The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for aligning a scaffolding guard rail above a scaffolding working platform.

Scaffolding is a temporary structure used to help workers access areas of other structures during construction or maintenance that would otherwise be difficult to get to.

There are different types of scaffolding, but one prominent variety is “tube and fitting” scaffolding, which is formed by connecting together various different lengths of tubes (typically made of aluminium or galvanised steel) using separate fasteners (known as fittings) to produce the desired configuration of scaffolding. Because tube and fitting scaffolding is not constrained to fixed connection points, unlike “system” scaffolding which uses tubes with integral connection points, it is highly configurable — i.e. a wide variety of scaffolding structures can be constructed from the same stock of tubes and fittings. However, tube and fitting scaffolding can be more complex and time consuming to erect than system scaffolding.

A typical tube and fitting scaffolding structure 2 is shown in Figure 1 adjacent a wall 3 that is under construction. The scaffolding structure 2 is formed from four vertical “standards” 4, two horizontal “ledgers” 6 that run between the standards 4 parallel to the wall 3, and a series of horizontal “transoms” 8 that connect perpendicularly between the ledgers 6 and are used to support one or more horizontal working platforms 10 on which workers can stand to access the wall 3. The standards 4, ledgers 6 and transoms 8 are connected using standard scaffolding fittings such as couplers and other fasteners (not shown in Figure 1). The working platforms 10 are typically formed from one or more wooden boards placed on top of the transoms 8.

For safety, the working platform 10 is provided with guard rails 12, 13, connected between the standards 4 using scaffolding fittings, to enclose the working platform 10 and prevent falls, and with vertical toe boards 14 to help prevent objects falling off the working platform 10. The guard rails 12, 13 must be positioned at heights above the working platform 10 which effectively prevent falls, and these heights are thus often subject to strict regulation. For instance, the Health and Safety Executive in the United Kingdom currently requires that each working platform should have a top guard rail 12 at least 950 mm above the working platform 10, and an intermediate rail 13 no more than 470 mm below the top guard rail. In the United States, the Safety and Health Regulations for Construction specify that top rails 12 must be between 38 inches (0.9 meters) and 45 inches (1.2 meters) above the working platform 10, with mid rails 13 installed approximately midway between the top edge of the guard rail 12 and the working platform 10.

It can be time consuming to install the guard rails 12 correctly, requiring a scaffolder to measure the correct heights for the guard rails 12, 13 and mark these on each standard 4, then attach a scaffolding fitting to each standard at these locations, before attaching the guard rails 12, 13 to the fittings and then making adjustments where necessary to ensure the guard rails 12, 13 are properly square and level and at the required heights. This can significantly slow the construction process, especially because a scaffolder or other worker cannot begin to work atop a working platform 10 (e.g. to start to construct a higher working platform further up the standards 4), without the use of a harness, until at least one guard rail 12 is in place.

The present invention seeks to provide a faster approach to assembling guard rails.

From a first aspect, the invention provides a tool for aligning a scaffolding guard rail above a scaffolding working platform, the tool comprising: a shaft; a support bracket extending from the shaft for supporting a scaffolding guard rail; and a fastener extending from the shaft for use in fastening the tool to a scaffolding standard, wherein the shaft comprises an alignment feature separated from the support bracket by a distance corresponding to a predetermined height for the scaffolding guard rail above a scaffolding working platform when the alignment feature is aligned with the scaffolding working platform. Thus, the invention enables a guard rail to be installed on a scaffolding structure with the correct alignment more quickly and easily than traditional approaches. A worker can simply align the tool with a working platform using the alignment feature, fasten the tool to a standard and then lift a guard rail onto the support bracket, without requiring manual measurement of guard rail positions. A speed improvement of 10-15% or more may be achievable compared to conventional approaches for aligning a scaffolding guard rail above a scaffolding working platform. Furthermore, at least some of the steps of the simplified guard rail installation process may be carried out by an non-specialist rather than a skilled scaffolder.

A single tool may on its own provide some time savings, e.g. by facilitating quicker alignment of fittings on a standard. However, when using a single tool, a worker may still need to use a human assistant and/or separate fittings, e.g. to support one end of the guard rail to a standard while the tool supports the other end. Further time savings are possible when using two or more such tools together to align a guard rail. In particular, a first tool may be used to align and support a first point of the guard rail (e.g. proximal one end of the guard rail) at the predetermined height above the working platform, while a second tool is used to align and support a second point of the guard rail (e.g. proximal the other end of the guard rail) at the predetermined height above the working platform, thereby ensuring that the whole guard rail is at the predetermined height.

Thus, from a second aspect, the invention provides a system for aligning a scaffolding guard rail above a scaffolding working platform, the system comprising a first tool as disclosed herein and a second tool as disclosed herein, wherein the respective alignment features of the first and second tools are separated from the respective support brackets by distances that correspond to a common predetermined height for the scaffolding guard rail above the scaffolding working platform.

The shaft may be elongate and may define an axis for the tool. It may be straight, although this is not essential. The support bracket may extend outwardly from the shaft. It may extend radially outward from the shaft. It may be substantially planar. The support bracket may comprise a support member, which may have a support surface, for supporting the scaffolding guard rail. The support surface may be perpendicular to the shaft, such that the support surface is substantially horizontal when the shaft is vertical.

In some embodiments, the support bracket comprises a retaining member, such as a rod or lip, which may be upturned in use and/or be at an angle to the support surface (such as parallel to the shaft), and which may be distanced from the shaft, for retaining a guard rail on the support bracket (e.g. so that the guard rail cannot roll off the bracket under a horizontal force when the shaft is vertical). This may reduce the likelihood of the guard rail falling off the supporting bracket during use, and may also aid installation of the guard rail by helping the user to locate a scaffolding tube on the support bracket. Although a retaining member of any height may help to retain the guard rail on the support bracket, in some embodiments the retaining member has a height of at least half the diameter of a scaffolding guard rail (e.g. approximately 25 mm for a guard rail formed of a standard scaffolding tube of approximately 50 mm in diameter) above the support surface, and preferably has a height equal to or at least one or more times the diameter of a scaffolding guard rail (e.g. 50 - 150 mm or more, e.g. approximately 106 mm). It may be distanced from the shaft by at least the diameter of the scaffolding guard rail — e.g. by at least 50 mm, such as being approximately 150 mm from the shaft.

The fastener may comprise a coupling device (e.g. a scaffolding fitting such as a half coupler), for coupling to a scaffolding tube (e.g. by clamping around the tube). The coupling device may be connected (e.g. by welding) to the shaft, permanently or removably. However, in some embodiments, the fastener may comprise means (e.g. a threaded rod or bar, which may be welded to the shaft) for receiving a separate coupling device (e.g. a half coupler) for coupling to a scaffolding tube, whereby the coupling device need not necessarily be an element of the tool itself (e.g. potentially being supplied separately).

The fastener may be arranged to space the shaft away from a standard when the tool is fastened thereto. For instance, the fastener may comprise a coupling device (e.g. a half coupler) connected to the shaft via a spacer (e.g. a rod or bar); this may allow room for other nearby components when the tool is fastened to a standard.

The shaft may comprise or be made substantially or wholly of metal, such as aluminium or galvanised steel. The shaft may be hollow. The shaft may comprise a tube, for instance a length of scaffolding tube, which may be a standard scaffolding tube (e.g. with a diameter of approximately 50 mm and/or a wall thickness of approximately 3 - 5 mm). Metal scaffolding tube may be a particularly suitable choice for the shaft as it is relatively lightweight, suitable for welding (e.g. to attach other components of the tool) and is already manufactured in large volumes. It also has known performance characteristics, so may help to ensure the tool adequately supports the guard rails.

The shaft may extend past the support bracket. The support bracket may extend outwardly from a point away from an upper end of the shaft. In such embodiments, a portion of the shaft extending past the support bracket may help with locating and/or retaining a guard rail on the support bracket. In embodiments also featuring a retaining member at a position away from the shaft, the shaft and the retaining member may together confine a guard rail on the support bracket in at least one direction (e.g. along an axis radial to the shaft).

In some embodiments, the support bracket is arranged to support an upper guard rail, and the distance separating the alignment feature from the support bracket corresponds to a predetermined height for an upper scaffolding guard rail above the scaffolding working platform. The distance separating the alignment feature from the support bracket may correspond to a guard rail height of at least 600 mm, 700 mm, 800 mm, 900 mm, 950 mm or even 1000 mm or more above the working platform. The distance may correspond to a guard rail height of at most 1300 mm, 1200 mm or 1000 mm. In some embodiments, the distance separating the alignment feature from the support bracket corresponds to a guard rail height of between 940 mm and 960 mm, e.g. approximately 950 mm, above the working platform. In some embodiments, the distance corresponds to a guard rail height of between 38 inches (approximately 965 mm) or 0.9 meters, and 45 inches (1143 mm) or 1.2 meters. In some embodiments, the support bracket is arranged to extend horizontally when the tool is fastened to a vertical standard. For instance, in an embodiment where the shaft and the fastener are arranged such that the shaft extends substantially parallel to a standard when the tool is fastened thereto, the support bracket may extend substantially perpendicularly to the shaft such that it provides horizontal support when the tool is fastened to a vertical standard. However, in some embodiments, the support bracket may provide non-horizontal support when the tool is fastened to a vertical standard. For instance, in embodiments where the shaft is vertical when fastened to vertical standard, the support bracket may extend at an oblique angle to the shaft (e.g. so that the shaft and support bracket form a “Y” shape). This may help with installation and retention of a guard rail on the support bracket.

In some embodiments the support bracket comprises or is made substantially or wholly of metal. The support bracket may comprise a hollow tube or a solid rod, e.g. with a diameter of approximately 12 mm. The support bracket may be welded to the shaft. The support bracket may comprise one or more reinforcing structures. For instance, the support bracket may comprise a reinforcing strut which extends between the shaft and the support bracket (e.g. to a point on the support bracket away from the shaft) to provide additional strength and rigidity to the support bracket. The reinforcing strut may be linear and may extend obliquely at an angle of between 5° and 85° to the shaft, e.g. at an angle of approximately 40° to the shaft.

In some embodiments, the tool comprises a second support bracket, which may have any of the features of the first support bracket. It may extending from the shaft for supporting a second scaffolding guard rail — e.g. an intermediate or mid rail. The second support bracket may be separated from the alignment feature by a second distance corresponding to a predetermined height for a second scaffolding guard rail above the scaffolding working platform. The second support bracket may be constructed similarly to the first support bracket. It may have any of the same features as the first support bracket. In particular, the second support bracket may comprise a retaining member at a position away from the shaft, for retaining the second guard rail on the second support bracket. In some embodiments, the first support bracket is an upper support bracket for supporting an upper guard rail, and the second support bracket is a lower support bracket for supporting a lower guard rail. In such embodiments, the second distance (that separates the alignment feature from the lower support bracket) may be smaller than the distance separating the alignment feature from the upper support bracket. The upper and lower support brackets may be separated sufficiently to allow a guard rail to be positioned on both support brackets. The upper and lower support brackets may have respective support members or support surfaces that are separated by more than 50 mm but less than 470 mm or 600 mm, such as by a distance between 250 and 300 mm, e.g. approximately 275 mm. The upper and lower support brackets may be radially aligned - i.e. the support brackets or support members may extend from the shaft in a common direction. This can facilitate the support of guard rails located above one another. Both brackets may be substantially planar and lie in a common plane. In examples where the upper and lower support brackets are aligned, a reinforcing strut for the upper support bracket may help a user to guide a guard rail onto the lower support bracket.

The alignment feature may comprise an alignment surface or an alignment mark that is separated from the support bracket, or a support surface thereof, by a distance corresponding to the predetermined height for the scaffolding guard rail above the scaffolding working platform.

The alignment feature, or an alignment surface thereof, may be located at or near an end or base of the shaft (e.g. between 20 mm and 50 mm from a base of the shaft, such as approximately 31 or 32 mm from the base of the shaft). The alignment feature may be configured to be aligned with the working platform when the alignment feature or alignment surface is adjacent or level with or in contact with the working platform (e.g. an upper surface of the working platform) or a structure associated with the working platform such as a ledger or transom or other support tube for supporting the working platform.

In some embodiments the alignment feature may comprise the base of the shaft, such that aligning the alignment feature with a working platform may comprise aligning the base of the shaft with the working platform (e.g. by placing the base of the shaft adjacent or against, such as on top of) the working platform or an associated structure (such as a ledger or transom for supporting the working platform). An end of the shaft may thus define an alignment surface.

In some embodiments, the alignment feature may comprise a marking on the shaft (e.g. inked or etched or embossed or stuck onto the shaft). A user may align the mark with the working platform or an associated structure.

In some preferred embodiments, the alignment feature comprises a protrusion (e.g. a peg) extending from the shaft, e.g. perpendicular to the shaft. The protrusion may provide an alignment surface (e.g. on its lower face), which may be placed adjacent or against, such as on top of, a working platform or associated structure to align the tool. Such an arrangement may facilitate particularly quick and accurate alignment. The protrusion may extend at least 10 mm from the shaft and may extend up to 100 mm or further from the shaft. In one set of embodiments the protrusion extends approximately 84 mm from the shaft. Unlike when using the base of the shaft for alignment, a protrusion can allow the tool to be aligned with the working platform, with the shaft spaced away from the working platform, which may be advantageous in some situations. The protrusion may be welded to the shaft. It may be cylindrical. It may be a hollow tube or solid rod. It made substantially or wholly of metal.

In some embodiments, the tool is suitable for aligning a tube and fitting scaffolding guard rail.

From a further aspect, the invention provides a method of aligning a scaffolding guard rail for a scaffolding structure, wherein the scaffolding structure comprises a plurality of standards supporting a scaffolding working platform, the method comprising: fastening a first tool as disclosed herein to a first standard of the plurality of standards such that the alignment feature of the first tool is aligned with the scaffolding working platform; and positioning a guard rail on the support bracket of the first tool, whereby the first tool supports the guard rail at the predetermined height above the scaffolding working platform. The first tool may support a first end of the guard rail. The other end of the guard rail may be held manually by a human worker and/or may be fastened to another standard using one or more conventional fittings, such as a double coupler, or in any other suitable way.

However, in some preferred embodiments, the method further comprises: fastening a second tool as disclosed herein to a second standard of the plurality of standards such that the alignment feature of the second tool is aligned with the working platform.

The step of positioning the guard rail may then comprise positioning the guard rail on the support brackets of the first and second tools, to provide a guard rail for the working platform at the predetermined height above the scaffolding working platform.

In some embodiments, the scaffolding structure comprises tube and fitting scaffolding. In some embodiments, the guard rail comprises a scaffolding tube.

In some embodiments, the method further comprises fastening the guard rail to one or more of the standards, e.g. using a standard scaffolding fitting, such as a double coupler. In some such embodiments, the method further comprises subsequently removing one or both of the tools, which may be done while leaving the scaffolding structure intact. However, in other embodiments, the tools may be left in place until the scaffolding structure is dismantled.

Features of any aspect or embodiment described herein may, wherever appropriate, be applied to any other aspect or embodiment described herein. Where reference is made to different embodiments, it should be understood that these are not necessarily distinct but may overlap.

One or more non-limiting examples will now be described, by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective diagram of a conventional tube and fitting scaffolding structure; Figure 2 is a side elevation view of a tool according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the tool shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is a side elevation view of the tool of Figure 2 with dimensions;

Figure 5 is a perspective diagram of a pair of the tools shown in Figures 2 and 3, in use during the erection of a tube and fitting scaffolding structure.

Figure 1 shows a conventional tube and fitting scaffolding structure 2 with a working platform 10, as already described.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a tool 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a tubular shaft 102, an upper support bracket 104, a lower support bracket 114, a fastener 112, and an alignment peg 122.

Figure 4 shows exemplary dimensions of the tool 100, in millimetres. Of course, this is just one example, and other sizes of tool may be produced, e.g. to satisfy different national regulations.

The upper support bracket 104, lower support bracket 114, and alignment peg 122 all extend outward from the shaft 102 at a common radial angle, but at different points along the shaft 102 such that the lower support bracket 114 and alignment peg 122 are located directly below the upper support bracket 104, with the alignment peg 122 below the lower support bracket 114, when the shaft 102 is held vertically.

The upper support bracket 104 comprises an upper support rod 107 which extends perpendicularly outward from the shaft 102, and a retaining rod 108 which extends upward from a distal end of the support rod 107, parallel to the shaft 102. The upper support bracket 104 further comprises a reinforcing strut 110, which runs between the shaft 102 and a support point near the distal end of the support rod 107, at an angle of approximately 40° to the shaft 102, to provide additional strength and rigidity to the upper support bracket 104. The support rod 107 and retaining rod 108 may be made from two separate pieces, or from a single piece of solid rod or hollow tubing, which may be bent at approximately 90°. Similarly, the lower support bracket 114 comprises a lower support rod 117 which extends perpendicularly outward from the shaft 102, and a retaining rod 118 which extends upward from a distal end of the lower support rod 117, parallel to the shaft 102. The lower support bracket 114 further comprises a reinforcing strut 120, which runs between the shaft 102 and a support point near the distal end of the support rod 117, at an angle of approximately 40° to the shaft 102, to provide additional strength and rigidity to the lower support bracket 114. The support rod 117 and retaining rod 118 may be made from two separate pieces, or from a single piece of solid rod or hollow tubing, which may be bent at approximately 90°.

The scaffolding tool 100 also comprises a fastener 112 formed of a scaffolding half coupler 113 welded to one end of a spacer bar 115, with the other end of the spacer bar 115 being welded to the shaft 102 so as to extend radially outward from the shaft 102.

The fastener 112 is designed for releasably fastening the tool 100 to a standard 4 of a scaffolding structure 2, by bolting the coupler 113 around the standard 4. The position and orientation in which the fitting 113 and the spacer 115 are welded ensure that, when the tool 100 is fastened to a standard 4, the tubular shaft 102 extends parallel to the standard 4. When the standard 4 is vertical the shaft 102 is therefore also vertical, and the upper and lower support rods 107, 117 extend horizontally (i.e. perpendicular to the standard 4). The spacer 115 spaces the coupler 113 away from the shaft, to allow room for other fittings or components nearby (e.g. connected to the same standard).

The alignment peg 122 is a short metal bar extending outwardly from and perpendicularly to the shaft 102, aligned with the upper and lower support brackets 104, 114. The alignment peg 122 extends approximately 85 mm from the shaft and is approximately 14 mm thick.

The shaft 102 may be made of galvanised scaffold tube (e.g. to BS EN 39 type 34) or of high tensile steel tube (e.g. to BS EN 10210-1). It may comply with a relevant specification for scaffolding standards or other scaffolding tubes. As shown in Figure 5, a pair of these tools 100 can be used when erecting a scaffolding structure 200. The scaffolding structure 200, which is shown in Figure 5 partway through erection, comprises four vertical standards 4, two horizontal ledgers 6 that run between the standards 4, and a series of horizontal transoms 8 that connect between the ledgers 6. Wooden boards are placed on top of the transoms 8 to form a working platform 10. Although not shown in Figure 5, the standards 4, ledgers 6 and transoms 8 are connected together with standard scaffolding fittings such as couplers.

A pair of scaffolding tools 100, 100’ as described above are used to align and support a guard rail 12 above the working platform 10. First, the tools 100, 100’ are fastened to respective standards 4 at either end of the working platform 10, with their alignment pegs 122, 122’ resting on top of the working platform 10. A guard rail 12 can then be lifted on to the upper support brackets 104, 104’ of the tools 100, 100’. The horizontal support rods 107, 107’ bear the weight of the guard rail 12, while the vertical retaining rods 108, 108’ prevent the guard rail 12 from rolling off the support rods 107, 107’.

Because the tools 100, 100’ are aligned to the working platform 10 using the bottom surface of the alignment pegs 122, 112’, and the separation of the top surface of the upper support brackets 104, 104’ from the alignment pegs corresponds to a predetermined height for the upper guide rail 12 (in this example, approximately 950 mm), as soon as the guard rail 12 is lifted on to the upper support brackets 104, 104’, it is immediately aligned level at the correct height above the working platform 10, without requiring further adjustment. Although not shown in Figure 5, a second lower guard rail 13 may also similarly be lifted onto the lower support brackets 114, 114’.

While the brackets 104, 104’, 114, 114’ of the pair of tools 100, 100’ retain guard rails 12, 13 securely under gravity, and can resist horizontal forces as may be created if a worker were to lean on or fall against a guard rail 12, 13, it may nevertheless be desired in some situations to secure the guard rails 12, 13 further by using fixing them directly to one or both of the scaffold standards 4, e.g. using double coupler fittings. If this is done, the tools 100, 100’ can then potentially be removed and reused for aligning further guard rails on the same scaffolding structure.

Alternatively, one or both tools 100, 100’ could be left in place until the scaffolding is dismantled. In this case, the guard rails 12, 13 may, if desired, be fastened to the shafts 102, 102’ of the tools 100, 100’ using separate fittings, e.g. double coupler fittings, so as to hold them more rigidly in place, and to resist upward forces, as well as horizontal and downward forces.

For longer guard rails, one or more further tools could be positioned at additional points along the guard rail.

Although the shaft 102 of the depicted embodiment 100 is straight, in alternative embodiments, a tool may have a shaft that includes one or more bends, curves or forks.

Variations of the tool may have any number of support brackets — e.g. just one bracket, two brackets (as shown), or three or more brackets.

The alignment peg could be replaced by an alternative alignment feature, such as a protruding plate or other structure, or a mark (e.g. notch or inking) on the shaft of the tool.

While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.