EP2636430A1

EP2636430A1 - Safety system for blind installers

Info

Publication number: EP2636430A1
Application number: EP12425049.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Lupi
Original assignee: Fin Group Srl
Current assignee: Fin Group Srl
Priority date: 2012-03-05
Filing date: 2012-03-05
Publication date: 2013-09-11
Anticipated expiration: 2032-03-05
Also published as: PL2636430T3; EP2636430B1

Abstract

A safety system for blind installers comprising: a tubular first main upright (10); a tubular first telescopic upright (11) insertable into and slidable within said first main upright; means for locking (12,13) said first telescopic upright to said first main upright; said first main upright comprising at one end a first bearing plate (15)abutting against a slab of the operating floor (5); said first telescopic upright having at one end a second bearing plate (26) abutting against a slab of the upper floor (26); a tubular second main upright (30); a tubular second telescopic upright (31) insertable into and slidable within said second main upright; means for locking (14) said second telescopic upright to said second main upright; said second main upright having at one end a third bearing plate (15) abutting against the slab of the operating floor; said second telescopic upright having at one end a fourth bearing plate abutting against the slab of the upper floor (6); said system has a net (36) fixed to said first main upright, to said first telescopic upright, to said second main upright, and to said second telescopic upright.

Description

The present invention relates to a safety system for blind installers, in particular of balcony blinds.
The operator installing a blind on a balcony is exposed to many risks, in particular when the building is tall.
He is required to fix the blind support means, possible motors, etc., to the floor slab above the balcony.
This operation is carried out using a ladder or trestle which extends beyond the normal protection grille, hence exposing the operator to possible falling, with serious safety problems for operators in this field.
An object of the present invention is to provide a safety system for blind installers which correctly protects the installer.
Another object is to provide a system which is lightweight and easily transportable.
A further object is to provide a system which is simple to assemble. These and other objects are attained according to the present invention by a safety system for blind installers comprising: a tubular first main upright; a tubular first telescopic upright insertable into and slidable within said first main upright; means for locking said first telescopic upright to said first main upright; said first main upright comprising at one end a first bearing plate; said first bearing plate abutting against a slab of the work floor; said first telescopic upright comprising at one end a second bearing plate; said second bearing plate abutting against a slab of the upper floor; a tubular second main upright; a tubular second telescopic upright insertable into and slidable within said second main upright; means for locking said second telescopic upright to said second main upright; said second main upright comprising at one end a third bearing plate; said third bearing plate abutting against a slab of the operating floor; said second telescopic upright comprising at one end a fourth bearing plate; said fourth bearing plate abutting against a slab of the upper floor; said system comprising a net fixed to said first main upright, to said first telescopic upright, to said second main upright, and to said second telescopic upright.
Further characteristics of the present invention are described in the dependent claims.
By virtue of the present invention the operator is free to move while at the same time being protected against possible falling.
By forming a structure as described herein, a lightweight system is obtained which is practical for being conveyed even to the higher floors of buildings, while at the same time providing safety.
The system is easy to assemble, a single operator being able to achieve it.
By virtue of the protection net, the system is able to also prevent the fall of objects or equipment from the balcony, in this case also protecting persons standing below the balcony.
The characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the ensuing description of one embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows schematically a safety system for blind installers, in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 shows schematically a safety system for blind installers, in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 3 shows schematically a safety system for blind installers, in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 4 shows schematically a lateral view of a detail of the height adjustment system of a safety system for blind installers, in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 5 shows schematically a top view of a detail of the height adjustment system of a safety system for blind installers, in accordance with the present invention.

With reference to the accompanying figures, a safety system for blind installers, in accordance with the present invention, comprises a protection structure fixable between the balcony 5 (slab of the work floor) where the blind is to be fixed, and the upper balcony 6 (slab of the upper floor).
The system comprises a tubular first main upright 10 of length 2 m, preferably of square section and 45 mm side dimension, and a tubular first telescopic upright 11 of length 2 m insertable into and slidable within the first main upright 10, preferably of square section and 40 mm side dimension.
The first telescopic upright 11 comprises a plurality of through holes 12 spaced apart by about 5 cm, disposed along its longitudinal axis.
The first telescopic upright 11 is inserted from above into the first main upright 10. Having defined the required height, a pin 13 (fixing ring) is inserted into one of the holes 12. The pin 13 rests on the upper edge of the first main upright 10 to block sliding between the two uprights.
The pin 13 and the holes 12 form a first coarse height adjustment system 14.
The first main upright 10 comprises, at that end opposite the end into which the first telescopic upright 11 is inserted, a second fine height adjustment system 15.
The second height adjustment system 15 comprises a threaded rod 20, one end of which is inserted into the first main upright 10, while the other end is fixed to a base 21.
The base 21 is preferably formed from a circular ring with two crossing metal bars fixed to the ring.
Four vertical webs 22 are positioned on the two bars to support the threaded rod 20.
At its top, the threaded rod 20 comprises a bush 23 which can slide along the threaded rod 20 which is internally welded flush with the lower end of the first main upright 10.
Above the bush 23 a pin 24 is positioned to block exit of the threaded rod 20 (and consequently of the base 21) from the first main upright 10, such that when the first main upright 10 is raised, the base remains rigid with it.
A layer of non-slip material 24 of rubber or PVC is positioned below the base 21.
A handle 25, rotatable to finely adjust the upright height, is secured to the threaded rod 20.
On rotating the handle 25 the position of the first main upright 10 is raised or lowered, by abutment against the lower end thereof.
A second base 26 (similar to the base 21 but without the threaded rod 20 and the handle 25) is securely fixed to the upper end of the first telescopic upright 11, to lie against the lower surface of the upper floor, this end also being faced with PVC or rubber in order not to ruin the plaster.
A first ring 27 is fixed onto the first main upright 10, in proximity to the lower base 21. A second ring 28 is fixed in proximity to its upper end (where the first telescopic upright 11 is inserted). A third ring 29 is fixed onto the first telescopic upright 11, in proximity to the upper base 26.
The system comprises a second main upright 30 and a second telescopic upright 31, also including, in a manner similar to the preceding, a coarse height adjustment system 14 and fine height adjustment system 15, together with rings 27-29.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, the first main upright 10 and first telescopic upright 11 are fixed vertically on one side of the balcony, and the second main upright 30 and second telescopic upright 31 are fixed vertically on the other side of the balcony, both on the inside of the balcony in proximity to the parapet or railings.
The first height adjustment system 14 is firstly adjusted by fixing the pin 13 into one of the holes 12, while not extending the second height adjustment system 15.
The second height adjustment system 15 is then adjusted by rotating the handle 25 until the bases 21 and 26 of the two uprights are forced against the two floor slabs 5 and 6.
A steel cable 35 of diameter 6 mm is passed through the rings 27, 28, 29 of the two uprights, and an anti-fall net 36 is fixed to the cable 35, this net being formed of nylon, cotton or polyethylene mesh, sufficiently robust to support the weight of a person.
Alternatively a net 36 already fitted with the cable 35 is used.
In this manner, in addition to the normal railings, a protection net is available, preferably as wide as the balcony and as tall as the height between the balcony floor 5 and the floor slab 6 of the upper balcony. The operator is able to work in total freedom with such protection as to retain him within the balcony, if falling. The operator is free to move within the balcony and to climb by ladder protected by the net. According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the first main upright 10 and first telescopic upright 11 are fixed vertically on one side of the balcony, and the second main upright 30 and second telescopic upright 31 are fixed vertically on the other side of the balcony, both on the inside of the balcony in proximity to the parapet or railings.
In this case a retractable device 40 is fixed to the ring 29 of the first telescopic upright 11, this device having an automatic locking function for an automatic cord tensioning and return system, possibly incorporating an energy dissipater.
A cord 41 fixed to a harness 42 worn by the operator is connected to the retractable device.
In this case the net 43 is a net of smaller mesh size than that used in the preceding case, and also lighter in weight.
In this case the operator is protected by the retractable device 40, the net 43 not being provided to protect the operator but to retain the working tools, to prevent their falling from the balcony.
Such a fine mesh net can also be used in the preceding case by superimposing it on the operator protection net 36.
According to a third embodiment of the present invention, only a single upright is used, i.e. the first main upright 10 and first telescopic upright 11, with a retractable device 40 fixed to the higher ring 29. A cord 41 fixed to a harness 42 worn by the operator is connected to the retractable device.
In this case a protection net is not present, but only a rapidly applied safety system.
Various embodiments of the safety system have been described herein for protecting blind installers and for preventing possible fall of materials to be fixed and their tools, however the system can be used in any other occasion on which protection is required and where it is possible to fix the uprights between two floor slabs, one above and the other below.
The material used for the uprights is stainless steel, however other materials and other variants of the system can be used according to requirements and to the state of the art.

Claims

A safety system for blind installers comprising: a tubular first main upright; a tubular first telescopic upright insertable into and slidable within said first main upright; means for locking said first telescopic upright to said first main upright; said first main upright comprising at one end a first bearing plate; said first bearing plate abutting against a slab of the operating floor; said first telescopic upright comprising at one end a second bearing plate; said second bearing plate abutting against a slab of the upper floor; a tubular second main upright; a tubular second telescopic upright insertable into and slidable within said second main upright; means for locking said second telescopic upright to said second main upright; said second main upright comprising at one end a third bearing plate; said third bearing plate abutting against a slab of the operating floor; said second telescopic upright comprising at one end a fourth bearing plate; said fourth bearing plate abutting against a slab of the upper floor; said system comprising a net fixed to said first main upright, to said first telescopic upright, to said second main upright, and to said second telescopic upright.
A system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said system comprises at least one retractable device fixed to said second bearing plate; a cable fixed at one end to said retractable device and at its other end to a harness worn by an operator.
A system as claimed in claim 1, characterised by further comprising said first and second main upright, said first and second telescopic upright comprising at least six rings; said system comprising a net fixed to said at least six rings.
A system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said first and third bearing plate are adjustable in height.
A system as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that each of said first and third bearing plate comprise a threaded rod and a handle slidable along said threaded rod.
A system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said first and second telescopic upright comprise a plurality of through holes spaced apart along the longitudinal axis of said first and second telescopic upright, said locking means comprising a pin insertable into one of said plurality of holes.
A system as claimed in claim 3, characterised by comprising a cable passing through said at least six rings, said net being fixed to said cable.
A system as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that said first and second main upright are positioned at a distance apart equal to that which is to be protected.