, to prevent relative movement
therebetween.
Figures 12, 13 and 14 illustrate details of the outer edge of the
embodiment now being described, with the deck 103 in its outboard
position of use. In particular, they illustrate bracing means for the
25 plafform comprising a pair of elongate stay elements 129, each having
an end hinged by means of hinge joint 130 or otherwise pivotally
WO 95/06794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AU94tO0509
11
mounted to a top edge of the exposed end of the retractable deck 103.
The other end of each of the stay elements 129 is releasably fastened
or secured to a respective safety wall 104. The latter securement may
be effected by the releasable fastening means shown in more detail by
5 Figures 13 and 14 comprising a tongue 131 having one end welded or
otherwise attached to the stay element 129 thereby to extend
substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the stay element
129. The tongue 131 has an opening 132 piercing it near its other end.
To fasten the stay element 129 to the safety wall 104 the tongue 131 is
10 positioned to extend through an aperture 133 in an upright member 134
to enable a latch pin 135 having a hooked end 136 is then driven into
said opening 132 thereby releasably securing the stay element 129 to
the safety barrier wall 104. The latch pin 135 also extends through a
clearance hole in a substantially horizontal member 137 of the wall 104
15 with the hooked end 136 hooked thereover.
The bracing means further comprise locating holes 138 in end
plates 139 applied to the beams 102 adapted to receive pins 140
protruding from the front edge of the deck 103. Those pins 140 thus
constitute the third points of triangular constructions positively bracing
20 the deck 103 and the beams 102 into a rigid entity.
Figure 15 shows an alternative bracing structure wherein the
simple pins 140 are replaced by tongues 141 adapted to pierce slots in
the end plates and thereafter accept cotter pins 142 to lock the deck in
place and provide further immobilising means.
25 The end edge of the deck 103 is able to be closed by means of
doors 114, detachably hinged to the walls 104. In this regard it is
W095/06794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AI~ *~5()~
mentioned that the gates and/or chain 113 at the inboard end of the
deck is/are primarily relied upon as a safety measure.
Figures 16 and 17 illustrate a pair of struts 143, such as
struts 107, together with a releasably secured strut brace 144 to impart
5 rigidity and stability to the strut structure. Each strut 143 comprises a
Rectangular Hollow Section (RHS) member 145, a manually adjustable
jack screw 146 with one end extending into the hollow core of tubular
member 145, wing nut 147, floor or beam abutment means 148 at the
other end of screw 146 and a bracket member 149. Said bracket
10 member 149 comprises a tubular abutment member 150 of substantially
the same cross section and dimensions as member 145, disposed within
a sleeve 151 of substantially the same cross sectional shape but of
larger dimensions, formed so that the bracket member 149 fits neatly
over and sits on the end of the tubular member 145. A flange 152
15 projects from the sleeve 151. The flange 152 provides a mounting for
the ends of brace element 144. The brace element 144 is in the form of
an elongate C-section structural member. The brace element 144 is
mounted to the bracket member 149 by fastening means, for example
the nut and bolt illustrated in Figure 17.
In other embodiments, a construction plafform having a self
supporting cantilever landing deck 200, as shown in Figure 18, may be
provided. In this instance the deck 200 may be fully extended to an
outboard position or retracted to an inboard position using human,
electrical, hydraulic or other forms of power, whereupon no portion of the
25 platform is outboard of the building, as the landing deck 200 is carried
by an entirely inboard stationary support structure 201.
WO 95/06794 2 1 7 0 ~ 2 7 PCT/AU9~,~D509
The support structure 201 comprises extendable struts 202 and
supports the retractable deck 200 on rollers or the like. It also
comprises drive means for shifting the deck 200. Those drive means
may include braking devices to immobilise the deck, or may be self-
5 locking when de-energised, in which event the immobilising means may
merely comprise manually operable on-off switches or the like for the
drive means.
The deck 200 comprises a deck floor 203, retractable beams 204
to which the floor 203 is fastened, safety walls 205, folding or swinging
10 gates 206, and telescopic or otherwise extendable struts 207. Two of
the struts 207 are located at the extreme rear of the deck 200. The
struts 207 are shortened when the deck 200 is being shifted between its
fully inboard and partly outboard extreme positions. Once the deck 200
is in its outboard position, the struts 207 are extended to firmly secure
15 the landing deck 200 between two floors of a building under
construction.
As shown for example in Figures 18, 20 and 25, the inboard
support structure 201 comprises four length adjustable struts 202 which
lie generally outside of the struts 207 of the movable deck 200. These
20 struts 202 are extended to secure the support structure 201 in place
when the plafform is erected, and remain in place until the plafform is no
longer required. As mentioned earlier the support structure 201
comprises drive means for shifting the deck 200. These drive means
may comprise an electric or hydraulic motor 208 or a gearbox 209
25 suitable for hand cranking.
Each of the struts 202 may be welded to a base plate 210 (see
figure 25) of, for example, 10 or 20mm steel plate, and each base
WO 95/06794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AU94100509
14
plate210 preferably traps rollers211 (see figures22, 23 and 24) or
bearings which allow the movable deck 200 to be driven to and fro
without excessive friction.
Both the support structure 201 and the movable deck 200 may
5 include horizontal planks 212 (see figure 21) conveniently located
between upright struts so a person can step onto the plank 212 and
adjust the length of the struts, as required.
As shown in Figures 19 and 20, when the deck 200 is fully
extended into its outboard position, it is preferable that the rearmost
10 end 213 of the deck 200 lies just inboard of the rearmost struts 202 of
the support structure 201.
As the deck 200 must be stable when not moving, it must rest on
a solid and stable base. As shown in Figures 22, 23 and 24 each
base 210 may have anti-friction rollers or bearings 211 incorporated into
15 it. Preferably, the bearings 211 are partially recessed within the
base 210 and the base is welded to or attached to the bottom ends of
the struts 202. In the embodiment now being described the retractable
beams 204 are l-beams of conventional cross-section. Thus, as shown
in Figure 22, each beam 204 comprises a central web 214, a top flange
20 (not shown) and a bottom flange 215.
In order to immobilise the deck 200 when it is stationary in one or
other of its two inboard or outboard positions of use and the drive
means are de-energised, the bottom flange 215 is provided with a
system of detents 216. Each detent 216 comprises a central
25 opening 217 and ramped surfaces 218 on each side of the opening 217.
When the beam 204 is advanced past a ramp 218 it rolls on the
W095106794 2 1 7 0 1 2 7 PCT/AU9~ 119
rollers 211. As shown in Figures 22 and 23, the underside 219 of the
beam 204 rests on the top surface 220 of the base 210 when the
roller211 is within a detent216. The detents216 are positioned to
correspond with the predetermined use positions of the^deck 200.
As shown in Figure 25 a deck strut 207 is shown as fixed above
the l-beam 204. Similarly, a support structure strut 202 is welded or
otherwise joined to the base plate 210. Thus, the deck l-beams 204
may move to and fro on the rollers or bearings 211 as discussed with
reference to Figures 22, 23 and 24. In this example, an electric
motor 208 is used to drive a pinion gear 221 which engages a rack 222
which is integrated into an upper surface of the bottom flange 215 of the
l-beam 204. This arrangement is shown in more detail in Figure 26.
As shown in Figure 26, an electric or hydraulic motor 208 may be
used to directly or indirectly drive a pinion 221, which pinion 221
engages a rack gear 222. Thus the rotation of the motor 208 results in
a linear motion of the deck l-beams 204. As shown in Figure 27, a
hand operated device 209 is also suitable, the device 209 being
provided with a hand crank 223 and a suitable reduction gearbox 224.
Preferably the gear box is a self locking worm and wheel so that it also
20 constitutes immobilising means for the deck.
Figures 28, 29, 30 and 31 illustrate another embodiment of fully
retractable plafforms wherein each plafform comprises a support
structure 300 and a movable deck 301. The stationary support
structure 300 comprises a pair of stationary guides in the form of two
25 substantially parallel, transversely spaced l-beams 302, each releasably
secured by a pair of length adjustable struts 303 to the floor of a
building. The struts 303 extend between the underside of one floor and
WO95/06794 2 1 70 1 27 PCT/AU9~ 5~9
16
the upper surface of said beams 302 to secure the beams 302 between
adjacent floors. Each strut 303 is located towards an end of each guide
beam 302. Each guide beam 302 is preferably an l-beam or channel.
The movable deck 301 comprises a pair of substantially parallel movable
5 beams 304 of similar cross-section to that of the guide beams 302 but
of smaller dimension, so that the movable beams 304 may be
ensconced within and move longitudinally along respective channels
defined by the guide beams 302, a deck floor305 mounted-to and
extending between the beams 304, safety railings 306 and folding or
10 swing gates 307.
The guide beams 302 are about half the length of the movable
beams 304 and are emplaced within a building so as not to extend
outside the face of the building. The deck 301 is advanced or retracted
manually using a hand cranked mechanical device 308. The deck 301
15 may be fully retracted whereby not to extend outside the face of the
building, or may be advanced fully to the outboard position illustrated, or
may be advanced to an intermediate extent.
Figure 32 illustrates retaining means to prevent separation of a
movable deck 400 from stationary guide beams 401 (one beam only is
20 illustrated) other than in the axial direction of the beams 401. Figure 32
illustrates one stationary l-beam 401 and an edge of the movable
deck 400 which is axially slidable within a channel 402 of beam 401 but
not separable therefrom in a non-axial direction. Said retaining means
is in the form of a number of retaining members 403 provided along
25 each beam 401 and a retaining flange 404 provided along the edges of
the deck 400 facing the beams 401. The channel groove of each
l-beam 401 accommodating an edge of the deck 400 is provided with
said retaining members 403 at intervals along its length. The flange 404
W095/06794 2 1 70 1 27 PCT/AU9l~!C9
17
may be releasably fastened to the deck 400 by fasteners, such as nuts
and bolts 406, or may otherwise be fixed thereto. Said retaining
members 403 are preferably welded to the beam 401. Each retaining
member 403 has a recess 403 in its lower edge margin forming a cavity
5 between itself and the web of the beam 401. The flange 406 extends
into those cavities thereby preventing separation of the deck 400 from
the beam 401 in a non-axial direction. The member 403 also supports
a roller bearing 405 making rolling contact with the flange 404. Further,
the web of the beam 401 is provided with a number of pairs of roller
10 bearings 407 spaced apart along its length making rolling contact with
the flange 404. A number of load bearing rollers 408 are also provided
along the respective lower edge margins of the deck 400 to rolling
contact with the upper surface of the lower flanges of the l-beams 401.
Each retaining member 403 may be pierced by a hole 409 for use as an
15 eyelet for a sling hook to facilitate lifting and handling of the beams 401.
Hitherto rubbish or debris disposal chutes have been attached to
the outside of buildings or through a cavity in the floor of a building. It
has been found that this previous practice interferes with effective
waterproofing and closing of buildings and further additionally contributes
20 to the costs of construction.
Accordingly there is herein disclosed a chute assembly in
combination with a construction plafform according to the invention.
Figure 33 illustrates a plafform 500 in combination with a rubbish
disposal chute 501. The safety barrier 502 of the plafform 500 is
25 provided with a set of gates 503 adapted to open onto an aperture 504
in the side wall of the chute 501 facing the plafform 500. The chute 501
is releasably attached to said safety barrier 502 and as illustrated in
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18
Figure 34 is adapted to be included in a chute assembly comprising a
plurality of such chutes in a vertical stack, wherein each communicates
with a neighbour or neighbours to form a continuous duct through which
material may be delivered to a bin 506. The chutes 501 may be formed
5 of plastics or metal material.
Figure 34 illustrates three plafforms 500 in combination with a
chute 501. The illustrated assembly of chutes 501 is releasably
attached to each of the three plafforms 500. Prior to retraction of the
deck of one or more of plal~orms 500 the gates 503 of the respective
10 safety barriers 502 may be closed and the deck of the plafform 500 may
then be retracted safely without interfering with the operation of the
chute assembly or any other plafform 500. Further, in the case of partial
retraction, the gates 503 of any one safety barrier 502 may be relocated
therealong to another position to coincide with the chute aperture 504.
15 Further still, the assembly of chutes 501 does not interfere with the use
of any one or more of the plafforms 500. For example, as illustrated in
Figure 34, the bottom plafform 500 may be used as a loading plafform,
while the decks of the two upper plafforms 500 are partially retracted
and are used in combination with the chute assembly for rubbish
20 removal.
