DE29616791U1 - Weather protection device attachable to scaffolding - Google Patents

Abstract

A weather protection system (10) for mounting on a scaffolding (18) consists of a tarpaulin (26) which is secured to horizontal (14) and/or vertical (16) stays of a scaffolding (18). A second, outer tarpaulin (28) substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the inner tarpaulin (26) secured to the scaffolding is joined in such a way to the first tarpaulin that a substantially closed, air-tight space is created between the inner and outer tarpaulins. The space (38) is in communication with an air supply device, such as a fan (44) or air conditioning system, which generates an overpressure inside the space.

Description

DR.-ING.

;. Ernst Stratmann..

PATENT ATTORNEY D-4O212 DUSSELDORF · SCHADOWPLATZ 9

Dusseldorf, 2a September 1996

9617 Gm

Thomas Damitz
42349 Wuppertal

Attachable to scaffolding
Weather protection device

The invention relates to a weather protection device that can be attached to a scaffold, consisting of a tarpaulin that can be fastened to horizontal and/or vertical struts of a scaffold.

Such a weather protection device is known, for example, from the utility model G 81 34 173.3. The tarpaulin described in this publication for the front and side scaffold cladding, especially for winter construction, is attached using straps looped around the scaffolding beams. The publication mentions the German patent 2 230 555, in which tarpaulins arranged one above the other are connected to one another using hook strips. Tarpaulins of this type protect the construction area they cover from direct rain and wind.

Carrying out construction work, and particularly painting work, becomes difficult when the ambient temperature is too low, for example when the frost limit is reached.

Up to now, people have helped themselves by covering the entire building with tarpaulins and, in freezing weather, installing heating systems inside the building. The disadvantage here is the enormous effort that has to be made to cover the entire building, both in terms of the covering material and, if necessary, in terms of the heating energy that is required to heat the entire building that is surrounded by this covering.

The object of the invention is to improve the weather protection device of the known type in such a way that the entire building does not need to be covered, but rather it is possible to protect limited areas of the structure or the like in such a way that the construction work, in particular also painting work, can be carried out in rain and wind and possibly also in frosty weather.

The problem is solved by connecting a second outer tarpaulin to the first tarpaulin essentially parallel to and at a distance from the first, inner tarpaulin attached to the scaffolding in such a way that an essentially airtight space is created between the inner and outer tarpaulins, and that the space is connected to an air supply device, such as a fan, which generates an overpressure within the space.

These two tarpaulins, which are parallel to one another, result in better thermal insulation between the outer tarpaulin and the inner tarpaulin and thus also better insulation of the scaffolding behind the inner tarpaulin and the work area accessible from the scaffolding.

To adjust the overpressure within the space enclosed by the two tarpaulins, the air supply can be

of the blower, or alternatively, according to a further development of the invention, the tarpaulin facing the scaffolding can be provided with outlet openings, such as nozzles, which can be adjusted in terms of their size, through which air escapes from the space enclosed by the two tarpaulins in the direction of the scaffolding and thus onto the work surface due to the excess pressure. By changing the air flow exiting through these outlet openings, not only can the excess pressure existing within the space surrounded by the tarpaulins be adjusted, the escaping air can also be used, for example, to allow a freshly painted wall surface to dry better or more quickly. If, as in the prior art, the work area were only protected by a tarpaulin without special air supply devices, the drying time would be considerably longer, especially in damp weather.

If the air supply device is also equipped with a device for heating the air supplied, the drying effect can be made even stronger than it already is. In addition, such a heating device enables the work area in the area of the scaffolding to which the weather protection device according to the invention is attached to be heated to such a temperature that all usual work can be carried out, despite, for example, frosty weather. Since only a very specific, narrowly defined room needs to be ventilated and, if necessary, heated, the costs for the necessary tarpaulin material as well as for the heating energy that may be used are kept within manageable limits.

In order to prevent the opposing tarpaulin areas from ballooning due to the internal excess pressure and thereby becoming distorted, it is advisable to define the distance between the inner and outer tarpaulin by means of side strips attached to the edges of the tarpaulin and

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For larger tarpaulin surfaces, between the inner and outer tarpaulins, bands or strips should also be arranged in the middle areas of the tarpaulins between the opposing inner surfaces of the tarpaulins, which fix the distance to a maximum size determined by the side dimensions, even under excess pressure. When dismantling the tarpaulin, however, these strips can collapse to such an extent that both tarpaulins lie directly on top of each other and therefore take up little space when packing.

Alternatively, the space created between the tarpaulins can be divided by flexible partition walls, the length of which corresponds to the desired distance between the inner and outer tarpaulins. The partition walls should be arranged in such a way that the air can flow back and forth between them, which could be achieved, for example, by having openings in these partition walls at certain intervals.

If the tarpaulins are made from standard, non-transparent or opaque material, this could make it necessary to artificially illuminate the work surface. If this is to be avoided, another embodiment would be to make the tarpaulin from transparent material. Alternatively, the tarpaulin could include areas made from non-transparent material into which areas made from transparent material are integrated (e.g. sewn in).

This creates, for example, window-like areas through which sufficient natural light can pass to provide sufficient lighting for the work surface during the day. Conversely, a building window covered by the tarpaulin and a living space behind it can be supplied with sufficient daylight.

The connection of individual tarpaulins to each other or the

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Tarpaulins with edge strips can be made by welding, sewing or other permanent connections, but a detachable connection is more convenient in order to be able to attach tarpaulins in a more flexible way. Such a detachable, yet largely airtight connection could be made using zip fasteners, for example, or even using Velcro fasteners.

It can be advantageous to provide a scaffold not only ¹ on its front outer surface with the airbag-like "double tarpaulin" according to the invention, but also to extend it around the side surfaces of the scaffolding to the wall which, for example, represents the work surface. If the upper area of the scaffolding is also enclosed, and possibly the lower area if this is not formed by the ground, the work space and the associated work surface which the scaffolding is to reach are completely enclosed by the weather protection device according to the invention and protected against the effects of the weather. In particular, the warm air emerging from the nozzles of the inner tarpaulin, for example, cannot escape to the side as quickly and therefore remains effective on the work surface for longer. This reduces energy requirements even further.

In order to be able to enter this possibly completely enclosed space without, for example, dismantling a side surface (or top surface or floor surface) or leaving it open, according to yet another embodiment, a lockable access opening can be arranged, for example, in one of the lateral vertical tarpaulins. Such an access door can be implemented, for example, in the form of a lock chamber that is separated from the rest of the pressurized space. However, it can be cumbersome to first open a first outer door, for example one that can be opened with a zipper, enter the lock chamber, close the door, and then close the inward-facing door.

to open a second lock door and close it again after passing through. Therefore, one will usually dispense with such a lock chamber and instead dispense with the double arrangement of tarpaulins in the area of the door and instead arrange, for example, only one inner tarpaulin, which then contains the (single) zip door.

The great advantage of the arrangement according to the invention is that an inner tarpaulin area and an associated outer tarpaulin area, each with adjacent edge areas lying opposite or perpendicular to one another, form a module that protects only a small work area. For a larger work area, this module can be combined with one or more other modules of this type in order to create protective devices adapted to the respective construction area conditions. The individual tarpaulins of the individual modules can be connected using, for example, zippers, or using Velcro fasteners or the like.

It is advisable to adapt the size of the individual modules to the standardised dimensions of scaffolding in order to be able to attach appropriate modules as the scaffolding components are added.

Using specially shaped additional modules, the protective devices can also be adapted to the roof ridge area.

The invention is explained in more detail using embodiments shown in the drawings.

It shows:

Fig.1

in a perspective view a weather protection device designed according to the invention

device (basic module) which is supported on a scaffolding in front of a house wall and is connected to a blower device;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through a weather protection device similar to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a view of an (outer) tarpaulin with window inserts;

Fig. 4 is a view of the (inner) tarpaulin provided with nozzles, seen from the scaffold side;

Fig. 5 a side view of a protective device to be attached to the side of the scaffolding (corner module or side module) with an entrance door indicated by dashed lines;

Fig. 6 is a top view of the module of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view from above of a protective device designed according to the invention installed on a gable wall; and

Fig. 8 is a view of the gable area of the house with the associated tarpaulin to cover the roof area.

In Fig. 1, a weather protection device (basic module) generally designated 10 can be seen according to a first embodiment of the invention, which may be attached to a scaffolding 12 on its horizontal and vertical struts 14, 16, e.g. by means of straps 18, cords 20, hooks or the like. This scaffolding 12 is here in front of a work surface 22, for example the wall of a building 24, which wall is to be plastered or painted using a suitable wall paint.

The weather protection device 10 comprises a first, inner tarpaulin 26 directed towards the scaffolding 12 and a second, outer tarpaulin 28 arranged at a distance A from it and running parallel to the first tarpaulin. The two tarpaulins 26, 28 are connected to one another in an essentially airtight manner, here by lateral side strips 30, 32, as well as lower and upper side strips or lower strips 34 and upper strips 36, so that an essentially airtight enclosed space is created between the inner and outer tarpaulins 26, 28, which is supplied with air under excess pressure via a connection 40, 41 by means of supply devices 42, 43. This can be generated by a blower 44, which may be arranged near the work site. The supplied air flow creates a pressure gradient within room 438 compared to the outside air, which stabilizes the tarpaulins surrounding the room and inflates the arrangement like an airbag.

Air can exit from the interior of the room 38 in the direction of the scaffolding through adjustable outlet openings arranged on the inner tarpaulin and pointing towards the scaffolding, such as adjustable nozzles 46, 48, 50 in particular, in order to cause an air flow on the previously painted wall surface 22 and to accelerate the drying process there.

The compressed air to be supplied can be heated by a special heating device arranged on or in the fan 44, for example by an oil or gas heater or by an electric heater, so that the air supplied to the room 38 exits the nozzles 46, 48, 50 as warm air and thus accelerates the drying process even more, but alternatively or additionally also keeps cold outside temperatures away from the work surface 22 in order to be able to continue working in the area of the protected work surface in winter, for example, despite outside temperatures being below zero.

In order to stabilize the distance between the inner tarpaulin 26 and the outer tarpaulin 28, it is advantageous, in addition to the already mentioned side strips 30, 32, 34, 36 attached to the edges of the tarpaulin, to also provide bands, strips 52, or partition walls 54 with openings 56 that divide the space 38 in the middle areas of the tarpaulins between the opposing inner surfaces of the tarpaulins, by means of which a certain distance between the inner and outer tarpaulins is maintained.

These openings 56 in the partition walls 54 enable compressed air to pass from one sub-chamber into the other sub-chamber.

The openings 56 can also be dispensed with and the sub-spaces separated from one another. In this way it would be possible, for example, to supply the lower sub-space, which is provided with the connection 40, with cold compressed air, while the upper sub-space, which is provided with the connection 41, is supplied with warm air. This would be useful, for example, if the lower space only needs to be stabilized, while the upper space is to supply the work surfaces with warm air via the nozzles 46 for heating purposes. The lower work area, which is supplied by the nozzles 48, 50, is then located, for example, just outside the work surface currently being worked on and therefore does not need to be supplied with warm air at the time. This would reduce heating costs.

The tarpaulins can be made of standard, non-transparent fabric material provided that the work surface has sufficient working light available through other measures, for example through artificial lighting or through light coming in from the side, as would be possible in Fig. 1.

If this is not the case, translucent materials could also be used to manufacture the tarpaulins.

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so that the light shining through the tarpaulins can reach the work surface 22.

It is also possible, see Fig. 3, to make the outer tarpaulin 28 from a material that is inherently opaque, but to provide, for example, at the height of the work surface, suitable window areas 58, 60, which would then be made from transparent material and, in conjunction with corresponding transparent areas on the inner tarpaulin lying parallel to it, would enable the painter, bricklayer or other work personnel to have sufficient light available.

The tarpaulins 26, 28 are expediently connected at their edges to one another and/or to the side strips 30, 32, 34, 38 by means of zipper devices 62 or also with Velcro fasteners 64, which are relatively airtight. Instead, a firm stitching can of course also be provided if the protective device is only to be used in a certain form. Adhesives or plastic welding are also suitable if necessary.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1, only one surface of the scaffold 12 is covered by the weather protection device according to the invention. In order to also protect the vertical side areas that are still open according to Fig. 1 and the upper area of the scaffold 12 (and possibly a floor area if the work surface is a long way from the floor), Fig. 2, a sectional view through the arrangement according to Fig. 1, also shows a similarly constructed protective device 110 arranged on the side, which covers, for example, the left vertical side of the scaffold shown in Fig. 1 and, for example, when viewed from above, may have the shape shown in Fig. 6. This is a corner module stabilized by compressed air, generally designated 110, which is also equipped with an inner tarpaulin 126 and an outer tarpaulin 128, which

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together with a side part 132 and another part 130 as well as corresponding floor parts and ceiling parts and 136, not shown here, form an enclosed space 138, which can be connected to a fan via an air connection unit 40 in the way already described in order to generate an overpressure within the space 138. Instead of this special connection 140, the "corner module" 110 can also be connected to the "base module" 10 according to Fig. in such a way, for example by means of a connecting piece 240, that the overpressure generated in the base module 10 is transferred to the corner module 110. Another alternative would be to omit the side wall 130 of the corner module and also to omit the side wall 30 of the base module 10 and instead to connect the edges of the outer tarpaulins of the corner module 110 and the base module 10 or the inner tarpaulins 126 and 26 of the corner module 110 and the base module 10 directly to one another, for example by means of zip fasteners, as already described. This would create a common inner space so that the pressure conditions of the base module and the corner module would be equalized.

The corner module 110 shown in Fig. 5 and 6 offers a walk-in space 66 next to the scaffolding 12, which is designed to be large enough to allow a person to move around in it. This is advantageous if an access door 68 is provided in this area, which may be designed as a lock chamber, for example, with an outer door 70 and an inner door 72, whereby this lock door 68 may be separated from the rest of the space 138 by a partition wall 74. The space formed by the lock door 68 should be designed so that a fully grown person can stand comfortably in it. The height of the space 68 shown in Fig. 5 is therefore, for example, about 2 meters, while the width may be about 50 cm.

If the lock function is to be dispensed with, the inner door 72 or, alternatively and more conveniently, the outer door 70 can be omitted.

The closure wall 74 is then a replacement for the side wall 132 in the area of the door, i.e. it reinforces the arrangement, as does, for example, an intermediate wall or a band 152, 154, as shown in Fig. 6.

The door 68 can be designed as a flexible zipper door, as used in tents, for example. If the door frame area is stiffened by suitable measures, a rigid door can also be provided.

The closure of the door space 66 enclosed by the modules 10 or 110 or the space 68 occupied by the framework 12 is carried out downwards, for example, by the ground, and upwards by a tarpaulin 70, see also Fig. 2, which keeps rain out and for example, drains it into a gutter 72 of an adjoining building roof.

If such a gutter 72 is not available, the rainwater can also be drained forwards via the tarpaulin 28, as can be seen in Fig. 2.

If the arrangement is located in front of a gable front, see the gable front 74 of a house according to Fig. 8, in front of which gable front according to Fig. 7 a scaffolding 12 with weather protection device 10 according to the invention stored in front of it is provided, a further tarpaulin 76 can be attached to the upper edge of the front or rear tarpaulin 28, 26, for example by means of a zipper, which has for example the shape shown in Fig. 8 in plan view, so that it can be laid around the gable front edge 78, 80 and laid on the roof surface 82, 84. The edges 86, 88 then lie along the ridge 90 of the two roof surfaces

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78, 80, or overlap slightly. This envelops the space between the inner tarpaulin of the weather protection device 10 according to Fig. 7 and the house wall 22 and the entire gable area towards the top.

Attention should also be drawn to Fig. 4, where the scaffolding 18 can be seen from behind, enclosed by the cover module 10 and two side cover modules 110, 210, which communicate with each other in the manner described in terms of compressed air and can thus be supplied by a single compressed air generating device 44, which is connected to the module 210, whereby the compressed air can be heated by means of a heating device 45, such that, for example, walking boards 15, which are held by the scaffolding 18, are kept free of ice even in winter, so that there is no risk of accidents. This is made possible, for example, by the nozzles 48 arranged at the height of the board 15, which allow warm air to be blown directly onto the walking board 15.

Claims (1)

. Ernst Stratmann .. P AT ENTAN WA LT
D-40212 DÜSSELDORF · SCHADOWPLATZ 9 Düsseldorf, 23 September 1996 Gm Thomas Damitz
42349 Wuppertal Protection claims: •1. Weather protection device (10, 110, 210) that can be attached to a scaffold (18), consisting of a tarpaulin (26, 126) that is attached to horizontal (14) and/or vertical (16) struts of a scaffold (18), characterized in that a second, outer tarpaulin (28, 128) is arranged essentially parallel to and at a distance from the first, inner tarpaulin (26, 126) attached to the scaffold and is connected to the first tarpaulin in such a way that an essentially airtight enclosed space is created between the inner and outer tarpaulins, and that the space (38, 138) is connected to an air supply device, such as a blower (44), that generates an overpressure within the space. Weather protection device according to claim 1, characterized in that the inner (26) tarpaulin (26, 126) lying towards the frame (18) is provided with adjustable outlet openings, such as nozzles (46, 48, 50), through which air can be discharged from the inner and outer tarpaulin enclosed space (38, 138) into the area of the scaffolding. 3. Weather protection device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the air supply device (44) comprises a device (45) for heating the air. 4. Weather protection device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the distance between the inner and outer tarpaulin (26, 28) is determined by side strips (30, 32, 34, 36) attached to the edges of these tarpaulins. 5. Weather protection device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the distance between the inner and outer tarpaulin (26, 28) is maintained by bands or strips attached to and/or running on the opposing inner surfaces of the tarpaulins or by partition walls dividing the space enclosed by these tarpaulins and optionally provided with openings. 6. Weather protection device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tarpaulin material is transparent. 7. Weather protection device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tarpaulins consist of non-transparent material, but in certain areas transparent material is inserted like a window. 8. Weather protection device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the tarpaulins are connected at their edges to each other and/or to side strips by means of Zipper fasteners and/or Velcro fasteners. 9. Weather protection device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in a scaffolding erected on a wall surface or work surface {18) the side of the scaffolding facing away from the wall surface is covered with the space formed by the inner and outer tarpaulin (front weather protection device). 10. Weather protection device according to claim 9, characterized in that the upper area of the scaffolding and the top of the space enclosed by the inner and outer tarpaulins are closed by a rain protection tarpaulin . 11. Weather protection device according to claim 10, characterized in that the vertical side surfaces of the scaffolding (18) up to the work surface (wall of a building or the like) are each covered by a corresponding enclosed space formed by inner and outer tarpaulins (lateral weather protection device). 12. Weather protection device according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that a closable access opening is provided in the front weather protection device or in the side weather protection devices. 13. Weather protection device according to claim 12, characterized in that the access opening is designed as a lock. 14. Weather protection device according to claim 13, characterized in that the access door, or the two -A- Access doors of a lock, formed by a zipper door. 15. Weather protection device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that individual tarpaulin areas, the edges of which are provided with zipper or Velcro fasteners, form a weather protection module and can be combined with other weather protection modules, which in turn can be connected to other modules to form larger units.