Glued ledger head

Abstract

A modular scaffold component of different material components advantageously uses the durability and reliability of conventional type steel ledger heads adhesively secured to by an aluminum or aluminum alloy structural member. In a preferred embodiment the structural member is an extruded elongate tube and in a further preferred structure the elongate tube is of a non circular cross section having thickened top and bottom portions preferably interior to a circular outer surface. These thickened portions provide additional strength and structural characteristics such that the component can be freely substituted for the equivalent steel component. In this way the component may be added to existing systems to take advantage of the reduced weight thereof without requiring a dedicated system or rendering an existing system obsolete.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
         1 . A modular scaffold component comprising
 first and second steel ledger heads including a fastening element to mechanically connect the ledger head to spaced scaffold support members,   an elongate tube extrusion of an aluminum or aluminum alloy material adhesively secured to each ledger head and forming a structural element therebetween,   said elongate tube extrusion and each ledger head having an over sleeve type relationship with opposed overlapping surfaces secured by an adhesive structurally connecting said ledger heads and providing a secure mechanical connection of each ledger head to said tube extrusion for use in a scaffold system.   
     
     
         2 . A modular scaffold component as claimed in claim I wherein each ledger head includes a steel tube connecting stub sized for receipt in said elongate tube extrusion with said adhesive securement therebetween. 
     
     
         3 . T modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said steel tube connecting stub overlaps with said elongate tube extrusion over at least one and a half inches in the length of said elongate tube extrusion. 
     
     
         4 . A modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said steel tube connecting stub is welded to a rear face of said ledger head. 
     
     
         5 . A modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 3  wherein said steel tube connecting stub and said ledger head are an integral casting. 
     
     
         6 . A modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 2  wherein said component is a ledger, a diagonal brace, a reinforced load carrying member, a frame member or a guard rail. 
     
     
         7 . A modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each ledger head includes a connecting part that receives an end of said elongate tube extrusion and forms said overlapping sleeve relationship therewith. 
     
     
         8 . A modular scaffold component as claimed  claim 7  wherein said adhesive is a two part adhesive forming a rigid connection of said ledger head to said tube extrusion. 
     
     
         9 . A modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 7  wherein said overlapping sleeve relationship is of a length of at least one and a half inches. 
     
     
         10 . in a modular scaffold component having at least a ledger head and a connected elongate tube, the improvement comprising an adhesive type securement of the ledger head to said elongate tube, each ledger head including a connecting portion having an overlapping sleeve type relationship with an end of said elongate tube, and an adhesive component within a gap of said overlapping sleeve type relationship forming a distributed mechanical connection of said elongate tube to said at least one ledger head; said elongate tube being of an aluminum or aluminum alloy material and said ledger head being of a steel material. 
     
     
         11 . In a modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said adhesive is a two part adhesive forming a permanent rigid connection of said ledger head to said elongate tube. 
     
     
         12 . In a modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said scaffold component is a ledger, guard rail or reinforced ledger and said component includes at least two ledger heads at opposite ends of said elongate tube. 
     
     
         13 . In a modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said adhesive is an epoxy adhesive. 
     
     
         14 . In a modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said adhesive forms an electrical insulating layer sufficient to avoid a dielectric current between said elongate tube and said at least one ledger head. 
     
     
         15 . In a modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said connecting portion is tubular and is received in said elongate tube or said elongate tube is received in said connecting portion. 
     
     
         16 . In a modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 15  wherein said adhesive component between said connection portion and said elongate tube is a two part epoxy adhesive. 
     
     
         17 . In a modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 16  wherein said connection portion and said elongate tube have cooperating non circular cross sections requiring a particular registration of said connection portion and said elongate tube to form said overlapped relationship. 
     
     
         18 . In a modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 10  wherein each ledger head additional includes a pin type mechanical connection of the ledger head to said elongate tube. 
     
     
         19 . In a modular scaffold component as claimed in  claim 18  wherein the pin connection of each ledger head when considered independent of said adhesive securement is of less strength or durability compared to the adhesive securement of the ledger head to said elongate tube. 
     
     
         20 . In a modular component as claimed in  claim 10  wherein said sleeve type relationship extends at least one and half inches in the length and about an interior or exterior surface of the end of said elongate tube.