DOBBIE, Nicholas (78 Friarn Street, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 3LJ, GB)
DOBBIE, Nicholas (78 Friarn Street, Bridgwater, Somerset TA6 3LJ, GB)
| CLAIMS 1. A work platform which includes a number of preformed decking units (10) adapted to be placed on a rail track in an edge-to-edge relationship, each such unit having a deck (11) capable of spanning the rail track and providing a generally planar upper work surface (12), and the opposite lower surface (13) of the deck is provided with locating means (25) for engagement with the rail track to limit transverse movement of the decking units. 2. A work platform according to Claim 1 in which the decking units (10) each include a flange portion (19) which overlaps an adjacent edge portion of another such decking unit. 3. A work platform according to Claim 2 in which the upper surface of the flange portion (19) is substantially coplanar with the upper work surface (12). 4. A work platform according to Claim 2 in which said adjacent edge portion of each decking unit includes a recess (20) for receiving the said flange portion (19). 5. A work platform according to Claim 1 in which the lower surface (13) of the deck is provided with support means (14, 15) which project below the locating means (25) to rest on sleepers upon which the rail track is mounted. 6. A work platform according to Claim 5 in which the support means (14, 15) are mutually spaced and are also spaced from the locating means (25). 7. A work platform according to Claim 1 which includes bridging units (30) which can be inserted between decking units (10) engaged with two adjacent rail tracks. 8. A work platform according to Claim 7 in which the bridging units (30) each have a substantially planar upper work surface (32). 9. A work platform according to Claim 7 in which the bridging units (30) are adapted to be supported by the decking units (10). 10. A work platform according to Claim 7 in which the bridging units (30) each have flange portions (39, 40) at opposite ends which overlap adjacent end portions of respective decking units. 11. A work platform according to Claim 10 in which the bridging units (30) each have a substantially planar upper work surface (32) and the upper surfaces of the flange portions (39, 40) are substantially coplanar therewith. 12. A work platform according to Claim 10 in which said end portion of each decking unit includes a recess (21 , 22) for receiving the flange portion (39, 40) of a bridging unit. 13. A work platform according to Claim 1 in which each decking unit includes connectors (23, 24) for mounting a balustrade above the decking units. 14. A work platform according to Claim 1 in which the substantially planar upper work surfaces (12) are provided with a textured finish or friction coating. 15. A work platform according to Claim 1 in which the said units (10) are formed from a polymer material. |
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a work platforms which can be assembled to protect the rail tracks of a railway or other form of guided transport system when work is being carried out.
BACKGROUND
During engineering work on railways contractors are required to provide protection for the rails to prevent damage, e.g. by vehicles working on or driven along the track. This protection has traditionally been achieved by placing old timber sleepers across the rails, but although they do a good job of protecting the rails from damage they have a number of widely recognised disadvantages.
Railway sleepers are heavy and cumbersome. They take a long time to lay, and use a lot of manpower and machinery to load and transport to the place of use. On curved sections of track the sleepers cannot be closely abutted and significant gaps are left between the sleepers. Furthermore, they are liable to move sideways or even tip under the weight of heavy machinery, and they are often placed such that they do not provide much protection for signalling cables which are often laid in the space between two adjacent railway tracks.
From the health-and-safety point of view there is a risk that workers will inadvertently skid, trip or stumble off the sleepers and injure themselves. It is also desirable to take steps to reduce the risk of workers coming into contact with biologically hazardous materials which are commonly present on railway tracks, and potentially dangerous materials which might be present on re-used railway sleepers.
Apart from protection of the railway infrastructure and providing safe access for workers there is also a need to provide safe storage of materials and tools while temporary works are being carried out.
The present invention seeks to provide a new and inventive form of railway work platform which is capable of overcoming at least some of these drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention proposes a work platform which includes a number of preformed decking units adapted to be placed on a rail track in an edge-to-edge relationship, each such unit having a deck capable of spanning the rail track and providing a generally planar upper work surface, and the opposite lower surface of the deck is provided with locating means for engagement with the rail track to limit transverse movement of the decking units.
The decking units preferably include a flange portion which overlaps an adjacent edge portion of another such decking unit. The upper surface of the flange portion is preferably substantially coplanar with the upper work surface to provide a continuation thereof. The adjacent edge portion of each decking unit preferably includes a step for receiving the flange portion.
The railway work platform preferably includes bridging units which can be inserted between decking units engaged with two adjacent rail tracks.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice. In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a front view of a first form of decking unit for use in constructing a temporary work platform in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the decking unit;
Figure 3 is an end view of the decking unit;
Figure 4 is a front view of a bridging unit for use in the work platform;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the bridging unit;
Figure 6 is an end view of the bridging unit; - A -
Figure 7 is a bottom view of the bridging unit;
Figure 8 is a section through two adjacent railway tracks showing how the work platform can be constructed to protect the tracks and the space between them;
Figure 9 is a front view of a second form of decking unit for use in constructing a temporary work platform in accordance with the invention; and
Figure 10 is an end view of the decking unit shown in Fig. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The railway work platform which is described in detail below is constructed of timber units, although it will be appreciated that in mass production it would be more economical to mould similar units from polymers which may include resins or thermoplastics, e.g. recycled plastic waste. This material has the advantage that the platform provides an additional electrical insulation barrier when working on live tracks or overhead cables for example, although other suitable materials such as steel or aluminium could be used.
Railways throughout the world have many different gauges and are used with different kinds of sleepers. It will be appreciated that the following description relates to one particular size of work platform which is intended for use with a particular gauge of railway and one particular kind of sleeper. However, the work platform can be designed and configured for use with any gauge of railway or kind of sleeper, including those found on underground railway networks.
The first form of work platform is intended to carry heavy loads such as vehicular traffic. The work platform is constructed from a number of preformed decking units, one of which is shown in Fig.s 1 to 3, intended to be placed transversely across a rail track. Each decking unit 10 comprises an elongate rectangular deck 11 having a generally planar upper work surface 12. The length of the deck 11 exceeds the distance between the rails of a railway track with which the work platform is intended to be used. At opposite ends of the deck, the lower surface 13 is provided with a pair of parallel support members 14 and 15 at opposite ends, projecting below one or more longitudinally-extending locating members 25 which are spaced from the support members 14 and 15. In use, the support members are positioned outside the rails to support the unit upon railway sleepers on which the track is mounted. The ends of the locating members closely oppose the inner faces of the rails to prevent lateral movement of the unit relative to the rails and also prevent the unit from twisting significantly so that the units remain at right angles to the length of the rails. The locating members may also provide strength and support for the deck 11 to better withstand heavy loads. It will also be noted that the dimensions of the internal locating members 25 will be chosen such that the units are able to fit over the fish plates which normally used to connect the rails.
Considering the drawings in greater detail, it will be noted that the deck 11 is formed of several superimposed sheets comprising top, middle and bottom sheets, 16, 17 and 18 respectively. As can be seen in Fig. 3, the support members 14 and 15 are of the same width as the bottom sheet 18. However, the top and middle sheets 16 and 17 are offset relative to the bottom sheet 18 to form a flange 19 extending along one longitudinal edge of the deck 11 with a corresponding shallow step 20 extending along the opposite longitudinal edge. (See Fig. 2 also.) With such an arrangement, when two of the decking units are placed edge-to-edge the flange 19 of one unit will locate upon the step 20 of the other, avoiding the need for accurate placing of the decking units. Furthermore, on curved sections of track, the units will be angularly disposed with a greater overlap at the inside of the curve, but there will not be a dangerous gap between the units. The flanges 19 also act to transmit loads from one decking unit to another, so that, although of relatively small depth and weight, the work platform may be used to support heavy loads such as vans or scaffold towers.
Referring back to Fig.s 1 and 2, it will also be noted that the top sheet 16 is shorter than the sheets 17 and 18 leaving two further but even shallower steps 21 and 22 at opposite ends of the deck 11. These end steps are only utilised when the decking units are used with the bridging units described below.
In order to prevent workers, vehicles or other equipment from slipping on the work platform the upper work surface 12 is preferably provided with a textured finish, e.g. grooves and ridges, or coated with a high friction material such as rubber.
The decking unit is also proved with sockets 23 and 24 at both ends or other suitable connectors into which a balustrade may be inserted to form guard rails along opposite sides of the track. The sockets are preferably formed in the steps 21 and 22, leaving the top sheet 16 clear.
Fig.s 4 to 7, show a bridging unit 30 which can be used to fill the space between decking laid over parallel sets of railway tracks and protect signalling cables which are often laid in the space between the tracks. Each bridging unit 30 comprises an elongate rectangular deck 31 having a generally planar upper work surface 32. The width of the deck 31 is about half the width of a single decking unit 10. The lower surface of the deck 31 is provided with a pair of parallel support members 34 and 35 extending along the longitudinal edges of the deck. The deck 31 is again formed of superimposed top, middle and bottom sheets, 36, 37 and 38 respectively. The three sheets are all of similar width but as can be seen in Fig. 4, the top sheet 36 is longer than the other two forming projecting flanges 39 and 40 at opposite ends of the bridging unit. (See Fig. 7 also.)
Fig. 8 shows a pair of parallel rail tracks 50 protected by decking units 10.1 and 10.2. The bridging units 30 are placed in between the two decking units so that the flanges 39 and 40 locate within the steps 21 and 22 so that the work surface 32 of the bridging unit is co-planar with the work surfaces 12 of the decking units. Support members 14 and 15 support the units 10 from the sleepers 12 upon which rails 50 are mounted. The decking units rest on the rails a well as the sleepers, thus providing four areas of contact and spreading the load through the rails. The platform thus gives protection to the rail infrastructure but also uses its inherent strength, namely the load capacity of the rails themselves. Loads applied to the decks 11 are therefore transmitted to the sleepers 52 as well as the rails 50. It will also be noted that the locating members 34 of the bridging units 30 similarly rest upon the sleepers 52 to prevent loads from being transmitted through the relatively thin flanges 39 and 40. The work platform therefore fully covers and protects the rails 50 and any signalling cables 51 which are laid between the sleepers 52.
Fig.s 9 and 10 show a second form of decking unit which is suitable for lighter loads such as pedestrian access. The unit again has an elongate rectangular deck 11 with a generally planar upper work surface 12. The underside of the deck is provided with spaced support members 14 and 15 at opposite ends which are bridged by one or more longitudinal locating members 55. In this case, since the loads are relatively light, the locating members 55 are notched to locate over the rails 50 and support the units directly from the rails. Again, one of the longitudinal edges of the deck 11 is provided with a co-planar flange 19 with a corresponding step 20 in the opposite longitudinal edge, enabling loads to be transmitted from one unit to another and avoiding gaps between the units.
The units described above may be coloured in compliance with any local railway regulations. The colour orange generally increases the visibility of the work platform and complies with railway signalling requirements.
Although lightweight the platform units are strong and easy to handle, covering a greater area per unit than standard railway sleepers. The overlapping units are less subject to tipping when loaded at the edges. Installing an optional balustrade provides a guarded walkway for the safety of personnel. The units are clean to use and handle and can easily be disinfected after use. If formed of recycled plastic materials damaged units can be reused in the moulding of further units.
When works are being carried out on the railway infrastructure it is possible to store materials and tools under the work platform so that they are protected from theft and damage.
Whilst the above description places emphasis on the areas which are believed to be new and addresses specific problems which have been identified, it is intended that the features disclosed herein may be used in any combination which is capable of providing a new and useful advance in the art.