AU4807701A - A handle - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: ROSS EQUIPMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD Actual Inventor: VICTOR GEORGE ROSS Address for Service: Chrysiliou Law CMC Centre 143 Sydney Road Fairlight Sydney NSW 2094 Invention Title: A Handle The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: \\server\e\docs\ltr\O1 05a248.dockr \\server\e\docs\patents\prov\1 0335.doc A Handle FIELD OF THE INVENTION: The invention relates to handles, particularly grab handles, fixed to structures and used to help a person to lift or lower their own weight between two levels.

Particularly, the invention relates to grab handles used on vehicles, trailers, railway rolling stock, carriages and other mobile units which are raised off the ground, and are provided to help a person board or alight from such mobile units.

It is to be noted that prior art information provided herein is not intended to be taken as an indication as to common general knowledge in the art, but is provided merely to assist the person skilled in the art in understanding the developmental process which lead to the invention.

PRIOR ART: A characteristic of mobile units such as large vehicles, large trailers, railway rolling stock, and carriages, is that the points of boarding or alightment from such mobile units are raised off the ground generally more than the equivalent of two or more steps.

•00 As a result, rigid grab handles have been described in relation to such units to help a person board or alight. However, a common problem with such rigid grab handles is that they are susceptible to breakage and/or permanent deformation, particularly with mobile units that are used to carry payloads, wherein such damage frequently occurs during loading or unloading operations. Damage may arise from impact with the payload itself, or a crane or forklift used in the loading/unloading operations, rendering the damaged grab handles useless, difficult, or dangerous to use.

It is therefore an object of the invention to ameliorate some of the disadvantages of prior art or at least provide a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: In one aspect, the invention provides a grab handle fixable or anchorable to a structure for bearing at least part of the weight of a person during boarding or alightment from the structure, including: \\server\e\docs\patents\prov\1 0335.doc an impact resistant elongated primary handle having an anchorage point at each end, the primary handle capable of bearing the weight of the person; a flexible secondary handle having an anchorage point at each end that corresponds with the anchorage points of the primary handle, the secondary handle capable of bearing the weight of the person; wherein in normal use the two handles are fixed or anchored to the structure at the corresponding anchorage points, and the secondary handle only bears the weight of the person in the event the primary handle structurally fails to bear the weight of the person when loaded.

The primary handle may be made of any suitable material having the requisite impact resistant properties. For example, the primary handle may be made from wood, wood composites and other cellulose or fibrous materials. The primary handle preferably is made of a polymer material that can be injection moulded into o.

the requisite shape. Advantageously the shape of the primary handle may be moulded or profiled so that it can be readily and comfortably gripped by a person.

The secondary handle may be made from a range of materials having the necessary flexibility and load capacity. For example, the secondary handle may be made from natural or synthetic fibrous materials, polymeric materials or metallic o 20 materials. The secondary handle may be made from a synthetic rope or braided synthetic strap, such as may be made from nylon. Preferably the secondary handle is made of a wire rope or braided wire strap. Advantageously the wire may be made of stainless steel. Preferably the breaking strain of the secondary handle is at least 500 lbs.

The primary handle may be anchored by fasteners or other means extending through its respective ends. The anchorage point of the secondary handle may be any suitable means commonly known to persons skilled in the art. For example, the secondary handle anchorage points may involve the insertion of the ends of the secondary handle through apertures in bolts secured to the structure and secured against removal from the apertures. Alternatively, the secondary handle anchorage point may involve an eyelet at each end of the secondary handle. Preferably each anchorage point of the secondary handle is an eyelet formed by the end of the flexible material looped back on itself and secured, for example, by crimping.

\\server\e\docs\patents\prov\1 0335.doc In another aspect, the invention provides a grab handle fixable or anchorable to a structure for bearing at least part of the weight of a person during boarding or alightment from the structure, including: an elongated flexible inner core having an anchorage point at either end and capable of bearing the load on the handle; an impact resistant outer shell enveloping the inner core, the shell capable of bearing the load on the handle; wherein, in normal use the load on the handle is taken up by the outer shell and in the event the outer shell fails to maintain the load, the load is then taken up by the inner core.

The outer shell may be made of any suitable material having the requisite impact resistant properties. For example, the outer shell may be made from wood, wood composites and other cellulose or fibrous materials. Preferably, the outer shell is made of an injection mouldable polymer material. Advantageously, it may be 15 moulded or shaped so that it can be readily or comfortably gripped by a person.

The inner core may be made from a range of materials having the necessary flexibility and load capacity. For example the inner core may be made from natural or synthetic fibrous materials, polymeric materials or metallic materials. The inner core may be made from a synthetic wire rope or braided synthetic strap, such as may be made from nylon. Preferably, the inner core is made of a wire rope or braided wire strap. Preferably, the wire is made of stainless steel. Preferably, the breaking strain of the inner core is at least 500 lbs.

The outer shell may be anchored by fasteners or other means extending through its respective ends. The anchorage point of the inner core may be any suitable means 25 commonly known to persons skilled in the art. For example the inner core anchorage points may involve the insertion of the ends of the inner core through apertures in bolts secured to the structure and secured against removal from the apertures. Alternatively, the inner core anchorage point may involve an eyelet at each end of the inner core. The eyelet may include a metal or synthetic ring.

Preferably, each anchorage point of the inner core is an eyelet formed by the end of the inner core looped back on itself and secured to itself, for example, by crimping.

DRAWINGS:

\\server~e\docs\patents\prov\1 0335.doc The invention may be better understood from the following non-limiting description of one or more preferred embodiments, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a grab handle in accordance with the invention, showing some hidden detail.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment in Figure 1, through

A-A.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment in Figure 1 through B B and through C C shown in the same orientation as shown in Figure 2, additionally showing some hidden detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 generally.

The grab handle 1, is fixable or anchorable to a structure (not shown) for bearing at least part of the weight of a person during boarding or alightment from the structure. Handle 1 includes an elongate flexible inner core 4 having an anchorage .point at both ends 5a and 5b. Inner core 4 is capable of bearing the load on the handle 1, i.e. the weight of a person in use. Handle 1 further includes an impact resistant outer shell 2 enveloping the inner core 4, wherein the shell 2 is capable of bearing the load of the handle 1 in normal use. Shell 2 is an impact resistant polymer formed by an injection moulding process so that it completely envelopes the inner core 4.

In normal use the load of the handle 1 is taken up by the outer shell 2, and in the S:event that the outer shell 2 fails to maintain the load on the handle 1, for example by failure, the load is then taken up by the inner core 4. The inner core 4 may be made of a stainless steel wire rope or stainless steel braided wire strap. Preferably the breaking strain of the inner core 4 is at least 500 lbs and would serve most loads in normal use by human beings.

Advantageously the outer shell 2 may be moulded into a profile that can be readily and comfortably gripped in use. Furthermore because the outer shell 2 is impact resistant it provides some durability to the grab handle during normal loading and unloading operations of the structure. For example it can take some of the bumps and knocks from forklifts, cranes and or the pay load during such loading/unloading operations, whilst resisting permanent deformation. In the event the outer shell 2 is \\server\e\docs\patents\prov\10335.doc structurally compromised, although it may not be visually apparent to a person about to board or alight the structure, and if then the outer shell fails under the load of the person during such boarding or alightment, the flexible inner core will take up the person's load to preserve the person's footing during boarding or alightment.

The above description is an illustration of a preferred embodiment only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention described herein.

o* oo *ooo

Claims (14)

1. A grab handle, fixable or anchorable to a structure for bearing at least part of the weight of a person during boarding or alightment from the structure, including: an impact resistant elongated primary handle having an anchorage point at each end, the primary handle capable of bearing the weight of the person; a flexible secondary handle having an anchorage point at each end that corresponds with the anchorage points of the primary handle, the secondary handle capable of bearing the weight of the person; wherein, in normal use, the two handles are fixed or anchored to the structure at the corresponding anchorage points and the secondary handle only bears the weight of the person in the event that the primary S, "handle structurally fails to bear the weight of the person when loaded. 0 S:0. 15 2. A grab handle in accordance with Claim 1 wherein primary handle is made of an impact resistant material which is an injection mouldable polymer. eeeee

3. A grab handle in accordance with Claim 1 or 2 wherein secondary handle is made of a flexible material which is a wire rope.

4. A grab handle in accordance with Claim 3 wherein the wire rope is made of .020 stainless steel. A grab handle in accordance with Claim 1 or 2 wherein the secondary handle includes a braided wire strap.

6. A grab handle in accordance with Claim 5 wherein the wire is made of stainless steel.

7. A grab handle in accordance with Claim 1 or 2 wherein the secondary handle includes a nylon rope or a braided nylon strap.

8. A grab handle in accordance with any preceding claim wherein the breaking strain of the secondary handle is at least 500 lbs. \\server\e\docs\patents\prov\1 0335.doc

9. A grab handle in accordance with any preceding claim wherein each anchorage point of the secondary handle is an eyelet formed by the end of the secondary handle looped back on itself and secured. A grab handle according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 wherein the anchorage point of the secondary handle is an eyelet located at each end of the secondary handle.

11. A grab handle, fixable or anchorable to a structure bearing at least part of the weight of a person during boarding or alightment from the structure, including: an elongated flexible inner core having an anchorage point at either end and capable of bearing the load on the handle; an impact resistant outer shell enveloping the inner core, the shell capable of bearing the load on the handle; wherein the load on the handle is taken up by the outer shell and in the 15 event that the outer shell fails to maintain the load, the load is then taken up by the inner core. ooeo• S-12. A grab handle in accordance with Claim 11 wherein the outer shell is made of an injection mouldable polymer material.

13. A grab handle in accordance with Claim 11 or 12 wherein the inner core is made of a wire rope or a braided wire strap.

14. A grab handle in accordance with Claim 13 wherein the wire rope or strap is made of stainless steel. A grab handle in accordance with Claims 11 to 14 wherein the inner core includes a synthetic rope or a braided synthetic strap.

16. A grab handle in accordance with any of Claims 11 to 15 wherein the breaking strain of the inner core is at least 500 lbs.

17. A grab handle in accordance with any of Claims 11 to 16 wherein each anchorage point of the inner core is an eyelet formed by the end of the core looped back on itself and secured to itself. \\server\e\docs\patents\prov\10335.doc

18. A grab handle in accordance with any of Claims 11 to 16 wherein each anchorage point of the inner core is an eyelet located in each end of the core.

19. A grab handle substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Dated this 2 8 th day of May, 2001 ROSS EQUIPMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LIMITED By their Attorneys Chrysiliou Law 8