Scaffolding system

Abstract

A scaffolding system and method of moving a scaffolding assembly of said system, the system including a scaffold assembly including a plurality of elongate members said members including support portions, a plurality of brackets for mounting directly or indirectly to a structure, said brackets including retaining means for releasably retaining said members in a lengthwise upright orientation when mounted to a structure, and supporting means for supporting at least part of the weight of said members, and guides for guiding the members during repositioning of the assembly on the structure. The guides guide the members during raising and/or lowering of the assembly, and the supporting means being arranged to allow passage of said support portions during raising of the assembly but prevent passage of said support portions during lowering of the assembly to thereby support said assembly. The system provides a scaffolding assembly that alleviates problems known in the art by providing a system that is more readily movable despite poor weather conditions and which is simpler and more efficient.

1 . A scaffolding system including; 
 a scaffold assembly including a plurality of connected elongate members, said members including support portions, and said assembly having an upper and a lower end;    a plurality of brackets for mounting directly or indirectly to a structure, said brackets including retaining means for releasably retaining said elongate members in a lengthwise upright orientation when mounted to a structure, said brackets including support means for supporting at least part of the weight of said elongate members;    guides for guiding the assembly during raising and/or lowering of the assembly relative to the structure; and    a moving means separate from the scaffold assembly, the moving means attaching to the scaffold assembly via a tie element such that said assembly is suspended from said moving means and said moving means is arranged to pull said assembly upwards via said tie element during raising and to position the assembly at a predetermined position on said support means;    and wherein the support means of said brackets are arranged to allow passage of said support portions during raising of the assembly but prevent passage of said support portions during lowering of the assembly to thereby support said assembly at the predetermined position.    
   
   
       2 . A scaffold assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the moving means attaches proximate the upper end of the scaffold assembly via the tie element.  
   
   
       3 . A scaffolding system including; 
 a scaffold assembly including a plurality of connected elongate members, said members including support portion, and said assembly having an upper and lower end;    a plurality of brackets for mounting directly or indirectly to a structure, said brackets including retaining means for releasably retaining said elongate members in a lengthwise upright orientation when mounted to a structure, said brackets including support means for supporting at least part of the weight of said elongate members, each support means including a receiving bracket extending therefrom; and    guides for guiding the assembly during raising and/or lowering of the assembly relative to the structure;    and wherein, the support means are adapted to independently allow passage of said support portions when acted upon by the support portions during raising of the assembly, and the support means are adapted to independently prevent passage of said support portions during lowering of the assembly to thereby support said assembly and said receiving brackets are arranged to each guide and receive one of said support portions of an elongate member into a predetermined position on the support means during positioning of the assembly    
   
   
       4 . A scaffolding system including; 
 a scaffold assembly including a plurality of connected elongate members, said members including support portions;    a plurality of brackets for mounting directly or indirectly to a structure, said brackets including retaining and guiding means for releasably retaining and guiding said elongate members in a lengthwise upright orientation when mounted to a structure, said brackets including support means for supporting at least part of the weight of said elongate members;    and wherein, the support means are arranged to allow passage of said support portions during raising of the assembly but prevent passage of said support portions during lowering of the assembly to thereby support said assembly;    and wherein each retaining and guide means includes at least one pair of cooperating opposed pivotable arms, each arm including a slot portion for receiving a portion of the elongate member whereby each pair of cooperating arms retain there between a portion of an elongate member and allow the assembly to be slidably guided during raising and/or lowering and each pair of said pivotable arms are arranged to pivot apart relative to one another to release said elongate members.    
   
   
       5 . The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein each elongate member is a beam or rail of regular cross section, for example U, I, H, square, or round.  
   
   
       6 . The system according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , wherein each bracket also incorporates the guide means.  
   
   
       7 . The system according to  claim 6 , wherein the guide means and retaining means of each bracket are integrated.  
   
   
       8 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein each integrated guide and retaining means is in the form of one or more pairs of cooperating opposed pivotable arms.  
   
   
       9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein each said pair of pivotable arms is arranged to pivot between a closed position for retaining each elongate member and an open position for releasing said elongate member.  
   
   
       10 . The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support means includes an arm pivotably attached to the bracket and a stop means, such that the arm is independently pivoted by the action of support portion to permit passage of the support portion during raising of the assembly, and independently returns to a support position to prevent return of the support portion by interaction of the stop means with a portion of the bracket.  
   
   
       11 . The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support portion of each elongate member includes one or more permanent or removable pins, bolts, bars or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       12 . The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the brackets are constructed for mounting to a structure by one or more bolts, adhesives, anchor means, or combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The system according to  claim 3  or  4 , including a moving means for raising and/or lowering the scaffolding assembly, wherein said means is a crane.  
   
   
       14 . The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said system further includes formwork means.  
   
   
       15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein said formwork means includes formwork panels for constructing substantially vertical concrete walls in situ.  
   
   
       16 . The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the scaffolding assembly is pre-assembled as a unitary or modular assembly prior to being retained by the brackets.  
   
   
       17 . The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the scaffolding assembly is up to about 10 metres wide by about 12 metres high.  
   
   
       18 . The system according to  claim 17 , wherein the scaffolding assembly is about 5 metres wide by about 12 metres high.  
   
   
       19 . The system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upright elongate members of the scaffolding assembly include connected U section beams, and the scaffolding assembly further includes cross-members interconnecting said beams to form a framework.  
   
   
       20 . The system according to  claim 19 , wherein said scaffolding assembly further includes one or more platform members for supporting persons and/or materials thereon.  
   
   
       21 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein at least one said receiving bracket includes a tapered guide flange at an end thereof distal from the support means such that the corresponding support portion is guided by said tapered guide flange into the predetermined position on said support means when the assembly positioned.  
   
   
       22 . The system according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein each support means includes a receiving bracket extending therefrom.  
   
   
       23 . The system according to  claim 22 , wherein at leaste one said receiving bracket includes a tapered guide flange at an end thereof distal from the support means such that the corresponding support portion is guided by said tapered flange into predetermined position on said support means when the assembly is positioned.  
   
   
       24 . A method of positioning a scaffolding assembly having an upper and lower end, including a plurality of elongate members, said members including support portions, wherein said method includes the steps of: 
 a) attaching a moving means to the scaffold assembly via a tie element;    b) pulling the scaffolding assembly upwards by said moving means whilst said assembly is suspended from said moving means,    c) guiding the assembly through guides connected to, the structure simultaneous with said raising,    d) permitting support portions of the scaffolding assembly passage past support positions therefor,    e) positioning support means for the support portions at the corresponding respective support positions, and    f) supporting the support portions with the support means.    
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 24 , wherein step a) includes attaching the moving means proximate the upper end of the scaffold assembly.  
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 20 , further including the step of releasably mounting the scaffolding assembly to brackets provided on the structure prior to step (a).  
   
   
       27 . The method according to  claim 24  or  25 , wherein the method further includes the step of pre-assembling the scaffolding assembly prior to mounting to the structure.  
   
   
       28 . The method according to any one of  claims 24  to  27 , wherein, during positioning of the assembly, the support portions act on the support means to automatically move the support means out of their path, and said support means automatically return to block said path to allow the support portions thereafter to rest on the support means for supporting the assembly.  
   
   
       29 . The system according to any one of  claims 24  to  27 , wherein said positioning step e) further includes receiving each support portion in a receiving bracket of each corresponding support means.