This invention relates to fasteners for cylindrical poles and rails, such as scaffolding poles, and in particular fasteners that are used to secure apparatus such as mesh panels, banners, conduits or cables to cylindrical poles and rails, such as scaffolding poles. This invention also relates to scaffolding systems, and in particular scaffolding systems that use such fasteners to secure mesh panels, banners, conduits or cables to the scaffolding system.

Background of the Invention

Scaffolding systems on buildings are commonly used to display advertising information or decorative panels, such as building wraps. It is common for the advertising information to be displayed using a mesh panel. Such panels may be very large, and may cover the entire surface of the side of a building.

Each mesh panel typically comprises a plurality of eyelets close to its periphery. The mesh panel is fixed to a scaffolding pole of the scaffolding system by threading fixings such as cable ties or bungee type cords through the eyelets and around the scaffolding pole. Typically, the fixings used are single use cable ties or cords which are discarded after use. The process is time consuming and requires many skilled operators.

Often the panel is very large, to provide a continuous image on the panel. As each mesh panel is typically formed of a heavy duty mesh scrim in order to withstand wind loading, the mesh panels can be very heavy, meaning the fixings are subjected to a high loads, which may be increased by wind loads on the scaffolding system. The installation process of the panel may involve specialised lifting equipment as many mesh panels will be reinforced with scaffolding poles already slotted into welded pockets of the mesh panels, which are heavy and difficult to work with.

The high loads on the fixings can cause the fixings to break, and the mesh panel to become detached from the scaffolding pole. This can lead to a "domino effect", causing other fixings to fail and the mesh panel to be become unattached, meaning that the cumulative image can become corrupted. Scaffolding systems also generally include a lightweight plastic mesh, which acts as a safety barrier. The lightweight plastic mesh is generally required to comply with safety requirements, especially when scaffolding erections are near members of the public or highways.

The lightweight plastic mesh is generally not very well tensioned, and subject to failure at individual scaffolding sections. Furthermore, the lightweight plastic mesh is not reusable and is simply discarded after use. The overall visual effect of the scaffolding system can be very poor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved fastener which can be used for securing a panel, for example a mesh screen or an advertising banner, to a scaffolding pole or other pole or rail. It is a further object to provide improved scaffolding system using such a fastener.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved fastener which can be re-used, and can be used to secure fabric panels, mesh panels, cables, conduits, pipes or other items to scaffolding poles or other poles, such that the secured items can also be detached without damage and reused.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a fastener for securing an object to a cylindrical pole, comprising a fastener body adapted to adopt an open configuration for engagement with the cylindrical pole and a closed configuration in which the body extends around a circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole, wherein the fastener body has a cylindrical inner surface adapted to engage with the circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole, and wherein the fastener body has an external surface provided with at least one slot for receiving a fastening means.

The cylindrical inner surface ensures that the fastener engages efficiently with the cylindrical pole, while the open and closed configurations allow the fastener to be readily secured at an intermediate location on a cylindrical pole. The slot allows a panel with a keder strip on its edge to be threaded easily into the fastener, or the fastener to be threaded onto a panel at a corner and slid along the keder strip to the fixing location on the cylindrical pole.

The cylindrical inner surface may be discontinuous. Preferably the cylindrical inner surface subtends an internal angle of more than180°. The cylindrical inner surface may be a circular cylindrical inner surface adapted to engage with a circular cylindrical pole. Alternatively the cylindrical inner surface may be a polygonal cylindrical inner surface adapted to engage with a polygonal cylindrical pole, for example an octagonal pole.

Preferably the slot is a key slot.

Preferably, the slot comprises a substantially cylindrical channel and a neck portion of a width less than the diameter of the cylindrical channel.

Such a shape allows the keder strip to slide relative to the slot in a direction parallel to the keder strip, but prevents the keder strip from being pulled out of the slot in a direction perpendicular to the keder strip. Optionally, the slot comprises a substantially trapezoidal shaped channel.

The pole may be a scaffolding pole or a rail or a post. The post may be a freestanding post or a fixed post, such as a lamp post or sign post. In one aspect the fastener body is a resilient body having an opening in communication with the cylindrical inner surface, wherein the opening is defined by two spaced apart leg portions of the resilient body, wherein in the open configuration the leg portions are urged apart resiliently from their equilibrium position to permit the resilient body to engage with the cylindrical pole, and wherein in the closed configuration the leg portions are closer together than in the open position and at least partially surround the circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole. The resilient body may be substantially U-shaped.

The cylindrical inner surface may be discontinuous. The resilient body may include one or more recesses which each separate adjacent portions of the cylindrical inner surface. The cylindrical inner surface may comprise a plurality of non-cylindrical surfaces arranged to form a generally cylindrical envelope. The non-cylindrical surfaces may be planar surfaces. The recesses may form cavities, each cavity being open at both ends and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface across the fastener body.

The cavity can be used to secure an apparatus such as a conduit or cable or the like to a cylindrical pole, by placing the apparatus in the cavity while the fastener is in the open configuration and securing the apparatus in the cavity in the closed configuration.

A slot may be provided at the end of each leg portion.

In another aspect the fastener comprises first and second body portions. This allows the fastener to be assembled in situ around the cylindrical pole.

In one embodiment, the fastener comprises one or more longitudinal fasteners adapted to secure the first and second body portions to each other when the fastener is in the closed configuration.

In another embodiment, the first and second body portions comprise mutually engaging dovetail portions adapted to permit the first and second body portions to slidingly engage with each other to achieve the closed configuration of the fastener.

Preferably, the first and second body portions are identical in shape and each include one dovetail projecting portion and one dovetail slot portion. This arrangement allows an operative to select any two body portions from a supply of identical portions, and to assemble the two body portions to form a fastener. Preferably, the dovetail projecting portion has a non-uniform cross section along its length in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface, wherein the ends of the dovetail projecting portion have a smaller cross- sectional area than the central portion of the dovetail projection portion.

Alternatively, or in addition, the dovetail slot has a non-uniform cross section along its length in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface, wherein the ends of the dovetail slot portion have a larger cross- sectional area than the central portion of the dovetail slot.

This allows the two body portions to engage readily with each other when they are introduced to each other, since the dovetail slot is larger in cross-sectional area than the dovetail projecting portion at the edge of the fastener. However when the two body portions are fully engaged, the dovetail slot engages tightly with the dovetail projecting portion at the centre of the fastener, since the dovetail slot is substantially the same size in cross-sectional area as the dovetail projecting portion at the centre of the fastener.

Preferably, the fastener further comprises friction enhancing means provided on the cylindrical inner surface. The friction enhancing means prevents the fastener from sliding along a cylindrical pole when it is in the closed configuration.

The friction enhancing means may comprise one or more spaced apart ribs extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface. The friction enhancing means may comprise one or more projections on the cylindrical surface, or dimples, or slots or teeth. The friction enhancing means may be of a different material to the remainder of the fastener, for example a material of higher coefficient of friction. The friction enhancing means may be adapted to allow rotation of the fastener in a first rotational direction about the cylindrical pole when the fastener is in the closed configuration, and to prevent rotation of the fastener in a second opposite rotational direction about the cylindrical pole when the fastener is in the closed configuration.

This allows an operative to rotate the fastener about the cylindrical pole in the first rotational direction to tension a panel, and to release the fastener such that the fastener continues to hold the panel in a tensioned state after release.

Preferably, the fastener comprises at least one cavity, the cavity being open at both ends and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface across the fastener body.

The cavity can be used to secure an apparatus such as a conduit or cable or the like to a cylindrical pole, by placing the apparatus in the cavity while the fastener is in the open configuration and securing the apparatus in the cavity in the closed configuration.

Preferably, the slot extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a scaffolding system comprising:

at least two spaced apart vertical scaffolding poles and at least two spaced apart horizontal scaffolding poles;

a panel having at least one keder strip; and

at least one fastener according to the first aspect of the invention;

wherein the at least one fastener is secured to at least one of the scaffolding poles and secures the mesh panel to the scaffolding pole by receiving the at least one keder strip of the mesh panel inside the at least one slot. At least one fastener may be secured to at least one of the scaffolding poles and may secure the panel to the scaffolding pole by clamping onto the pole a portion of the panel which is wrapped around the pole. Preferably the slot is a key slot. Preferably the panel is a mesh panel.

Preferably, at least one keder strip is provided at each horizontal and/or vertical edge of the panel. Preferably, at least one keder strip is provided at an intermediate position between the vertical and/or horizontal edges of the panel, the keder strip being attached to a rear face of the panel.

In one embodiment, the mesh panel is secured between the vertically spaced apart scaffolding poles by at least one fastener on each vertically spaced apart scaffolding pole so as to form a safety barrier.

Additionally or alternatively, the mesh panel is secured to at least one of the two horizontally spaced apart scaffolding poles by at least one fastener.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a fastener for securing an object to a cylindrical pole, comprising a fastener body adapted to adopt an open configuration for engagement with a cylindrical pole and a closed configuration in which the body extends around a circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole, wherein the fastener body has a cylindrical inner surface defining a recess and adapted to engage with the circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole and to secure an elongate element to the cylindrical pole, and wherein the fastener body has at least one cavity, the cavity being open at both ends and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface across the fastener body, the cavity being in communication with the recess defined by the cylindrical inner surface.

The fastener according to the third aspect may include one or more features of the fastener according to the first aspect. According to a fourth aspect of the present invention there is provided a fastening system comprising a fastener according to the first aspect and a mounting board for attachment to an object to be mounted to a cylindrical pole, wherein the mounting board comprises a keder strip attached to a first face of the mounting board and adapted for engagement with a slot of the fastener, and wherein the mounting board has a second face opposite the first face adapted to be fixed to the object. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a fastener according to a first embodiment of the present invention in the closed configuration;

Fig. 2 shows another perspective view of the fastener of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 shows a front perspective view of first and second body portions of the fastener of Fig. 1 slidingly engaging with each other;

Fig. 4 shows a top perspective view of the first and second body portions of the fasteners of Fig. 1 slidingly engaging with each other; Fig. 5 shows a front perspective view of a body portion of the fastener of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of a body portion of the fastener of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 7 shows a front perspective view of a fastener according to a second

embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 8 shows a top perspective view of the fastener of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 shows a perspective view of a fastener according to a third embodiment of the present invention, engaging with the outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical pole; Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of a fastener according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention securing a mesh panel to a cylindrical pole;

Fig.1 1 shows a plan view of a fastener according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 12 shows a front view of a scaffolding system according to the present invention;

Fig. 13 shows a perspective view of a fastener and the end of a panel secured by the fastener in the scaffolding system of Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 shows a front view of a second embodiment of the scaffolding system according to the present invention;

Fig. 15 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a mesh panel and fastener of the scaffolding system of Fig. 12;

Fig. 16 shows a detailed cross-sectional view of the mesh panel of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 shows a schematic cross-sectional view of a fastener according to the present invention used to secure an item to a pole;

Fig. 18 shows a perspective view of a fastener according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention in the closed configuration; and Fig. 19 shows a perspective view of a fastener according to a seventh embodiment of the present invention in the closed configuration.

Detailed Description of Specific Embodiments

With reference to Figs. 1 to 6, there is shown a fastener 10 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The fastener 10 comprises first and second body portions 12, 14 which are adapted to slidingly engage with each other around the outer circumferential surface of a cylindrical pole. The cylindrical pole may be any cylindrical pole such as a scaffolding pole, lamppost, aerial or signage pole. The fastener 10 is substantially square in cross-section but has curved corners. The fastener 10 is reusable and preferably formed of plastic by injection moulding.

The fastener 10 comprises a cylindrical inner surface 16 that engages with the external circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole (not shown). The diameter of the circular cross section of the cylindrical inner surface 16 can be formed to be slightly wider than the diameter of the cylindrical pole, and frictional ribs (not shown) may be provided on the inner surface 16 to prevent the fastener sliding along the cylindrical pole. Alternatively, the diameter of the cylindrical inner surface 16 can be formed to be slightly less than the diameter of the cylindrical pole, so that the fastener fits around the cylindrical pole with an interference or friction fit.

The fastener 10 further comprises an outer surface 18, and on the outer surface a number of slots 20 are provided. Each slot 20 is formed to receive a keder strip provided on a mesh panel. In the illustrated example the outer surface 18 has a quadrilateral cross section, and slots 20 are provided on each of the four surfaces, so that a keder strip can be attached to any surface. However the outer surface may have other shapes, with more or fewer surfaces. The slots 20 depicted in Figs. 1 to 6 extend across the outer surface 18 of the fastener in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface 16. However, the slots may instead extend across the outer surface 18 of the fastener in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface 16. As can be seen in Figs. 1 to 6, each slot 20 comprises a cylindrically shaped channel 22, and a neck portion 24. The neck portion 24 has a smaller width than the cylindrical channel 22 so that a longitudinal flange of a keder strip can be secured inside the slot 20. Alternatively, the slot 20 may comprise a substantially trapezoidal shaped channel for receiving a keder strip of alternative design. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, as depicted in Figs. 1 to 6, the fastener 10 is provided with first and second slots 20a, 20b on each of the fastener's faces that are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface 16. Slots 20a, 20b on two of the four surfaces of the fasteners can be used to receive the keder strips of mesh panels. While slots 20a, 20b on the other two faces can be used to secure lighting or conduits to the cylindrical pole. The slots 20a, 20b on the other two faces can receive keder strips attached to lighting or conduits.

The two body portions 14, 16 of the fastener 10 include mutually engaging dovetail portions 26. In the embodiment of the invention depicted in Figs. 1 to 6, the fastener 10 has two mutually engaging dovetail portions 26. The mutually engaging dovetail portions 26 allow the first and second body portions 12, 14 to attach themselves to each other around the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole. The dovetail portions 26 are formed such that they allow the first and second body portions 12, 14 to slidingly engage with each other. Each dovetail portion 26 comprises a dovetail projecting portion 28 and a dovetail slot 30 that receives the dovetail projecting portion 28. In the example each body portion 12, 14 has one dovetail projecting portion 28 and one dovetail slot 30. In this embodiment, a slot 20 is formed between the first and second body portions 12, 14 when the dovetail projecting portion 28 is inserted into the dovetail slot 30.

The dovetail projecting portion 28 may have a non-uniform cross section along its length in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface, and the ends of the projecting portion 28 may have a smaller cross-sectional area than the centre portion of the projecting portion 28. This tapering between the centre portion of the dovetail projecting portion 28 and the ends of the dovetail projecting portion 28 makes it easier for an assembler of the fastener 10 to slidingly engage the first and second body portions 12, 14 with each other. Alternatively the ends of the slot portion 30 may have a larger cross-sectional area than the centre portion of the slot portion 30, to achieve the same effect.

As best depicted in Figs. 3 and 4, the first and second body portions 12, 14 are preferably formed to be the same size and shape, and include one dovetail slot 30 and one dovetail projecting portion 28. As the first and second body portions 12, 14 are formed to be the same size and shape it means that only a single manufacturing process is required to construct the fastener 10.

The fastener 10 may include friction enhancing means that are provided on the cylindrical inner surface 16 of the fastener, and this may be one or more spaced apart ribs (not shown) that extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface, or one or more spaced apart ribs that extend around the cylindrical inner surface of the fastener. Alternatively, the friction enhancing means may be one or more dimples, grooves, slots or teeth, or a sheet of friction enhancing material provided on the cylindrical inner surface 16. The friction enhancing means have the effect of increasing the strength of the connection between the cylindrical inner surface 16 and the cylindrical pole.

The fastener 10 may also include at least one cavity 32 in communication with the cylindrical inner surface 16. The cavity 32 can receive one or more conduits, pipes, cables, electrical wiring or similar, and allows the conduit to be safely secured to the cylindrical pole, simply by separating the two body portions 12, 14 to allow access to the cavity 32, placing the conduit in the cavity 32, and then reconnecting the two body portions 12, 14,. To secure the fastener 10 to the outer cylindrical surface of the cylindrical pole, the user first of all positions the first and second body portions 12, 14 such that they are on different sides of the cylindrical pole, and then slidingly engages the first and second body portions 12, 14 with each other, so as to secure the fastener 10 to the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole. The user can then feed the keder strip of the mesh panel through the slot 20 to secure it to the cylindrical pole.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is shown a fastener 100 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The fastener 100 includes first and second body portions 112, 1 14, a cylindrical inner surface 1 16, at least one slot 20 and dovetails 26 as previously described, and shall not be described further.

The cross-section of the fastener 100 is a square with perpendicular corners. The fastener 100 includes cylindrical cavities 134 that are located in each of the first and second body portions 112, 114 and extend through the fastener 100 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface of the fastener 100. The cylindrical cavities 134 are not in communication with the cylindrical inner surface 116.

In Fig. 9 there is shown a fastener 200 according to a third embodiment of the present invention secured to a cylindrical pole 201. The fastener 200 includes first and second body portions 212, 214, a cylindrical inner surface 216, at least one slot 220 on each longer face, at least one slot 222 on each shorter face, and dovetail portions 226 similar to those previously described. The cross-sectional shape of the fastener 200 is an oblong. The fastener 200 does not include any cavities extending through the body portions 212, 214. The slot 222 on each shorter face is formed at the joint between the two body portions 212, 214. Such slots can also be provided in the other embodiments illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8

In Fig. 10 there is shown a fastener 300 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fastener 200 is similar to the fastener 200 described above and includes first and second body portions 312, 314, a cylindrical inner surface 316, and at least one slot 320.

However this embodiment does not include dovetails 26 to attach the first and second body portions 312, 314 together around the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole. Instead, the fastener 300 includes a plurality of fixing cavities 336. The fixing cavities 336 extend in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical axis and towards fixing cavities located in the opposing body portions 312, 314. If the first and second body portions 312, 314 are positioned such that they engage with each other around the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole and the first and second body portions' fixing cavities 336 are aligned, a longitudinal fixing (not shown) of any appropriate type, such as a nut and bolt or a cylindrical clevis and split pin, can be used to secure the first and second body portions 312, 314 together around the outer circumferential surface of the scaffolding pole.

The fastener 300 is depicted with a keder strip 338 located at the periphery of mesh panel 340 threaded through the key slots 320 of the fasteners 300. In Fig. 1 1 there is shown a fastener 400 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The fastener 400 is similar to the fastener 10 described above and includes first and second body portions 412, 414, a cylindrical inner surface 416, at least one slot 420, dovetail slots 428 and dovetail projecting portions 430. In this embodiment, a slot 20 is not formed between the two body portions 412, 414 when the projecting portions 430 are received inside the dovetail slots 428. The fastener 400 also includes friction enhancing means 427 which are a plurality of spaced apart ribs on its cylindrical inner surface 416.

With reference to Fig. 12, there is shown a scaffolding system 400 according to the present invention. The scaffolding system 400 comprises pluralities of

interconnected spaced apart vertical 410 and horizontal 420 poles, which are connected at connection points 422. The pluralities of interconnected spaced apart vertical 410 and horizontal 420 poles form rectangular frame sections 424.

Each rectangular frame section 424 is formed between two connected vertical 410 and horizontal 420 spaced apart scaffolding poles. The corners of each rectangular frame section 424 correspond to the connection points 422 of the two connected vertical 410 and horizontal 420 spaced apart poles.

Connected to each rectangular frame section 422 is a mesh panel 426. The mesh panel 426 is secured to the rectangular frame section 422 using a plurality of previously described fasteners 10 secured to the rectangular frame sections 422. Any of the embodiments of the fastener described herein are suitable.

The mesh panel 426 includes a keder strip 428. The keder strip 428 may be provided on the vertical and/or horizontal edges of the mesh panel 426. In the embodiment of the invention depicted in Fig. 12, the keder strip is only provided on the horizontal edges of the mesh panel 426. The keder strip 428 may also be provided on the rear face of the mesh panel 426. This will be described in more detail below.

To secure the mesh panel 426 to the rectangular frame section 422, a user feeds the keder strip 428 through the slots 20 of the fasteners 10, and secures the keder strip inside the slot 20, and to the fastener 10 secured to the rectangular frame section 422. A plurality of mesh panels 426 can be used to construct a cumulative image in a known way. In the example of Fig. 12 an image of a cross is formed by cross- hatched and blank mesh panels 426a, 426b.

Alternatively each panel 426 may show part of a larger image, so that the whole image is displayed by the complete array of panels. For example the panels may show an image of the portion of the building covered by the scaffolding, so that the overall effect of the panels is can image of the complete building.

It is to be understood that the panels 426 may be of any size. For example in Fig. 12 a single panel 426 may be provided instead of the nine panels shown. Such a panel would be secured along each of its four edges. In addition, intermediate keder strips 628 may be provided to align with the intermediate vertical and/or horizontal scaffolding poles, in the manner described below with reference to Figs. 15 and 16. These intermediate keder strips 628 are attached to the intermediate scaffolding poles 648 by additional fasteners 10.

If the panel does not have keder strips on all its edges, such that it has unfinished edges, these edges may be secured to the scaffolding pole by wrapping the unfinished edge around the pole and securing it with the fastener. The high friction clamping effect of the fastener holds the unfinished edge of the panel securely to the pole.

Fig. 13 shows a method of securing the end of a panel 426 to a fastener 10. The method is simple and makes use of the slots provided in the fastener. The fastener 10 includes first and second slots 420a, 420b on each of its faces parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical inner surface of the fastener 10. To secure the mesh panel 426 to the scaffolding pole 401 the keder strip 428 is threaded forwards through the first slot 420a, folded and then threaded backwards through the second slot 420b. The greater the length of keder strip 428 threaded through the second slot 420b, the greater the anchoring effect on the mesh panel 426. It should be understood this effect may be achieved in the either the horizontal or vertical directions depending on the location of the fasteners 10. By locking or anchoring the end of a panel, the panel can be tensioned by pulling on the opposite end, and then locking the opposite end in the same way.

In Fig. 14 there is shown a second embodiment of the scaffolding system 500. In this embodiment, the scaffolding system 500 includes a mesh panel 530, fasteners 10, and vertically 510 and horizontally 520 spaced apart scaffolding poles, as previously described, and they shall not be described further. In this embodiment, the mesh panel 526 forms a safety barrier 530 for those using the scaffolding system 500. The number of fasteners 10 on each side of the mesh panel 526 can vary. For example there may be 2 or 3 fasteners 10 on each upright pole 510, and fasteners 10 may be arranged every metre or so along the lower edge on the horizontal pole 520. The mesh panel 526 is secured between the vertically spaced apart scaffolding poles 510 by threading the keder strip 528 of the mesh panel 526 through slots 20 of the fastener 10 secured to one of the vertically spaced apart scaffolding poles. The mesh panel 526 may then be secured to the horizontal pole 520 by threading one portion 12 of the fastener 10 onto the lower keder strip of the panel 526 and sliding it along to the required fixing point, where it is fixed to the other body portion 14 of the fastener and to the scaffolding pole 520.

Referring now to Figs. 15 and 16, there is shown a mesh panel 626 of the present invention. The mesh panel 626 includes a keder strip 628 provided on its rear face 638 at an intermediate position between the horizontal and vertical edges of the mesh panel 626. The keder strip 628 comprises a longitudinal flange 640 and an intermediate portion 642 is located between the longitudinal flange 640 and the rear face 638. The intermediate portion 642 is attached to the rear face of the mesh panel 626. It may be attached by a weld, stitching or some other means. The mesh panel 626 can be threaded through the slots 20 of the previously described fasteners 10 and secured to a scaffolding pole.

As depicted in Fig. 15, the mesh panel 626 is also provided with conventional keder strips 629 at the lateral edges of the mesh panel 626. This allows the mesh panel 626 to be attached to both a forward facing fastener 644 and a lateral fastener 646, which are both secured to separate scaffolding poles 648. To secure the mesh panel 626 to the scaffolding system, the keder strip 628 attached to the rear face of the panel is threaded through the slot 20 of the forward facing fastener 646, and simultaneously the conventional keder strip 629 is threaded through the slot 20 of the lateral fastener 646.

Fig. 17 shows the use of a fastener according to the present invention used to connect an object 702, such as a light unit or a sign, to a cylindrical pole 701. The fastening system 700 includes a fastener 10, which may be any one of the previously described fasteners. The fastener 10 in Fig. 17 is shown schematically, and it may include further slots and/or internal cavities. The two body portions 12, 14 making up the connector can be of any appropriate shape.

A keder connector is used to fix the object 702 to the fastener 10. The keder connector comprises a flat, rigid board 742 bonded to the two webs of a keder strip 728, which comprises a fabric strip wrapped around a solid core member and extending from the core member to form two webs. The fabric webs, which in normal use on a panel are bonded to the opposite sides of the panel at the edge of the panel, are instead bonded to the mounting board 742. The mounting board 742 is typically of a rigid plastic.

In use the mounting board 742 is bonded to the rear face of the object 702 to be fixed to the fastener, for example, by using an adhesive or a removable fastening means such as DualLock™.

To secure the object 702 to the fastener 10 secured to the cylindrical pole 701 , the keder strip 728 is simply threaded through the slot 20. The rigidity of the mounting board 742 prevents the keder strip 728 from excessive rotation within the Slot 720 when the keder strip is held within the slot 720. The object secured to the cylindrical 701 pole could be, for example, a fluorescent light or a sign. For example when the fasteners 10 are used as part of a scaffolding system, working lights can be secured to the fasteners, and cables providing electrical power to the lights can be installed within the cavities 32 of the fasteners 10. The fastening system 700 illustrated in Fig. 17 can be used to mount signs or the like to a sign post or rail. It allows an easy and quick method of removably attaching any object to a post or rail.

The fastener of the invention achieves a number of advantages.

Because the fastener described herein secures the mesh panel to a scaffolding pole and is reusable, the fastener reduces the need for a user of the scaffolding system to use cable ties to secure the mesh panel to the scaffolding pole. Because the body portions of the fastener are exactly the same size and shape, only one manufacturing process is required to make the fastener.

Because the fastener can secure the mesh panel to the scaffolding pole to a higher degree by receiving the keder strip of the mesh panel inside the slot of the fastener, the mesh panel is less likely to become detached in part or in whole from the scaffolding pole, leading to a "domino effect" of other mesh panels located beside it becoming detached. Because the fastener includes dovetail portions to secure the two body portions together there is no need for fixings to secure the two body portions together.

Because the mesh panel of the present invention has a keder strip attached to its rear face with an intermediate portion, the image on the mesh panel does not need to be specially printed with vertical or horizontal gaps for conventional keder strips, and the image can be printed on the mesh panel with no gaps.

Some mesh banners of the prior art are single sheet debris falling preventing covers which are not attached to individual sections of the scaffolding system and very labour intensive to install. Advantageously, the scaffolding system of the present invention provides a panel that can be secured to each individual section of the scaffolding system.

It should be understood that the mesh panel common to all embodiments used herein can be used as a safety barrier and/or to display advertising.

It will be understood that the use of the fastener described herein is not limited to securing mesh panels to scaffolding poles. It is capable of securing any object with a fastening means that be received within the slot to a cylindrical pole. For example, the fastener may be used to secure a sign with a longitudinal key shaped protrusion to a sign post.

The invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described, and modifications and alternatives are possible. The shape, material and size of the various components can be modified. In an embodiment of the present invention, the fastener may include first and second body portions, a cylindrical inner surface, a cavity, dovetails or fixing apertures and fixings as previously described. However, this embodiment does not include slots for receiving a keder strip. This fastener is for securing conduits carrying water or electrical wiring to a scaffolding pole. It will be understood that this fastener removes the need for the user of a scaffolding system to use cable ties, which are single use, to secure conduits to scaffolding poles. In an embodiment of the present invention, the fastener may only comprise a single body portion comprising a cylindrical inner surface that engages with the outer circumferential surface of a scaffolding pole. In this embodiment, the fastener can move into an open configuration, in which the fastener is open around the outer circumferential surface of the scaffolding pole, and then into a closed configuration in which the fastener closes around the outer circumferential surface of the scaffolding pole and engages its cylindrical inner surface around the outer circumferential surface of the scaffolding pole. The body portion may be formed of a resilient material that allows the movement of the body portion from the open configuration to the closed configuration and vice-versa.

Examples of two such embodiments are illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19. Fig. 18 shows a fastener 800 comprising a single U-shaped resilient body 802 having an opening 804 in communication with the cylindrical inner surface 806, which in this embodiment comprises three separate portions 806A, 806B, 806C. The fastener 800 is formed as a single injection moulding and has a web 808 connecting two flanges 806, 810 which form the inner 806 and outer 810 surfaces respectively. The opening 804 is defined by two spaced apart leg portions 812 of the resilient body. The legs 812 can deform elastically so that in the open configuration the leg portions are urged apart resiliently from their equilibrium position to permit the opening to clip onto a cylindrical pole. The fastener 800 is then held securely on the pole in a closed configuration, in which the ends 814 of the leg portions 810 engage around the pole and in which the fastener 800 can only be removed by prising the two legs 810 apart and simultaneously pulling the fastener 800 away from the pole. In the closed configuration the leg portions 812 are closer together than in the open position and at least partially surround the

circumferential surface of the cylindrical pole. The spacing between the two ends 814 of the leg portions 810 in an undeformed state is less than the diameter of the pole.

The cylindrical inner surface 806 is discontinuous. The resilient body 802 includes two recesses 816 which each separate adjacent portions 806A, 806B, 806C of the cylindrical inner surface 806. The recesses serve as cavities which can be used to secure an apparatus such as a conduit or cable or the like to a cylindrical pole, by placing the apparatus in the cavity while the fastener is in the open configuration and securing the apparatus in the cavity in the closed configuration.

A slot 818 for receiving a keder strip is provided at the end 814 of each leg portion 810. Additional slots 818 may be provided if required, although it has been found that providing the slots at the end 814 of each leg portion 810 results in a secure system, because any tension transferred from the attached panel to the keder strip in the slot tends to urge the legs 810 together, thereby fixing the fastener 800 more securely in the closed configuration.

The fastener 900 illustrated in Fig. 19 is similar to that illustrated in Fig. 18, except that the cylindrical inner surface 906 is a polygonal cylindrical surface, suitable for fixing around a polygonal pole or rail, in this example an octagonal rail. The cylindrical inner surface 906 comprises a plurality of planar surfaces 906A, 906B, 906C arranged to form a generally cylindrical envelope. Other features of the fastener 900 are similar to those of the fastener 800 illustrated in Fig. 18, and are not further described.

The geometry of the fasteners 800, 900 may be varied. In the illustrated example a web 808, which extends perpendicularly to the flanges 806, 810, connects the two flanges 806, 810 at their centre. The web may be omitted over part or all of the area between the two flanges if the flanges are sufficiently stiff. The inner flange 806 may be contiguous or coincident with the outer flange 810 in the areas around the recesses 816. Other variations are possible, provided that fastener body 802 is a resilient body having an opening in communication with the inner surface 806, wherein the opening is defined by two spaced apart leg portions 812 such that in the open configuration the leg portions are urged apart resiliently from their equilibrium position to permit the resilient body to engage with a pole such as a scaffolding pole, and wherein in the closed configuration the leg portions are closer together than in the open position and at least partially surround the circumferential surface of the pole. The fastener 800, 900 illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19 is particularly suitable for securing unfinished edges of a panel, i.e. those edges which do not have a keder strip, to a pole. The unfinished edges may be secured to the scaffolding pole by wrapping the unfinished edge around the pole and securing it with the fastener 800, 900. The three separate portions 806A, 806B, 806C of the cylindrical inner surface 806 serve to clamp and hold the mesh or film material of the panel in three different places, due to the resilience of the fastener legs 812.

The fastener 10, 800, 900 can of course be used to secure a conduit or cable or the like in the recesses 32, 816 to a cylindrical pole 201 , 401 without using the fastener 10, 800, 900 to secure a panel 340.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the fastener 10, 800, 900 may be rotatable with respect to the circumferential surface of the scaffolding pole. In this embodiment, the fastener may be provided with ratchet means on the cylindrical inner surface of the fastener so as to only allow rotation of the fastener in one direction.

This embodiment of the invention can be used to tension a mesh panel secured by the fastener. This can be achieved, for example, by securing, using at least two rotatable fasteners, a mesh panel to a first horizontal scaffolding pole spaced apart and above a second spaced apart scaffolding pole. If the mesh panel is also fixed to the second spaced apart scaffolding pole and the rotatable fasteners of the first scaffolding pole are rotated, the mesh panel is tensioned, as a portion of the mesh panel is rolled, and held by the ratchet means, around the first spaced apart scaffolding pole.

The ratchet means may be a two part ratchet, a rib arrangement or a sheet of material that only allows rotation in one direction.

It will be understood that the same effect of tensioning the mesh panel can be achieved by providing the rotatable fasteners on the bottom horizontal pole and not the top horizontal pole of each section. Alternatively, the tensioning effect may be achieved by providing rotatable fasteners on one of the vertical poles of each section and not on the other vertical pole.

The mesh panel may be further secured to a scaffolding pole by providing additional known fasteners. For example the fasteners 10, 800, 900 of the invention may be used to attach one, two or three sides of a substantially rectangular panel 340, while the other sides of the panel may be secured by conventional ties or clips.