AU731667B2 - Safety barrier assembly - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 DIVISIONAL APPLICATION 0 0~* 0 0 :0.

Address for service: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 1 Little Collins Street Melbourne, 3000.

DGS PROPERTY PTY. LTD.

INVENTION TITLE: "Safety barrier assembly" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: Q:\OPER\PHH\2230851.308 4/11/99 -1I-

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P:\OPER\PHH2230851 rsl.doc- 1 /D1) -2- SAFETY BARRIER ASSEMBLY The present invention relates to a safety barrier, comprising at least two stanchions and barrier means extending between the stanchions, which may be supported on a building or building construction. The safety barrier acts to prevent or assist in preventing builders or construction site workers from accidentally falling from the roof of the building or from the construction. Examples of such safety barriers are described in our Australian Patent Specifications AU-A-38664/89, 11435/92, 28819/92 and 38499/93.

The present invention is particularly concerned with a safety barrier assembly which also includes a kickboard. Kickboards for use on building sites or constructions are well known and are commonly employed for preventing objects from sliding off a roof or level of the building.

According to the present invention, there is provided a safety barrier assembly including a safety barrier comprising at least two stanchions and barrier means extending between the stanchions, said barrier means comprising at least one elongate restraint member, the assembly further including a kickboard and support means for supporting the kickboard between the stanchions, wherein the support means comprise two or more spaced brackets 20 suspended from the elongate restraint member, each bracket comprising a suspension portion having an opening therethrough capable of receiving the elongate restraint member and a support portion adapted to support the kickboard on the bracket.

SSuch a bracket for the kickboard ensures that the support means cannot be inadvertently 25 lifted off the elongate restraint member.

In the first position, the kickboard may be supported close to the roof or level, and in the second position the kickboard will preferably be raised from the first position to permit access beneath the kickboard.

P:\OPERPHM2230851 I.doc-lIOIA)i -3- In a preferred embodiment, the spaced brackets rotatably suspend the kickboard from the elongate restraint member and are capable of selectively retaining the kickboard in an inactive position. Thus preferably the opening in each bracket is adapted to permit the bracket to rotate about the elongate restraint member at least between a first position in which the support portion is below the suspension portion and a second position remote from the first position, and the suspension portion includes means capable of selectively retaining the bracket in the second position.

The safety barrier assembly may include movement limiting means so that when the kickboard is in its first position, further movement of the kickboard away from the second position is resisted. Alternatively the support means or kickboard may engage a surface of the roof or level on which the assembly is being used, or the stanchions, to resist the further movement of the kickboard away from the second position.

The elongate restraint member of the safety barrier from which the bracket is suspended in use will advantageously be a barrier rail, and for convenience only the bracket will be *described hereinafter in this context. Generally a barrier rail will be of rectangular or S. square cross-section.

The retaining means in the preferred embodiment of the bracket may be, for example, a locking screw or other catch or fastener which is adapted to engage the safety barrier when •the bracket is in its second position. In a preferred embodiment, however, the opening in the suspension portion of the bracket includes a portion of restricted width in which the elongate restraint member is received and which restricts rotation of the bracket about the elongate restraint member when the bracket (and therefore the kickboard) is in the second position. Advantageously, in the second position of the bracket, the support portion is disposed above, preferably substantially vertically above, the suspension portion so that the Skickboard is above the elongate restraint member, and in the preferred embodiment the P:\OPER\PHH2230851 rsl.doc-lIIAI)l -4portion of the opening of restricted width is disposed on a side of the opening adjacent the support portion.

The portion of restricted width may be defined by a recess in one side of the opening so that the opening is essentially keyhole-shaped. A closed end of the recess may support the bracket on the elongate restraint member in the second position of the kickboard. The portion of the opening allowing rotation of the bracket about the elongate restraint member may be generally circular or any other shape and size permitting the rotation.

The kickboard may be supported by the bracket by any suitable means, for example the kickboard may be secured to the brackets by fasteners. It is preferred that the kickboard be readily removable from the brackets and advantageously the support portion of each bracket includes a slot which slidingly receives the kickboard. Furthermore, the bracket may also include retaining means for retaining the kickboard in the slot. The retaining means may comprise for example, a locking screw, one or more nibs projecting inwardly of the slot or an adjustable cam adapted to urge the kickboard against a wall of the slot.

Where the bracket includes a slot to receive the kickboard, the aforementioned portion of the opening of restricted width in the preferred embodiment may connect the opening and the and the slot so that the slot and the opening are effectively continuous. In this arrangement the kickboard itself or a stop may help to retain the elongate restraint member in the portion of restricted width when the bracket is in the second position.

S• Various embodiments of a safety barrier assembly in accordance with the present invention :25 will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying e drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a safety barrier assembly engaged with a roof of a building with b a kickboard in its first active position; P:\OPER\PHH2230851 rsl.doc-.18M)I1 Figure 2 is a side view of the safety barrier assembly of Figure 1 showing a first embodiment of bracket supporting the kickboard; Figure 3 is a side view corresponding to Figure 2 but showing the bracket raised with the kickboard in its second inactive position; Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the bracket shown in Figures 2 and 3 with the kickboard removed; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the bracket in use with a modified stanchion; *o o*ooo ooeoe o o** *oo P:\OPER\PHH\DGS.DIV 4/11/99 -6- Figure 6 is an elevational view of the bracket of Figure 4 showing a modification and with the kickboard in place; and Figures 7 and 8 are elevational views of a second embodiment of bracket mounted on a barrier rail, respectively showing the kickboard in its first active position and in its second inactive position.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a safety barrier assembly 10 comprises a plurality of stanchions 012 each secured to a roof of a building by an associated stanchion bracket or clamp 14 engaging a respective rafter 16. The particular type of stanchion bracket or clamp 14 shown in Figure 2 is more fully described in our Australian Patent Specification AU-A-11435/92, but it will be appreciated that other brackets, clamps or stanchion systems may be used with o the present invention. Some of these are described in our other aforementioned patent specifications.

Figure 1 illustrates only two stanchions 12 and three barrier rails 18, 19 and 20 supported from and extending between the stanchions, but it will be recognised that any number of stanchions and barrier rails may be used to form the barrier assembly 10, depending on the desired length of the barrier assembly, the strength of the stanchions, the strength of the barrier rails, and so on. Each barrier rail is of rectangular cross section.

Kickboard brackets 22 are suspended from the lowest rail 20 and support a kickboard 24.

Each kickboard bracket 22 comprises a rectangular stamped or laser-cut metal component having an elongate opening 26 therethrough. The opening 26 is divided into two portions 28 and 30 by a pair of opposed protuberances 32 defining a narrowing 34 of the opening.

The protuberances 32 are offset towards one end 36 of the bracket so that the portion 28 of the opening 26 has a substantially greater longitudinal extent than the portion 30. As seen in Figures 2 and 3, the portion 28 of the opening has a length and width sized to receive the kickboard 24 in sliding manner. In particular, the kickboard extends from the other end 38 of the bracket to adjacent the protuberances 32.

P:\OPER\PHH\DGS.DIV -4/11199 -7- The length of the portion 30 of the opening 26 between the one end 36 and the protuberances 32 is sufficient to accommodate the rectangular profile of the lower barrier rail 20 as also seen in figures 2 and 3, but the width of the portion 30 is also sufficient to permit the bracket 22 to be fully rotated about the barrier rail 20 when the barrier rail extends through the portion 30 of the opening. Thus, as shown, the width of the portion 30 may be somewhat greater than the width of the portion 28 for the kickboard 24. The protuberances 32 each have an inclined shoulder 40 in the portion 30 of the opening to facilitate the rotation of the bracket about the barrier rail and to guide the barrier rail 20 into the narrowing 34.

When the kickboard 24 is its first active condition, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, a lower end of each bracket 22 engages tiles 42 of the roof, thereby preventing further rotation of the bracket 22 about the rail 20 toward the stanchions 12. The kickboard 24 may also extend into abutment with the stanchions 12 to prevent this further rotation of the brackets prior to the tiles 42 being put in place. Additionally, two adjacent kickboards 24 may overlap if desired, 15 optionally with both engaging one bracket.

C.o.o.

With particular reference to Figure 3, when the lowest tiles 42 are being put in place, or if it is necessary to transport materials onto the roof beneath the rail 20, the brackets 22 may be rotated about the rail 20 to move the kickboard 24 to a second inactive position in which the brackets and kickboard are inverted.

The narrowing 34 in each bracket 22 has a width which is slightly greater than that of the barrier rail 20, but not as great as the length of the diagonal of the barrier rail. Thus, when the bracket 22 is rotated about the lower barrier rail 20 to move the kickboard into the inactive condition shown in Figure 3, the bracket drops down under its own weight and that of the kickboard as the barrier rail passes relatively upwardly through the narrowing 34. The bracket 22 is prevented by the kickboard from dropping down to such an extent that the barrier rail 20 passes wholly into the portion 28 of the opening 26. Thus, the bracket 22 cannot be rotated about the barrier rail in this condition.

The weight of the brackets and kickboard 24 maintains the brackets 22 in this condition until P:\OPER\PHH\DGS.DIV 4/11/99 -8the kickboard is returned to the first active position simply by lifting the kickboard 24 and brackets 22 so that the rail 20 disengages the narrowing 34 in each bracket, and rotating the brackets and kickboard to the first active position.

Referring now to Figure 5, the identical kickboard brackets 22 and kickboard 24 are used with a modified barrier assembly 50. In barrier assembly 50, the stanchions 12 (one only shown) and barrier rails 18, 19 and 20 are identical to those in the barrier assembly 10, but a modified bracket 52 is used to support each stanchion 12 from the rafter 16.

Each bracket 52 is locked onto the respective rafter 16 in the same manner as the bracket 14, as described in greater detail in AU-A-11435/92, but the bracket 52 supports the stanchion 12 from beneath the roof so that the roof may be covered or worked upon more conveniently.

In Figure 5 the roof is shown covered with corrugated sheet 54, but it could be covered with tiles or other roofing material.

The particular structure of the bracket 52 is clearly shown in Figure 5 and, since it does not form an essential part of the invention, it will not be described further. However, it will be noted that in this embodiment the kickboard bracket 22 abuts the gutter 56 in the lowered, active condition.

Referring now to Figure 6, the kickboard bracket 22 is shown modified to include one example of a retaining device 58. The device 58 is pivoted at 60 from one wall 62 defining the opening 26 and includes a cam arm 64 which in use engages the kickboard 24' and urges it against the opposite wall 66 of the bracket to resist movement of the kickboard in the bracket. As shown, the cam 68 engages a reinforcing rib 70 of the kickboard. The retaining device 58 also includes a lever arm 72 extending substantially perpendicular to the cam arm and along the wall 62 of the bracket in the retaining condition. A handle 74 is provided on the lever arm to facilitate manipulation and to define the retaining condition of the device by abutment with the wall 62.

Figures 7 and 8 show an alternative kickboard bracket 76 in which a keyhole opening 78 for P:\OPER\PH 223(85 I ml.doc-lMIM)1 -9the lower barrier rail 20 and an elongate slot 80 for the kickboard 24 are separate, in contrast to the single opening 26 in the bracket 22. The slot 80 is sized as before to receive the kickboard in sliding manner and may include a retaining device such as the device 58 for the kickboard.

The keyhole opening 78 is rounded in the portion receiving the barrier rail 20 in the active condition shown in Figure 7 and of a diameter which permits the bracket to be rotated out of this condition, about the barrier rail, into the inactive condition shown in Figure 8. In this condition the bracket drops under its weight, allowing the barrier rail to enter a recess 82 on the side of the opening 78 adjacent the slot 80. The recess is sized to closely receive the rail 20 and thereby prevent rotation of the bracket until the bracket is lifted to disengage the rail from the recess 82.

The keyhole opening 78 in each bracket 76 may include additional angularly spaced recesses (not shown) so that the kickboard 24 can be retained in different rotational positions.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires 20 otherwise, the word "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the invention described herein is susceptible to 25 variations and modifications other than those specifically described. It is to be understood S"that the invention includes all such variations and modifications which fall within its spirit and scope as defined by the claims.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Claims (9)

1. A safety barrier assembly including a safety barrier comprising at least two stanchions and barrier means extending between the stanchions, said barrier means comprising at least one elongate restraint member, the assembly further including a kickboard and support means for supporting the kickboard between the stanchions, wherein the support means comprise two or more spaced brackets suspended from the elongate restraint member, each bracket comprising a suspension portion having an opening therethrough capable of receiving the elongate restraint member and a support portion adapted to support the kickboard on the bracket.

2. A safety barrier assembly according to claim 1, wherein the opening in each bracket is adapted to permit the bracket to rotate about the elongate restraint member at least between a first position in which the support portion is below the suspension portion and a second position remote from the first position, and wherein the suspension portion includes means capable of selectively retaining the bracket in the second position. portion of the opening of restricted width.

4. A safety barrier according to claim 3 wherein the portion of restricted width is defined by a recess in one side of the opening.

5. A safety barrier according to claim 3 or claim 4 wherein the portion of restricted 25 width is disposed on a side of the opening adjacent the support portion.

6. A safety barrier according to any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein the support portion includes a slot for slidingly receiving the kickboard.

7. A safety barrier according to claim 6 when dependent from claim 3 wherein the S portion of restricted width connects the opening and the slot. P:OPER\PHH\230851 rsl.doc-I8INAl 11

8. A safety barrier according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein retention means is provided for retaining the kickboard in the slot.

9. A safety barrier according to claim 8 wherein the retention means comprises one or more nibs projecting inwardly of the slot. A safety barrier according to claim 8 wherein the retention means comprises an adjustable cam adapted to urge the kickboard against a wall of the slot.

11. A safety barrier according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each bracket is substantially planar. DATED this 18th day of January 2001 DGS Property Pty Ltd By its Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISION CAVE go• o