High capacity vertical member for use with modular scaffolding

Abstract

A vertical member of a modular scaffolding system includes a securing rosette provided in an upper section having a reduced diameter to provide a pre-determined modular connection. The vertical member includes an elongate intermediate section forming the majority of the vertical member of a first diameter greater than the reduced diameter. The intermediate section at a lower edge includes an integral spigot of the reduced diameter. A reinforcing sleeve is fixedly secured to the upper section above the rosette and forms a spigot receiving socket. The vertical member has higher capacity due to the larger diameter intermediate section while maintaining modularity of the scaffolding system.

1 . A vertical member of a modular scaffolding system where vertical members are connectable in an end to end manner; said vertical member comprising an extruded tube having a long intermediate section of a first diameter and integral top and bottom tubular sections of reduced diameter; said top tubular section having a securing rosette fixedly secured to said tubular top section tightly adjacent a transition between said first diameter of said intermediate section and said reduced diameter tubular top section to define limited load bearing surfaces of said tubular top section either side of said rosette; said tubular top section above said rosette including an outer tubular reinforcing sleeve extending beyond and having an overlapping relationship with said tubular top section; said tubular reinforcing sleeve having an inside diameter larger than said reduced diameter to form a top opening socket tube; said bottom tubular section extending downwardly and forming a spigot receivable in a top opening socket tube of a further like constructed vertical member of the modular scaffolding system. 
     
     
         2 . A vertical member of a modular scaffolding system as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said tubular reinforcing sleeve is spaced upwardly of said rosette to define a short limited length of said reduced diameter top section sufficient to accommodate connection of ledger heads to said rosette while said top opening socket tube cooperates with reinforces said top section to improve the load carrying capacity of said vertical member. 
     
     
         3 . A vertical member of a modular scaffolding system as claimed in  claim 2  wherein socket tube at a free end thereof includes a locking collar having locking slots located outwardly of the diameter of said socket tube that receive locking projects extending outwardly on the spigot. 
     
     
         4 . A vertical member as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said top tubular section cooperates with said reinforcing sleeve whereby an end of said top tubular section forms a spigot stop face for said top opening socket tube. 
     
     
         5 . A vertical member as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first diameter is approximately 60 mm and said second reduced diameter is approximately 48 mm. 
     
     
         6 . A vertical member as claimed in  claim 5  further comprising a coupling member which can be passed through a port in said socket tube and a port in said spigot section to maintain a connection of said reinforcing sleeve of said first vertical member to a received spigot of a second vertical member. 
     
     
         7 . A system as claimed in  claim 6  wherein said coupling member is selected from the group consisting of pins, rivets, clevis pin or bolt. 
     
     
         8 . A vertical member as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said reinforcing sleeve further includes a self locking feature for connecting said first vertical member to a second vertical member. 
     
     
         9 . A series of vertical members of the structure of  claim 1  connected to form a support tower or a high capacity vertical support column.