AU2013206066A1 - Dual Height Personnel Barrier - Google Patents

Abstract

A personnel barrier for the perimeter of an outdoor area has an upper rotatable post and rail section and a lower static post and rail section, the posts being mutually connected by an L shaped joint bracket. The bracket has a pivot so that the upper section can fold and the upper post has a joint member with an arcuate aperture. A bolt passing through the lower post projects through the arcuate aperture when the upper post is upright and the bolt is transferred to the L shaped bracket when the upper post is folded. 20 13-05-29,C\UsersShauene\Documents\SPECIFICATIONS\earthworks capiwpd,7 6 ---36 777777- 10 2

Description

TITLE OF INVENTION Dual Height Personnel Barrier TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] This invention concerns personnel barriers for erection on the tops of outdoor plant and large machines which may be conveyed on a highway. BACKGROUND [0002] Safety regulations require staff railings on any elevated sites where people work to prevent injury by falling. Large scale outdoor machinery such as excavators have doors and ports which give access from the roof to repair and maintenance staff who therefore move about on the top of the housings to carry out essential work. [0003] If the machinery must be transported by road it is useful to be able to make the outside of the machinery as safe as possible for travel and to minimise the height. SUMMARY OF INVENTION [0004] The apparatus aspect of the invention provides a personnel barrier for the perimeter of an outdoor area comprising upper and lower sections made of posts and rails, the lower section being adapted to be attached to the perimeter and the upper section being foldable between an upright barrier position and a folded position of lesser height. [0005] The posts of the upper and lower sections are preferably connected by a pivoting joint. [0006] The pivoting joint allows the posts to be both locked in end to end alignment and folded wherein the upper post abuts a stop. 2013-05-29,C:\Usas\SharleneDocumnednSPECIFICATIONSearthworksrapwpd,1 2 [0007] In a preferred arrangement, the joints of the upper and lower sections comprise a static joint member with a stationary pivot site, a first location aperture and a second location aperture in a triangular array, a folding joint member with a stationary pivot site and a third location aperture capable of registering with the first and third apertures such that in the erected position the first and third apertures mutually register and are engageable by a stop and in the folded position the second and third apertures mutually register and are engageable by the stop. [0008] The stop limits the folding angle to 90'. The joint member of the folding post may have a pair of parallel semicircular flanges which receive the post between them. [0009] The third aperture may be an arcuate guideway allowing 90 movement. [0010] A ladder may depend from the rail of the lower section, [0011] The sections may have corners. [0012] In the folded position the sections overlie the area defined by the perimeter. Advantageous Effects of Invention [0013] 1. The barrier sections are lockable in both erected and folded positions. [0014] 2. The fold axis may be close to the perimeter in the parts where there is no obstacle to inward folding, eg. a housing above roof level. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS [0015] One embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0016] Figure 1 is a side view of rails on an excavator in the erected position. 2013-05-29,C:\lUsersShalene\DocunenIs\SPECIFICATIONSIearthworkscap.;spd,2 3 [0017] Figure 2 is the same as Figure 1 but with the rails folded. [0018] Figure 3 is a side view of a post joint in the upright position. [0019] Figure 4 is the same as Figure 3 but with the posts in the folded position. [0020] Figure 5 is the above as Figures 3 and 4 but with the parts in the 450 position. [0021] Figure 6 is a plan of the joint shown in Figure 5. [0022] Figure 7 shows a variant. [0023] Figure 8 shows a further variant. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS [0024] Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, the metal roof 2 of excavator 4 has a housing 6 surrounded by walkways 8. The roof is sufficiently strong to support pedestrian traffic during inspection visits. Perimeter posts 10 and rails 12 made of steel tubing are fixed to the roof close to the edge thereof. The posts have feet 14 which have bolt holes for the reception of fasteners to fix them in an upright position. Some posts are corner posts 16 and some are ladder posts 18 with treads 20. The rails are usually tubular but some posts are connected by flat bar 22, 100mm deep and others by L-section rails. [0025] In Figure 2, a pair of posts 10 are braced by flat bar 22 and an upper section consisting of a rectangular tubular frame 24, having parallel rails 26, 28 extending between posts 30, 32. The upper section pivots about paired joints 34, 36 between the position shown in Figure 2 and the horizontal folded position in Figure 1. [0026] The joint which makes this possible is shown in Figures 3-5. Upright post 10 has a steel angle bracket with a leg 38 of circular profile which projects into the post and an arm 40 which 20D3-05-29,C:\Users\Sharene~focunants\$PEC1FICATION~kanhwor-kssap.wpd,3 4 extends at 900 from the leg. The upper end of the post 10 which houses the leg has a bore 42 (1) intended to receive bolt 44. [0027] The bracket has two bores 46, 48. Pivot bore 46 is in the corner of the bracket and the location bore 48 (2"d) is in the arn 40. Folding tube 30 is fixed by welds 50 to a pair of parallel steel semicircular flanges 52, each provided with pivot bores 54 to create a pivot axis 56 about which post 30 can pivot. Bolt 54 allows the flanges to pivot about the axis between the positions shown in Figures 3 and 4. The rotation of the flanges is limited by an arcuate guideway 60 ( 3 ) in each flange. Bolt 62 passes through bore 48 in leg 40 and both flanges. Bolt 54 remains in situ as the pivot bolt. When the upper section is deployed, bolt 62 passes through guideway 60 ( 3 rd) and bore 42 as shown in Figure 4. When the upper section is folded, bolt 62 passes through guideway 60 and bore 48 (2"). [0028] Figure 7 shows a variant in which the rotatable arm shares the pivot 54 as before but has a lower aperture 64 for registering with aperture 42 in the leg and an upper aperture 66 for registering with the aperture 48 in the bracket. [0029] Figure 8 shows a further variant in which the two apertures of the leg lie on the radius of the circle of which pivot 54 is the centre. The rotatable am 30 has a single aperture 68 capable of registering with both depending upon which position of the arm is selected. Pin 70 retains the arm position in the same way as bolt 62. [0030] It is to be understood that the word "comprising" as used throughout the specification is to be interpreted in its inclusive form, ie. use of the word "comprising" does not exclude the addition of other elements. [0031] It is to be understood that various modifications of and/or additions to the invention can be made without departing from the basic nature of the invention. These modifications and/or additions are therefore considered to fall within the scope of the invention. 2013-05-29,C\UsersSharlene\Documents\SPECIF[CATIONSearthworkscappd,4

Claims (15)

1. A personnel barrier for the perimeter of an outdoor area comprising upper and lower sections made of posts and rails, the lower section being adopted to be attached to the perimeter and the upper section being foldable between an upright barrier position and a folded position of lesser height.

2. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the posts of the upper and lower sections are connected by pivoting joint.

3. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the pivoting joint allows the posts to be locked in end to end alignment and folded so that the upper post abuts a stop.

4. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the joints between the upper and lower sections each comprise a static joint member with a stationary pivot site, a first location aperture and a second location aperture in a triangular array, a folding joint member with a stationary pivot site and a third location aperture capable of registering with the first and second apertures such that in the erected position, the first and third apertures mutually register and are engageable by a stop and in the folded position the second and third apertures mutually register and are engageable by the stop.

5. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the joint member of the folding post has a pair of parallel semi-circular flanges which receive a post between them.

6. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein the stop limits the folding angle to 9o.

7. A personnel barrier as claimed in any one of Claims 4-6, wherein the stop is a bolt extending through both joint members.

8. A personnel barrier as claimed in any one of Claims 4-7, wherein the third aperture is an

2013-05-29,C:\UsersSharkdeDocunents\SPECtICATIONSarthworkscap wpd,5 6 arcuate guideway in the flanges allowing 90* rotation.

9. A personnel barrier as claimed in any one of Claims 4-8, wherein the static joint member is an L-shaped joint bracket member fixed to the top end of the lower tube and the bottom end of the tipper tube.

10. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the pivot lies at the corner of the L shaped joint member.

11. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each of the joints has a static leg with a pivot, an upper aperture and a lower aperture arranged in a triangle, a rotatable arm shares the pivot and has an aperture which registers with the lower aperture in the raised position and an aperture which registers with the upper aperture in the folded position whereby a stop is insertable in the registered apertures from both positions.

12. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 11, wherein the leg and arm are posts or channels.

13. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 11 or 12, wherein the apertures of the rotatable arm are joined to form slot.

14. A personnel barrier as claimed in Claim 1, wherein each of the joints has a static leg with a pivot, an upper aperture and a lower aperture arranged in a triangle, a rotatable arm shares the pivot and has an aperture which registers with the lower aperture in the raised position and registers with the upper aperture in the folded position whereupon a stop is insertable in the registered apertures for both positions.

15. A personnel barrier as claimed in any one of Claims 1-14, wherein a ladder depends from the rail of the lower section. 2013-05-29,C:\UsedShadeM~ocmens\SPECIFICATIONSIearthworks capspdf