AU740166B2 - Improved roofing safety rail bracket support - Google Patents

Description

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t-'/U/U1 1 28/W'1 Regulation 3.2(2)

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: Lodged: Invention Title: IMPROVED ROOFING SAFETY RAIL BRACKET SUPPORT 0 0 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us 1 IMPROVED ROOFING SAFETY RAIL BRACKET

SUPPORT

TECHNICAL

FIELD

The present invention relates to a bracket support for a roofing safety rail.

It is envisaged that the invention be used by workers in the roofing trade and construction industry. The invention increases the security of roof workers by providing a means for preventing accidental falls from roofs.

BACKGROUND

ART

Hitherto there have been several different approaches taken to provide a readily mountable bracket to support a roofing safety rail.

For example, in Australian patent 80156/91 to George there is described a safety rail bracket with an engaging means for attaching to a roof rafter. The device therein described relies solely on gravity to produce gripping by two opposed engagement arms of the rafter. Consequently the level of security provided by the bracket is less than optimal as the bracket may accidently disengage, or slip, should force be inadvertently applied to the support rail arm in an upwards direction.

Australian patent application 31701/95 describes a device similar to that in 80156/91 though with horizontal clamping bolts incorporated into each engagement arm. Upon tightening the bolts so that they engage the rafter, an 20 additional retaining force is applied horizontally to the rafter. Such a force does not directly oppose disengagement of the bracket, however, but relies on friction between the bolts and rafter to oppose any vertically applied disengaging force.

Furthermore, the tightening of the two bolts requires two distinct operations and is inconvenient because a tool is required to perform the tightening. In addition, there is no guarantee that the bolts will not inadvertently loosen, due to S:vibrations caused by working on the roof. Yet a further disadvantage is that the engagement of the rafter by the bolts to any substantial degree will cause visible scoring. Such scoring of the rafter is highly undesirable, especially if a ceiling is not intended to accompany the roof.

o 30 Similarly Australian patents 11435/92 and 10200/92 also describe the use of horizontal bolts for clamping to the rafter.

Australian patent application 31703/95 describes a support bracket for the erection of a safety barrier which makes use of a batten bracket and a chain to encircle a roof rafter. The length of the securing chain is adjusted coarsely at one end by fixing a selected chain link into a slot. Fine adjustment of the chain is carried out at the other end by adjusting the position of a threaded bolt to which the chain terminates.

The described device suffers from at least two disadvantages. Firstly, the possible positioning of the support bracket along the rafter is limited because it must abut the batten. Secondly, the adjustment of the clamping chain is cumbersome and time consuming, requiring two distinct operations, one of which can only be carried out by using a tool.

An object of the invention is to overcome or ameliorate one or more of the problems in the prior art, or to provide an improved alternative.

It would be preferable if the present invention, in at least one embodiment thereof, could provide a safety rail support bracket which can be readily attached S to a roof rafter without the need for a tool. Further advantages could be achieved if such a rail support bracket need not require abutment of a batten in order to operate satisfactorily.

It would also be preferable if, in at least one embodiment thereof, the 20 present invention could provide a safety rail support bracket which once secured to a rafter will oppose disengaging forces applied in both horizontal and vertical planes.

Furthermore it would be preferable if the present invention would provide a safety rail support bracket which will cause minimal damage to the rafters to which it is attached.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a safety barrier mounting bracket adapted to be attached to a building member of a building, including a) a stabiliser including contact members connected by a spanning member, the contact members being adapted, in use, to operatively straddle said building member with the spanning member spanning the building member such that movement of the stabilizer with respect to said building member is prevented in a first direction; b) a clamping assembly including a clamping plate; c) a barrier support assembly adapted to receive a safety barrier; whereby the clamping plate and stabiliser are arranged so that the clamping plate and stabiliser operatively cooperate to force at least one of the contact members and the clamping plate against opposite surfaces of the building member to prevent movement of the stabilizer with respect to said building member in a direction opposite to said first direction.

Preferably, the clamping plate is operatively connected to the stabiliser 0 such that it can be brought into and removed from contact with one surface of the building member so that when brought into said contact friction forces are generated to maintain the clamp plate and an opposing one of the contact members in secure abutment on opposite surfaces of the building member.

***Preferably, the opposing contact members are flat, horizontal plates attached at either end of the spanning member.

Preferably, the clamping assembly further includes a clamp operation means for varying the position of the clamping plate with respect to the building 20 member such that the clamping plate may operatively be brought into contact 0. therewith by the clamp operation means.

Preferably, the clamp operation means includes a pivoting means for rotating the clamping plate about the spanning member.

Preferably, the clamp operation means further includes a means for applying force to rotate the pivoting means, and said mounting bracket includes a means for locking said means of applying force in a particular position.

Preferably, the means for applying force to rotate the pivoting means comprises a handle attached to said clamping assembly.

Preferably, the means for locking said handle comprises a detent mounted to said barrier support assembly.

Alternatively, the clamp operation means includes a threaded bolt fitted between the clamping assembly and the stabiliser.

The clamp operation means may include a threaded bolt fitted between the clamping assembly and the barrier support assembly.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a safety barrier mounting bracket for supporting a safety barrier on a building structure, the bracket being adapted to be attached to a roof rafter member on the building structure to enable said safety barrier to be supported on the bracket whilst work is in progress on the roof, and including a pair of gripping members adapted to engage surfaces of the rafter and to locate the bracket with respect to the rafter, and a quick release clamping member for contacting the rafter and securing the bracket to the rafter, the arrangement being such that the bracket creates minimal interference to work on the roofing construction.

In a preferred form of the present invention the safety barrier mounting bracket includes two fixed rafter contacting members and a third movable rafter contacting member, the third member being adapted for quick securement and release from the rafter by means of a pivotal lever and associated detent means, the arrangement being such that the bracket, when fitted, creates minimal interference with cladding work on the roofing construction.

S 20 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES *ooo In order that the invention might be more fully understood, embodiments of the invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1A depicts a perspective view of a first component of a safety hand barrier mounting bracket according to a first embodiment Figure 1B depicts a perspective view of a second component of the safety hand barrier mounting bracket according to the first embodiment Figure 1C depicts a perspective view of a third component of the safety hand barrier mounting bracket according to the first embodiment.

Figure 1D depicts a rear view of the assembled safety hand barrier mounting bracket according to the first embodiment.

Figure 2 shows in side elevation the safety hand barrier mounting bracket, according to the first embodiment, positioned on a roofing rafter in unclamped mode.

Figure 3 shows in side elevation a safety mounting bracket according to the first embodiment engaging a roofing rafter in clamped mode.

Figure 4 shows an overall schematic arrangement of a safety hand barrier according to the first embodiment fitted to a roofing construction.

Figure 5 depicts a modification of the first embodiment of the invention 10 wherein the arrangement of the barrier support assembly and clamping handle are altered.

Figure 6 depicts a perspective view of a safety hand barrier mounting bracket according to a further embodiment.

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S...f DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION Referring now to Figure 2 there is depicted an assembled safety barrier mounting bracket located on a rafter 45 according to an embodiment of the invention to be described. The assembled mounting bracket consists of three major functional elements being a barrier support assembly 53, a stabiliser and a clamping assembly 57.

With reference to Figure 1A, a first component of the bracket, being the stabiliser 55, is depicted. The stabiliser includes two, substantially flat, contact plates 37 and 39 located at opposite ends of a spanning plate 13. The contact plates 37 and 39 may be integral with, or welded to, spanning plate 13. Contact plates 37, 39 and spanning plate 13 are adapted to operatively straddle and contact opposing surfaces of a structural member of a building, such as a rafter.

Preferably facing surfaces 4 and 5 of the contact plates 37, 39 are parallel and spaced far enough apart to accommodate a standard rafter. A hole 19 is located through the centre of spanning plate 13 to facilitate connection to the stabiliser bracket 53 as will be described shortly. Preferably edges 9 project from the facing surfaces 4 and 5 of contact plates 37, 39 to operatively capture the sides of the rafter thereby preventing slippage of the stabiliser, and hence the bracket across the rafter.

20 Referring now to Figure 1B there is depicted a second component of the bracket, namely a clamping assembly 57, comprising a handle 3, preferably of spring steel, and a right angle 41 comprising a clamping plate 2 and a pivot e tongue 33. Pivot tongue 33 includes handle port 43, which receives the handle 3, and a hole 31 to facilitate connection to stabiliser 55 by means of a bolt as will be described shortly. Optionally, the clamping plate 2 may include, as illustrated, rafter retaining edge 47 to further prevent slippage across the rafter when the clamp is in use as will be described below.

Referring now to Figure 1C, there is depicted the third component of the bracket which is a barrier support assembly 53 comprising an angle section 21 terminating at one end in a post 1. Connected to post 1 is a detent 8 in the form of a bolt screwed into post 1 for retaining handle 3 during operation of the bracket, as will be explained, and an L section 23 which provides a means for retaining a safety barrier. Welded to the detent side of angle section 21 and post 1 is a stiffening plate 25 including a hole 26 located towards its free end. A portion 27 of the undersurface of angle section 21 is shaped to match the upper surface 29 of stabiliser 55 so that the barrier support assembly 53 and stabiliser 55 can be connected by welding, or otherwise joining, the two surfaces together.

Upon connecting the two components in this way hole 26 is aligned with hole 19 of the stabiliser bracket Referring now to Figure 1D, therein is depicted a rear view of an assembled hand rail mounting bracket according to the first described embodiment of the present invention. It can be seen that the angle section 21 of the barrier support assembly 53 has been welded to the upper surface 29 of contact plate 37 of the stabiliser bracket. Between stiffening plate 25 of the barrier support assembly and the spanning member 13 of the stabiliser bracket o there is sandwiched pivot tongue 33 of the clamping assembly. Inserted through hole 19 of the stabiliser bracket 55, hole 31 of the clamping assembly 57 and hole 26 of the barrier support assembly 53 is a pivot bolt 24 secured at the clamping assembly side by a suitable nut and washer, alternatively hole 26 of the stiffening plate 25 may be threaded so that the nut and washer are not required.

Referring now to Figure 2, therein is depicted a side elevation of the assembled safety barrier bracket positioned on a rafter 45 with the clamp in an unengaged state. In this state the bracket is stable so long as force is applied downwards through post 1 so that the inner surface 4 of contact plate 37 is forced against the upper surface 49 of rafter 45. Additionally, a clockwise rotational moment is generated about contact plate 37 which forces surface 5 of lower contact plate 39 against the lower surface 51 of rafter 45. Accordingly, static frictional forces are generated between the rafter and the inner surfaces of both contact plates which oppose dislodgment of the bracket. Thus, the stabilizer is prevented from moving with respect to the rafter 45 in a first clockwise direction (as shown in Figure However, if through some accident, as may occur during building construction, the gravitational force directed down through post 1 should be overcome then the previously described static frictional forces will momentarily cease and the bracket will no longer be secure on the rafter. According to the present invention this problem is overcome by means of the operation of the clamping assembly as will now be explained.

Referring now to Figure 3, the safety barrier bracket is shown clamped to the rafter. In this position clamp handle 3 is retained by detent 8 thereby applying a clockwise moment to stabiliser 55 through barrier support assembly 53, and an anticlockwise moment to the pivot tongue 33 and clamping plate 2, about pivot bolt 24. Consequently the inner surface 5 of contact plate 37 and the inner surface of clamping plate 2 are forced into hard contact with opposing surface 51 of the rafter whilst the inner surface 4 of contact plate 29 is similarly brought into contact with surface 49 of rafter 45. Thereby results a restraining static friction between the bracket and the rafter which is present whether or not downward gravitational force is exerted on barrier support assembly 53. Thus, in Figure 3, a..

0- the clamping plate 2 prevents movement of the stabilizer 55 with respect to the rafter 45 in a second anti-clockwise direction (as shown in Figure 3) which is opposite to the first direction.

Referring now to Figure 4 it is seen that a plurality of the clamping brackets are adapted to be fitted to rafter members around the periphery of a roofing construction to provide adequate support for handrails 11. By means of the bracket and handrails a substantial barrier is formed to prevent workers accidentally falling from the roof.

The configuration and location of the clamping bracket on the extremity of the rafter ensures that there is only minimal interference with the application of cladding material to the roofing framework, including sarking and tiles or similar cladding. The configuration of the safety barrier mounting bracket may be altered to accommodate differing roofing arrangements. For example, the post 1 and angle section 21 may be varied to extend laterally from the rafter to suit location on a gable end of a roof.

The configuration of the safety barrier mounting bracket may also be varied in other ways while remaining within the ambit of the present invention. For example, referring to Figure 5 there is depicted a modification of the previously described embodiment of the invention wherein the barrier support assembly 53 and handle 3 are slung underneath the rafter 45 and extend out under the fascia board 71 and roof gutter 73. Such an arrangement has the advantage of leaving the periphery of the roof substantially clear to allow the application of metal roofing sheets or similar cladding.

Referring to Figure 6 there is depicted a second embodiment according to the present invention wherein clamping plate 2 and contact plate 37 of stabiliser are operatively brought into contact with a building member (not shown) by rotating positioning eyelet 63 about threaded rod 61. Rod 61 is fixed to contact plate 37, although it could also be fixed to a point on the mounting barrier support assembly 53. Alternatively the rod could be fixed to clamping plate 2 and the eyelets positioned adjacent contact plate 37, other variations may also be oi possible. Once clamping plate 2 has been brought into its desired position it is locked in place by rotating locking eyelet 65 against positioning eyelet 63.

While embodiments of the invention has been described with reference to various embodiments other variations and implementations within the spirit of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims (11)

1. A safety barrier mounting bracket adapted to be attached to a building member of a building, including a) a stabiliser including contact members connected by a spanning member, the contact members being adapted, in use, to operatively straddle said building member with the spanning member spanning the building member such that movement of the stabilizer with respect to said building member is prevented in a first direction; b) a clamping assembly including a clamping plate; c) a barrier support assembly adapted to receive a safety barrier; whereby the clamping plate and stabiliser are arranged so that the clamping plate S°and stabiliser operatively cooperate to force at least one of the contact members and the clamping plate against opposite surfaces of the building member to prevent movement of the stabilizer with respect to said building member in a direction opposite to said first direction.

2. A safety barrier mounting bracket according to claim 1, wherein the clamping plate is operatively connected to the stabiliser such that it can be brought into and removed from contact with one surface of the building member so that when brought into said contact friction forces are generated to maintain the clamp plate and an opposing one of the contact members in secure abutment on opposite surfaces of the building member.

3. A safety barrier mounting bracket according to claim 2, wherein the opposing contact members are flat, horizontal plates attached at either end of the spanning member.

4. A safety barrier mounting bracket according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clamping assembly further includes a clamp operation means for varying the position of the clamping plate with respect to the building member such that the 9 clamping plate may operatively be brought into contact therewith by the clamp operation means. A safety barrier mounting bracket according to claim 4 wherein the clamp operation means includes a pivoting means for rotating the clamping plate about the spanning member.

6. A safety barrier mounting bracket according to claim 5, wherein the clamp operation means further includes a means for applying force to rotate the pivoting means, and said mounting bracket includes a means for locking said means of applying force in a particular position.

7. A safety barrier mounting bracket according to claim 6, wherein the means o* for applying force to rotate the pivoting means comprises a handle attached to said clamping assembly. o° A safety barrier mounting bracket according to claim 6, wherein the means for locking said handle comprises a detent mounted to said barrier support assembly.

9. A safety barrier mounting bracket according to claim 4, wherein the clamp operation means includes a threaded bolt fitted between the clamping assembly and the stabiliser. A safety barrier mounting bracket according to claim 4, wherein the clamp operation means includes a threaded bolt fitted between the clamping assembly and the barrier support assembly.

11. A safety barrier mounting bracket of claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 of the 0.accompanying drawings.

12. A safety barrier mounting bracket of claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 of the accompanying drawings.

13. A safety barrier mounting bracket of claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompany drawings.

14. A safety barrier mounting bracket of claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1A and 1B of the accompany drawings. :DATED this 3 0 th day of August, 2001 RICCARDO JOSEPH ADRIAN VERGAN, ANDY GALOVIC AND NIKOLA GALOVIC S WATERMARK PATENT TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS SUNIT 1 THE VILLAGE RIVERSIDE CORPORATE PARK NORTH RYDE NSW 2113 AUSTRALIA P6267AUOO.DOC PNF/RJS/MEH C C