A brace for a safety deck

Abstract

A brace for a safety deck is disclosed. The brace comprises a pair of spaced apart wing portions to receive a portion of a standard therebetween and an engagement portion oriented at an angle to the spaced apart wing portions, the engagement portion to engage a portion of a diagonal to position the portion of the diagonal relative to the portion of the standard.

1 . A brace for a safety deck, the brace comprising a pair of spaced apart wing portions to receive a portion of a standard therebetween and an engagement portion oriented at an angle to the spaced apart wing portions, the engagement portion to engage a portion of a diagonal to position the portion of the diagonal relative to the portion of the standard. 
     
     
         2 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the wing portions are configured as wings, each having a free end connected to a transverse member or assembly at an end opposite the free end. 
     
     
         3 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each wing portion comprises an inner or facing surface which is planar and substantially parallel with the inner or facing surface of the other wing portion. 
     
     
         4 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 1  wherein a receiving gap is defined between the wing portions into which a portion of the standard is at least partially received. 
     
     
         5 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 1  wherein each wing portion is provided with at least one attachment opening. 
     
     
         6 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the at least one attachment opening extends perpendicularly to the plane of an inner surface of the wing portion. 
     
     
         7 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 5  wherein the at least one opening is keyhole shaped, having an at least partially circular main portion and a convergent entryway leading to a narrowed neck or pinch point between the convergent entryway and the main portion. 
     
     
         8 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 7  wherein the convergent portion of the at least one opening is oriented substantially vertically when the brace is in use. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising a transverse member mounting portion provided on at least one wing portion. 
     
     
         11 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the transverse member mounting portion extends in a direction transversely away from the other wing portion. 
     
     
         12 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 10  wherein the transverse member mounting portion is shaped to either receive a portion of a scaffold member or be received within a portion of a scaffold member. 
     
     
         13 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 10  wherein at least one transverse pin opening is provided into or through the transverse member mounting portion. 
     
     
         14 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the engagement portion includes an opening into or through which a portion of a diagonal member is received. 
     
     
         21 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising one or more further engagement portion to engage a safety deck member at an angle to both the standard and the diagonal. 
     
     
         22 . A brace for a safety deck as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least one transverse pin opening is provided into or through any one or more engagement portion. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A safety deck assembly comprising at least two standards, at least one diagonal and at least one brace as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
         25 - 26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . A safety deck assembly as claimed in  claim 24  wherein each standard is an extendible length leg assembly formed of an inner leg member which is telescopically slidable relative to an outer leg member. 
     
     
         28 . A safety deck assembly as claimed in  claim 27  wherein the outer leg member is a lower leg member and the inner leg member located for telescopic extension above the outer leg member. 
     
     
         29 . A safety deck assembly as claimed in  claim 27  wherein the upper end of each outer leg member is typically provided with at least one pair of openings through opposed sidewalls of the hollow outer leg member and a series of pairs of openings are provided through opposed sidewalls of the inner leg member spaced over at least a portion of the inner leg member. 
     
     
         30 . A safety deck assembly as claimed in  claim 27  wherein a diagonal bracing member is mounted to a lower end of a first outer leg member and an upper end of an adjacent upper leg member using the at least one brace. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled)