"SUPPORT DEVICE FOR MAKING FORMWORKS FOR FLOORS OR SIMILAR

BUILDING STRUCTURES"

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a support device for making formworks for floors, or similar building structures, comprising a prop consisting of a pair of vertical elements, one of which is able to slide inside the other and can be clamped thereto, in order to define the overall height of the prop, according to the formwork to be achieved. The outer element is shaped so as to cooperate with an anti-rotation member, associated with the inner element, to prevent the latter from rotating with respect to the outer element, while leaving it free to slide axially with respect thereto. Moreover, on the top plate of the sliding element a shaped head can be applied to support and position the horizontal girders and/or panels. The horizontal girders, in turn, are provided with ridged elements in order to keep the horizontal panels which define the formwork in position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Known support devices for making formworks for floors or similar building structures normally comprise a plurality of vertical props, adjustable in height, at the top of which support heads are mounted, on which the ends of bearing girders can be attached, disposed in a reticulate; a plurality of horizontal panels, which define the supporting plane of the formwork to be achieved, are mounted on said girders. To be more exact, each known prop consists of two metal elements, one fixed and of the female type, and one of the male type, inserted axially into the fixed one and mobile vertically with respect thereto. The adjustment of the

vertical position of the upper element with respect to the lower one is obtained by means of a threaded ring nut, or hand wheel, which engages in a corresponding threading made in the outer part of the male element. To prevent the male element from rotating with respect to the female one, it is known, from the European patent EP-B-0553666, to shape the male element so that its threading is formed by four vertical threaded segments, offset angularly to each other by 90° and protruding with respect to the central cylindrical wall, to be disposed in corresponding four longitudinal cavities of the female element. In turn, the female element is shaped so as to have a polygonal cross section which defines said four longitudinal cavities, distanced angularly by four longitudinal protuberances disposed between the four vertical threaded segments.

This known device, however, has the disadvantage that it is somewhat complex to make, and therefore expensive.

One purpose of the present invention is to achieve a support device for making formworks for floors or other building structures, which is very simple both to make and also to use.

In known support devices, furthermore, the support heads, disposed on the upper part of the prop, are provided with rather complex attachment elements, such as for example those described in the European patent EP-B-0685022, in which said attachment elements comprise a stop element above which the bearing girder must be raised, after it has been inclined, during dis-assembly. These known support heads are therefore not very functional. Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve a support device for making formworks for floors or other building structures in which the support heads comprise attachment elements for the bearing girders that are simple

to make, functional and safe.

Normally the coupling of the upper part of the vertical prop and the relative support head must be simple and quick, but also safe, in order to guarantee safety at work. From the European patent EP-B-0670945 a coupling is known, made by means of an oscillating pawl, which is pivoted on a lower extension of the support head and is loaded by a spring in order to clamp the head, engaging with an upper plate of the prop. However, this known embodiment has the disadvantage that the oscillating pawl is completely inserted in a hollow of the support head, and therefore it is difficult to unclamp, and preferably requires the aid of an appropriate tool.

Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve a support device for making formworks for floors or other building structures, wherein the coupling and clamping of the support heads on the upper part of the vertical props is done simply and safely, and that the clamping is simple and quick too. Another feature of known support devices concerns the positioning of the horizontal panels with respect to the bearing girders. To be more exact, from the European patent EP-B-0670944 it is known to provide, on the edges of the upper part of the girders, two rows of protrusions, where the two rows are disposed at a distance from each other equal to double the thickness of a stop element disposed on the lower side of each panel. Moreover, the distance between the protrusions of each row corresponds to the lateral length of each panel or a fraction of said length. The presence of protrusions that have to perform a double function, that is, centering the panels both laterally and transversely with respect to the bearing girders, makes the device rather complex and expensive.

Another purpose of the present invention is to achieve a support device for making formworks for floors or other building structures, wherein the coupling of the bearing girders and the horizontal panels is simple to achieve and at the same time offers great reliability and safety.

The Applicant has devised and perfected the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is set forth and characterized essentially in the main claims, while the dependent claims describe other innovative characteristics of the invention.

The support device for making formworks for floors or other building structures according to the present invention comprises a first vertical support element of tubular shape and having a wall disposed around a longitudinal axis (X) _/ substantially vertical, which defines an axial cavity, inside which a second vertical support element is able to be inserted, so that it can slide axially with respect to said first vertical support element.

According to a characteristic feature of the present invention, on the wall of the first vertical support element at least two vertical guides are made, which extend radially towards the outside of said wall, on opposite sides with respect to the longitudinal axis (X), and an anti-rotation means is provided to be coupled with said second vertical support element, in order to be disposed at least partly in said vertical guides and to prevent the rotation of said second vertical support element with respect to said first vertical support element, while still permitting said second vertical support element to move axially with respect to said first vertical support

element.

According to another characteristic of the present invention, in the upper part of said second vertical support element a support head is able to be mounted, provided with at least a pair of attachment elements, protruding on opposite sides with respect to the longitudinal axis (x) and able to cooperate with the ends of horizontal bearing girders which in turn are able to support a plurality of panels, horizontal, for forming said formworks. To be more exact, said attachment elements are advantageously inclined towards the outside, with respect to the longitudinal axis (x), by a determinate angle (α) and are uniformly tapered from the base to the periphery, where they end rounded. According to another characteristic of the present invention, said support head can be selectively coupled with said upper part of the first element by means of a pawl able to slide linearly and having an upper part constantly accessible from the outside. According to another characteristic of the present invention, said bearing girders are provided on the upper edges with groups of protrusions, aligned with each other, so that each of said groups comprises at least a first protrusion, high enough to collaborate with said panels in order to center them and hold them in a direction perpendicular to said bearing girders, and a second protrusion, of a substantially lesser size with respect to said first protrusion and able to collaborate with said panels in order to center them and hold them in a direction parallel to said bearing girders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a

preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a lateral view, partly exploded, of a prop of the device according to the present invention; - fig. 2 is a perspective view of some components of the prop in fig. 1;

- fig. 3 is a first cross section of the prop in fig. 1;

- fig. 4 is a second cross section of the prop in fig. 1;

- fig. 5 is a perspective view of the support head of the device according to the present invention, in a first working condition;

- fig. 6 is a perspective view of the support head in fig.

5, in a second working condition;

- fig. 7 is a lateral view, partly in section, of a detail of fig. 5;

- fig. 8 is a lateral view, partly in section, of a detail of fig. 6;

- fig. 9 is a lateral view of the support head in fig. 5, in a third working condition; - fig. 10 is a section from X to X of fig. 9;

- fig. 11 is an enlarged detail of fig. 10;

- fig. 12 is a lateral view of a bearing girder of the device according to the present invention;

- fig. 13 is a perspective view of two ends of bearing girders associated with a support head, in a first working condition;

- fig. 14 is a perspective view of two ends of bearing girders associated with a support head, in a second working condition; - fig. 15 is a lateral view of a complete bearing girder and of two ends of two bearing girders associated with two support heads;

- fig. 16 is a section from XVI to XVI of fig. 15;

- fig. 17 is the enlarged detail A of fig. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERENTIAL FORM OF EMBODIMENT OF THE

INVENTION

With reference to figs. 1 to 4, a support device for making formworks for floors or similar building structures according to the present invention comprises a prop 10, in turn consisting of a first vertical support element 11, fixed and of the female type, and a second vertical support element 12, of the male type and able to be inserted into the first vertical support element 11. To be more exact, the latter is tubular in shape and has a wall 19 substantially cylindrical and coaxial with a longitudinal axis X, substantially vertical. The wall 19 defines an axial cavity 13, inside which the second vertical support element 12 is able to be inserted, so that the latter can slide axially with respect to the first vertical support element 11.

On the wall 19 of the first vertical support element 11 two pairs of vertical guides 16 and 17 are made, which extend radially towards the outside of the wall 19. The vertical guides 16 and 17 of each pair are disposed on opposite sides with respect to the longitudinal axis X. Moreover, the vertical guides 16 are angularly offset by 90° with respect to the vertical guides 17. The prop 10 also comprises anti-rotation means consisting in this case of a first peg 20 and a possible second peg 22. Each peg 20, 22 is able to be inserted into a corresponding transverse through hole 21, respectively 23, of the second vertical support element 12, to be disposed at least partly in the vertical guides 16 and 17. It is clear that the two transverse holes 21 and 23 are also offset with respect to each other, both angularly by 90° and also axially. The pegs 20 and/or 22 prevent the

rotation of the second vertical support element 12 with respect to the first vertical support element 11, while permitting the axial sliding thereof.

In fact, the size of the axial cavity 13 is such as to allow the free rotation, inside the cylindrical wall 19, of the second vertical support element 12, even if such rotation is prevented by the presence of the anti-rotation means 20 and/or 22 in the vertical guides 16, 17.

To the upper end 11a of the first vertical support element 11 a circular anti-detachment ring 25 is able to be attached, by means of a screw 25a; the ring 25 cooperates with the peg 20 to prevent the second vertical support element 12 from detaching from the first vertical support element 11. The circular ring 25 is coaxial with the longitudinal axis X and has an inner diameter substantially equal to the size of the inner cavity 13.

The second vertical support element 12 has a substantially square cross section and is provided on the outside with four vertical segments that define a threaded zone 26, able to cooperate with a threaded ring nut 27 or hand wheel. The latter is held against the ring 25 by a hook-like lever 28 and, rotating clockwise or anticlockwise, allows to adjust the vertical position of the second vertical support element 12 with respect to the first vertical support element 11.

In the upper part 12a of the second vertical support element 12 a support head 30 is able to be mounted (figs. 5 to 11), provided with two pairs of attachment elements 31 protruding on opposite sides with respect to the longitudinal axis X and able to cooperate with the ends of horizontal bearing girders 32. The latter are in turn able to support a plurality of horizontal panels 33, for forming the formworks .

The attachment elements 31 (fig. 9) are inclined towards the outside with respect to the longitudinal axis X by a determinate angle α, comprised between about 30° and 45°, advantageously 37% and are uniformly tapered from the base to the periphery, where they end rounded.

The end of each bearing girder 32 is provided with a stop fin 34 which allows the girder 32 to remain attached to the attachment elements 31, even if it is left free at the other end. This is thanks to the fact that, in its inclined position, the girder 32 rests with a profile 32a against the upper part 12a of the prop 10.

The support head 30 can be selectively coupled with the upper part 12a by means of a pawl 35 which is advantageously able to slide linearly and has an upper part 36 constantly accessible from the outside.

The pawl 35 (fig. 11) is guided by means of a pin 37 — eyelet 38 coupling, in order to slide perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis X, between a clamping position (fig.

7) and a position of insertion/removal of the head 30 in/from the prop 10 (fig. 8).

A spring 39 (fig. 11) is able to normally hold the pawl 35 in the clamping position.

The bearing girders 32 (figs. 12 to 17) are provided on the upper edges 32b with two rows of protrusions 40 and 41, grouped together, so that each group comprises at least a first protrusion 40 high enough to collaborate with the panels 33 and hold them in a direction perpendicular to the bearing girders 32 (fig. 16), and a second protrusion 41, of a size substantially less than that of the first protrusion 40 and able to collaborate with the panels 33 to center them and hold them in a direction parallel to the bearing girders 32 (fig. 17).

Advantageously, each protrusion 40 is at least 20 mm

high, preferably 25 mm, while each protrusion 41 is about 15 mm high.

In the central zone of the girder 32, each group of protrusions 40, 41 comprises a pair of first protrusions 40 and only one of said second protrusions 41, disposed in the middle of the pair of higher protrusions 40.

It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the support device as described heretofore, without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, instead of being made in correspondence with the four threaded vertical segments, the transverse through holes 21 and 23 can be made half way along them, that is, offset by 45° with respect to those shown in figs. 3 and 4.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to a specific example, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of support devices for making formworks for floors or similar building structures, having the characteristics as set forth in the following claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.