AU2009202700B2 - Plastic covered mesh hook over panel - Google Patents

Abstract

A panel 15 includes a generally flat main panel portion 18, the lower edge 17 secured to timber panel 19 and walkway 11 by a cable tie 20. A hook portion includes a leading edge 21 leading through a planar section 23 to a latching 5 shoulder 22. The section 23 is sufficiently long so that it may be used to manually pull the edge 21 in the direction illustrated by arrow 24 so that the latching shoulder 22 moves away from the bar 14 and upon release of the tie 20 the panel 15 may be lifted off the bar.

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: UNDERWOOD COMPANIES HOLDINGS PTY LTD Actual Inventor(s): Daniel Charles Underwood Ryan Rogers Address for Service: INTELLEPRO Patent & Trade Mark Attorneys Level 7 102 Adelaide Street BRISBANE, QLD, 4000 (GPO Box 1339, BRISBANE, 4001) Invention Title: PLASTIC COVERED MESH HOOK OVER PANEL Details of Associated Provisional Australian Patent Application No Application(s) No(s): 2008903437 filed 4 July 2008 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 PLASTIC COVERED MESH HOOK OVER PANEL FIELD OF THE INVENTION THIS INVENTION relates to a plastic coated mesh hook over panel and in particular but not limited to a panel used to form a protective barrier on 5 scaffolding on construction sites. BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Protective barriers have been utilised as various kinds to protect the public and workers on construction sites. One important aspect of any kind of product utilised on construction sites is that the product be simple and easy to use but 10 also effective. The present invention has as an objective to provide a protective barrier which is both simple and effective. OUTLINE OF THE INVENTION In one aspect therefore the present invention resides in a plastic covered 15 mesh hook over panel comprising a sheet of mesh material having a peripheral edge and an upper resilient hook shaped portion extending along the upper edge for hooking and retaining the panel to a horizontal bar. Preferably the hook shaped portion resiliently expands as the hook shaped portion is pushed over the bar and then springs to a closed position 20 against the bar to positively retain the panel on the bar. The term "plastic covered mesh" is used to convey the meaning of the mesh being covered with a plastics sheet material. The plastics sheet material is preferably heat shrink plastics sheet or plastics sheet material that is heat shrunk onto the mesh and which spans between neighbouring struts and cross 25 members.

3 The hook shaped portion may include a leading edge, an inwardly narrowing entrance into a latching shoulder so that the hook may resiliently open as the hook is being pushed over the bar and the latching shoulder may lock the panel in position on the bar. In order to remove the bar, operators at each end of 5 the panel may lift the edge of the hook and remove the shoulder from its latching position so that the panel may be lifted off the bar. The mesh hook over panel may include a panel and the panel may be covered with plastics material which may be heat shrink plastic sheets. The heat shrink plastic sheets may first be applied to the mesh prior to the sheets being 10 deformed to form the hook. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order that the present invention may be more readily understood and be put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein: 15 Figure 1 is a drawing illustrating scaffolding in place; Figure 2 is a section illustrating a panel held in place on scaffolding; Figure 3 is an end view of the panel of Figure 2; Figure 4 illustrates the hook portion of the panel of Figure 2 in its operative position on a bar; 20 Figures 5 and 6 are similar to Figures 3 and 4 but illustrating a differently configured hook; Figure 7 is a side view of a panel; Figures 8, 9 and 10 illustrate another panel; and Figure 11 is a perspective drawing illustrating the panel material. 25 4 METHOD OF PERFORMANCE Referring to the drawings and initially to Figure 1 there is illustrated scaffolding 10 having a timber panelled walkway 11, uprights 12 and horizontal sections 13 with the horizontal section 14 between the posts 12 having a mesh 5 panel 15 in place over the bar 14. The panel 15 has a hooked upper portion 16 retaining it over the bar 14, various forms of the hooked upper portion will be described below. A lower edge 17 is held in position by suitable ties. Referring to Figure 2, panel 15 is illustrated in more detail and as can be seen the panel includes a generally flat main panel portion 18, the lower edge 10 17 secured to timber panel 19 and walkway 11 by a cable tie 20. The hook portion in this embodiment includes a folded generally rectangular configuration, although any suitable shape may be used. The hook portion has a leading edge 21 leading through a planar section 23 to a latching shoulder 22. The section 23 is sufficiently long so that it may be used to manually pull the edge 21 in the 15 direction illustrated by arrow 24 so that the latching shoulder 22 moves away from the bar 14 and upon release of the tie 20 the panel 15 may be lifted off the bar 14 during disassembly of the scaffolding. The same form of panel is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 5 illustrates an alternative arrangement suitable to a square 20 section scaffolding bar 25 and like numerals illustrate like features, in this case the hook portion is configured to match the bar 25. Figure 7 illustrates the hook portion 16 with corner cut outs at 26 and 27 to accommodate the position of the posts 12 so that abutting panels have their edges 28 and 29 in abutment across the outer face of the scaffolding.

5 Figures 8, 9 and 10 illustrate panel 30, the mesh is covered with plastics material being heat shrink plastic sheets first applied to the mesh prior to the sheets being deformed to form the hook. In this case the hook 31 is part circular at 32 having a shoulder 33 and entrance to the hook portion at 34. The hook 5 portion extends along the entire upper edge of the panel although the cut outs may also be utilized to accommodate the posts. The cut outs need only be at each end and if multiple panels are utilized then individual panels need not have the cut outs. The panel material is shown in Figure 11 where the plastics sheets are heat shrunk onto the mesh. 10 In the preferred form while the panels may be secured rigidly to the scaffolding in some situations it may be desirable to permit limited pivot of the panels to release pressure in the region between the scaffolding and the buildings. For example, in situations where the scaffolding is being used to prevent debris from falling from the scaffolding, in which cases the entire side 15 wall of the scaffolding between bars may be closed in using panels according to the present 'invention. In this case it would be desirable to provide limited pivoting movement of the panels about the bars and about the hook section. The bars at the bottom of the panels may be loosely tied. The embodiments described above are provided by way of examples 20 only, and various other modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims (5)

1. A plastic covered mesh hook over panel comprising a sheet of mesh material having a peripheral edge and an upper resilient hook shaped portion extending along the upper edge for hooking and retaining the panel 5 to a horizontal bar.

2. A plastic covered mesh hook over panel according to claim 1 wherein the hook shaped portion resiliently expands as the hook shaped portion is pushed over the bar and then springs to a closed position against the bar to positively retain the panel on the bar. 10

3. A plastic covered mesh hook over panel according to claim 1 wherein the hook shaped portion includes a leading edge, an inwardly narrowing entrance into a latching shoulder so that the hook resiliently opens as the hook is being pushed over the bar and the latching shoulder locks the panel in position on the bar. 15

4. A plastic covered mesh hook over panel according to claim 1 wherein the hook shaped portion includes a leading edge, an inwardly narrowing entrance into a latching shoulder so that the hook resiliently opens as the hook is being pushed over the bar and the latching shoulder locks the panel in position on the bar, in order to remove the bar, operators at each end of the panel lift the 20 edge of the hook and remove the shoulder from its latching position so that the panel may be lifted off the bar.

5. A plastic mesh hook over panel according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the panel is covered with plastics material being heat shrink plastic sheets first applied to the mesh prior to the sheets being deformed to form the upper 25 resilient hook shaped portion.