The present invention relates to a scaffold floor, comprising a floor part with a walking surface and a set of flanks hanging downward on either side thereof, which floor part is provided on opposite outer ends with a head piece with claws with which the floor part engages in a scaffolding round a ledger of the scaffolding.

Such a scaffold floor is applied on a large scale in all manner of scaffolding with which a building or other type of structure is equipped in order to perform construction work or maintenance thereon. The scaffolding here usually comprises a crosswise system of uprights and ledgers which are releasably coupled to each other and here enclose one or more scaffold sections. In a scaffold section a scaffold floor is constructed from floor parts, wherein the floor parts fall on either side with the claws extending therefrom over successive ledgers in the scaffolding. Together with props which are placed here and there, the floor parts provide a connection and thereby stability to the scaffolding. First and foremost however, the floor parts provide a walking surface that persons can tread on safely in order to perform the intended work.

In a known scaffold floor, floor parts with forged or cast solid claws of a metal such as iron, aluminium or steel are used. The individual parts of the floor part are welded together and so permanently connected to each other. Such a construction and production is however costly and requires professional skill. The welded connections therein are a particular concern in respect of quality and durability. In addition, the solid parts contribute significantly to the overall weight of the floor parts, which is disadvantageous from a viewpoint of ergonomics.

The present invention therefore has for its object to provide a scaffold floor which obviates these drawbacks to at least significant extent.

In order to achieve the stated object a scaffold floor of the type stated in the preamble therefore has the feature according to the invention that the head piece is provided at least substantially as a folded plate body with a set of opposite wings which are connected to the flanks of the floor part, that the head piece provides between the wings a front plate with at least one first slotted hole and at least one second slotted hole, that each of the claws comprises on a side facing toward the front plate at least one hook member which is received fittingly in a slotted hole in the front plate and hooks round an edge of the slotted hole here, and that the claws are attached durably to the head piece by a mechanical connection.

For the head piece use is thus made of a folded plate body which can for this purpose be separated in a suitable shape, for instance by punching, sawing or (laser-)cutting, from a sheet body. The slotted holes can here also be simultaneously provided in the sheet material. The claws are individual parts which hook into the slotted holes and are fixed therein by the mechanical connection, particularly with interposing of one or more connecting members such as screw bolts and/or rivets or blind rivets. This requires little specialist knowledge or skill, and can thereby be performed and optionally repaired in reliable manner by the average skilled person. It is particularly in the event of unexpected damage to the floor part that repair thereof can often take place on site, for instance by replacing or reattaching a claw or other part. By making use as far as possible here of sheet material a significant weight saving and cost saving can furthermore be achieved with such an assembly of the floor part compared to a conventional floor part which is provided with welded head pieces.

A particular embodiment of the scaffold floor has the feature according to the invention that the wings protrude between the flanks of the floor part and under the walking surface of the floor part. At least substantially the whole floor part is thus assembled as a form-locked connection and finally held in position by the mechanical connecting members. The forces occurring during use are transmitted to the floor part by this form-locking.

In order to advance the reliable attachment of the claws to the head piece a preferred embodiment of the scaffold floor has the feature according to the invention that the front plate comprises on an underside remote from the walking surface a folded strip part which extends substantially parallel to the walking surface, that the claws comprise a protruding tongue with which the claws protrude under the strip part of the front plate, and that the hook members hook round the edge of a relevant slotted hole in a direction away from the tongue. The claws thus hook into the slotted holes intended therefor in a direction away from the tongue. The tongue of the claws is now also moved to a position against the strip part by a translation of the claws in the slotted holes, so that a mutual connection between these two latter parts also confines the hook members in the slotted holes and fixes the claws to the front plate in form-locked manner. The forces occurring during use are transmitted to the floor part by this formlocking.

For the mutual connection of the different components numerous mechanical connecting techniques can per se be used, although in a particularly practical and reliable embodiment the scaffold floor has the feature according to the invention that the mechanical connection is brought about by at least one continuous connecting member, particularly at least one rivet or screw bolt.

A further particular embodiment of the scaffold floor has the feature according to the invention that the front plate comprises on an upper side facing toward the floor part a folded strip part with which the head piece lies on the walking surface. In this way the strip part thus formed on the plate body on the upper side covers the edge of the walking surface. Not only does this provide protection against damage to the walking surface; it also results in a safer working environment because a sharp edge of the running surface, which is often manufactured from thin sheet steel, is covered in this way.

The claws, as well as the head pieces, are advantageously provided as a folded plate body. The claws can thus be separated from a sheet in similar manner as, and optionally simultaneously to, the head pieces. A preferred embodiment of the scaffold floor has the feature here according to the invention that the hooks are provided on opposite flanks of the second folded plate body and that a fitting strengthening body is provided therebetween. The strengthening body here fills the intermediate distance between the two folded flanks on a claw and thus prevents them from further bending. A mutual form-locking here also results in a strong and robust part of the scaffold floor.

With a view to an increased stability of the floor part in the scaffolding a further preferred embodiment of the scaffold floor has the feature according to the invention that at least one of the wings of the head piece comprises a protruding tongue with which the floor part supports on a ledger of the scaffolding. In mounted state the floor part thus rests on the ledger not only with the claws, but also with this at least one protruding tongue which is formed on one of the wings of the head piece. A tilting protection is provided hereby, especially if a central axis of the set of claws lies out of the centre of the floor part, i.e. predominantly on one of the two sides of an axial central axis.

A further preferred embodiment of the scaffold floor has the feature according to the invention that the head piece comprises a locking body which lies received for axial movement in a passage in the front plate, that the locking body is received on a downward directed guide surface of a guide, and that the locking body is lifted from a path of the ledger when touched by a ledger and is able and configured to slide under the ledger when released. The floor part thus locks around the ledger automatically as soon as it is placed. The locking body particularly provides a wind lifting protection which keeps the floor part from unintentionally coming loose from the ledger when the wind for instance hits the floor part from below. By manually lifting the locking body and bringing it to a position above the ledger again the floor part can nevertheless be released from the ledger afterward, if desired. A further particular embodiment of the scaffold floor has the feature here that the guide is formed by a third folded plate body and is connected mechanically to the head piece, particularly by means of a screw bolt or rivet. This component can thus also be separated from a sheet in similar manner as, and if desired simultaneously to, the head pieces and/or claws.

In order to advance an overall strength and form-retention of the floor part use is preferably made of form-locking and confinement between the individual parts. With a view hereto a further preferred embodiment of the scaffold floor has the feature according to the invention that the flanks of the floor part comprises on a side remote from the walking surface an inward directed flange and that the wings of the head piece protrude fittingly between a flange of the floor part and the walking surface. The head pieces thus come to lie with the wings fittingly between the walking surface and the inward directed flanges of the flanks of the floor part, whereby a mutual clearance is at least largely eliminated.

Finally, the floor part of the scaffold floor according to the invention can be assembled wholly from folded plate bodies, which are here mutually connected in relatively simple manner. This makes the floor part less susceptible to production errors, and the manufacture or possible repair requires little specialist knowledge. There are many options for the sheet material of the components. A preferred embodiment of the scaffold floor however has the feature that the folded plate bodies were separated from a sheet, particularly from a metal sheet of steel, stainless steel or aluminium. The invention further relates to a floor part as applied in the above described scaffold floor according to the invention and will be further elucidated hereinbelow with reference to an exemplary embodiment and an accompanying drawing. In the drawing: Figure 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a part of a scaffolding with therein a scaffold floor according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows an isometric view of a section through the floor part which is applied in the scaffold floor of figure 1;

Figures 3A-3G show successive stages of the formation of a head piece for the floor part of figure 2;

Figures 4A-4B show an isometric view of a claw for the head piece of figures 3F and 3G in successive stages of manufacture;

Figure 5 shows an isometric view of a strengthening body for the claw of figure 4B;

Figures 6A-6E show an isometric view of a head piece for the floor part of figure 2 in successive stages of assembly;

Figures 7A-7E show sections corresponding with the isometric views of figures 6A-6E; and

Figures 8A-8E show successive stages of the placing of a floor part on a ledger in the scaffolding of figure 1 in cross-section.

It is otherwise noted here that the figures are purely schematic and not always drawn to (the same) scale. Some dimensions in particular may be exaggerated to greater or lesser extent for the sake of clarity. Corresponding parts are designated in the figures with the same reference numeral. Figure 1 shows an isometric view of an outer end of an exemplary embodiment of a scaffold floor according to the invention in a scaffolding. The scaffold floor is constructed from one or more floor parts 10, each with a walking surface 15 and at each of the two opposite outer ends a head piece 20. Each of the head pieces carries a set of claws 300 whereby the floor part 10 can be suspended over a ledger 2 of a scaffolding. Outside the plane of the drawing the ledgers 2 are coupled crosswise to uprights in the scaffolding and form together therewith a system of successive scaffold sections.

Figure 2 shows a cross-section according to the line II in figure 1 between opposite head pieces 20 through floor part 10. For production of the floor part use is made of galvanized sheet steel with a thickness of several millimetres, which is folded on either side so as to form a set of downward hanging flanks 12 integrally thereon. The flanks 12 are in turn folded on a free underside so as to form a set of inward directed flanges 14 thereon. Also provided here in the sheet material is a profiling which will impart more strength and stiffness to the floor part. A pattern of holes is provided in walking surface 15 for the purpose of improved grip and adequate drainage in the event of precipitation.

In this embodiment according to the invention use is made for each of the head pieces of a folded plate body 20. The shape 200 shown in figure 3A is cut, sawn or otherwise separated from sheet steel with a thickness of several millimetres, and then optionally galvanized or otherwise preserved. This plate body 200 comprises a front plate 210 to be formed, with edge parts 220, 225, wings 230 and tongues 240, 250 formed integrally thereon. The tongues 240, 250 will eventually together form a tilting protection. A number of slotted holes 270, 275 and a number of rivet holes 280 is further already provided in the plate body. Front plate 210 also already comprises a recess 290 which will later form a passage for a locking body to be received therein.

The parts of plate body 200 are folded at right angles in the manner as illustrated in figures 3B-3F so that the head piece shown in figures 3F and 3G is obtained. The two tongues 240, 250 end up flanking each other and, if desired, can be mutually connected for additional strength. For this purpose the two parts can be riveted together or, as they are here, welded to each other by means of a small spot weld. A shape from which a set of claws 300 is obtained, see figure 4B, is cut or otherwise separated, see figure 4A, in similar manner from the same or optionally a similar sheet material. Also separated from sheet material is a strengthening body 350, see figure 5.

The strengthening body 350 is first placed with the T-shaped distal outer end under protrusion 310 formed on the claws, see figures 6A and 7A, and then tilted with the cross-shaped proximal outer end into the recess 320 provided for this purpose in claws 300, see also figures 6B and 7B. Claws 300 are then placed with hook members 330, 340 formed thereon inside the slotted holes 270 of front plate 210, see figures 6C and 7C, and hooked round edge parts thereof, see figures 6D and 7D. A tongue 370 formed on the underside of claws 300 now comes up against the strip-like edge part 220 of the front plate. The tongue 370 comprises a rivet hole (not shown) which now aligns with a rivet hole 280 in the edge part 225, where a connection is brought about by means of a blind rivet 285, see figure 7E. Strengthening body 350 now protrudes with the proximal outer end through a slotted hole 275 additionally provided in the front plate for this purpose, and now lies loose yet tightly confined between the two flanks of the claw 300 in question.

A locking body 40, see figure 3F, and an associated guide 45 are also separated from a sheet material. Guide 45 comprises a bent strip, see figures 8A-8E, and thereby has an obliquely descending guide surface 46 which connects to a flat tongue 47. Provided in the tongue is a rivet hole which aligns with a corresponding rivet hole in the lower edge part 225 of front plate 210. The two parts are attached to each other by means of a rivet 48, whereby the guide surface extends under the passage 290 for locking body 40. Locking body 40 is placed in the passage in freely movable manner, as shown in figures 3F and 3G.

The thus assembled head piece is arranged over the outer end of floor part 10, as shown in figure 1. The two wings 230 here protrude into the flanks 12 of the floor part and here nestle between walking surface 15 and protruding edge 14 on the underside. The form-locking together with the lower edge part 225 provides a particularly solid and stiff whole. By means of a set of rivets the wings 230 of the head piece are connected to the flanks 12 of the floor part via the rivet holes 280 provided in wings 230 beforehand for this purpose. The upper edge part 220 of the front plate now lies over the sharp edge of walking surface 15 so that it is protected against mechanical impact and a user will not injure themselves thereon.

Figures 8A-8E show successive stages of the placing of floor part 10 on a ledger 2. The floor part is brought with claws 300 to a position above the ledger and lowered onto the ledger, figure 8A. The locking body of the wind lifting protection now comes up against ledger 2 and, when lowered further over the guide surface of the guide, is forced upward in order to make space for ledger 2, figure 8B. Finally, the locking body protrudes beyond the ledger, see figure 8C, and falls back to its original position under the influence of the force of gravity, see figure 8D. The locking body now protrudes under the ledger and so prevents that the floor part can be lifted off the ledger unintentionally, for instance by being blown upward when the wind hits it from below. Manually lifting the locking body and tilting it above the ledger, see figure 8E, enables this locking to the released in simple manner when the scaffolding must be dismantled.

Although the invention has been further elucidated above with reference to only a single exemplary embodiment, it will be apparent that the invention is by no means limited thereto. On the contrary, many variations and embodiments are still possible within the scope of the invention for a person with ordinary skill in the art.