A structural support system and a method for providing a node section for use in a structural support system

Abstract

A structural support system, such as, a scaffolding or a falsework comprising verticals (10) and horizontals (40) connected at node sections (120) at the verticals (10), each node section (120) comprising a locking device for joining horizontals (40) and/or diagonals with bladed ends arranged at ends of the horizontals (40) and the vertical (10), where the locking device is a cup pair comprising a bottom cup (20) held at a position on the verticals (10) and atop cup (30) moveably arranged on the verticals (10), where bladed ends of the horizontals (40) or diagonals are configured to be locked by bottom cup (20) part and top cup (30) part, providing a rigid connection. That is characterized in that parts of the structural support system intended to be held at a position on the verticals (10) are held by using one or more fastening means (50) and corresponding hole(s) (11, 25) in the parts and the verticals (10), the fastening means (50) being rigidly fixed by screwing a headed bolt into the vertical (10), providing a compressive vertical load in vertical and/or horizontal direction capacity of the lower cup via the bolt.

1 .- 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A structural support system, such as, but not limited to, a scaffolding or a falsework comprising verticals and horizontals connected at node sections at the verticals, where each node section comprises a locking device for joining horizontals and/or diagonals with bladed ends arranged at ends of the horizontals and or diagonals and the vertical, where the locking device is a cup pair comprising a bottom cup held at a position on the verticals and a top cup moveably arranged on the verticals, where bladed ends of the horizontals and/or diagonals are configured to be locked by bottom cup part and top cup part, providing a rigid connection,
 characterized in that parts of the structural support system intended to be held at a position on the verticals are held by using at least one fastener means and corresponding hole(s) in the parts and the verticals, the fastener means being rigidly fixed by screwing a headed bolt into the vertical, providing a compressive vertical load in vertical and/or horizontal direction capacity of the lower cup via the bolt.   
     
     
         19 . The structural support system according to  claim 18 , where the bottom cup comprises a lower part, preferably of cylindrical form, an intermediate part, preferably inclined upwardly and outwardly, an upper part preferably of cylindrical form. 
     
     
         20 . The structural support system according to  claim 19 , where the bottom cup further comprises at least one hole for fastening means, preferably at the circumference of the lower part or the bottom cup, the diameter of the hole being larger than the diameter of a part of the fastening means e.g. a bolt intended to be in contact with the bottom cup. 
     
     
         21 . The structural support system according to  claim 20 , wherein the hole(s) in the bottom cup is without threads. 
     
     
         22 . The structural support system according to  claim 18 , where the bottom cup further comprises at least one drainage recess in the lower part of the bottom cup. 
     
     
         23 . The structural support system according to  claim 18 , where the system further comprises a bottom cup guard. 
     
     
         24 . The structural support system according to  claim 23 , where the bottom cup guard comprises a lower part, preferably of cylindrical form, and an upper part, preferably inclined upwardly and outwardly. 
     
     
         25 . The structural support system according to  claim 24 , where the bottom cup guard further comprises at least one drainage recess at least in the lower part of the bottom cup guard, preferably with the same height and width as the drainage recess of the bottom cup. 
     
     
         26 . The structural support system according to  claim 23 , where the bottom cup guard further comprises a flange at the free end of the lower part of the bottom cup guard, pointing inwards the bottom cup guard having a diameter with a tolerance in order to approximately face outer surface of the vertical. 
     
     
         27 . The structural support system according to  claim 18 , where the horizontal comprises an elongated tube and a blade end with fins with an engaging tube, where the engaging tube and blade end are permanently connected and further being permanently connected to the elongated tube by applying glue to the connecting surfaces, where connecting surfaces is inner surface of the elongated tube and the outer surface of the engaging tube. 
     
     
         28 . The structural support system according to  claim 27 , where the elongated tube, preferably semi-cylindrically shaped is thread onto the engaging tube, preferably semi-cylindrically shaped but might also be conical shaped, chamfered shaped or it might even be threaded for a threading connection between engaging tube and elongated tube. 
     
     
         29 . The structural support system according to  claim 18 , where the installed bottom cup is covered with a bottom cup guard in order to protect the bottom cup, fastening means and bonding agent from mechanical impacts and environmental elements causing material degradation. 
     
     
         30 . The structural support system according to  claim 29 , where material used in the bottom cup guard is of a polymer, such as plastic or rubber. 
     
     
         31 . The structural support system according to  claim 18 , where the horizontals are supported with extra support bracket in order to transfer forces between horizontals and the verticals, where the support bracket comprises two identical but mirrored shaped steel or aluminium plates in order to be able to grip around the horizontals and the verticals where the two plates are loosely connected with bolts, washers and nuts to be screwed together and tighten around the horizontals and verticals. 
     
     
         32 . A method for mounting a node section on a vertical for use in a structural support system, where each node section is a locking device for connecting horizontals and/or diagonals with bladed ends arranged at ends of the horizontals with verticals, where the locking device is a cup comprising a bottom cup of metal material, preferably aluminium or steel held at a predetermined position on the verticals and a top cup of metal material, preferably aluminium, moveably connected to the verticals,
 characterized in that forming the vertical from extruded aluminium tubes, forming one or more radially orientated holes in the outer surface of the vertical surface, the surface of each hole preferably being threaded, positioning the holes in the bottom cup with the holes in the vertical and introducing a fastener means of steel into each of the holes via the holes in the bottom cup.   
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 32 , wherein a bottom cup guard threaded onto the vertical being raised towards the bottom cup until the free end of the lower part of the bottom cup guard aligns a free end of the lower part of the bottom cup, or until a surface of the flange of the bottom cup guard pointing in direction of the bottom cup is mating against the free end of the lower part of the bottom cup. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the bottom cup guard is being adjusted in position where drainage recesses in the bottom cup guard is being aligned with drainage recesses in the bottom cup.