Technical Field

1. The present technology relates generally to scaffolding decks. There are many suitable applications for the present technology, all being related to working at heights, including: suspended or swing set; system; and frame & brace scaffolding. Particular applications to which certain embodiments are also well suited include tube & clamp scaffolding, where decks span between bearers to form a working platform, sometimes with a hatch.

Background

2. Scaffolding decks are known, but they have limitations. They have panels, usually in the form of weather-resistant wood products such as plywood, or aluminium checker plate, mounted on a supporting frame which couples or clamps to bearers at each end. The supporting frame under the deck panel must be assembled onto a pair of spaced-apart stiles or rails. The arrangement takes time to assemble into a deck, and is not particularly strong or reliable over the long term, even while be ing unsuitably heavy.

3. Known deck arrangements require significant investment in repair and mainte nance, or, in bad cases, complete replacement, all of which adds up to a short life- cycle, or a very expensive longer one.

4. Furthermore, as mentioned, the decks can be weak, or even badly variable in strength across the deck surface, in part because of the deck material, and/or the spacing and reliability of frame elements. Holes can form where there is no sup porting frame element, with potentially catastrophic consequences if a worker falls through.

5. Also, scaffolding decks, usually if they are strong, are heavy, which is a disadvan tage when lifting them into place at heights.

6. Finally, the slip characteristics of known deck panels are not particularly good.

7. The present inventor seeks to provide a new scaffolding deck which at least sub stantially ameliorates one or more of the abovementioned disadvantages. At the least, the present technology provides a useful alternative to known apparatus. Summary

8. Broadly, the present technology provides a substantially hollow scaffolding deck panel element.

9. Broadly, the present technology provides a scaffolding deck panel element which includes a plurality of cavities between top and bottom skins. The arrangement is such that the scaffolding deck panel element is of a substantially cellular cross- section. In embodiments, the deck panel element comprises one or more cells.

10. Broadly, in another separate aspect, the present technology provides a scaffolding deck assembly comprising a deck panel fastened to spaced apart rails.

11. The scaffolding deck assembly arrangement is such that the deck panel is fas tened to spaced apart rails with substantially no supplementary support from brac ing or frame being required.

12. Advantageously, the present technology provides a scaffolding deck panel element of substantially similar overall dimensions as a plywood panel, the deck panel in cluding integral framing support, obviating the need for connections to supplemen tary framing support. The arrangement is such that substantially the only fastening required is that between deck panel and side rail.

13. Broadly, the present technology further separately provides a scaffolding deck as sembly comprising a deck panel with integral frame support so as to be fastened to spaced-apart rails.

14. Therefore, in accordance with one aspect of the present technology there is pro vided a substantially hollow scaffolding deck panel.

15. The deck panel includes one or more deck panel elements.

16. In one embodiment, the deck panel includes a plurality of deck panel elements, in use, disposed side by side, along side rails.

17. In one embodiment the deck panel includes a plurality of deck panel elements, which in use are fastened to a portion of a scaffolding sub-frame.

18. The arrangement of the substantially hollow deck panel is high in efficiency, such that much of the deck panel element material, being a top skin and a bottom skin, are spaced from a midline to provide good capacity to resist bending stresses.

19. The arrangement of embodiments also efficiently resists shear stresses, by provid ing one or more webs extending between the top and bottom skins. Torsional stress resistance is also efficiently achieved in embodiments by providing one or more closed cells. In one embodiment the hollow scaffolding deck panel includes a top skin and a bottom skin. In one embodiment one or more webs are provided to connect the top skin to the bottom skin for increased stress resistance. The webs may be in the form of col umns, posts or walls or flanges spaced throughout the panel. The webs may be thick, or thin, and may be of any suitable shape, such as for example, cylindrical, rectangular. The webs may extend along a hollow space between the skins in a straight line, or on a curved path, or suitable other arrangement, to suit a particular stress characteristic. The webs may define long cells extending along the cross section, in between the top and bottom skins. In one embodiment edge webs are provided, disposed at side edges of the deck panel, to provide at least one closed hollow tube or cell extending longitudinally between the skins, from one end to the other. In one embodiment intermediate webs are provided, spaced apart across the deck panel from side to side, to provide a plurality of closed hollow cells or cells, for in creased stress resistance. In one embodiment the top skin is substantially flat and the bottom skin is substan tially flat, to provide a plurality of rectangular hollow section cells or cells, for a low profile deck panel. Advantageously the deck panel, having flat top and bottom skins, takes up a simi lar volume to that of a plywood panel, being roughly 11mm or 13mm thick. This means that the panel may be retrofitted to side rails of an existing but decaying scaffolding deck sub-assembly which may require deck panel replacement, without requiring any framing. In this application the deck panel of the present technology merely relies on the side rails for support. In one embodiment grip regions are provided on the top skin to inhibit slipping by workers working on the deck panel. In one embodiment the grip regions include ribs for increased grip, the ribs extend ing upwardly from the top skin. In one embodiment the ribs extend along the panel from end to end for ease of extrusion. In one embodiment the ribs extend across the panel from end to end. In one embodiment the ribs include one or more angled sides for reduction of stress and/or to facilitate cleaning. In one embodiment the ribs include a flat top to increase resistance to stress and/ or improve stability for workers when standing thereon. In one embodiment the ribs are straight for ease of extrusion. In one embodiment at least some ribs are disposed in an intermediate portion of a closed hollow tube or cell for increased stress resistance. In one embodiment at least some ribs are disposed atop a web, for ease of extrusion, and/or to facilitate stress resistance. In one embodiment one or more fillets are provided, disposed at a joint where a web and a top or bottom skin connect, for stress reduction. In one embodiment the deck panel is fastened directly to deck side rails for sim plicity of manufacture. In one embodiment rivets are provided to fasten the deck panel to the side rails, in use extending between top and bottom skins, for additional strength. In one embodiment the deck panel is fastened to the side rails without a fastening to any cross bracing or support framing. In one embodiment, when the deck panel is fastened to the side rails, there is provided a gap between the deck panel and a cross brace for ease of assembly. In one embodiment the or each deck side rail includes a locator for locating a con necting portion of the deck panel directly therein, for ease of location during as sembly. In one embodiment the locator includes a retaining flange extending from a sup port platform. In one embodiment the locator includes a recess. In one embodiment the locator includes one or more bosses extending from the side rail for cooperation with a recess on the deck panel. In one embodiment the locator includes an angle, channel or suitable recess for receiving the end or edge of the deck panel. In one embodiment the locator includes a boss, spike, rib, or other form for extend ing into a cooperating recess on the end or edge of the deck panel element. In one embodiment the or each deck assembly has a mass of less than 25kg and has a safe working load rating of 250kg. In one embodiment the mass of the deck assembly is 25kg and has a safe working load rating of 400kg. In one embodiment the mass of the deck assembly is 25kg and has a safe working load rating of 450kg. In one embodiment the deck panel elements are oriented so that the cells and ribs extend laterally across the deck, for increased stability and stress resistance. In one embodiment there are provided four hollow cells extending along the deck panel element, for ease of handling during manufacture. In one embodiment the or each hollow tube is about 40mm wide. In one embodiment the or each web is about 1 5mm thick. The or each web may be about 0.5mm, 1mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm thick, and each web may vary depend ing on the distance across the panel from the side edges. In one embodiment the or each top skin is about 1 5mm thick. The or each web may be about 1mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm in various places depending on the ex pected loading and distance from the side edges. In one embodiment the or each rib is spaced on a pitch of about 20mm. In one embodiment the or each rib is about 2mm high. In one embodiment the or each rib is about 1 5mm high. In one embodiment the or each rib is about 2.5mm or 3mm high, and individual ribs may be of different heights and shapes as indica tors to a worker about the location of their feet relative to an edge or a middle, or to suit strength requirements; for example, ribs may be higher or more otherwise bulky, say, thicker, in the intermediate position, half way across the tube, for more bending support at that point. In one embodiment the or each deck panel element is 165mm wide. In one embodiment the or each deck panel element is 200mm wide. In one embodiment the or each deck panel element is between 100mm wide and

750mm wide. In one embodiment each panel is disposed proximal an adjacent panel on the side rails with a gap to facilitate water runoff, which promotes grip, and/or to allow ther mal expansion without increasing stress and buckling. In one embodiment each deck panel element is extruded. In one embodiment the deck panel is a unitary hollow panel with a plurality of cells extending along from one end to the other. In one embodiment each deck panel is constructed from aluminium for durability and/or ease of manufacture, and for having a suitable strength/weight ratio. In one embodiment the aluminium is alloy 6061 for increased stress resistance per unit of mass. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a scaffolding deck assembly comprising: spaced apart side rails; scaffolding bearer receivers disposed on each end of the spaced apart rails; one or more scaffolding deck panel elements to provide a deck, the deck panel elements including integral bracing and being fastened only to the side rails. In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of assembling a scaffolding deck assembly, the method including the steps of: providing a pair of spaced-apart side rails; fastening one or more scaffolding deck panel elements directly to the spaced-apart side rails. In one embodiment the method includes the further step of: forming a support frame by fastening cross-bracing to the spaced-apart side rails, either before or after the scaffolding deck panels are fastened to the spaced-apart side rails, so as to provide a gap between a bottom face of the scaf folding deck panel, and the cross-bracing. In one embodiment the method includes the further step of: providing a locator on the spaced-apart side rails for locating at least end or side portions of the scaffolding deck panel elements. In one embodiment the method includes the further step of locating at least end of side portions of the scaffolding deck panel elements on a locator disposed on the side rails. In one embodiment the method further includes the step of fastening cross bracing between the side rails. In one embodiment the method includes the further step of: extruding the one or more scaffolding deck panel elements. In one embodiment the method includes the further step of: printing the one or more scaffolding deck panel elements. In one embodiment the method includes the further step of: extruding the side rail. In one embodiment the method includes the further step of: printing the side rail. 69. In one embodiment the method includes the further step of: providing ribs on a top surface of the scaffolding deck panel element for extra grip.

70. In one embodiment the method includes the further step of: providing the scaffolding deck panel element with top and bottom skins, separated by a plurality of webs to form a hollow deck panel with one or more lon gitudinally-extending cells or cavities.

71. In accordance with another aspect of the technology, there is provided a side rail for use in a scaffolding deck assembly, the side rail including a side rail web, a base flange, and a locator disposed on a top of the side rail web, the locator being for locating a scaffolding deck element.

72. In one embodiment the locator includes a retaining flange extending from a sup port platform.

73. In one embodiment the support platform is integral with or fastened to a top of the side rail web.

74. In one embodiment the locator includes a recess for receiving a portion of the scaf folding deck element.

75. In one embodiment the locator includes one or more bosses extending from the side rail for cooperation with a recess on the deck panel.

76. In one embodiment the locator includes an angle, channel or suitable recess for receiving the end or edge of the deck panel.

77. In one embodiment the locator includes a boss, spike, rib, or other form for extend ing into a cooperating recess on the end or edge of the deck panel element.

78. In one embodiment the retaining flange and support platform are perpendicular to one another to form a recess for receiving a portion of the deck element.

Advantages

79. Advantageously, embodiments of the apparatus provide a deck panel that is light, durable and strong. Assembling a panel of this kind into a deck assembly is simple and fast, and provides a very long service life and reduced maintenance and re placement costs. Clarifications

80. In this specification, where a document, act or item of knowledge is referred to or discussed, this reference or discussion is not an admission that the document, act or item of knowledge or any combination thereof was at the priority date:

(a) part of common general knowledge; or

(b) known to be relevant to an attempt to solve any problem with which this specification is concerned.

81. It is to be noted that, throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word 'comprise' and variations of the word, such as 'comprising' and 'comprises', is not intended to exclude other variants or additional components, integers or steps.

82. Modifications and improvements to the invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such modifications and improvements are intended to be within the scope of this invention.

Brief Description of the drawings

83. In order to enable a clearer understanding of the technology, a preferred embodi ment of the technology will now be further explained and illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

84. Figure 1 is an end elevation view (rotated 90 degrees so as to be seen standing on its side) of a substantially hollow four-cavity scaffolding deck panel, being an em bodiment of the present technology;

85. Figure 2 is an isometric view from above of a substantially hollow five-cavity scaf folding deck panel, being an embodiment of the present technology;

86. Figure 3 is an isometric view from above of the deck panel shown in Figure 1 ;

87. Figure 4 is an end elevation view of a substantially hollow two-cavity scaffolding deck panel, being an embodiment of the present technology;

88. Figure 5 is an end elevation view of a side rail being a component of the present invention, the end elevation view making clear the location and shape of the loca tor for locating a side portion of the deck panel for direct fastening thereto;

89. Figure 6 is an underside isometric view, including a detail of an end arrangement, of a scaffolding deck assembly, being an embodiment of the present technology;

90. Figure 7 is an underside isometric view, including a detail of an end arrangement, of another scaffolding deck assembly, having a lateral-swinging access hatch; and

91. Figure 8 is an underside isometric view, including detail end views, of another scaf folding deck assembly, having a longitudinal-swinging access hatch. Detailed description of an example embodiment

92. Referring to the drawings there is shown a substantially hollow scaffolding deck panel generally indicated at 1. The deck panel 1 includes a plurality of deck panel elements 10. The deck panel element 10 is first shown in various ways and in vari ous embodiments, independently of any support portions or other deck elements 10, in Figures 1 to 4. The deck panel 1 is also shown assembled, together with other components, to form a scaffolding deck assembly 20, in Figures 6 to Figure 8.

93. To be clear, in this specification, a deck panel 1 may be one large deck element 10, or a plurality of deck elements 10. The size of the deck element 10 does de pend on the size of the extrusion machines available, or printing machines avail able. Usually, as described below, the deck elements are 165mm wide, and all of the embodiments of deck 1 in this specification involve 10 or 15 or 16 deck ele ments 10 to form a deck panel 1 that is 2400 mm long; in that sense, it may be easiest to seek to understand the deck 1 as being a plurality of deck elements 10 assembled side by side. But it is to be understood that any number of deck ele ments 10, including one deck element 10, may be utilised to form a scaffolding deck panel 1.

94. So, to the deck panel 1 itself: the substantially hollow scaffolding deck panel ele ment 10 includes a plurality of cavities 12 disposed adjacent one another, across the width of the panel element 10; between a top skin 14 and a bottom skin 16. The cavities 12 in the scaffolding deck panel element 10 are in the form of cells 13 extending along the cross-section as shown in Figures 1 to 4. There are a plurality of supporting walls 18 of the cells 13, spaced apart, across the width of the cross section to provide the cells 13. The supporting wall 18 is in the form of a web 19 which holds apart the top skin 14 and the bottom skin 16, and extends along the cross-section of the panel element 10 from one end of the panel 11 to the other end 15.

95. The substantially hollow deck panel element 10 is high in efficiency, such that much of the deck panel element material, being the top skin 14 and the bottom skin 16, is spaced from a midline 17 to provide good capacity to resist bending stresses. The top skin 14 and bottom skin 16 is about 1.5mm thick, though it may be 1.0mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, and may vary depending on load and location across the tube 14. Each web, although shown at 1.5mm, they may be about 1mm, 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm in various places depending on the expected loading and distance from the side edges. The panel element 10 also efficiently resists shear stresses, by providing a plurality of the webs 19 extending between the top skin 14 and bottom skin 16. Torsional stress resistance is also efficiently achieved in the panel element 10 by providing one or more closed cells 13 provided by spacing the webs 19 from side 8 to side 9. The webs 19 are about 1.5mm thick, and extend straight along from end 11 to end 15, and the webs also include fillets 7 at their top and bottom, to reduce stress concentrations at the joins with the top skin 14 and bottom skin 16. Each web 19 is spaced about 40mm apart, and there is one panel which has four cells 13, which is about 165mm wide, and another panel has five cells 13, and is about 200mm wide. As shown, the top skin 14 of the panel is substantially flat to provide a flat working platform, and also the bottom skin 16 is substantially flat; the utility being to provide rectangular hollow section cells 13, for a low profile deck panel. Advantageously the deck panel element 10, having flat top and bottom skins, takes up a similar volume to that of the same width portion of plywood panel, being roughly 11mm or 13mm thick (the latter including grip ribs, described below). This means that the panel element 10 may be retrofitted to old assemblies which may require deck panel replacement, by fastening straight to the rails, without the framing that is usually required. The deck panel element 10 basically occupies the same volume as a similar-sized width of old-style plywood panel, but with the unitary and inte grated supports of the deck element 10, it does not need the framing that would be used with the plywood. Turning to other details of the panel element 10: the panel element 10 includes grip regions 24 on the top skin 14 to inhibit slipping. The grip regions 24 are in the form of ribs 25 for increased grip, the ribs extending upwardly from the top skin 14. The ribs 25 extend along the panel from end to end for ease of extrusion, extend ing across the top skin 14 from end 11 to end 15. The ribs 25 further include one or more angled sides for reduction of stress and/or to facilitate cleaning. The ribs 25 further include a flat top to increase resistance to stress and/or improve stability for workers when standing thereon. The ribs 25 are straight for ease of extrusion, and it can be seen that half the ribs are disposed on an intermediate portion of a closed hollow tube for increased stress resistance, and the other half of the ribs are dis posed atop a web 19 to facilitate stress resistance. The ribs 25 are about 2mm high, so as to present grip to a worker, not a trip hazard. To form the panel element 10, it is extruded from aluminium, being of a known al loy, 6061, for increased strength. The panel element 10 may be printed from titani um, or other suitable processes as may become economically available. Turning to the deck assembly 20. The deck assembly 20 includes at least one scaffolding deck panel element 10, and a sub-frame assembly 40 to which the scaffolding is fastened directly. The sub-frame assembly 40 includes a plurality of cross braces 32 and side rails 30, 31 fastened therebetween. The deck panel 1 is configured to be directly fastened to a portion of the sub-frame assembly 40; the portion of the sub-frame assembly 40 to which the deck panel element 10 is fas tened is the spaced apart rails 30, 31. The or each deck side rail 30, 31 includes a side rail web 39 and a locator 35 mounted thereon, for locating side portions 11, 15 of the deck panel element 10, for ease of location during assembly. The locator 35 includes a retaining flange 36 extending from a support platform 37, the latter fastened to or integral with the side rail web 39. The retaining flange 36 and support platform 37 form a recess for re ceiving the side of the deck panel 10. The side rail 30, 31 also includes a strength- ener in the form of a flange 38 at the base of the side rail web 39. It can be seen from Figures 6 to 8 that when the scaffolding deck assembly 20 is assembled, the ends 11 and 15 of the scaffolding deck panels 10 are fastened only to the spaced-apart rails 30, 31 and not to the cross braces 32; indeed a small gap exists between the bottom skin 16 of the hollow panels 10 and therefore there is substantially no supplementary support from the cross-bracing members 32. There may be some flex in the hollow deck under heavy loading so that the deck panel 10 touches the cross bracing 32 under those circumstances, leading to some sup port under heavy load, but it is to be appreciated that there is no need to spend any time during assembly connecting the deck panels 10 to the cross bracing 32 or any other frame members, apart from the side rails. The scaffolding deck panels elements 10 may have 15 cells each and be extruded in one panel 600mm wide, and 2400mm long. Each deck panel 10 would, during assembly, be laid longitudinally along the rails 30, 31, where the sides 8 and 9 would be riveted to the support platform 37 of the locator 35. This would be a deck panel assembly 20 that would be quick to assemble. But it will be appreciated that the scaffolding assembly 20 provides a stronger plat form if the deck panels 10 are laid cross-wise. In this arrangement, each deck panel 10 may have 4 cells 13 or 5 cells 13, and each panel is about 165mm or 200mm wide (though of course may be of any particular and suitable width, limited only by the size of the extrusion or moulding or printing machine available). Each deck panel 10 is only 600mm long (to make a 600mm wide deck assembly 20), and each one is laid cross-wise across the rails 30, 31, so that the ribs 25 and the cells 13 extend laterally across the rails 30, 31. The deck panels 10 could have one, two (Figure 4) three, four (Figures 1 and 3), five (Figure 2), six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen or twenty or other suitable number of cells 13.

106. Ribs for grip are provided. The or each rib 25 is spaced on a pitch of about 20mm and is about 2mm high.

107. Indeed, to make a 2400mm long deck panel assembly 20, there are usually about 15 panel elements 10 laid in total across the sub frame 20 between the rails 30,

31. Of one form of deck, each deck panel element 10 is 600mm long, and two cells wide (Figure 4). For an alternative form of deck, there would be 15 deck panel el ements 600mm long, and four cells wide (Figures 1 and 3). In another alternative there may be 15 panel elements, each being 5 cells wide (Figure 2), 600mm long, laid on (each one placed cross-wise on) the locators 35 of the sub-frame assembly to form a scaffolding deck assembly 20. Sometimes the 165mm width deck ele ments are mixed with the 200mm deck elements, to suit the particular length of the scaffolding panel assembly 20 required. For example, there may be 12 x 165mm width panel elements 10 book-ended by 2 x 200mm panel elements to form a 2400mm long deck panel assembly. A hatch deck may only have 10 x 200 mm width panel elements 10, with a gap at the hatch end left clear for access.

Assembly

108. To fasten the deck panel elements 10 to the side rails, rivets are used, and extend through the ends 11 and 15, between top skin 14 and bottom skin 16, for additional strength and speed of assembly.

109. When assembled, the or each deck assembly 20 (of 600mm width and 2400mm length) has a mass of less than 25kg and has a safe working load rating of about 450kg. This is an appreciably higher safe working load rating than that of known deck assemblies, which is about 225kg, for the same mass.

110. When assembled on the side rails 30, 31 of the sub-frame assembly 40, each deck panel element 10 is disposed proximal an adjacent deck panel 20 on the locators 35 of the side rails with a 1mm gap to facilitate water runoff, which promotes grip for the boots of users, and/or to allow thermal expansion without increasing stress and buckling.

111. To assemble, the panel elements 10 of the scaffolding deck assembly 20 are ex truded, and cut to about 600mm in length, then their ends 11 and 15 are laid into the locators 35 of two side rails 30, 31. The cross braces 32 may have already been bolted onto the walls of the side rails 30, 31, and the bearer receivers 45 also bolted on to the side rails 30, 31.