Weldless platform assembly

Abstract

A modular platform comprises skeleton components made from metal sheets cut and folded into beams. The cold-formed beams are bolted together to provide a rigid frame structure. Corner braces are provided at each corner of the frame. The corner braces are directly bolted to the cold-formed beam members. A guard rail assembly is provided along at least a portion of the perimeter of the frame. The guard rail assembly comprises guard posts which are formed from a single strip of metal bend cold into a C-shaped elongated member.

1 . An industrial platform assembly comprising a weldless frame including at least three cold-formed profiles bolted together so as to define a support plane, a cold-formed support column at each corner of said frame, said cold-formed support column being bolted to said weldless frame.  
   
   
       2 . An industrial platform assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said at least three cold-formed profiles are made from steel sheets cut and folded into beam members of predetermined cross-section.  
   
   
       3 . An industrial platform assembly as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said at least three cold-formed profiles are C-shaped in cross-section, and wherein an open side of said cold-formed profile faces inwardly of said weldless frame.  
   
   
       4 . An industrial platform assembly as defined in  claim 2 , wherein each of said at least three cold-formed profiles are provided with connecting tabs at opposed longitudinal ends thereof, each of said connecting tabs defining a number of holes for receiving fasteners in order to achieve mechanical connections between the cold-formed profiles.  
   
   
       5 . An industrial platform assembly as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said connecting tabs are folded at 90 degrees.  
   
   
       6 . An industrial platform assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein each of said cold-formed support columns has two open sides.  
   
   
       7 . An industrial platform assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein said open sides face inwardly of said weldless frame.  
   
   
       8 . An industrial platform assembly as defined in  claim 6 , wherein at least some of said cold-formed support column comprises a single metal strip having first and second longitudinally extending folds oriented at about 90 degrees with respect to each other, said first and second folds having terminal longitudinal edge portion merging into flanges oriented at about 90 degrees to respective first and second longitudinally extending portions.  
   
   
       9 . An industrial platform assembly as defined in  claim 1 , wherein a corner brace is provided at each corner of said frame, each of said corner brace being bolted at opposed ends thereof to adjacent cold-formed profiles extending from the corner.  
   
   
       10 . An industrial platform as defined in  claim 1 , further including a guard rail projecting upwardly from at least a portion of the perimeter of the weldless frame, said guard rail including a number of guard rail posts, said guard-rail post being made from steel sheets cut and folded into C-shaped profiles.  
   
   
       11 . An industrial platform as defined in  claim 10 , wherein said guard rail post are folded about two parallel longitudinal fold lines, and wherein an oblong hole extends transversally through said fold lines to define a rail receiving cavity on a back side of the C-shaped profile forming the guard rail post.  
   
   
       12 . An industrial platform as defined in  claim 11 , wherein a tubular rail is welded in said rail receiving cavity.  
   
   
       13 . An industrial platform as defined in  claim 11 , wherein a depression is defined at a top end of each guard rail post, said depression extending across said fold lines so as to define a seat for receiving a hand rail.  
   
   
       14 . A blank for use in forming a guard rail post, comprising a flat strip of bendable metal, a pair of parallel fold lines defining therebetween a central longitudinally extending web portion and along which the sheet is folded to form a pair of opposed longitudinally extending sidewalls, and at least one hole defined in said web portion and extending transversally beyond said fold lines to form a pair of registered recesses in said sidewalls once folded.  
   
   
       15 . A blank as defined in  claim 14 , wherein one end of the strip defines a recess, the recess extending across the fold lines.  
   
   
       16 . A platform supporting column formed from a strip of metal by a cold-forming process, the column comprising first and second folded portions extending at about 90 degrees with respect to each other, each said folded portions having a longitudinal terminal edge which terminates into a flange oriented at about 90 degrees from the folded portions, each said flange leaving an open side on said column.