FR2886660A1 - Guardrail for support mast of e.g. broadcasting relay antenna, has unfoldable unit comprising upper casement articulated on lower casement, where unfoldable unit is moved between lowered position and raised position - Google Patents

Abstract

The guardrail has an unfoldable unit comprising a lower casement (23) articulated on a base and an upper casement (24) articulated on the lower casement. The unfoldable unit is moved between a lowered position, in which the upper casement is folded back against the lower casement, and a raised position, in which the lower casement is raised and the upper casement forms a non null angle with the lower casement. A cable (28) extends parallel to an upper edge (26) of the upper casement (24). An independent claim is also included for a radio communication antenna support comprising a guardrail.

Description

The present invention relates to the technical field of bodyguards

  used to prevent the fall of workers working on platforms at height.

  Indeed, the regulation imposes, from a certain height, the presence on the platforms of work of guards likely to prevent an accidental fall. There are many situations requiring work phases at height and, in a preferred but non-limiting application, the invention relates to body guards capable of being used in connection with work platforms associated with masts of antenna support for television broadcasting or radio telecommunications.

  In the context, for example, the establishment of mobile phone relay antennas can be used a mast placed on a building terrace and on which is adapted one or more antennas. In order to facilitate possible interventions on the relay antennas, it may also be provided a platform on which a technician can take place and thus be at the intervention height on the antenna, without disassembly of the latter. However, in this case, the platform is generally at a height that requires, in accordance with regulations, the implementation of anti-fall devices. There are then a number of parameters to consider. First of all, the fall arrest system must not hinder the movement of the technician involved in the relay antenna, a guardrail system is then the best solution for the comfort of the technician compared to an individual safety.

  There is then a double problem: on the one hand, the guard rail is likely to be in the transmitting and receiving field of the relay antenna and thus to disturb its operation and, on the other hand, when the mast is placed at the edge of the terrace, the guard is visible from below, thus altering the overall aesthetics of the building supporting the antenna.

  It therefore appears the need for a new type of guardrail that is able to offer effective protection against falls for a technician working on the antenna and which, under normal operating conditions of the antenna, does not disturb the effectiveness of the antenna and / or the overall aesthetics of the building supporting it.

  In order to achieve this objective, the invention relates to a guard which comprises: at least one upwardly deployable element comprising at least: a base, a low leaf articulated on the base to be movable in rotation; horizontal axis, É and a high leaf articulated on the low leaf to be movable in rotation of horizontal axis and foldable against the low leaf, the unfoldable element being movable, between a lowered position in which the top leaf is folded down against the low leaf, itself in the folded position towards the ground, and a raised position, in which the low leaf is raised and the high leaf forms a non-zero angle with the low leaf, the upper edge of the high leaf, at the opposite of the low leaf, forming a handrail, and means for maintaining in the raised position of the unfoldable element.

  Thus, the embodiment of the guardrail in the form of an upwardly unfoldable element makes it possible, when no intervention is necessary at the level of the zone protected by the guardrail, to fold down the unfoldable element, so that the latter is no longer visible and does not interfere with the operation of an antenna possibly located nearby.

  Depending on the configuration of the area to be protected, a guardrail according to the invention may comprise one, two, or a series of contiguous foldable elements, whose upper leaves are connected at the adjacent ends of their upper edge.

  Furthermore, according to the invention and in the context of the implementation of several foldable elements for producing a railing, the foldable elements are not necessarily aligned and thus define a broken line, so that the upper edges two contiguous unfolding elements form a non-zero angle.

  In the context of the realization of a protection for a zone or an unobstructed platform on all of its sides, a guardrail according to the invention may comprise a series of contiguous unfolding elements and arranged to define a closed polygon or a polygon open on one side. The definition of a polygon open on one side and allows to provide access to the secure area by the guard even when it is in the raised position.

  According to the invention, the means for holding the leafs or the unfoldable elements in the raised position can be realized in various appropriate ways, such as, for example, in the form of one or more gas springs with a change of state, interposed between the high leaf and the low leaf of one or more unfoldable elements. The holding means in the raised position of the guard can also be made in the form of a leg, interposed between the top leaf and the base of an unfolding element constituting the guard body.

  The frame of a guardrail according to the invention, made to define an open or closed polygon, the holding means in the raised position of the leaves will preferably be made to include: E at least one cable extending successively in the unfoldable elements contiguous parallel to the upper edge of each high leaf and away from this upper edge and the platform, and slidable in the unfoldable elements, E and means for blocking the sliding of the cable in extended position of the latter when the leaves are in the raised position.

  The invention also relates to a support for a telecommunications antenna comprising a support structure supporting a mast for fixing at least one antenna and, at the base of this mast, a peripheral working platform characterized in that it comprises a guard according to the invention, the bases of the unfoldable elements are located near an outer edge of the work platform.

  In a preferred embodiment of the support for a communication antenna according to the invention, the carrying structure comprises: E a mast receiving and fixing pole, E and at least three branches extending from the shaft and each equipped with means fixing on a base.

  This embodiment of the carrier structure provides a very high stability of the support. Moreover, it should be noted, in the sense of the invention, that the term base is to be understood in the broad sense as being capable of designating, in particular but not exclusively, the ground, a concrete slab, a roof terrace, studs in solid concrete floor or roof terrace.

  In a preferred embodiment for implementation and quick installation on a roof terrace, for example without altering the tightness of the latter, the support for communication antenna according to the invention comprises, as a base, the at least three prefabricated concrete blocks each comprising anchoring means intended to cooperate with the fastening means of a branch of the supporting structure.

  According to an alternative embodiment, in order to allow an easy increase of the overturning moment of the communication antenna support according to the invention, each prefabricated block comprises at least one cell which is open at the level of the upper face of the base and which is capable of to receive a ballast. Thus, it is possible to increase quickly without additional work, the weight of each prefabricated block, to increase the wind resistance of the support according to the invention.

  In the context of this variant embodiment, it may be envisaged to use, as ballast, at least one block of shape complementary to the shape of the cell of a prefabricated block.

  According to another variant embodiment and in order to allow a rapid introduction of the communication antenna, the communication antenna support according to the invention comprises means for adapting at least one communication antenna which comprise a bracket comprising: a cradle for receiving the communication antenna, E a mounting base on the mast which has an elongate shape, partly complementary to the shape of the mast with, at the top, a locking tab intended to come s engage in a complementary housing on the mast and, in the lower part, a locking lug for receiving a locking member secured to the mast.

  The implementation of adaptation means thus produced makes it possible, in a very advantageous manner, to mount the antenna on the cradle in the workshop, then to quickly and simply carry out the fixing of the antenna on the mast after placement of the support on its location.

  In order to facilitate this operation as much as possible and according to a preferred embodiment of the support, the mast comprises: E a peripheral collar defining a receiving housing for one or more fixing base locking lugs, E and, below the peripheral flange, a circumferential bearing shoulder for one or more attachment base locking tabs, the shoulder having a series of bores for receiving, as locking members, screws engaged in fitted windows in the locking tabs.

  According to another characteristic of the invention and in order to facilitate the installation and positioning of the antenna, the means for adapting an antenna comprise: a vertical axis pivot connection between the cradle and the base , so as to allow an azimuth adjustment of the antenna fixed on the cradle, and means for locking the rotation of the cradle relative to the stem.

  According to yet another characteristic of the invention and always in the sense of a simplification of the installation and positioning of the antenna, the cradle, means of adaptation of the antenna, is movable relative to the base in vertical translation and the adaptation means comprise locking means of the translation of the cradle relative to the bracket to allow adjustment in height of the antenna fixed on the cradle. The possibility of vertical translation of the antenna, or more exactly of the cradle which carries it, thus allows an easy adjustment of the height of the antenna. In addition, this device makes it possible to place the antenna in height when the latter is in normal use condition, while allowing, when an intervention is necessary on the antenna, to descend it quickly so as to place it at the height of the repair technician.

  According to another characteristic of the invention and in order to allow the cradle to be adapted to different antenna sizes, the communication antenna support according to the invention comprises adaptation means for an antenna whose cradle is adjustable in length.

  According to the invention, the adaptation means of an antenna can be made in different ways to present the features mentioned above.

  In a preferred embodiment of the communication antenna support according to the invention, the means for adapting an antenna are made in such a way that: the cradle comprises a cylindrical tubular body of revolution, E and the bracket includes, firstly, a tube which has a cylindrical central bore of revolution of vertical axis, inside which is disposed the tubular body of the cradle, so as to be movable in rotation and in translation of vertical axis and, d ' on the other hand, clamping means of the tubular body of the cradle for blocking the movements of the cradle relative to the stem.

  In a preferred embodiment, the tubular body of the cradle then comprises at least two sliding segments one in the other and means for locking the relative movement of the two segments, so as to allow adjustment of the length of the cradle.

  Of course, the various features of the invention mentioned above can be implemented with each other in different combinations when they are not exclusive of each other.

  Moreover, various other features of the invention will emerge from the description given below with reference to the accompanying drawings which show, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the object of the invention.

  Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a telecommunication antenna support according to the invention, the mast of which is concealed by a housing and whose foldable bodyguard according to the invention is in the lowered position.

  Fig. 2 is an elevation of the antenna support, as shown in FIG. 1, without its casing.

  Fig. 3 is a top view of the only support structure of the antenna support, as shown in FIG. 2 without fixing mast and without working platform.

  Figs. 4 to 6 are perspectives of the telecommunication antenna support, as illustrated in FIG. 1 but without its antenna mounting mast, showing different phases of deployment of the guard rail according to the invention.

  Fig. 7 is a partial perspective showing an embodiment of the holding means in the raised position of the guard according to the invention.

  Fig. 8 is a partially cutaway view showing a detail of embodiment of means for adapting an antenna of the support according to the invention.

  A carrier for a telecommunication antenna, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, comprises a supporting structure, generally designated by the reference 1, supporting a mast 2 for fixing at least one antenna 3 shown in phantom in FIG. 2 and, at the base of the mast, a working peripheral platform 4. It should be noted that in FIG. 1, the mast 2 and the antenna 3 are not visible, insofar as they are concealed by a housing 5 made of a material permeable to radio waves and intended to protect the antenna and improve the aesthetics of the antenna. together.

  According to the illustrated embodiment and as shown more particularly in FIG. 3, the supporting structure 1 comprises a drum 10 for receiving and fixing the mast 2. The carrying structure 1 further comprises three branches 11 extending from the barrel 10 being arranged at 120 from each other. Each branch 11 is then equipped with means 12 for fixing on a base 13. According to the illustrated example, the fastening means 12 comprise tabs intended to receive anchoring studs 15 in inserts, not shown, fitted to each of the three pedestals 13.

  According to the illustrated example, the bases 13 are each constituted by a prefabricated concrete block. However, the fastening means 12 could be used to fix the supporting structure 1 on any other type of support or base, such as, for example, directly on a concrete slab of a terrace or, again, on masonry studs or metallic structure elements. Furthermore, it will be noted that, according to the illustrated example, each of the prefabricated blocks has at least one and, according to the illustrated example, two cells 16 open on top and intended to receive a ballast of any appropriate nature, such as for example, a gravel load or, even, one or more blocks 17 of complementary shape to that of each cell 16.

  Each branch 11 carries, at its end opposite the shaft 10, a base 20 for supporting the platform 4 which has a hexagonal shape. According to an essential characteristic of the invention, the antenna support further comprises a lift guard, generally designated by the reference 21 and disposed at the periphery of the platform 4 on five sides of the latter, the sixth side being left free so as to provide access to the platform, as will appear later.

  The bodyguard 21 thus comprises five foldable elements 22 contiguous and each placed in relation with an outer side of the platform 4. Each unfoldable element 22 then comprises a base 20 carried by a branch 11 or by two adjacent bases 20. Each foldable element 22 then comprises a low leaf 23 articulated on the base 20 to be rotatable about a substantially horizontal axis. The low leaf 23 carries, opposite the base 20, a high leaf 24 articulated on the lower leaf 23 to be movable in rotation about a substantially horizontal axis. According to the illustrated example, the low leaves 23 and high 24 are each constituted by a metal frame tube, substantially rectangular shape and provided with an intermediate crosspiece 25. Of course, the leaves 23 and 24 could be made of any other way and, for example, have a solid structure instead of the openwork structure selected for the illustrated example. Similarly, the leaves could have a shape other than rectangular such as for example trapezoidal.

  Furthermore, the edges, said upper edges 26 of the upper leaves 24, located opposite the lower leaves 23, are connected, at their adjacent ends, by a hinge part 27.

  Given the articulation between, on the one hand, each low leaf 23 and its base 20 and, on the other hand, each high leaf 24 and the corresponding lower leaf 23, each element 22 and thus the guard 20 is movable between a lowered position as illustrated in FIG. 4 and a raised position, as illustrated in FIG. 6, passing through an intermediate position, as illustrated in FIG. 5. In the lowered position A top leaf 24 of each element 21 is folded against the lower leaf 23, itself in the folded position towards the ground, position which, according to the example shown, is substantially horizontal. In the raised position R, the bottom leaf 23 of each element 21 is raised and the high leaf 24 forms, with the low leaf 23, a non-zero angle which, according to the illustrated example, is substantially equal to 180. In this raised position R, the upper edges 26 of the upper leaves 24 then define a handrail for a user of the platform 4. According to the illustrated example, in the raised position R, the bottom vents 23 and top 24 of each element 21 are substantially aligned vertically. However, according to the invention, it could be envisaged that in raised position R the low leaves 23 and high 24 form an angle less than 180, the upper edges 26 of the high leaves nevertheless being at a height sufficient to prevent the fall of a user placed on the platform 4.

  According to another essential feature of the invention, the bodyguard 21 further comprises means 27 for holding in the raised position R the unfoldable elements 22. According to the illustrated example, the means 27 comprise a cable 28, schematized in phantom in fig. 3, which extends successively in the crosspieces 25 high leaves 24. Given this position, the cable 28 is parallel, both at the upper edge of each high leaf 24 and the lower edge of each lower leaf 23, by being placed at a distance from these and the platform 4.

  The cable 28 is then capable of sliding in the crosspieces 25 and the holding means 27 further comprise means 29 for blocking the sliding of the cable 28 in the extended position of the latter when the leaves 23 and 24 are in the raised position. The locking means 29 comprise, as shown more particularly in FIG. 7, close to each end of the cable 28, a ball 30 which is integral with the cable 28. The locking means 29 comprise, also at the crossbar 25 of the top leaf 24 of each unfoldable element 22 extreme, a pivoting finger 31 , secured to the corresponding upper leaf and having an engagement slot 32 of the cable 28. Thus, once the cable 28 is engaged in the slot 32, the ball 30 being placed at the outer face of the finger 31, the cable 28 can slide further inside the crosspieces 25 blocking the increase of the perimeter at these crosspieces 25 and thus preventing a lowering of the guardrail 21. It will be noted that the distance between the two balls 30, measured along the cable 28, will then preferably chosen to substantially correspond to the perimeter of the bodyguard 21 measured at the level of the crosspieces 25 of the high leaves 24 in preferably raised vertical position.

  It will be noted that, in view of the configuration adopted, the folding and unfolding movements of the bodyguard 21 take place outside the platform, so that the lifting of the guardrail 21 can take place while the The user is on the platform 4. Thus, according to the invention, it could also be envisaged to implement a guardrail 21 with six elements 22 which would define a closed polygon, without the need to provide access at the platform when the guard rail 21 is raised.

  Furthermore, in order to allow the establishment of the relay antenna 3, the support according to the invention further comprises means 40 for adapting the antenna 3. According to the illustrated example and to facilitate as much that the operations of assembly and disassembly of the antenna 3, the adaptation means 40 comprise a bracket 41. As shown more particularly in FIG. 8, the bracket 41 comprises a base 42 for attachment to the mast 2 which has an elongate shape partly complementary to the outer shape of the mast 2. Thus, the base 42 has a curved shape transverse to its longitudinal axis. The base 42 has, in addition, in the upper part, a locking tab 43, intended to engage in a complementary housing 44 arranged on the mast 2. According to the illustrated example, the housing 44 is defined by a collar 45 extending over the entire periphery of the mast 2, so that the housing 44 is capable of receiving the locking tabs 43 of several bases 42 arranged juxtaposed around the mast 2. The base 42 comprises, in the opposite of the blocking tab 43 and in the lower part, a locking tab 46 which, according to the example shown, is intended to bear on a shoulder 47 provided by the mast 2. According to the illustrated example, the shoulder 47 extends over the entire periphery of the mast 2 below the flange 45, so as to be able to provide support for the locking step 46 of several bases adapted to the mast 2. The shoulder 47 further comprises a series of bores 48 for receiving, as a s locking, screws 49 engaged, moreover, in windows to be arranged in the locking tab 46 of the base 42.

  In order to allow the adaptation of the antenna 3, the base 42 carries a cradle 50, through a tube 51 whose central bore is substantially cylindrical and oriented vertically. The cradle 50 then comprises a cylindrical tubular body 52 of revolution disposed inside the tube 51 to define, with the latter, a connection of the sliding pivot type of vertical axis. Thus, the cradle 50 is movable relative to the base 42 and thus to the mast 2 in rotation and in translation of vertical axis. In order to allow immobilization of the cradle relative to the mast, the bracket 41 comprises, at the lower end of the tube 51, clamping means 53 of the tubular body 52 of the cradle 50. The position of the clamping means 53 makes them accessible from the platform 4, so that a user placed on the platform 4 can easily adjust the height and azimuth orientation of the adapted antenna on the cradle 50.

  Furthermore, in order to have a cradle 50 compatible with different sizes of relay antenna 3, the tubular body 52 of the cradle 50 comprises at least two segments 54 and 55, sliding one inside the other, and means of locking 56 relative movement of the two segments 54 and 55, so as to allow adjustment of the length of the cradle 50.

  Of course, the adaptation means 40 of the antenna 3 can be made in a completely different manner, depending on the type of antenna that may have to be adapted, on the mast 2. Similarly, various modifications can be made to invention without departing from its scope.

Claims (14)

  1 - Lifting guard, characterized in that it comprises: E at least one element (22) foldable upward comprising at least: E a base (20), E a low leaf (23) hinged to the base ( 20) to be movable in rotation of horizontal axis, É and a high leaf (24) articulated on the low leaf (23) to be movable in rotation of horizontal axis and foldable against the low leaf (23), the element unfoldable (22) being movable, between a lowered position, wherein the top leaf (24) is folded against the lower leaf (23) itself in the folded position towards the ground, and a raised position, in which the low leaf (23) is raised and the top leaf (24) forms a non-zero angle with the low leaf, the upper edge (26) of the top leaf (24) forming a handrail, É and means (28, 29) for maintaining in the raised position of the unfoldable element.   2 - liftable guard according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least two contiguous folding elements (22) whose upper leaves (24) are connected at the adjacent ends of their upper edge (26).   3 - liftable body guard according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper edges (26) of two contiguous folding elements (22) form a non-zero angle.   4 - liftable body guard according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a series of foldable elements (22) contiguous and arranged to define a polygon closed or open on one side.   - Liftable guard according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the holding means (28, 29) in the raised position of the unfoldable elements comprise: E at least one cable (28) extending successively in the unfoldable elements ( 22) contiguous parallel to the upper edge (26) of each upper leaf (24) and away from this upper edge and the platform and slidable in the unfoldable elements (22), E and sliding blocking means of the cable in the extended position of the latter when the leaves are in the raised position.   6 - Support for a telecommunications antenna comprising a support structure (1) supporting a mast (2) for fixing at least one antenna (3) and, at the base of this mast, a peripheral working platform (4) , characterized in that it comprises a guardrail (21) lift according to one of claims 1 to 5, the bases (20) of the unfoldable elements (22) are located near an outer edge of the platform working (4).   7 - Support for communication antenna according to claim 6, characterized in that the carrying structure comprises: E a shaft (10) for receiving and fixing the mast (2), E and at least three branches (11) extending from the shaft (10) and each equipped with fastening means (12) on a base (13).   8 - Support for communication antenna according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises, as a base, at least three precast concrete blocks (13) each comprising anchoring means intended to cooperate with the means of fastening (12) a branch (11) of the supporting structure (1).   9 - Support for a communication antenna according to claim 8, characterized in that each prefabricated block (13) comprises at least one cell (16) which is open, at the level of the upper face of the base, and which is capable of receiving a ballast (17).   - Support for communication antenna according to claim 9, characterized in that it comprises, as ballast, at least one block (17) of complementary shape of the shape of the cell of a prefabricated block.   11 - Support for a communication antenna according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that it comprises means (40) for adapting at least one communication antenna (3) which comprise a bracket (41) comprising: E a cradle (50) for receiving the communication antenna (3), and a base (42) for attachment to the mast (2), which has an elongated shape partly complementary to the shape of the mast (2); ) with, in the upper part, a locking tab (43) intended to engage in a complementary housing (44) provided on the mast (2) and, in the lower part, a locking lug (46) intended to receive a locking member (49) integral with the mast (2).   12 - Support for a communication antenna according to claim 11, characterized in that the mast comprises: a peripheral collar (45) defining a receiving housing (44) for one or more locking lugs (43) of the mounting base ( 42), and, below the peripheral flange (45), a peripheral bearing shoulder (47) for one or more locking lugs (46) for a mounting base (42), the shoulder (47) having a series of bores (48) for receiving, as locking members, engaged screws (49) in windows provided in the locking tabs.   13 - Support for a communication antenna according to claim 11 25 or 12, characterized in that the means of adaptation of an antenna comprise: a pivot connection of vertical axis between the cradle (50) and the base (42) , so as to allow an azimuth adjustment of the antenna (3) fixed on the cradle (50), and means (53) for locking the rotation of the cradle relative to the bracket.   14 - Support for communication antenna according to one of claims 11 to 13, characterized in that the cradle (50) is movable relative to the base (42) in vertical translation and in that the adaptation means comprise means (53) for blocking the translation of the cradle relative to the bracket to allow adjustment in height of the antenna (3) fixed on the cradle (50).   - Support for communication antenna according to one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the cradle (50) is adjustable in length.   16 - Support for a communication antenna according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that: the cradle (50) comprises a cylindrical tubular body (52) of revolution, E and the bracket comprises, on the one hand, a tube ( 51) which has a cylindrical central bore of revolution of vertical axis, inside which is disposed the tubular body (52) of the cradle (50), so as to be movable in rotation and in translation of vertical axis and, on the other hand, means (53) for clamping the tubular body of the cradle for blocking the movements of the cradle relative to the stem.   17 - Support for a communication antenna according to claim 16, characterized in that the tubular body (52) of the cradle comprises at least two segments (54, 55) sliding one inside the other and locking means (56) relative movement of the two segments, so as to allow adjustment of the length of the cradle (50).