PRIORITY DOCUMENTS

10001 ] The present application claims priority from Australian Provisional Patent Application No. 2014901861 titled "A JOINER" and filed on 19 May 2014, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

[0002 ] The following publications are referred to in the present application and their contents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety:

International Patent Application No. PCT/AU2013/000855 (WO2014/019029) titled

"FORM WORK SUPPORT ELEMENT" in the name of Form 700 Pty Ltd.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[00031 This disclosure relates to a joiner for use with rigid scaffolding structure for supporting fonnwork for concrete casting purposes. One such rigid scaffolding structure is disclosed in WO2014/019029.

BACKGROUND

[0004 ] A formwork is used in concrete construction to provide a mould or a surface onto which wet concrete can be poured for forming various elements such as floor slabs and beams for example. In the case of floor slabs, it is common for floors of a multi-storey building to be formed sequentially and for formwork to be set out on a preceding floor in order to form the subsequent higher floor.

[0005] Such formwork normally comprises a frame or scaffolding that is used to support elevated forms comprising either lost formwork or fonnwork that can be removed from the concrete slab once the concrete is set. Reusable formwork may comprise aluminium formwork pans which are held at the top of the scaffolding. In addition, sheets or boards may also be used at the top of the framework.

10006] The aluminium formwork pans are nonnally rectangular in planform and have lips or edges extending downwardly from the formwork surface. These aluminium pans can be supported in forks which comprise of four upwardly directed fingers extending from a single vertical support which hold a corner each of four adjoining aluminium pans.

[0007] The scaffolding used to support the formwork is manually assembled from a number of discrete elements. These discrete elements include vertical tubular supports and bracing members which extend between adjacent vertical supports. It is common to provide a scaffold structure comprising four spaced vertical supports arranged in a rectangular plan form with a vertical support at each corner with the necessary bracing between the four vertical supports to hold each of the vertical supports upright. A fork is placed at the top of each vertical support with a screw jack in order to adjust the height of the fork prior to the aluminium formwork pans being put in place.

[00081 Each individual scaffold structure is spaced from adjacent scaffold structures by the width of the aluminium formwork pans so that a single formwork pan can bridge between each scaffold structure.

[0009 ] One such formwork is disclosed in WO2014/019029, which further discloses how some applications will require stacking of scaffold structures.

[0010] It is against this background and the problems and difficulties associated therewith that the present invention has been developed.

[001 1 ] Certain objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.

SUMMARY

[0012] According to a first aspect there is provided a joiner for interposing upper and lower formwork support members to join them, the joiner comprising an upper connector portion and a lower connector portion adapted to locate with respect to the upper and lower formwork support members respectively to thereby connect them, the joiner further comprising at least one brace mount positioned between the upper and lower connector portions, and adapted for connection of at least one bracing member thereto.

[0013] In one fonn, the or each brace mount is adapted for connection of a plurality of bracing members thereto.

[0014] In one fonn, the brace mount comprises a ring comprising a plurality of apertures radially spaced there-around.

[0015] In one fonn, at least one connector portion is adapted for insertion into its respective fonnwork support member. That is to say, at least one connector portion is a male portion.

[0016] In one form, at least one of the connector portions comprises a spigot.

[0017] In one form, both of the connector portions comprise a spigot. [0018] In one form, at least one connector portion is adapted to receive its respective formwork support member. That is to say, at least one connector portion is a female portion.

[0019] In one form, at least one of the connector portions comprises a socket.

[0020] In one form, both of the connector portions comprises a socket.

[0021 ] In one form, at least one connector portion comprises a circular cross-sectional shape.

[0022 ] In one form, both of the connector portions comprise a circular cross-sectional shape.

[0023 ] In one form, at least one connector portion comprises a rectilinear cross-sectional shape.

[0024] In one form, both of the connector portions comprise a rectilinear cross-sectional shape.

[0025] In one form, the upper and lower connector portions comprise a single tube and the brace mount comprises a ring having an aperture that allows the ring to locate over the tube where it is fixed to the tube so as to delineate the tube into the upper and lower connector portions.

[0026] According to a further aspect there is provided a method for using the above described joiner to join upper and lower formwork support members, the method comprising the steps of locating the lower connector portion with respect to the lower formwork support member, and locating the upper connector portion with respect to the upper formwork support member.

10027] In one form, the method comprises the further step of connecting a bracing member to the brace mount.

[0028] According to a further aspect there is provided a formwork support structure comprising upper and lower formwork support members joined by a joiner, the joiner comprising an upper connector portion and a lower connector portion, wherein the upper and lower connector portions are adapted to locate with respect to the upper and lower members respectively to thereby join them, the joiner further comprising at least one brace mount positioned between the upper and lower connector portions, the formwork support structure further comprising a bracing member connected to the brace mount to brace the formwork support structure at the joiner.

[0029] According to a further aspect there is provided a joiner for interposing between an upper and lower formwork support member comprising an upper and lower spigot member, wherein the upper and lower spigot members are adapted to locate into the upper and lower vertical members of a formwork support member to thereby connect the upper formwork support member to a lower formwork support member, the joiner further comprising a locking ring between the upper and lower spigot members.

[0030] In one fonn, the locking ring has a number of apertures formed therein that are radially spaced around the locking ring.

[0031 ] In a further aspect of the invention, the upper and lower spigot members comprise a single tube and the locking ring further comprises a ring having an aperture that allows the ring to locate over the tube where it is fixed to the tube so as to delineate the tube into an upper and lower spigot.

[0032] According to a further aspect there is provided a method for using the above described joiner to join upper and lower formwork support members, the method comprising the steps of locating the lower spigot with respect to the lower formwork support member, and locating the upper spigot with respect to the upper formwork support member.

[0033 ] In one fonn, the method comprises the further step of connecting a bracing member to the locking ring.

[0034] According to a further aspect there is provided a formwork support structure comprising upper and lower formwork support members joined by a joiner, the joiner comprising an upper spigot and a lower spigot, wherein the upper and lower spigots are adapted to locate with respect to the upper and lower members respectively to thereby join them, the joiner further comprising at least one locking ring positioned between the upper and lower spigots, the formwork support structure further comprising a bracing member connected to the locking ring to brace the formwork support structure at the joiner.

[0035] For ease of description, the joiner is described herein in its usual assembled position as shown in the accompanying drawings and terms such as front, rear, upper, lower, horizontal, longitudinal etc., may be used with reference to this usual position. However, the joiner may be manufactured, transported, sold, or used in orientations other than that described and shown here.

[0036] A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the invention is provided below along with accompanying figures that illustrate by way of example the principles of the invention. While the invention is described in connection with such embodiments, it should be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular embodiment. On the contrary, the scope of the invention is limited only by the appended claims and the invention encompasses numerous alternatives, modifications and equivalents. For the purpose of example, numerous specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. [0037] The present invention may be practised according to the claim without some or all of the specific details. For the purpose of clarity, technical material that is known in technical fields related to the invention has not been described in detail so that the present invention is not unnecessarily obscured.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0038] Embodiments of the present invention will be discussed with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0039] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of scaffold structures of the type disclosed in

WO2014/019029, and stacked one atop of the other using dowels;

[0040] Figure 2 is a side view of a joiner according to a first embodiment;

[0041 ] Figure 3 is a plan view of the j oiner;

[0042] Figure 4 is a perspective view of a pair of scaffold structures of the type disclosed in

WO2014/019029, and stacked one atop of the other using a plurality of the joiners of Figures 2 and 3;

[0043 ] Figures 5 and 6 show a joiner installed in an upper and lower leg of a formwork support member;

[0044] Figure 7 is a view of a lower scaffold structure with joiners installed;

[0045] Figure 8 is a view of an upper scaffold structure located on the scaffold structure shown in Figure 7;

[0046] Figure 9 is an isometric view of the joiner of Figure 2;

[0047] Figure 10 is an isometric view of the joiner of Figure 9 in use, joining upper and lower formwork support members;

[0048] Figure 1 1 is an isometric view of a joiner according to a further embodiment;

[0049] Figure 12 is an isometric view of the joiner of Figure 1 1 in use, joining upper and lower formwork support members; and

[0050] Figure 13 is an isometric view of a joiner according to a further embodiment. [0051 ] In the following description, like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the figures.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0052] Referring now to Figure 1, where there is illustrated a pair of scaffold structures 10a and 10b of the type disclosed in PCT/AU2013/000855, joined in a stacked arrangement using dowels (represented with dashed lines) to connect upper and lower formwork support members 1 1 a and 1 1 b, to form a formwork support structure for formwork 19.

[0053] Referring now to Figures 2 through 10, where there is illustrated a joiner 100 for interposing upper and lower formwork support members 1 la and 1 l b to join them, the joiner 100 comprising an upper connector portion 101 and a lower connector portion 102 adapted to locate with respect to the upper and lower formwork members 1 1 a and 1 1 b respectively to thereby connect them, the joiner 100 further comprising at least one brace mount 103 positioned between the upper and lower connector portions 101 and 102, and adapted for connection of at least one bracing member 17 thereto.

[0054] The joiner 100 comprises a length of tube (steel tube in this case), and the brace mount 103 comprises a locking ring 103 located at a midpoint of the tube. The locking ring 103 comprises an aperture 106 sized so that the locking ring 103 can locate over the length of tube and be welded in place. This results in the upper connector portion 101 and lower connector portion 102 being formed above and below the locking ring 103 respectively.

[0055] In use, the upper connector portion 101 comprises a spigot adapted to be received in a lowermost end of the upper formwork support member 1 1 a. Similarly, the lower connector portion 102 comprises a spigot adapted to be received in an uppermost end of the lower formwork support member 1 lb.

[0056] The upper and lower spigots 101 and 102 comprise holes 104 and 105 which, when the upper and lower spigots 101 and 102 are inserted into upper and lower formwork support members 1 1 a and 1 1 b respectively, will align with holes (not illustrated) in the upper and lower formwork support members 1 la and 1 lb, to receive bolts (or pins) to positively fasten the spigots 101 and 102 to the upper and lower formwork support members 1 1 a and 1 1 b respectively.

[0057] As seen in Figure 3, the locking ring 103 comprises a number of apertures radially spaced around the locking ring 103 which will provide a securing point for attachment of bracing elements 17 and various other scaffolding elements as explained in the earlier patent application WO2014/019029. These apertures comprise the shape of a trapezoid having a narrow end radially outermost. While the shape of these apertures need not be so limited, shaping these apertures in this way permits some adjustment of alignment of bracing members 17 (which comprise hooks that will engage apertures) relative to the locking ring 103.

[0058] Figure 4 illustrates a plurality of joiners 100 joining upper and lower scaffold structures 10a and 10b, in a stacked arrangement to form a formwork support structure 19. The upper scaffold structure 10a comprises four upper formwork support members (or legs) 1 l a, and the lower scaffold structure 10b comprises four lower formwork support members (or legs) 1 l b. In use, an uppermost end of each of the lower formwork support members (or legs) 1 lb receives a lower connector portion (spigot) 102 of a joiner 100, and the locking ring 103 holds the joiner 100 in position (whereas a dowel would fall into the lower formwork support member 1 lb), making it much easier to then locate (stack) the upper scaffold structure 10a as shown in Figures 5 and 8.

[0059 ] When in use, the joiner 100 and its associated brace mount (or locking ring) 103 provides an additional and/or alternative point to which scaffolding elements such as hand rails or bracing elements 17 can be secured. Attachment of bracing members 17 to the brace mounts (or locking rings) 103 of the joiners 100 will both stiffen and strengthen formwork support structure 19 at these critical

joining/stacking points, which otherwise are points of vulnerability and weakness for such a structure 19.

[0060] While use of the joiner 100 with scaffold structures 10a and 10b of the type disclosed in

PCT/AU2013/000855 is discussed herein, use of the joiner 100 is not so limited. That is to say, the joiner

100 could be employed with conventional scaffolds or props, in which case the provision of the brace mount 103 may be of increased significance, particularly where the scaffold or prop is otherwise deficient any mounts for bracing elements.

[0061 ] Referring now to Figures 11 and 12, where there is illustrated a joiner 200 according to a further embodiment. Those parts of the joiner 200 which are identical (or near- identical) to corresponding parts shown in the joiner 100 of Figures 1 through 10, will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described again in detail.

[0062] The joiner 200 comprises a tube of such a diameter, that the upper and lower connector portions

101 and 102 are sized to locate over (or receive) the upper and lower formwork support members 1 1 a and 1 lb, rather than locating internally as per joiner 100.

[0063 ] A further alternative, non-illustrated joiner embodiment might comprise one connector portion of a larger diameter, so as to locate over a respective formwork support member, and the other connector portion comprises a smaller diameter, so as to locate within a respective formwork support member. [0064 ] Referring now to Figure 13, where there is illustrated a joiner 300 according to a further embodiment. Those parts of the joiner 300 which are identical (or near- identical) to corresponding parts shown in the joiner 100 of Figures 1 through 10, will be denoted by the same reference numerals and will not be described again in detail.

[0065 ] Joiner 300 is adapted for use with upper and lower formwork support members 1 la and 1 l b of rectilinear (square) cross-sectional shape. Accordingly, the upper and a lower connector portions 101 and 102, and brace mount 103 comprise complementary, square cross-sectional shapes.

[0066] Throughout the specification and the claims that follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the words "comprise" and "include" and variations such as "comprising" and "including" will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers, but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

[00671 The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgement of any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0068] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted in its use to the particular application described. Neither is the present invention restricted in its preferred embodiment with regard to the particular elements and/or features described or depicted herein. It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth and defined by the following claims.