AU2005222563A1 - A pole step - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicants: BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED Invention Title: A POLE STEP The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: -2- SA POLE STEP STECHNICAL FILED

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0 The present invention relates generally to steel utility poles and more specifically to a pole step for use Sin such utility poles.

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CI BACKGROUND Traditionally utility poles have been made from timber. In more recent times, steelhas been used instead of timber in utility pole manufacture as steel utility poles are stronger, more durable, and lighter that comparable timber poles.

To allow access to the upper parts of a utility pole, it is common to install pole steps to allow a worker climb the pole. These pole steps often need to be fixed to the utility pole after it has installed. Typically to fix the pole steps, it is necessary for a worker with an appropriate climbing system, to climb the utility pole and install the pole steps as that worker ascends the pole.

In such circumstances, the worker is operating in a difficult environment and as such it is desirable to be able to install the pole steps in a fast and easy manner.

SUMMARY

In a first aspect, the invention relates to a pole step for a steel utility pole, comprising a mount locatable against the utility pole and having a fastener receiving portion arranged to receive a fastener to secure -3the pole step to the pole, a leg projecting from the mount, and a bearing portion spaced from the fastener receiving portion and operative to bear against the pole 0 so as to resist rotation of the pole step on the application of load to an upper surface of the leg.

In one embodiment, the mount and the leg are integrally formed from an elongate metal section. In a particular embodiment, the pole step is generally U shaped having a base portion and opposing side portions, wherein one side portion forms the mount, the base forms a main part of the leg, and the other side portion forms a return portion of the leg.

In one form, the side portions are not of equal length with the mount being longer than the leg return.

In one form, the elongate metal section is channel shaped. In the arrangement where the pole step is generally U shaped, the channel of the elongate metal section opens to an outer side of the U shaped pole step.

In one form, the bearing portion is in a form of a rod which extends in the channel of the elongate metal section.

In one form, the fastener receiving portion is in the form of an aperture. In another form, the fastener receiving portion may merely be an area which is able to receive an appropriate fastener. In another form, the fastener receiving portion may include a well or a thinned region of the mount which is arranged to be pieced by the fastener more easily than the remainder of the mount.

In one form, the pole step is operative to be used in conjunction with a self taping fastener. In that form, O the pole step can be quickly and easily secured to a steel 5 utility pole merely through the use of a single fastener with the bearing portion resisting rotation of the pole Sstep which could otherwise cause withdrawal of the

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fastener, when the step is under load.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is convenient to hereinafter describe an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. The particularity of the drawings and the related description is to be understood as not superseding the generality of the preceding broad description of the invention.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a side view of a pole step; Fig. 2 is an end view of the pole step of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a schematic view of the pole step of Fig. 1 secured to a steel utility pole.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Turning firstly to Figs. 1 and 2, a pole step 10 is disclosed for use in a steel utility pole 100 (see Fig.

The pole step 10 comprises a mount 11 which in use locates against the utility pole, and a leg 12 which extend from the mount and which provide the handle or step on which a person would use in climbing the pole 100. The mount and the leg are integrally formed from a metal Ssection. This metal section is formed in a U shape having a base portion 13, and opposing side portions (14 and

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0 With this arrangement, one of the side portions 14 5 forms the mount 11, the base portion 13 forms the main part of the leg 12, whereas the other side portion Sforms a leg return. As shown in Fig. i, the side portions

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S14 and 15 are not of equal length with the mount 11 being longer than the leg return V) The metal section which forms the mount 11 and the leg 12 is channel shaped in cross section with the channel 16 opening to an outerside of the U shaped pole step With this arrangement, an upper surface 17 of the leg 12 is therefore continuous.

The mount 11 also includes a fastener receiving portion 18 which in the illustrated form comprises an aperture which extends through the metal section. The aperture 18 is designed to receive a self taping fastener (Fig. 3) which is used to secure the pole step 10 to the utility pole 100. The pole step 10 also includes a bearing portion 19 which in the illustrated form is a metal rod located in the channel 16. This rod includes a bearing surface 20 which is aligned generally with the end surface 21 of the mount 11 and in use is arranged to bear against an outer surface 101 of the steel utility pole 100.

In use, the pole step is able to be secured to the utility pole merely by locating the mount 11 against the outer surface 101 of the utility pole 100 and then fastening the pole step 10 to the hole by application of -6- Sthe self drilling fastener 50 which locates through the O aperture 18 and is fastened into the utility pole 100.

c 0 O The inventors have found that such an arrangement provides adequate fixing of the pole step 10 to a steel utility pole. In particular, an advantage of this Sarrangement is that the pole step 10 can be located in any

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V) location on the utility pole 100 as it does not require (1 the need for a preformed aperture or the like.

V) In use, when the pole step is loaded (as indicated by the arrow L in Fig. 3) the shank of the fastener 50 resist this loading. In addition, because the load L will invariably be spaced outwardly from the utility pole 100, a turning moment is induced on the pole step and this turning moment is resisted by the end bearing surface engaging with the outer surface 101 of the utility pole.

Through this engagement, the pole step 10 does not need to rely on the fastener to resist this turning moment.

Therefore pull out forces induced on the fastener, which would otherwise occur under the load L, are substantially reduced.

Accordingly, the pole step 10 is easy to install, is of simple construction, and is not confined to use on utility poles having preformed holes.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but -7- Snot to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

0 Variations and modifications may be made to the parts S 5 previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims (8)

1. A pole step for a steel utility pole comprising a 0 mount locatable against the utility pole and having a fastener receiving portion arranged to receive a fastener to secure the pole step to the pole, a leg projecting from the mount, and a bearing portion spaced from the fastener receiving portion and operative to bear against the pole so as to resist rotation of the pole step on the application of load to an upper surface of the leg.

2. A pole step according to claim 1, wherein the mount and the leg are integrally formed from an elongated metal section.

3. A pole step according to either claim 1 or 2, wherein the pole step is generally U shaped having a base portion and opposing side portions, wherein one side portion forms the mount, the base forms the main part of the leg, and the other side portion forms a return portion of the leg.

4. A pole step according to claim 3, wherein the side portions are of different lengths with the mount being longer than the leg return.

A pole step according to either claim 3 or 4, wherein the mount and leg are formed from an elongate metal section which is generally channel shaped, and wherein the channel of the elongate metal section opens to outer side of the U shaped pole step. 4 1 -9-

6. A pole step according to.claim 5, wherein the bearing Sportion is in the form of a metal rod which extends in the Schannel of the elongate metal section. O 5

7. A pole step according to any preceding claim, wherein the fastener receiving portion is in the form of an C aperture. NO

8. A pole step substantially as herein described with 3 10 reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 1 4 t h day of October 2005 BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK