SUPPORTING FRAMEWORK

Abstract

A supporting framework having at least one suspension device for a diagonal cross brace that reinforces the supporting framework, wherein the suspension device has receiving fingers for openings provided on the ends of the diagonal cross brace, characterized in that two first receiving fingers of the suspension device each have a bent end portion, and second receiving fingers situated opposite from the first receiving fingers have a pivotable end portion.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A method of assembling a supporting framework, the supporting framework including a first frame having a first side tube and a second side tube connected by at least one transverse tube, a second frame having a third side tube and a fourth side tube, two first receiving fingers, and two second receiving fingers, the method comprising: i) mounting a diagonal cross brace onto to the second side tube by threading a first opening of a first strut of a diagonal cross brace onto a base portion of a first of the two first receiving fingers via a rigid bent end portion of the first of the two first receiving fingers; ii) mounting the diagonal cross brace onto to the third side tube by threading a first opening of a second strut of the diagonal cross brace onto a second base portion of a second of the two first receiving fingers via a second rigid bent end portion of the second of the two receiving fingers; iii) pivoting the diagonal cross brace so that: a) a second opening of the second strut is pushed over an end portion of a first of the two second receiving fingers and onto a base portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers, wherein the first of the two second receiving members is mounted to the second tube, and b) a second opening of the first strut is pushed over a second end portion of a second of the two second receiving fingers and onto a second base portion of the second of the two second receiving fingers, wherein the second of the two second receiving members is mounted to the third tube; iv) pivoting the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers so that the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers protrudes beyond a diameter of the second opening of the second strut and overhangs the second opening of the second strut and locking the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers via a detent mechanism; and v) pivoting the second end portion of the second of the two second receiving fingers so that so that the second end portion of the second of the two second receiving fingers protrudes beyond a diameter of the second opening of the first strut and overhangs the second opening of the first strut and locking the second end portion of the second of the two second receiving fingers via a second detent mechanism, thereby preventing unintentional release of the diagonal cross brace from the second and third tubes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein i) and ii) occur concurrently.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein v) occurs subsequent to iv).

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising: before iii), pivoting the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers so that the end portion aligns in parallel with the base portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers and locking the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers via the detent mechanism, thereby forming a long finger.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers is pivoted 90 degrees.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the first of the two first receiving fingers positioned on the second tube opposite to the second of the two first receiving fingers positioned on the third tube.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the first of the two first receiving fingers is positioned below the first of the two second receiving fingers on the second tube.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the rigid bent end portion of the first of the two first receiving fingers points away from the first of the two second receiving fingers on the second tube.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein threading the first opening of the first strut of the diagonal cross brace onto the base portion of the first of the two first receiving fingers suspends the diagonal cross brace by virtue of an angle between the base portion and the rigid bend end portion of the first of the two first receiving fingers, thereby preventing unintentional release of the first strut when a force is exerted on the diagonal cross brace from above.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the angle is between 20 and 70 degrees.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein the rigid bent end portion of the first of the two first receiving fingers tapers conically in a direction away from the base portion of a first of the two first receiving fingers.

13. The method of claim 2, wherein the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers tapers conically in a direction away from the base portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the second opening of the second strut is pushed over the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers and onto the base portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers without resistance from the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers or the base portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the diagonal cross brace is mounted to the second and third tubes by a single person.

16. The method of claim 2, wherein, during iii), undesirable shifting of both the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers and the second end portion of the second of the two second receiving fingers is avoided.

17. The method of claim 2, wherein during iv), the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers is pivoted 90 degrees.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein the supporting framework includes a third frame connected to either the first frame or the second frame via a second diagonal cross brace.

19. The method of claim 2, wherein the two first receiving fingers and the two second receiving fingers are situated in corner regions of the first and second frames.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein the end portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers is articulatedly supported on the base portion of the first of the two second receiving fingers.

21. The method of claim 2, wherein the second and third tubes are connected by a plurality of diagonal cross braces.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In the drawings:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a view of a frame of a supporting framework according to the invention;

[0019] FIG. 2 is a detailed illustration of a first receiving finger of the frame from FIG. 1;

[0020] FIG. 3 is a detailed illustration of a second receiving finger of the frame from FIG. 1;

[0021] FIG. 4 shows parts of a supporting framework during assembly, with two diagonal cross braces inserted according to the invention;

[0022] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail of a frame with a receiving finger and a bent rigid end portion;

[0023] FIG. 6 shows a partial detail of a supporting framework during assembly, with a frame that has the receiving fingers with bent end portions at the bottom, and has receiving fingers with movable end portions at the top; and

[0024] FIG. 7 shows a partial detail of a supporting framework during assembly, with a frame illustrated in portions, having the receiving fingers with rigid, bent end portions at the top, and having receiving fingers with movable end portions at the bottom.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a frame 10 of a supporting framework, not illustrated here in greater detail, which may be assembled from a plurality of frames 10, or also from other frames that are higher, for example.

[0026] The frame 10 has two side tubes 12, 14 that are connected to one another by two transverse tubes 16, 18. The side tubes 12, 14 at their ends may be screwed to tubes of further frames 10 (not shown) and/or plugged together.

[0027] In addition, first receiving fingers 20, 22 are mounted on the side tubes 12, 14, respectively, in their lower region, and second receiving fingers 24, 26 for fastening a diagonal cross brace (not shown) are mounted in an upper region. The four ends, provided with openings, of a diagonal cross brace may be suspended in these receiving fingers 20 through 26. For this purpose, the lower ends of the diagonal cross brace are initially threaded into the first receiving fingers 20, 22 and suspended, and the upper ends of the diagonal cross brace are then pushed onto the second receiving fingers 24, 26. The diagonal cross brace is subsequently secured in position on the receiving fingers 24, 26. Securing the position is described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0028] FIG. 2 shows an enlarged detailed illustration of the first receiving finger 20. The first receiving finger has a rigidly extending end portion 20.1 that is bent downwardly with respect to a base portion 20.2. An opening in the lower end of one of the struts of a diagonal cross brace may thus be suspended from below via the end portion 20.1 and held on the base portion 20.2. Due to the bent shape of the end portion 20.1, the strut may be prevented from unintentionally coming off when a light force is exerted on the diagonal cross brace from above. The suspension of the lower end of the second strut of the diagonal cross brace on the receiving finger 22 takes place concurrently or shifted in time with respect to the suspension of the first strut.

[0029] The upper ends of the struts of the diagonal cross brace may subsequently be pushed onto the second receiving fingers 24, 26. The configuration of the second fingers 24, 26 is explained using the example of the finger 24 in FIG. 3. The receiving finger 24 has an end portion 24.1 that is articulatedly supported on a base portion 24.2. The end portion 24.1 may thus be brought from a position parallel to the base portion 24.2 into the illustrated position bent by 90. When the end portion 24.1 is aligned in parallel with the base portion 24.2, both portions form a long finger onto which the upper end of one of the struts of a diagonal cross brace may be pushed via an opening. The end portion 24.1 is subsequently pivoted into the 90 position, and the strut is thus locked in the receiving finger 24. In the same way, the upper end of the second strut of the diagonal cross brace is pushed onto the receiving finger 26 and locked by same. Due to the lock, the end portion 24.1 protrudes beyond the diameter of the opening. In other words, the end portion overhangs the opening and blocks the diagonal cross brace from being pulled off the receiving fingers 24, 26.

[0030] The frame structure shown in FIG. 1, having first and second receiving fingers 20 through 26, allows a diagonal cross brace to be fastened to the frame 10 by only one person. In addition, the fastening process for the diagonal cross brace is much easier and quicker than with frames according to the prior art having four lockable, movable receiving fingers. The pushing on and suspension of the ends of the diagonal cross brace is also facilitated due to the fact that the end portions 20.1, 24.1 of the receiving fingers 20 through 26 conically taper toward the ends.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows parts of a supporting framework 40 during assembly, which is made up of four frames 10 in the assembly state shown. The four frames 10 on one side are already reinforced with a first diagonal cross brace 42 having openings 43 on its free ends. The first diagonal cross brace 42 is attached via receiving fingers 20, 22, not shown in FIG. 4, having rigid end portions, and is likewise attached in receiving fingers 24 and 26, as shown in FIG. 1, and secured via the movable end portions. The attached frames 10 are connected to one another via a second diagonal cross brace 44 by attaching the openings 43 in the second diagonal cross brace 44 to the receiving fingers 20, 24. Two diagonal cross braces are subsequently likewise installed (not shown in the figure) opposite from the shown first and second diagonal cross braces 42, 44 in order to reinforce the supporting framework 40 so that it is stable under load.

[0032] FIG. 5 shows an enlarged detail of a frame 10 together with a side tube 12 of the frame 10, likewise shown in detail. The receiving finger 20 is fixedly mounted on the side tube 12. The receiving finger is made up of a base portion 20.2 and an end portion 20.1. The end portion 20.1 is bent, preferably integrally formed on the base portion 20.2, at an angle between 20 and 70. The free end of the first diagonal cross brace 42 having the opening 43 is threaded onto the base portion 20.2 via the rigid, bent end portion 20.1. Likewise provided on the opposite end of a strut of the first diagonal cross brace 42 is an opening 43 that is pushed onto a receiving finger having a movable end portion.

[0033] FIG. 6 shows a partial detail in the assembly of a supporting framework having a frame 10, showing the receiving fingers 20, 24. The receiving fingers 20 with bent end portions are formed on the frame in the lower region, and the receiving fingers 24 with movable end portions 24.1 are fastened in the upper region of the frame 10. The receiving fingers 20, 24 are formed on the side tube 12 and are fastened at that location. FIG. 6 shows how a worker 50 places a first diagonal cross brace 42 on the frame 10 having the receiving fingers 20, 24 according to the invention. The first diagonal cross brace 42 having the openings 43 is first threaded onto the base portion 20.2 at an angle via the rigid end portions, not shown in the figure, of the receiving finger 20. When the first diagonal cross brace 42 is threaded with its free ends onto both receiving fingers 20, it may be attached in the receiving fingers 24 having the movable end portions 24.1. The free ends of the first diagonal cross brace 42 are pushed onto the particular base portion 24.2 via the openings 43, and the movable end portion 24.1 is subsequently pivoted in such a way that it overhangs the openings 43 and secures the positioned location of the first diagonal cross brace 42. With the shown configuration of receiving fingers 20, 24 on the frame 10, a worker 50 can safely mount the first diagonal cross brace 42 and further diagonal cross braces on the frame for a supporting framework, without assistance from other persons.

[0034] FIG. 7 shows a partial detail in the assembly of a supporting framework, together with a frame 10, shown in detail, having receiving fingers 20 with rigid, bent end portions 20.1 in the upper region of the frame 10, and having receiving fingers 24 with movable end portions in the lower region of the frame 10. The frame 10 shown in FIG. 7 is rotated by 180 compared to the frame of FIG. 1, and this figure shows how a first diagonal cross brace 42 may be suspended in receiving fingers 20 in the upper part of a frame 10. The first diagonal frame 42 is threaded onto the base portion 20.2 via the rigid, bent end portion 20.1, and is subsequently pivoted onto the receiving fingers 24. The openings 43 in the first diagonal cross brace 42 are pushed onto the receiving fingers 24, and the position of the first diagonal cross brace 42 is subsequently secured by pivoting the movable end portion.